The right location and reasonable room rates are once again the two most important factors when selecting a property for an event, according to the latest survey of meeting planners conducted by Destination Hotels & Resorts. It is closely followed by the desire for high-quality local cuisine. With its proximity to Los Angeles, affordable rates, and farm-fresh restaurant offerings, Ventura County West meets all three criteria.
Just over an hour from Los Angeles, Ventura County West (Camarillo, Oxnard and Ventura) takes attendees away from the hustle and bustle of city life without the long commute times. “Once you arrive in Camarillo, you’re immediately greeted by acres of farmland and majestic mountain views. Instantly, you begin to relax,” says Josephine Williams, general manager of Residence Inn by Marriott Camarillo. “VenturaCountyWest is an untapped resource. It has beaches, shopping, wine tasting, everything new and exciting, and you don’t have to travel far to get here.”
places
Camarillo, the smallest of the three cities, offers a surprisingly diverse array of meeting venues. Once owned by one of the city’s founding fathers, Camarillo Ranch House can accommodate up to 600 guests for lunch or dinner on its manicured front lawn and gardens, and 250 guests in its 5,200-square-foot “Big Red Barn.” . The Air Force Memorial The Camarillo Airport Museum regularly hosts formal dinners for up to 250 guests in hangars among fighter planes and World War II memorabilia. Cal State University, Channel Islands also offers facilities for public and private meetings.
Just up the 101 are the towns of Oxnard and Ventura, offering oceanfront and mountain view properties for gatherings small and large. “Lodging facilities and room rates are extremely competitive with any property north or south of us,” says David Dreher, general manager of Residence Inn by Marriott in River Ridge. “Meeting planners may be surprised to realize that Ventura County West has more than 5,100 rooms and 200,000 square feet of conference and meeting space.”
locally sourced cuisine
Taking advantage of its proximity to agriculture and the sea, the chefs of the destination’s restaurants can choose between fresh fruits, vegetables and seafood. Nikki Newman, the new head chef at the Coastal Grill at the Embassy Suites Mandalay Beach Hotel & Resort in Oxnard, is a newcomer from Colorado. “I’m amazed at the amount of fresh fruits and vegetables available year-round in VenturaCountyWest. Colorado has a three-month vegetable season,” says Newman. “Here we have berries, tomatoes, citrus and all kinds of vegetables. As the seasons change, I’m excited to be able to incorporate the freshest local ingredients into the menu.”
keep active
Another must-have for meeting planners according to the trend forecast is the ability to engage in active, adventurous, and wellness-focused team building activities.
“Because our all-suite hotel is adjacent to the River Ridge Golf Club, we attract many regional sales and management groups. Golf is often a part of the group’s activities,” says Dreher. “But a new game, called FootGolf, is gaining steam as a great team building activity. It’s the fastest growing sport in North America and involves kicking a soccer ball around a hole on a specially designed golf course. River Ridge was the first to create a footgolf course in Southern California. It is much less expensive to play than golf, takes less time to complete, participants get more exercise than golf, and no experience is needed to play.” .
Other popular team-building activities include beach volleyball, beachfront bike rides, hiking, kayaking, surfing lessons, whale watching, go-kart racing, and excursions to the Channel Islands. “There are also spa activities and tennis, and one of the latest trends, GPS-assisted scavenger hunts,” says Rebekah Evans, executive director of the Ventura County Lodging Association, which markets VenturaCountyWest. “Each city has its own unique and enjoyable qualities. You can hold an event one year in Camarillo and have a completely different experience the next year in Ventura or Oxnard. What’s the same is the friendly and helpful staff at all of our hotels that make Their goal is to provide the best possible service.”