Cupcake bakery in Bethesda, by Ann Witmer
Older hotel may try harder
Three blocks from the sprawling campus of the National Institutes of Health and the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, a 40-year-old hotel, now the DoubleTree by Hilton Bethesda-Washington D.C., goes head-to-head with the Hyatt and Marriott for smaller meetings.
The 270-room properpty completed $35 million in renovations in 2011. It has 14,000 square feet of meeting space plus a rooftop pool deck that is available for events.
The hotel’s International Association of Conference Centers (IACC)-certified Executive Meeting Center on its second and third floors has a narrow 5,600-square-foot ballroom that breaks into four rooms. Another 10 breakout rooms can each accommodate two to 30 people.
“We met with meeting planners when we developed this center to find out what they needed,” said Mike Murray, senior sales manager. Conference rooms have pod tables that each seat two people in ergonomic Herman Miller chairs, built-in whiteboards, air filters and Bose sound systems.
Touch panels control lights and lower screens. Each room also has a box of markers, paper clips, tape, scissors and other necessities.
The hotel gets high marks for its attention to detail. It recently hosted a Smart and Sustainable Campuses conference, drawing attendees from college and university offices across the country who work to preserve and protect the environment.
“If we had a conference with lots of disposable bottles and packaged things, we’d get raked over the coals because of the work we do,” said Aynsley Toews, who planned the meeting. She is project manager for the University of Maryland’s Office of Sustainability.
The hotel served drinks in pitchers, bulk snacks, bowls of fruit, and sugar and cream in bowls.
“And they did a great job of sourcing food from local sustainable farms rather than large food providers. They also use 100 percent wind power and LED lighting, which made it easier for us to be carbon neutral,” Toews said.
Wireless Internet access is complimentary in both meeting and guest rooms. Business center charges are covered by the meeting package.
“We don’t nickel-and-dime,” Murray said. “Our meeting package includes breaks, a buffet lunch, a T1 line, audiovisual and the business center.”
A spiffy, lively town
Long known for its food and restaurants, downtown Bethesda is maintained and promoted by a public-private partnership with Montgomery County.
“The Bethesda Urban Partnership has 35 employees and is responsible for maintenance and marketing,” said Stephanie Coppula, director of marketing and communications.
The partnership runs an art gallery and sponsors literary and arts festivals, art walks, outdoor movies, concerts and other events.
It also operates the Circulator bus, picks up trash, plants flowers and has three information kiosks manned by an Ask Me team.
