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!

Photo Courtesy of The London West Hollywood at Beverly Hills

​It is no secret that we love Dogs and are especially fond of seeing our favorite animals when we travel.  In honor of National Adopt a Shelter Pet Day on April 30, 2019, we are thrilled to share some of our favorite Directors of Pet Relations who are rescues, service animals and/or whom use their role to assist other rescued animals.  Please note, this list is in no particular order. 
 
Craving more?  Volunteer your time at a Shelter.  Or consider taking a vacation or trip to hotels with Canine members of Guest Relations.

​Not only do we love being greeted by welcoming pups, but we also enjoy pampering our fur babies!  When stopping by Mandarin Oriental Boston, Guests and Visitors alike can meet the cutest pair of Golden Retrievers, Bonnie, aged 10 and Tara, aged 9.  The duo was rescued by their owner, and General Manager, Philipp Knuepfer.  Bonnie and Tara can usually be found waiting for their next photo-op in the lobby or looking for treats at the concierge desk.  They love having fun with hotel guests and colleagues.
 
For those lucky enough to travel with their own fury friends, the hotel has an extensive list of pet amenities and ways to spend quality time with your pup, including dining alfresco on the seasonal terrace at Bar Boulud or utilizing the dog-friendly map of Boston’s Back Bay.  For pet owners interested in giving their fur baby a complete 5 star day of fun, check out the Pampered Pup Program which includes a private shopping consultation and salon experience, of course. 

What has two English Bulldogs and named after an iconic British Prime Minister?  The London West Hollywood’s duo, Winston & Churchill.  Guests have a chance to meet and play with the property’s cuddly Ambassadors twice a day.  Plus, Groups hosting a meeting or event at The London, can invite Winston and Churchill to participate in the festivities (for up to one hour) for just $250!  100% of the proceeds are donated to a local Los Angeles animal shelter.

The Park Hyatt Chicago is home to the cutest one-eyed pug named Parker whose dual role includes being a proud Ambassador to shelter dogs everywhere.  She is a rescue that was able to find a loving home thanks to PAWS Chicago and the Hotel’s General Manager!  As the head of Pet Relations, Parker can often be found schmoozing guests on the seventh-floor rooftop NoMI Garen in her very own Burberry Bandana.    
 
Parker brings joy to both colleagues and guests, making the hotel feel like a true home away from home.  Fun Fact: 100% of the proceeds from the Park Hyatt Chicago’s required pet deposit fee are donated directly to PAWS Chicago. PAWS uses these funds to continue to provide valuable services to the four legged friends of Chicago. 

​Just 75 miles from New York City, guests of Pennsylvania’s Hotel Fauchere, a historic, boutique Relais & Chateaux property, you can find Alfie.  Alfie is the sweetest rescue, most likely a German Shorthair Pointer that has blossomed into a cuddly, affectionate and trusting companion.  When Alfie is not keeping guest relations company, walking the grounds or greeting visitors, he is most likely welcoming pups and guests alike on one of the pet friendly porches.   

Protip: If you come to Hotel Fauchere on a weekend, you may have a chance to meet Alfie’s sister Boji! Visiting doggies can enjoy homemade treats and amenities, as well as have a chance to be featured on the hotels #FaucherePets Instagram feed.  Cats are also welcome.

​In Downtown Nashville, you can find Sasha, a 2-year-old rescue pup!  She is the official canine Ambassador of the Boutique Hotel known as The Bobby Nashville.  Sasha was found at the Country Road Animal Rescue.  Those who want to take a piece of Nashville home with them can purchase a Bath Towel personalized with an image of Sasha for just $25.  All proceeds benefit the Country Road Animal Rescue. 
 
The Bobby has some of the most spacious guestrooms in town, perfect for traveling with a human or four-legged companion.  We also dig the Bobby’s downtown location, rooftop music series and 1963 Lincoln Continental available for quick rides around town.   

​At one of our favorite properties in Turks and Caicos, Como Parrot Cay, guests can walk, Max the resident Yellow Labrador.  His favorite thing to do is to meet new people and run along the beach, when he is not swimming.  Max is great with kids and joined the property in December 2016.  Many of the COMO properties around the world have been homes for Labrador Retrievers, who have brought much joy to employees and guests alike over the years. 

Dogs are such an important member of the Fairmont family that 13 of their properties have resident dogs!  Considering that 11 of these 13 Hotels with Canine Ambassadors are located between the United States and Canada, we may have to arrange a Dog road trip to visit them all.  Want some inspiration, checkout the full list.

​Daphnie, our pet in residents at the Fairmont in Quebec, does more than just provide a warm welcome to guests.  She also raises awareness for the Mira Foundation, a wonderful organization dedicated to training service dogs.  Fun Fact: Initially Daphnie was being trained by the Mira Foundation to be a service dog, however, due to her incredible social skills she changed careers to become a Canine Ambassador at Fairmont Le Château Frontenac.

Without picking favorites we would like to give a shout out to Bixby and Gibbs at the Fairmont Scottsdale Princess in Arizona.  Bixby is a yellow Labrador retriever and his buddy Gibbs is a red Golden retriever.  In addition to welcoming guests, they are trained service dogs and have their own book called, “The Golden Friends of Fairmont: The Adventures of Bixby and Gibbs.”  If that were not cool enough the book was written by former Princess colleague, Carole Gurule, and artfully illustrated by a barista from the coffee shop, Suzy Almblade.  Can’t make it to Scottsdale to spend time with the duo?  You too can contact the Hotel to purchase your own copy of their book.

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​

What's the difference between an average Trip and a Bespoke Experience?  Customization!  And what's Key to executing customization for discerning Individuals and high-end Groups?  Preparation!
 
TLDR: Allergies, Loyalty Club Numbers, Preferences & Headshots
 
Just like every organization has its quirks, guests attending a Meeting, Program or Event may come with their own set of unique needs.  It is key to capture these attributes at the very beginning of the confirmation process in order to share these notes with your Hotels, Airlines and other applicable Vendors.   
 
When collecting details for a new guest you have not worked with in the past, consider arranging a secure, online Survey, requiring responses for each question.  Surveys often give the creator a spreadsheet report and an individual response view.  For returning guests, be sure to contact them to confirm their information is still accurate.  We have included a sample questionnaire at the bottom of this blog post, to get you started.
 
Allergies
Don't wait until confirming final headcounts to ask guests if they are Vegan, Vegetarian, Gluten-Free, Nut-Free and/or require Kosher or Halal meals.  Ask when confirming their attendance and share with the venue or program host, as soon as possible.  While most professional venues-and Event Hosts- are equipped to jump in with an alternative at the last minute, they will appreciate being notified well in advance to prepare comparable options.  Planning an event can be stressful, try to focus on being organized from the start. 
 
I once had a client who informed us of a Gluten-Free guest a day before arrival, when all attendees were set to receive Welcome chocolates.  Our team on-site had already set aside the chocolates.  While it appeared that we were able to easily execute a Gluten-Free alternative for the guest, it became a mad dash.  Had it been a custom designed pastry, procuring a comparable welcome gift may have been difficult.
 
Loyalty Club Numbers
Even if your Hotel or Air bookings will not yield points or loyalty club benefits to individuals-it is likely you will be asked to provide these details to your Hotel or Airline. 
 
Why should you ask if they will not earn points or other value adds? 
(1) Most Loyalty Club Numbers attach to custom guest preferences-set by the User- that hotels and airlines can arrange in advance.
(2) Bookings connected with a Loyalty Club Number can provide access to custom mobile applications, such as a Hotel’s Keyless Entry, Virtual Concierge and/or Text alerts.   
 
Preferences
Just like Allergies, it is imperative to ask guests about their preferences when confirming their attendance.  Beyond food preferences-often mixed in with allergies-don't forget to ask about Airline Seat and Hotel preferences. 
 
When it comes to Hotel preferences, it is a good idea to reconfirm with the hotel what is actionable given the rooms you have contracted.  For instance, be careful how you prompt guests for their preferred bedding type or view, if you have contracted Run-of-House rooms.
 
Headshots
If your event is longer than one day and/or includes accommodations, secure Headshots of your attendees.  And if you are hosting a high-end event, consider including headshots of your attendees, along with VIPs and Speakers. 
 
Imagine attending a Sales Incentive for the top 20 Associates of your company.  How would it make you feel, if as you departed the car from the airport the bellman opened the door and was able to greet you by name, without being prompted?  Talk about a WOW!
 
Bonus: If a hotel is small enough or has enough staff and you can (1) provide flight times to the host Hotel (2) provide the drivers of your airport transportation a number for the hotel’s guest relations team.  (3) The Hotel can often work together with your transportation vendor to coordinate a personalized welcome. 
 
ProTrip: By preparing Headshots with names and tiles of your attendees in advance, Event organizers and Hosts, can easily locate specific guests in the crowd.

Ready to start planning?
Click for a copy of our Guest Checklist or reach out to us directly to handle the details.

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 info@VosantMeetings.com to start planning your Bespoke Travel Experience to Paradise.