Melbourne’s jewel of a convention center, the MCEC, is revolutionizing event dining, with its sustainable food and beverage procurement policies. The Centre sources the best quality, seasonal produce from nearby farmers, growers and producers and then prepares everything on-site, right down to curing its own fish. As for wine, the state of Victoria has an abundance of award-winning vineyards and wineries, allowing the MCEC to serve premium wines to all groups, whether there be 10 or 2,000 attendees.

MCEC Food and Wine Manager Frank Burger personally visits vineyards all over the state to source wine, and observes that “through our food and wine philosophy…we are able to give clients an experience second to none”, a concept of great benefit to all.

Website: www.mcec.com.au

Wolgan Valley Resort and Spa, an Emirates’ hotel and sister property to the Al Mahal in Dubai, has become a member of The Leading Hotels of the World (LHW). The resort features 40 individual one and two-bedroom suites and is available for exclusive hire. The meeting room accommodates up to 90 attendees and the boardroom 12. The resort is very group-friendly, offering cooking demonstrations, wine tastings and tree plantings. The original Wolgan Valley settler farmhouse, established in 1832, can be used for exclusive outdoor events, barbeques, stargazing and traditional Aboriginal storytelling. Recreational venues include the Timeless Spa, gymnasium, tennis courts, steam room, sauna and outdoor infinity pool, with lounge areas and pool-side service.

Wolgan Valley Resort & Spa is a scenic three-hour drive or 50-minute helicopter ride from Sydney.

Email: info@wolganvalley.com
Website: www.wolganvalley.com

The ANA Crowne Plaza Kobe, formerly Crowne Plaza Kobe, successfully completed its rebranding on 20th January 2010, becoming the tenth ANA Crowne Plaza Hotel in Japan. The 593-room, 37-storey hotel is one of Kobe’s key landmarks, and enjoys a prime location and stunning views as well as unique direct access to the Shinkansen railway station, Shin Kobe, and close proximity to outdoor pursuits.

ANA Crowne Plaza Hotels offer a suite of meeting products and packages to facilitate the work of event organizers, successfully marrying renowned Japanese hospitality to global management expertise. The ANA Crowne Plaza Kobe features a total of 15 meeting rooms over 3,498 sqm, ranging from the 1,663 sqm ballroom with a capacity of 2,200 to a discreet 52 sqm space, all of which enjoy high speed internet and the latest audio-visual technology.

For reservations, contact Hotel Sales on tel: 817 82 911 188, fax: 817 82 911 154,
Email reservation@cpkobe.com

Website: www.ichotelsgroup.com

The Andaman Langkawi is now part of Starwood’s Luxury Collection. The 186-room resort nestles in a 50-million-year-old virgin rainforest between the Mat Cincang mountain range and the Andaman Sea on the island of Langkawi, Malaysia. The area surrounding the resort is a natural paradise with magnificent views over the canopy of the rain forest.

Meeting facilities at The Andaman include a ballroom that seats 400 theatre style and 250 for a banquet, six flexible space meeting rooms that accommodate 50 delegates each, and a business center. Dining and beverage venues include an all-day dining restaurant, a Japanese restaurant, Poolside Terrace, Beach Bar and Lobby Lounge. The Spa at The Andaman offers therapies that incorporate ancient oriental healing techniques, and the Datai Bay Golf Club with its 18-hole championship golf course, is adjacent to the hotel.

Email: luxurycollection.andaman@luxurycollection.com
Website: www.theandaman.com

The Millennium Hilton Bangkok recently opened Maya, a new dining and entertainment venue. Maya is a multi-sensory experience that combines non-stop entertainment of music, Thai dance and spectacle with a 15-course meal.

The 523-room hotel offers 1,600 sqm/17,200 sqft of event space with 15 function rooms that accommodate from 20 to 900 attendees, including a grand ballroom and ten meeting rooms measuring 64 sqm/690 sqft each.

For dining, the hotel’s all-day restaurant, Flow, offers Japanese, Thai and international cuisine made in display kitchens. Additional F&B venues include Yuan Chinese Restaurant; Prime, a steak house; Three Sixty Lounge, the glass-enclosed observatory-style bar on the 32nd floor; Zeta Bar; Caffè Cino and the pool bar. Recreational facilities include a Spa, fitness center, and a beach-themed pool area with an infinity pool and sandy sundeck.

Website: www.hilton.com

Luxury train operator Orient-Express is providing a new service in Asia, with the scheduling of its first ever crossing of the Friendship Bridge that connects Thailand and Laos. The new journey, Voyage to Vientiane, is a 4-day/3-night trip that stops at the Angkor-style temple of Phimai, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, one of the most important Khmer monuments in Thailand.

E&O is very group friendly and offers an array of promotional items for groups traveling on its Bangkok to Singapore route or any route in between. E&O will customize the group experience with special extras, such as greeting attendees with champagne and putting on entertainment by a Gurkha Pipers Band, Kompang Drummers, a string quartet, or traditional Thai Angklung musicians. On-board entertainment options include fortunetellers, interactive murder mysteries, Malay or Thai classical dancers, and Chinese opera.

Website: www.orient-express.com