Events at The Ritz-Carlton

This past weekend, I had the extreme pleasure of attending the annual Insurance Advisory Council meeting at the Ritz-Carlton in Rose Hall, Jamaica. The Ritz-Carlton hosts a yearly visit with meeting planners who work with insurance giants (no one from AIG to my knowledge; that scandal was left to the St. Regis) to find out the needs of their group and, of course, to show off what they can do a little in hopes that it will encourage the planners to book their hotels for those big company getaways. They meet with groups from other industries, as well.

I recently wrote about the Meetings Within Reach package which is offering businesses very competitive prices. Corporate annual meetings and large groups account for a huge slice of the Ritz-Carlton occupancy pie, and it was no surprise to find that they really know how to do it right. Over the course of a couple of days of meals, activities, late night pool parties and a fair amount of rum, I found myself bonding with this group of people I didn't otherwise know, learning about not just their work, but their lives and how they react in different situations.

For example, rather than playing hippy-dippy trust exercises, the Ritz-Carlton offers your group a chance to check out the local zip-line, paint a local orphanage, and showers you with elaborate parties including music, dancing, fortune-telling and more.

Of course, as always, it's the little things that make Ritz-Carlton hotels special -- and especially luxurious. Check out the gallery to see what your company's annual meeting could look like.

Gallery: Meetings at The Ritz-Carlton

Filed under: Hotels and Accommodations