Hosting a retreat for your social meetup group, fitness clan, club or religious community can be a simple 10 step process, when you leave the work to Vosant Meetings & Travel!  

1. Connect with us!  Share your vision and any details you have considered or decided upon.  If you are unsure of your attendees’ interest level and budget preferences, Vosant Meetings & Travel can arrange a custom online survey that you just have to forward to your members and friends.  

We can even provide space for anyone who has their own feedback for the ideal retreat.  It will be up to the decision maker to choose if the comments will be incorporated.

2. Once we have an idea of the event, including the general location or location attributes, budget or cost range and estimated number of guests, you can relax!  Vosant Meetings & Travel will source Hotel and Venue options for your one-of-a-kind retreat.    

We will hone in on options that are in line with your Vision.  If you have members coming from all over the world, we will focus on destinations that are near major airport Hubs.  If your attendees love a certain type of fitness equipment, we can seek out locations with such machines on site, or those which can accommodate bringing in such gear at the group’s expense.  And if your guests follow strict dietary guidelines, we can focus on places that can accommodate such needs.  Just let us know and we will include it in your Vision board. 

3. After Hotel(s) and/or Venues have been sourced, we will arrange your options and assist you in selecting the top three destinations that can execute your vision.  We can even compile colorful details for you to share the top three options with your planning committee or Executive decision maker.

4. Once a site has been selected, it will be time for us to contract your preferred accommodations, meals, transportation and activities.  Any other components will be compiled to calculate the total cost of attendance per guest.  This will be one of the last times to decide on any special surprises the group would like to include in the event budget.  

5. If your event website, with countdown clock, has not already debuted, it will be.  This site is customizable with your group’s preferred colors, logos and verbiage, allowing us to share all the details with your attendees.   

6. Vosant Meetings and Travel will create a timeline of events with you and/or any applicable planning committee member(s).  This will include scheduled personalized emails for your guests.  Again, all executed by Vosant Meetings & Travel on your behalf.

7. The custom event website will be updated and become bookable for your attendees.  When signing up for the weekend, they will be asked for their preferences, allergies and if applicable, clothing size.  If you have offered your attendees options or sessions, they will be able to select them at this time as well.

8. Any custom apparel that has not yet been designed, will be in advance of ordering.  Many Reunion type groups opt to engage attendees by asking them to design apparel as part of a competition.

9. In the weeks leading up to the event, attendees will be given access to your customized mobile application and receive the pre-coordinated event emails getting them ready.  

​10. Vosant Meetings & Travel will work with the destination hosts and other vendors to ensure a seamless coordinated event for you and your attendees.  While allowing you to take credit and enjoy an incredible retreat!

Image taken by Ariel M. Weinshanker

In March, we visited Chicago to see some show stopping Hotels and we were impressed.  

Many of the best Hotels in the Windy City have either been built or renovation in the past decade. We really appreciated the attention to detail and plethora of well-maintained properties.

Whether you are traveling for work, pleasure or both, Chicago is a great destination.  Don’t let the windy city’s weather fool you, its central location in the United States and extensive selection of non-stop flights from major metropolitan cities makes it an easy choice.  And those hosting Meetings are sure to enjoy the amount of event spaces with windows!

Our top 5 list of Hotels are presented in no particular order.  If we missed one of your favorites, please share with us in the comments:

• Viceroy Chicago
• Waldorf Astoria, Chicago 
• The Peninsula Chicago 
• The Langham, Chicago 
• Honorable Mentions: Chicago Athletic Association & Park Hyatt, Chicago​

Conde Nast Traveler awards Bermuda with the distinction of being one of the Best Islands in the World, year after year[i].  I set out to find out what made this sub-tropical Island stand out among the rest.

1) An abundance of short, non-stop Flights
While most visitors arrive by boat[ii], it is easy and accessible to fly to Bermuda!  There are many short non-stop flights from major East Coast Cities and even London.  In under two hours, you can fly direct to Bermuda from BOS, JFK and PHL.  During the summer season there are also quick non-stop flights from EWR, CLT and DCA.  For our friends flying out of YYZ, ATL and MIA, non-stop flights are available and will take less than three hours, ensuring your ability to relax before Happy Hour[iii].  For comparison, 2-3 hours is roughly the same amount of time it would take you to get to Montauk from Manhattan.  Considering these flights are operated by major carriers, like American Airlines, Delta, JetBlue, and United, you can even visit Bermuda for a mileage run. 

Insider tip: When returning to the United States, customs occurs while you are still in Bermuda, ensuring a quick return once you land stateside.  There are even Global Entry kiosks located in the Bermuda airport to speed up the process.

2) Ease of Travel
In Bermuda the locals speak English and use a currency called the Bermuda Dollar.  One Bermuda Dollar is generally equivalent to one US Dollar, and both can be used[iv].  All major credit cards are accepted on the island and there are ATMs readily available.
When it comes to staying connected, your cell phone carrier will treat calls as International ones.  If you would like to truly disconnect, and not rely on your mobile phone, you can, since Bermuda has public payphones around the island.  Most local calls are just .50 and often take US coins[v].

3) For Work & Play
For Work: Whether your guests are coming from the East Coast, in under three hours, or London, in under seven hours, Bermuda is ideal for a Corporate Incentives and Executive Team Retreats.  Food and Beverage expenditures are not taxed, and attendee gifts can be imported to Bermuda duty free as long as they are exported at the end of the meeting[vi].  Bermuda is on Atlantic Standard Time, making it just one hour ahead of Eastern Standard Time.  And there are no shortage of waterfront venues, unique off-site spaces or traditional conference rooms.  Picture a Board Meeting in the morning and beachside team building activities in the afternoon.  What a perfect combination!

For Play: In Bermuda there are hotels that cater to families, those for guests ages 13 and up, as well as adults-only options.  Meaning you can go to Bermuda for a Romantic weekend with your special someone sans children or stay at a kid friendly property! 
 
Pro tip: some Hotels, such as one of our personal favorites- the Reefs Resort and Club- provide guests complimentary access to kayaks, paddle boards and snorkel gear!  Talk about effortless travel.

4) Clean, Safe and no Zika!
Bermuda is a clean and safe place to visit.  As of January 2019, there have been no known local transmissions of the Zika Virus in Bermuda[vii].  Even more important to note, the species of Mosquito that can carry Zika, is not present in Bermuda.  There is relatively low crime, locals are hospitable and there are no Billboards or Neon signs, talk about Paradise.  As far as smoking goes, enclosed public spaces and public vehicles in Bermuda, are non-smoking by law[viii].  Fun Fact: Other than one lone KFC in Hamilton City, you will not find any fast food or franchised chain restaurants[ix].

5) Shipwreck Diving
Did you know that Bermuda has more shipwrecks per square mile than anywhere else on the planet[x]?  And that Bermuda is known for offering some of the best wreck diving in the world[xi]?  Due to the amount of ships that have been wrecked over the past 400 years, there is a lot of history to be discovered underwater[xii].  Unskilled divers are discouraged from seeking buried treasure among the wreckage, as some ships have left over ammunition.  Can’t decide which shipwreck to explore?  Perhaps figure out which side of the Island you will be on or how old of a wreckage you would like to visit. 

6) Beach Dining
After you have played Golf, gone Shopping, sauntered through Museums, visited an underwater shipwreck and indulged in some pampering at the Spa, it is time to enjoy a unique dining experience. 
Imagine, you are barefoot, toes in the sand, feeling the breeze of the ocean while you sit down with your loved one by candlelight to enjoy an incredible, chef-designed, multi-course meal[xiii].  Just you, your special someone, your server and the waves of the tide on your feet.  Sign me up!
 
7) Adventures by Land
If a romantic, ocean-side dinner experience, with your toes in the sand isn’t what you had envisioned for your get-away, fear not.  Bermuda offers many unique adventures.  Whether you chose to explore the island on a self-guided hike or plan an adventure with an eco-tour company, your options are abundant.  You can check out Bermuda’s jungle or perhaps journey through the island, past a Fort, across a wooden bridge and over a moat!  One of my personal favorites is, Hidden Gem’s of Bermuda’s Winter Excursion that takes visitors to “The Vines” also known as the Southland Estates, to see garden pools, limestone quarries, the island's largest banyan tree grove as well as an old Bermuda Home and a mausoleum[xiv]!

8) Picturesque
Are you dreaming of clear blue waters and pink sandy beaches?  Do you long for beautiful ocean waters to snorkel in?  Or maybe you want the perfect backdrop for your Instagramable selfie.  Bermuda has you covered.  If that were not enough, many hotels offer private pools and accommodations with direct Beach access.  So, if you forget your sunglasses on your way to the water, just walk back to your room and grab them.  

9) Hitch
Hitch is Bermuda’s first electronic Taxi App, aka Bermuda’s version of Uber or Lyft!  No need to flag down a taxi or make sure you have enough Bermudian Dollars, just order your car via Hitch.  Just like the typical taxi applications in the States, you pay and have the option to tip, all in the app.  Just connect your credit card in advance and make sure you have cell service.

10) Affordable
There are a variety of free and affordable activities you can enjoy in Bermuda.  Some of our favorites beyond a walking tour include: Visiting Jobson’s Cove, hiking up Fort Scaur to catch views of The Great Sound, catching a ride on the Seaexpress around the Island and climbing to the top of Gibbs’ Hill Lighthouse. 

​ProTip: Visit in March and April to save some money while the temperatures start to rise. 
 
Are you inspired to take your best friends, special someone or family to Bermuda?  Looking for Hotel recommendations or Trip Planning Services?  Contact [email protected] to start planning your Bespoke Travel Experience to Paradise.