Torres said the most difficult part about meeting the expectations of unique groups is that they require a “high level of service with so many restrictions.”
Recently, the St. Gregory hosted a unique soiree for an entertainment group that essentially wanted a high-end cigar party. However, with no smoking in the public areas of the hotel, this would prove to be a challenge. The property conceded to the group’s wishes and remedied the situation by bringing in special equipment to eat away the cigar smoke and deodorize the rooms.
“There’s always the unknown factor—you can have parties or get-togethers that are very much thrown together on the spur of the movement, where money is not the object but the delivery of service is,” Torres said.
Recently, an unnamed Mexican performer staying at the St. Gregory requested a literal buffet from hotel staff so that he could cook for his band members and hold a prayer service before his performance. The grocery list included aniseed, cloves, different teas, pomegranate juice and fresh fruit. Cooking apparently helped get the performer into the mindset for a performance.
Competition among Washington’s hotels to host a particular group is commonplace. “The majority of time, it’s a win-win,” the Hyatt’s Stern said. “The group knows they can get a great hotel and a great rate for their constituents, and we’re happy to roll out the red carpet for them.”
He mentioned the case of a famous group of Pakistani doctors t
hat typically meets in Washington, D.C., between Christmas and New Year’s each year. Hosting different groups during the holidays is a special coup for hotels in town. “Sometimes, if you have a group that is not Christian in nature, they’ll come out to celebrate different holidays, such as Muslim groups over Christmas.”
When it comes to hosting unique groups, the Melrose’s Puccio said it starts with hammering out a time and date that works for all parties. If it’s an event that requires the hotel to transform its public space, sometimes that will involve pinpointing a date when the hotel will be less busy.
For the art group, the Melrose’s transformation took an entire day to get the art positioned and set up. “It was an opportunity for them to take over a hotel,” he said.
Christine Cubé is a freelance writer in Sacramento, Calif.
Embassies Often Turn to Area Hotels for Receptions
When it comes to planning receptions in area hotels, most embassies in Washington know exactly what they’re looking for.
Many of the hotels that are used are the usual suspects—high-end properties that easily cater to international groups. They’ve got the service, event space and quality of food down to a science.
Smaller embassies that lack function space, either in the official embassy or ambassador’s residence, often turn to the area’s hotels for their larger gatherings. Entities such as the Embassy of Macedonia and the Embassy of Mongolia recently held their national day receptions, for instance, at the Fairmont Hotel in Washington, D.C.
Last March, 200 guests of the Embassy of Namibia converged on the Westin Embassy Row for its national day reception. Selma Ashipala-Musavyi, deputy chief of mission for the Namibian Embassy, said the embassy looks at many things before considering a hotel for a function. Among the top things to look out for: the size of the hall, outlay of the function space, and location of the hotel.
“We look at how accessible it is to the other diplomats, business people, members of Congress and friends who are invited,” she said. “We also look at the rates—the cost of the hotel and the variety of the menu.”
German Embassy deputy spokeswoman Karin Goebel said her group typically only uses Washington’s hotels to book rooms for delegations and journalists traveling with the delegates. For these events, she looks for hotels with a prime location, affordable rooms and well-organized service.
“It must work well,” Goebel said, noting that when it comes to hosting groups of journalists, cell-phone access is very important within a hotel’s walls. “It is essential for journalists to be able to use their cell phones at all times. Also, if we are setting up a press office in a hotel suite, the hotel must be able to accommodate room setup and technical equipment.”
— Christine Cubé
