The Southwest terrain of Arizona and Utah is so vast and varied, it defies tidy description. On one hand, you have spectacular natural environments with red-rock landforms, sweeping mountain ranges, aspen and ponderosa pine forests, and sprawling deserts. On the other are vibrant cities packed with amenity-rich hotels, multitudes of meeting venues, troves of art and culture, and energetic nightlife.
Planners gathering in the region might find themselves asking: Where should you hold your next meeting? A buzzy urban center or a bucolic nature-driven locale? There are pros and cons to both, depending on your goals, budget, and the distance your group is willing to travel.
Hotel sizes and meeting spaces are primary decision-making drivers, but some locations will be a better fit than others, says Ryan Hanley, senior sales manager at Access Destination Management Co. in Park City, Utah. “While not always the case, we see many larger groups with business-oriented meetings—like associations and regional or national sales meetings—gravitating toward larger urban destinations that can accommodate them,” he says. “Resort destinations tend to be primarily focused on incentive and smaller guest count meetings with more emphasis on fun and less on business.”
Novel attractions like specialty museums in cities and hiking trails in the mountains might help stir enthusiasm among attendees, he adds. Read on to learn about a few popular meeting destinations in diverse Arizona and Utah settings to give you an overview of each and, hopefully, provide inspiration for a gathering your attendees will rave about.
Heart of the Sonoran
Studded with rare saguaro cacti, Phoenix, Arizona, is a spirited, sunny metropolis engulfed by the stunning Sonoran Desert. Within the heart of the city’s downtown is the ultra-modern Phoenix Convention Center, comprised of a three-building complex and enclosed outdoor space that can accommodate anything from an intimate board meeting to a mega-event. The walkable surrounding neighborhood brims with indie restaurants and bars in addition to Chase Field (home of MLB’s Arizona Diamondbacks) and the NBA Phoenix Suns’ Footprint Center. Located nearby in a historic district, the Rosson House Museum at Heritage Square is a restored 1895 Queen Anne-style Victorian home available for private tours and rentable for small gatherings.
Just footsteps from the convention center are several name-brand hotels, the largest of which is the Sheraton Phoenix Downtown with more than 100,000 square feet of function space. The Hyatt Regency Phoenix and Renaissance Phoenix Downtown Hotel both recently underwent extensive renovations. For additional memorable group outings in Phoenix, consider the indoor and outdoor event spaces at the Musical Instrument Museum and the Desert Botanical Garden.
Hotel Valley Ho in neighboring Scottsdale is an updated midcentury modern resort with a retro vibe—and is also a one-time celebrity hideaway. The hotel sits on the cusp of Old Town Scottsdale, a bustling historic district filled with restaurants and bars, boutiques, landmarks, galleries, and museums. “One of the more popular options for team building in this particular hot spot is to send your group off on a golf-cart scavenger hunt around Old Town,” says Allison Chapin, the hotel’s director of meetings and events. Other possibilities are paint-and-sip classes with a regional artist and history tours of the property.
On-site, Hotel Valley Ho draws guests with its VH Spa, fitness center, two swimming pools (including a round one shaped like the rim of a martini glass), indoor and outdoor meeting spaces, a rooftop venue, and fabulous views of Scottsdale and Camelback Mountain.
Red-Rock Panoramas
A high-desert community surrounded by red sandstone landforms, deep canyons, and conifer forests, Sedona, Arizona, is about 110 miles north of Phoenix. More than 400 trail miles beckon to outdoor enthusiasts, while a pedestrian-friendly Main Street is lined with restaurants, galleries, gift boutiques, and crystal shops. Verde Shuttle can take attendees around town and to major trailheads, and Sedona’s hotel offerings range from cozy cabins to ultra-luxe.
Poco Diablo Resort, a one-time country club, features an 8-acre serenity lawn for games or meditation, a spa and fitness center, and flexible meeting spaces. The resort provides attendees with “a place away from the city to be able to focus on the meeting at hand but also to experience a restorative respite while on breaks,” says Crystal Hoyle, national sales manager at Poco Diablo. Another elegant option is the luxury Ambiente Sedona resort with 40 individual atriums spread throughout the property’s breathtaking landscape.
In Sedona, “nightlife” is the dark sky, says City Tourism Manager Andrew Grossman—with a touch of irony. The city is an International Dark Sky Community, a designation that promises celestial adventures after sundown. View galaxies, planets, moons, and more via powerful telescopes and a professional astronomer with Sedona Stargazing Tours.
The Sedona Arts Center offers classes, like nature journaling and iPhone photo-graphy, combined with tailored hikes. The center, which represents about 100 regional artists, also hosts receptions, tours, and lectures within its galleries.
Other group experiences include winery-hopping, Pink Jeep tours, geocaching, spiritual readings, and voluntourism (a combination of volunteering and tourism) activities like river cleanup and trail maintenance. “Sedona is not only a memorable backdrop to your event, but it also has a way of being able to recharge your spirit and inspire creativity,” says Alysia McCabe, director of weddings and special events at StarStruck Event Planning in Sedona and Prescott.
The Salt Lake Cityscape
Modern-day Salt Lake City, Utah, is a shiny gem against a backdrop of the snow-capped Wasatch Range and the glittering Great Salt Lake. In the midst of downtown stands the grand Salt Palace Convention Center, an architectural showpiece of glass and steel, with a dramatic five-story main concourse. The surrounding neighborhood is compact and walkable, with quick access to 200-plus restaurants and stores. Among the nearby cultural attractions with function space for private events are Eccles Theater; Abravanel Hall; Utah Museum of Contemporary Art; and Delta Center, home of the NBA’s Utah Jazz. The TRAX light-rail system provides free downtown transportation.
Brandon Beckstead is the event manager at Salt Lake City’s FamilySearch, a nonprofit genealogy organization, where he arranges gatherings for groups all over the world and in his home city. “Our team is very diverse,” he says. “Some of us love the outdoors, and others would prefer the arts and indoor activities. With two professional sports teams, there is plenty for the sports enthusiasts, too.” His personal favorite thing about the city is the “clubs nearby where there is always a great band playing.”
Some 30 hotels, from luxury to budget-conscious, are within a five-minute walk of the Salt Palace. The Hyatt Regency Salt Lake City, which opened in 2022, is a glassy tower that frames views of the urban skyline and the Wasatch Range. The hotel adjoins the convention center and also offers its own meeting spaces, including the city’s largest ballroom for up to 2,875 attendees. On the rooftop terrace are a heated swimming pool, cabanas, and fire pits.
New to downtown is the Asher Adams, Autograph Collection, a hotel converted from the historic 1908 Union Pacific railway depot. The original structure was renovated for the grand lobby, restaurants, function rooms, and luxury suites. A new low-rise building with modern guest rooms—also part of the Asher Adams—was constructed behind it.
Mountain Memories
Downhill skiing made Park City, Utah, world-famous, but the mountain community 40 miles east of Salt Lake City draws visitors year-round. You might think winter would be a bad time to hold a meeting amid all those skiers and snowboarders, but the opposite is true.
“We have a lot of leisure business, but our meeting rooms are available,” says Dan Howard, vice president of communications at Visit Park City. He adds that planners “have more of their pick of ballrooms.” He also points out the city’s easy accessibility—Salt Lake City International Airport is a free 25-minute shuttle ride away.
Nestled in the Wasatch Range, Park City originated with the silver-mining boom starting in the 1860s. The city later evolved into a premier outdoor recreation and adventure destination for athletes, novices, and celebrities. It’s also notable for hosting global events like the 2002 Winter Olympics (which will return in 2034) and the Sundance Film Festival.
The town centerpiece—Park City Main Street Historic District—is lined with restaurants, bars, and local shops. Kimball Art Center showcases contemporary artists while Park City Museum, built atop underground jail cells from yesteryear, honors city history. At Utah Olympic Park, groups can watch athletes practice or embark on their own outdoor adventures on zip lines and ropes courses. On-site event spaces and catering are available, too. Park City Teamworks and All Seasons Adventures can tailor corporate team-building and leadership excursions with the nearby mountains as a stage.
Lodging runs the gamut, on the slopes and in town, to include five-star properties, boutique hotels, and name-brand chains. Recently joining the mix are the Waldorf Astoria Park City, with space for groups up to 80, and The St. Regis Deer Valley and its 10,000 square feet of function space for up to 500.
In Canyons Village at the base of Park City Mountain, the Pendry Park City hotel exudes a modernist take on a traditional alpine lodge—plus Wasatch Range views and a 3,500-square-foot Grand Ballroom for groups up to 360. Attendees can pursue outdoor adventure amid the property’s 7,300 acres of ski terrain and runs with the in-house outfitter, Compass Sports, or rejuvenate indoors at Spa Pendry with its herbal steam room and pools. Also in Park City, the iconic Washington School House Hotel—with a terraced pool and spa built into the hillside—is a luxury boutique hotel built as a school in 1889 and meticulously preserved. Fine antiques, artwork, and other refinements lavish the interior of this in-town landmark, which is suitable for executive retreats in its 850 square feet of space across two meeting rooms.
visitparkcity.com
visitphoenix.com
visitsaltlake.com
visitsedona.com
