By Candace Duran
Every meeting should be celebrated in our home. HALCYON believes in blurring the lines between work and play, and our ultimate goal is to draw inspiration from our Cherry Creek neighborhood when it comes to activations, meetings and events. Our continued success in these areas is the result of partnering with a variety of local businesses to engage and educate our guests on discovering their professional passion—whether it’s becoming a florist for the day, tapping into their inner artist by painting a masterpiece on our hotel rooftop or breaking away from a board meeting and having their boss say, “It’s time for recess!” as they prepare to explore our signature Gear Garage.
In the ongoing battle of VRBOs (vacation rentals by owner) vs. hotels, we have found the perfect combination of mixing business and pleasure. When travelers experience HALCYON, they get a flavor of our neighborhood and fall in love with the total package, which includes our people. Based on what we have learned, here are five ways to elevate your hotel’s meeting experience.
Understanding the strengths of your location
What separates your neighborhood from your competitor’s neighborhood? For example, Cherry Creek is known for world-class dining and high-end shopping, whether it is a small business or a world-renowned luxury brand. HALCYON continues to immerse itself in the community, as guests can enjoy monthly activations in the lobby from beer tastings to fireside chats with local artists and influencers.
Establish creative relationships with your partners
Create partnerships with neighborhood businesses that allow you to cultivate a unique experience for travelers. For example, the nearby Denver Botanic Gardens offers group tours for our clients, and all hotel guests get complimentary access.
Simplifying your client’s responsibilities
Co-plan with your clients by finding out what their vision for the meeting looks like, and then take it up a notch with an organic idea to complement their plan. For example, give your planner the tools to create a memorable meeting experience with personal introductions to your favorite DMC or local influencer. Support their meeting’s mission and elevate it with your expertise and assistance from local partners.
Culinary creativity matters
Proactively spice up the menu with your brand essence. For example, an annual board meeting could be enhanced with a sushi rolling competition led by our Executive Chef Khamla Vongsakoun, who also oversees Departure Restaurant and specializes in modern Asian cuisine. Activities like this can create healthy competition within the team, while also encouraging participants to have fun.
Embellish on the Colorado lifestyle
We also encourage our guests to embrace our Colorado-inspired activities such as biking or jogging along the 42-mile Cherry Creek Trail, which is in the hotel’s backyard. Our Gear Garage offers complimentary gear for attendee activities—everything from scooters to cruiser bikes and longboards.
Stepping across our threshold instantly conveys the feeling that you are a guest in a friend’s fabulous home. From our Kitchen Counter, where you’ll check in and probably want to stay awhile, to the truly unique destination amenities and rooftop pool deck—HALCYON is unhooked from the ordinary in all the best ways. That’s what it takes these days to attract more group business to your Colorado hotel.
All photos courtesy of HALCYON.
Candace Duran is Director of Sales & Marketing for HALCYON, a hotel in Cherry Creek, a vibrant district in Denver. Duran leads the hotel’s sales and marketing efforts and has 16 years of industry experience that also includes The Ritz-Carlton, Bachelor Gulch and The Ritz-Carlton, Denver.