The economy has practically everyone cutting expenses, but there is still “no replacement for meeting your business associates face-to-face.”
Spoken like a true hotelier.
“Even though the recession has made things tougher for many companies to bring their business people together, it is important to remember to keep the human element in every business,” said David Leftwich, general manager for both of IBM”™s conference centers in Armonk and Palisades, N.Y., both operated by Dolce Hotels and Resorts.
Christine Imbrogno, director of sales and marketing for Dolce Norwalk Hotel and Conference Center in CT (dolcenorwalk.com), could not agree more with her colleague. “We”™re a hidden gem here in the town and it”™s great for people to get together and actually be able to sit down and talk to each other,” said Imbrogno of the hotel and conference center. It opened in 1982 and was run strictly by GTE as its own conference center. “When Dolce came in during 2003, we brought something special to the table for the hotel,” Imbrogno said.
More importantly, the town of Norwalk has given Dolce Norwalk the go-ahead to open its doors to other events, helping the hotel in the midst of the recession. “Up until March of this year, we weren”™t permitted to have anything but business conferences. We”™re very pleased that the town has given us permission to hold weddings and other celebratory events here on the grounds. Because of this, we”™ve had eight weddings this year and already have 21 booked for 2010. It”™s been a lifesaver during this recession.”
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Dolce Norwalk”™s 66 acres offers privacy as well as the latest in technology and amenities. Its one-mile long winding driveway leads guests up to the original buildings, crafted in the early 1900s. “When GTE took down the original main building, they reconstructed the new one but stayed within the footprint of the original building as well as retaining its original style,” Imbrogno said. “GTE also took great care when constructing two adjoining buildings, one where the conferences are held and the other, which includes a full indoor basketball court and 75-foot lap pool. All the buildings are connected by a covered sidewalk, so nobody gets caught in the rain going from building to building.”
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Dolce Norwalk offers 120 guest rooms and 32 specially designed meeting rooms, which can hold from as little as two people to as many as 300, “Whatever is required,” Imbrogno said. “We have an amphitheater that holds 75 people, and our ballroom, renovated this past August, can accommodate at least 300 people.”
Dolce Norwalk often partners with the IBM Dolce Conference Center in Palisades when referring guests, and both offer a new promotion, “Name your Price.”
Imbrogno said the two hotels started the marketing campaign to let people know the Dolce Norwalk and Dolce Palisades Center are willing to work with the business community during the business downturn.
“We”™re asking people to let us know what kind of function they”™d like to have and how much they are budgeted to spend,” said Sam Naghib, Dolce Palisades director of sales and marketing. “We”™re letting the business community, as well as those looking to hold a private function, that we have room to negotiate.”
“They let us know what they are looking for and what they can afford,” added Imbrogno. “If we can meet their price, we”™ll do the event…it”™s a great option and opens the door for many people, both business events and other events that would not have ordinarily chosen us because we are in a remote location and higher priced than some other venues. Many people are looking for that, especially if they like a quite atmosphere. The need to be flexible in this economy is a must.”
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IBM Palisades (ibmpalisades.com) includes a walking tour of the company, from the first calculator built to the latest laptop; among its delights in the hotel section of the center is a hall filled with miniature replicas of Leonardo da Vinci”™s most innovative inventions. Some182 guest rooms, 24 meeting rooms and 22,000 square feet of meetings space, along with a full-court basketball room and swimming pool, set on 106 acres complete the hotel and conference venue”™s offerings.
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While IBM (ibmlearningcente.com) permits non-business meetings at its Palisades site, as does Dolce”™s Norwalk center, its Armonk-based counterpart is strictly geared for business “This is IBM”™s own conference center, and they would like to remain as is,” Leftwich said. “While we are able to host a private dinner for our business clientele if they need one, we are not open for any other kind of function.”
IBM”™s Learning Center is on IBM”™s corporate campus. The 26-acre hotel and conference center consists of 182 guest rooms, 31 meeting rooms, 13 general session rooms, 20 breakout rooms and a 213-seat auditorium. It includes a fitness center with full indoor basketball court.
“Despite the improvements made in technology and the huge strides we have made in connecting with each other either through the Internet, e-mail or using a Blackberry, it still does not take the place of those face-to-face meetings that everyone needs at one point or another,” Leftwich said. “Technology has made amazing strides but it still doesn”™t take the place of one-on-one interfacing with other people, especially people who you”™ve come to know only through the Internet or video conferencing. It”™s a pleasure to sit down with a live person to talk and exchange ideas. So much is lost when you don”™t have that personal interaction. The tone of voice, the body language, is all so necessary.”
