For Meetings, Hard Rock's All-Inclusive Collection Comes of Age Rob Carey - Meetings Net
go to original December 18, 2015

HRH Puerto Vallarta's Sun Bar

While the brand name (Hard Rock Hotels) and the package (all-inclusive) are traditionally connected to the incentives portion of the group-business travel market, Hard Rock’s All-Inclusive Collection has spent the past few years building up its street cred in the meetings and conventions niche.

The proof: In the Dominican Republic, HRH’s 1,775-room Punta Cana property has 65,000 square feet of meeting space; and in Mexico, the 1,264-room Riviera Maya property has 89,000 square feet; the 601-room Cancun property, 16,400 square feet; and at the 348-room Puerto Vallarta property, 13,000 square feet of brand-new meeting space to bring its total to 19,000 square feet. What’s more, late 2017 will see another 1,800-room, all-inclusive property open between Cancun and Riviera Maya less than 20 minutes from the airport, with a primary focus on attracting international business events.

Hard Rock Hotel Vallarta

During a recent site inspection of the Hard Rock Hotel Vallarta, it was clear that even the smallest property in the All-Inclusive Collection has become serious about meetings. The new 13,000-square-foot Sanctuary Convention Center complements the original 6,000-square-foot ballroom with another grand room, which divides into four, bringing the property’s total breakout spaces to 10. The wrap-around prefunction area is generous and filled with natural light, while the entire conference wing is set apart from general resort traffic. And just outside the new center is a half-acre lawn for open-air or tented events. Another venue for memorable morning sessions or for evening entertainment is a 450-seat, covered outdoor amphitheater. Lastly, a long, flat stretch of beach that’s adjacent to two of the resort’s restaurants is just a short walk from the lobby, making oceanfront receptions and meals logistically simple.

Of course, any planner who brings a meeting to a Hard Rock property is also seeking lively social, teambuilding, and recreational experiences. The center of activity at HRH Vallarta is the sprawling pool complex, with frequent staff-run games and contests, plus live bands most days of the week. Overlooking the pools and just off the lobby is the Sun Bar, designed so that musicians play in a sunken area between two large gathering spaces, one of which can be cordoned off for groups.

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