News for the Hospitality Executive |
OHIO STATE
PARK LODGES, December 17, 2012 – When it is time for a small-group
off-site
strategy session, meeting planners look for facilities that offer
efficient and
highly functional meeting space for the often-intense daytime sessions
and a
wide array of indoor and outdoor recreational offerings that will allow
attendees to relax no matter what the weather. Five Ohio
State Park Lodges located in the central and northern regions of
the state
fit these dual requirements, and they have become particularly popular
for
small groups looking for affordable, drive-to destinations.
“Strategy sessions can be intense, so when top-level executives gather off-site to discuss serious business, the venue they choose had better do things right…and at the right price,” said Dianna Rom, regional director of sales and marketing for Xanterra Parks & Resorts, operator of the five lodges. “The natural beauty of Ohio’s state parks can both invigorate and calm executives engaged in strategy sessions. And after-hours recreational choices are abundant, so executives can clear their heads by swimming laps in a pool, reading a book by a fireplace or even playing pinball in a game room.” Lodges are located within an easy drive of many major cities in Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Virginia and West Virginia. The lodges are Deer Creek State Park Lodge near Columbus, Salt Fork State Park Lodge in central Ohio near Cambridge, Mohican State Park Lodge in north central Ohio near Loudonville, Punderson Manor State Park Lodge in northeastern Ohio near Newbury and Maumee Bay State Park Lodge in northwestern Ohio near Toledo. Xanterra also operates the marina at Geneva Marina State Park in Geneva-on-the-Lake in northeastern Ohio. All five lodges have expansive meeting space and distinctive indoor and outdoor activities. Rom offered the following tips for executives planning small meetings at Ohio State Park Lodges. 1. Act like you own the place.
Booking a meeting at an Ohio State Park Lodge means you are in charge
just like
you would be in your own home. “When you plan an event in your own
home, it
reflects your personality, and a meeting should do the same,” said Rom.
“Our
team is creative, and we thrive on helping groups find the right theme,
tone,
pace and even decorations for their events. We encourage our
small-group guests
to tell us what they want, and it is our job to figure out how to get
it for
them.” All five Ohio State Park Lodges offer a wide range of meeting space and accommodations choices. The lodges each offer multiple conference rooms that work well for small groups and can be configured for groups of as few as 10 or as many as 200. Guest room configurations vary too. For example, each of the 148 rooms at Salt Fork State Park Lodge offers king, bunk, poolside walkouts and hospitality rooms, each with a balcony overlooking either the woods or outdoor pool area. Most lodges also offer cottages, some appropriate for small groups. At Maumee Bay, for example, there are two- and four-bedroom cottages with kitchens, living areas and fireplaces. For
information about arranging meetings, planners should visit the
individual
websites or www.ohiostateparklodges.com
or call 1-877-496-9224. Travelers can also follow Ohio State Park
Lodges on Facebook
or Twitter. Xanterra Parks & Resorts® (consisting of several affiliated Xanterra entities) operates lodges, restaurants, tours and activities at national parks and state parks and resorts. Xanterra Parks & Resorts is the country’s largest park concessioner. Xanterra Parks & Resorts has operations in the following locations: Grand Canyon, Yellowstone, Zion, Crater Lake, Rocky Mountain and Petrified Forest National Parks, Mount Rushmore National Memorial, Furnace Creek Resort in Death Valley National Park and five Ohio State Park Lodges as well as the Geneva Marina at Ohio’s Geneva State Park. Xanterra Parks & Resorts also operates Windstar Cruises, Kingsmill Resort in Williamsburg, Va. and Grand Canyon Railway in Williams, Ariz. Xanterra Parks & Resorts has been committed to the preservation and protection of the environment for many years. Through its environmental program, “Ecologix,” Xanterra Parks & Resorts has been recognized repeatedly for environmental leadership in the hospitality industry and is the recipient of many honors, including major awards from the U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service, Environmental Protection Agency, Travel Industry Association of America, American Hotel and Lodging Association, National Parks Conservation Association, Conde Nast Traveler, National Geographic Traveler, Colorado Department of Public Health, State of Arizona, Arizona Department of Environmental Quality and Utah Department of Environmental Quality. For more information about Xanterra Parks & Resorts, links to individual properties and reservations numbers, visit www.xanterra.com. |
Contact: Xanterra Parks & Resorts 6312 S. Fiddlers Green Circle Suite 600 North Greenwood Village, CO 80111 Media contact: Xanterra Parks & Resorts Mesereau Public Relations 1-720-842-5271 [email protected] [email protected] |