Press Releases

MONTEREY, CALIF.– Two Cannery Row luxury, oceanfront hotels – the InterContinental The Clement Monterey and the Monterey Plaza Hotel & Spa – have won the coveted Smart Meetings Magazine 2010 Platinum Choice Award, distinguishing them in the top 100 meeting resorts in the Western U.S., Canada and Mexico, as voted by readers. Out of thousands of qualified properties, only the very best are chosen.

"People look forward to meetings on Cannery Row because, in addition to the beautiful facilities right on the water, there's so much to do within walking distance from their hotels. Business travelers enjoy fabulous dining, great art galleries, boutique shopping and energizing outdoor activities, including kayaking on the Bay and biking on the Coastal Recreation Trail," said Diane Mandeville, Vice President of Marketing for the Cannery Row Company.

Winners earn this recognition by providing the best in ambience, amenities, facility quality, guest services, meeting space, restaurant and dining facilities, staff attitude, technical support and recreational activities. They are chosen by Smart Meetings Magazine readers, who vote for their favorites over a two-month period, with additional input from the editors and industry experts. The elite group of honorees will be celebrated in the December issue of Smart Meetings magazine and on the magazine's website, smartmeetings.com.

The Monterey Plaza's ten conference and banquet rooms provide more than 16,000 square feet of indoor meeting space that can accommodate groups of 10 to 300 for meetings, conferences, banquets and private parties. The hotel's Outdoor Plaza and Terrace, overlooking the Bay, can host groups up to 600. State-of-the-art audio/visual equipment, ranging from projectors and screens to concert-quality sound systems, theatrical lighting and draperies, is available on-site. All meeting rooms have wireless high-speed Internet access, and the hotel's Business Center offers office and secretarial services, including photocopying and transparencies, facsimile service, personal computer services, laser printing, office supplies and business equipment rental.

Host to truly memorable meetings and events with authentic local flavor, the InterContinental has an answer for any occasion and one philosophy to suit them all. The InterContinental staff strives to understand the needs of every individual event and personalize it accordingly. Its 12 meetings room can accommodate up to 350 people, with additional room outside on the oceanfront, fire-pit patio. Exclusive to InterContinental Meetings, is its Insider Collection, which provides a range of delegate experiences that are rooted in Cannery Row culture. Tailored to each occasion, these can range from interactive off-site team-building activities to stimulating local speakers, or the opportunity for delegates to contribute to projects that benefit the surrounding community and environment. The Insider Collection is inspired by the InterContinental global network of hotels and resorts and its Cannery Row team's wealth of local knowledge and connections. The result is memorable meetings and events with real local flare.

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