With her natural Florida beauty and signature mix of world-class resorts, spas, golf, dining and more, it is easy to understand why Amelia Island is consistently ranked among the Top 10 island destinations in North America. Add in her wide array of award-winning meeting facilities, venues, and professional services, and the island becomes equally enticing for meeting planners who want to make the most of their next event or gathering. The Amelia Island CVB offers a digital planner guide and dedicated planner web site, www.meetonamelia.com, to assist group and meeting planners bringing their events to Amelia Island.
With a combined 100,000 square feet of meeting and conference facilities, Amelia Island regularly accommodates groups of any size, and for any occasion. The island offers upscale resort ballrooms at luxury resorts offering all the latest amenities; quaint and quiet meeting rooms at historic bed and breakfast inns; and traditional, no-nonsense conference space and services at some of the country’s most recognized brand hotels. For week-long retreats, sales conferences, or two-day board meetings, planners will be pleasantly surprised to discover all that Amelia offers.
Resort Facilities
One of three resorts on the island, Omni Amelia Island Plantation has won a variety of prestigious meetings and conventions awards, including Meetings & Conventions’ Gold Key Award, Successful Meetings’ Pinnacle Award, and Corporate & Incentive Travel’s Paragon Award. Featuring more than 49,000 square feet of versatile function space, the resort expertly accommodates meetings and special events for 20 to 1,000 guests. Larger groups looking for conferences with multiple breakouts can enjoy the 30,000 square foot Executive Conference Center, while the Grand Pavilion provides a scenic locale for receptions and theme parties. Other options include Walker’s Landing, adjacent to the marshes of the Intracoastal Waterway; the self-contained, 8,000-quare-foot Racquet Park Conference Center, and more. The Omni Amelia Island Plantation offers complete on-site equipment and technical support services. In late 2011, The Omni Amelia Island Plantation Resort broke ground on an extensive $85 million re-imagination, which includes an expanded 70,000-square-foot conference center; 155 additional oceanfront guest rooms, including 27 suites; a new arrival experience featuring a beautiful lobby with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking an infinity edge pool and the ocean and much more. The anticipated completion for the re-imagination is spring of 2013.
Voted among the Top 50 U.S. Mainland Resorts by Conde Nast Traveler’s 2011 Reader’s Choice Awards, The Ritz-Carlton, AmeliaIsland boasts an experienced and dedicated team to assist with every detail for meetings, conventions or theme parties. The resort’s flexible and fully-staffed meeting and function rooms include an Executive Business Center,12,000 square feet of pre-function space, 19 meeting rooms, two board rooms, two spectacular ballrooms, and acres of lush oceanfront. The elegantly appointed, 13,348-square-foot Ritz-Carlton Ballroom is ideally suited for candlelit galas for 960, or theater-style events for 1,500 guests. The Director’s, Kings Bay and Amelia Room – each 912, 754 and 832 square feet respectively – are ideal for small meeting or intimate catered functions. The property recently completed construction on a $23 million ballroom, which brings a state-of-the-art design and 11,000 square feet of additional meeting space to the luxury property, making it one of the largest conference hotels in the region. The expansion increases the resort’s available conference space to 35,000 square feet, including two sizeable function areas and a variety of smaller meeting rooms. The Ritz-Carlton’s 26 acres of lush oceanfront provides meeting planners with an infinite palette for creative parties, dinners and more. The Ritz-Carlton, Amelia Island finalized a five-year, $65 million investment with the redesign of its 446 guest rooms. The initial phases added a lavish spa, additional ballroom space, a sophisticated sports bar and updated restaurant concepts.
Summer Beach Resort
offers luxury accommodations and amenities ideal for business meetings. Their experienced staff provides a wide array of services with the “one stop shopping” program for all types of gatherings. Meetings take on a new concept with their Executive Retreat Center, 2,200 square feet of multifaceted space that can be used in a multitude of ways. Designed to facilitate one meeting at a time, the resort provides each group with an exclusivity that allows personalized service from the resort’s accommodating staff. The space will accommodate 84 guests theater-style or 54 classroom style and includes a pre-function area for food and beverage service. In-house audiovisual is available, as well as teleconferencing services. Additionally, The Golf Club of Amelia Island, adjacent to the Executive Retreat Center, offers private banquet space and can accommodate groups up to 200 persons.
Unique
Island
Venues
Some of the most memorable and productive meetings and events on Amelia Island take place away from hotels and resorts. Meeting planners and attendees can discover a whole new world of unique surroundings and opportunities. Charming bed and breakfast inns capture the elegance, determination and inspiration of the island’s distinctive past. Pristine and natural outdoor settings inspire attendees to tap into their most creative thinking and problem solving ideas.
Of the six bed and breakfast inns offering meeting space, the Elizabeth Pointe Lodge offers indoor meeting space for up to 25 individuals, as well as an adjacent Miller Cottage meeting area. The Amelia Island Williams House offers a combination of outdoor and indoor meeting space, while the Fairbanks House provides a quaint but comfortable setting for groups of up to 20. The Hoyt House features 300 square feet of indoor and 2,000 square feet of outdoor meeting space. The Florida House Inn offers indoor space for groups up to 75, outdoor space for up to 50, and an additional meeting room for more than 100 guests. The Addison on Amelia also offers 325 square feet of meeting space for groups that book all 14 rooms at the inn.
Tradition of Excellence
Amelia Island is also home to a selection of facilities with familiar names and traditional settings. These smaller venues provide great value for planners on limited budgets, who still want to deliver an extraordinary experience for their attendees. Many meeting rooms are just steps away from the beaches, restaurants, activities and historic downtown Fernandina Beach.
The island’s newest property, Residence Inn – Amelia Island, offers 1,177 square feet of flexible meeting space.AmeliaHotel at the beachrecently renovated their accommodations and increased their meeting space to 2,106 square feet. With two meeting rooms, the property has the capacity to host up to 50 individuals per event. The Days Inn & Suites offers a space that holds up to 150 attendees, A/V capabilities and an on-property lounge. The Hampton Inn & Suites, Amelia Island, located in the heart of the Historic District of downtown Fernandina Beach, offers five meeting rooms, a boardroom and café.
Measuring just 26 square miles, Amelia Island keeps everything close and convenient, making everything easier for busy meeting planners. During down time, attendees can enjoy fresh local seafood and cuisine at more than 40 restaurants on island; take a horseback ride on the beach; and play golf or tennis on championship-caliber courses and courts. Planners can create exciting team building experiences, such as hiking part of the six-mile trail at Fort Clinch, or kayaking through the island’s scenic backwaters.
For visitor information and online planning, visit www.ameliaisland.com.
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