Known for its charm and hospitality, the South is home to some legendary resorts that have made it their business to welcome small and midsize meeting groups. Here are six Southern resorts that offer everything a group could want, from hot springs and spas to championship golf and outdoor adventures.
Marriott Lexington Griffin Gate Golf Resort & Spa
Lexington, Kentucky
On the north side of Lexington, Kentucky, the Marriott Lexington Griffin Gate Golf Resort & Spa is known for its natural setting and its easy access to downtown. The 409-room resort features an 18-hole Rees Jones-designed championship golf course and a bourbon- and wine-tasting loft that offers self-serve bourbon machines with a selection of 15 regional bourbons and whiskeys.
Guests can relax at the resort’s indoor and outdoor pools, gather around firepits in the outdoor lounge area, rent bicycles, play pickleball or book a massage at the spa.
The hotel is located on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail, so guests often use the resort as their home base as they explore nearby distilleries.
The resort has 28,900 square feet of event space. The Grand Ballroom can host groups of up to 1,200, and the Terrace Ballroom can accommodate 200 for an event. There are 26 event rooms and 21 breakout rooms available, and an on-site mansion can host wedding receptions or dinners for up to 180 guests. The Bluegrass Pavilion & Patio is a tented, climate-controlled space that is perfect for receptions and cocktail hours. It can seat groups of 400.
The Arlington Resort Hotel & Spa
Hot Springs, Arkansas
The Arlington Resort Hotel & Spa has been part of the fabric of Hot Springs, Arkansas, for 151 years and has served some of the most famous — and most notorious — names in history. The first hotel on that site opened in 1875. The current building turned 101 years old on New Year’s Eve, and its owners are in the midst of refurbishing its 478 rooms.
Meeting planners have their pick of nearly 37,000 square feet of meeting and event space. The largest space can host groups of up to 800 for a banquet or 1,000 theater style. Its historic Crystal Ballroom can seat 400 for a banquet. Al Capone used the Fountain Room Grill as his private dining room when he stayed there, and the Magnolia Room overlooks the hotel’s veranda and Central Avenue.
The Arlington has the only double-decker pool in Arkansas, which includes a huge hot tub and a waterfall. The hotel sits on the historic Bathhouse Row in downtown Hot Springs and is the only hotel property with a thermal bathhouse that taps into the thermal mineral springs that gave the town its name. It also has a full-service spa and salon. There is live entertainment in the lobby most weekends.
Beau Rivage Resort & Casino
Biloxi, Mississippi
Part of the MGM Resorts International family, Beau Rivage Resort & Casino is the premier convention hotel in Biloxi, Mississippi, with 1,733 guest rooms, including 147 Stay Well rooms and 102 luxury suites. It is also the tallest building in the state, with 32 stories encompassing 3.2 million square feet.
The resort features 13 restaurants; five lounges and bars; 11 retail shops; a spa and salon; swimming pool; Tom Fazio-designed championship golf course; and 1,550-seat theater.
The convention center features 50,000 square feet of meeting space, including the Magnolia Ballroom, which can host 1,100 guests at rounds. The room can be divided into eight smaller spaces and includes a stage and green room. The Camellia Ballroom, which can be divided in half, can host up to 450 for a banquet, and the Azalea Ballroom can seat up to 240. There’s also a small boardroom for 12 guests and a small meeting space for up to 50 theater style.
Attendees can lounge at the outdoor pool, gamble in the casino or take advantage of the many entertainment options available at the resort. Sports fans will enjoy MGM Golf and a multisport immersion simulator that features more than 40 games, including golf and soccer.
The Omni Grove Park Inn & Spa
Asheville, North Carolina
The Omni Grove Park Inn & Spa in Asheville, North Carolina, offers the charm of a historic property paired with the amenities of a modern resort. The beautiful stone building features a distinctive red roof and stone fireplaces that date back to 1913. There are 513 guest rooms and 86,000 square feet of meeting space, including two ballrooms and 31 classic meeting rooms.
The nearly 18,000-square-foot Grand Ballroom is the largest event space. It can host groups of up to 1,050 for a banquet or 1,865 for a reception. The resort also has nearly 19,000 square feet of outdoor event spaces. The Seely Pavilion is one of the hotel’s newest spaces. It features floor-to-ceiling windows with panoramic views of the mountains.
The spa offers 20 water features and more than 30 spa treatments. There is also a historic golf course, four restaurants, four bars and lounges, and plenty of nature for guests who enjoy hiking in the mountains or who want to travel the famous Blue Ridge Parkway.
The hotel is located just outside of Asheville, and groups wanting to add fun activities to their itineraries can organize day hikes or book the spa for an after-hours get-together with food, drinks and spa treatments.
Chateau on the Lake Resort
Branson, Missouri
The 301-room Chateau on the Lake Resort in Branson, Missouri, is situated on the shores of Table Rock Lake less than 10 minutes from Branson’s entertainment district. The only AAA Four Diamond resort in the area, the Chateau is known for its delicious cuisine, its 43,500 square feet of function space and a 14,000-square-foot full-service spa, complete with an outdoor Roman bath.
There are 19 event rooms at the resort, including the Great Hall, which can accommodate 1,500 for a banquet or 4,000 for a conference. The Versailles and Windsor rooms can host groups of 350 for banquets, and several smaller rooms can accommodate groups of 100. Smaller groups have their pick of more intimate event spaces for up to 40 guests.
Groups can dine at three on-site restaurants, and guests will enjoy exploring the property’s gardens, nature trails and marina. They can partake in boating, fishing, skiing, sailing, kayaking, canoeing, jet skiing, scuba diving, snorkeling, parasailing and sightseeing or walk along the lake’s shoreline in their free time. The resort is also near four golf courses. There are indoor and outdoor swimming pools and whirlpools, a kids club, and a movie theater.
Stonewall Resort
Roanoke, West Virginia
Stonewall Resort in Roanoke, West Virginia, sits on the shores of Stonewall Jackson Lake within Stonewall Resort State Park. It features 195 guest rooms in an Adirondack-style lodge, 10 two-, three- and four-bedroom cottages, and eight three- and four-bedroom lake houses, all surrounded by 1,900 acres of secluded rolling hills.
The property has an Arnold Palmer Signature Golf Course; a full-service marina; boutique spa; indoor-outdoor pool and jacuzzi; fitness center; and game room.
Groups wanting to get out on the water can rent pontoon boats or other watercraft, including kayaks, paddleboards and canoes, or take a scenic tour or theme cruise on the resort’s 100-person lake excursion boat. The resort also sits on a hiking and biking trail system and offers fatbike, sport bike and e-bike rentals. Sports enthusiasts will enjoy playing tennis, pickleball and disc golf, shooting sporting clays, or getting out on the lake for a fishing expedition.
The resort features more than 20,000 square feet of meeting space, and many venues offer natural light and spectacular views of the lake and rolling mountains beyond. The ballroom can seat 300 for a banquet or be divided into two spaces. The Roanoke Event Center can seat 350 for a banquet or 400 theater style. There are seven smaller meeting rooms and a boardroom on the lobby level and five meeting rooms on the terrace level.
