Prevue May/June 2013 - (Page 8)

planner’s pick PLANNER: Shawn M. Quish, CMP Galactic Ltd Arlington, TX HARD ROCK HOTEL CANCUN Rock n’ roll vibe & extra great service wow insurance organization 7 HARD ROCK HOTSPOTS • Zen Restaurant: Fine dining Japanese steakhouse • Smash Bar: Casual cocktails & live music • Hard Rock Nightclub: Dance music & glow sticks • Bunker Bar: Tropical drinks on the beach • Hard Rock Shop: Rock n’ roll designed accessories • Ciao Restaurant: Upscale & yummy Italian • Float Bar: Swim-up bar at the lagoon pool The 12-story Hard Rock Cancun borders the Caribbean Sea in the midst of Cancun’s Hotel Zone, a short 15-minute drive from Cancun International Airport. The all-inclusive property contains a 16,400-sf convention center, a spa with outdoor palapa-style massage areas, five bars and lounges, and five restaurants including Mexican, Italian and Argentinean cuisines. For 268 members of a Midwestern insurance marketing organization on their annual spring incentive trip, the 601-room Hard Rock was the anti-freeze to winter’s icy blasts. “Our group ranged from 20s to mid-30s—Hard Rock Cancun was the perfect fit for them,” says Shawn M. Quish, CMP, a meeting and incentive planner for Galactic Limited. “They were having so much fun that other than shopping or taking one of our offered excursions, they didn’t leave the property.” He explains that the casual, no reservations approach encourages trying each restaurant, but the one that drew the most raves was Ipanema. The upscale Rodizio Brazilian grill evolves into a rocking nightclub later in the evening. Although Quish is a veteran planner who specializes in bringing groups to Latin American resorts, this was his first time holding a program at a Hard Rock Hotel. “It was the best experience I’ve ever had that began as soon as I entered the lobby and heard so much music that I personally connected with,” says Quish. “Every song evoked a memory and would spark conversations about other people’s connections to songs.” He also praised the staff for exceeding the level of service he’s experienced at 5-star properties, especially on the night when inclement weather forced the group’s beach party into a ballroom with five hours notice. Quish was leading a group tour when the staff called to discuss arrangement. His only directive was to make sure the ballroom did not look like a ballroom. By party time, the ballroom had been transformed into a dynamic rock n’ roll nightclub with red carpet leading into the room, red velvet ropes, LED uplighting on the walls and bright glow columns. The DJ had been stationed on a stage tricked out with motion lighting to coincide with the music. Quish was stunned. “To do that in five hours was amazing,” he says. “I’ve never before had a client tell me that they were happier being in the ballroom than they would have been on the beach—and that’s a direct quote.” For offsite tours, a group of 30 participated in the halfday Dolphin Discovery excursion at Isla Mujeres. They were transported over to nearby Marina Aquatours for the boat ride to the idyllic island, where they swam with dolphins inside a netted area in the ocean. The visit included close encounters with sea lions, manatees, stingrays and sharks, as well as a buffet lunch provided by the onsite restaurant. Quish says, “My clients said being in the water with the dolphins was one of the most magical once-in-a-lifetime experiences they’ve ever had.” The group also checked out Coco Bongo in town one night. The nightclub features incredible acrobatic stage shows, high-energy music and multimedia enhancements. His group bought the deluxe Gold package, entitling them to immediate entrance, seats and unlimited drinks. Quish will be returning to Hard Rock. He says, “It was the little details that really made an impression.”—Karen Kuzsel hrhcancun.com; cancun.travel 8 | prevue magazine 08-09_PlannersPick_2013_MayJune.indd 8 5/1/13 1:08 PM http://www.cancun.travel http://www.hrhcancun.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Prevue May/June 2013

Planner's Pick: Hard Rock Cancun
Fresh Meets: Melia Hotels
Bureau Buzz: Calgary
Good Business: Phoenix
Sea Shores: Cruise Shipping Miami
Affordable Luxury
Special Section: Europe
Groups Gone Gaming
Tropical Meetings
Anaheim
Meetings Africa 2013
On Location: Trump Panama
On Location: Hyatt Kauai
On Location: MSC Divina
On Location: Dolce Indianapolis
Check Out: Four Seasons Toronto

Prevue May/June 2013