The Best of Wisconsin Meetings 2022

By Carrie Mantey

Wisconsin Meetings closes every year by recounting how the industry has changed and grown over the last 12 months. Then we start counting and tallying the results of our annual Best of Wisconsin Meetings readers’ poll. Discovering our readers’ choices for the best the state has to offer never disappoints and observing how sentiments shift from year to year is incredibly illuminating as priorities change.

In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, travel uncertainty has catapulted the importance of flexibility and the labor shortage has escalated the value of customer satisfaction. Today’s suppliers must be ever more vigilant to provide fresh ideas, products, services and amenities, while offering top-of-the-line customer support. The names that follow are your selections for venues and vendors that exceed customer expectations every time. They have proven their dedication to their customers and the industry in 2021

BEST DESTINATION IN WISCONSIN FOR MEETINGS & EVENTS

Lake Geneva, VISIT Lake Geneva

©VISIT LAKE GENEVA

If you’re looking for big-city selection and amenities for your meeting or event, but also crave small-town hospitality, look no further than Lake Geneva. The city boasts a diverse range of event spaces — hotels, resorts, mansions, museums and entertainment venues — for every situation and size. With so many choices, VISIT Lake Geneva, the area’s convention and visitors bureau, will help you determine what you need for your event to create the best experience for attendees. visitlakegeneva.com

BEST LARGE CONVENTION CENTER

KI Convention Center, Green Bay

©KI CONVENTION CENTER

Owned by the city of Green Bay, and managed and operated by the Hyatt Regency Green Bay, the KI Convention Center is the largest meeting facility in northeastern Wisconsin, with nearly 80,000 square feet of stylish and flexible meeting space. Spacious enough to accommodate nearly any size group, the venue offers 35,264 square feet of exhibit space and 19 breakout rooms that can seat from 15 to 1,800 people. Its second-story windows boast waterfront and cityscape views. Connected to Hyatt Regency Green Bay, the facility is within walking distance to the downtown entertainment district and a few miles from plenty of overflow hotel rooms. kiconventioncenter.org

BEST CONFERENCE CENTER

Best Western Premier Bridgewood Resort Hotel, Neenah

©BEST WESTERN PREMIER BRIDGEWOOD RESORT HOTEL

According to Wisconsin Meetings readers, personalized service, white- glove clean facilities and resort amenities make the Best Western Premier Bridgewood Resort Hotel & Conference Center the ideal venue to host your next meeting or event. The Marquette Ballroom seats up to 500, the Garden Terrace up to 110, the Ballroom Patio up to 110, the Wisconsin Room up to 100, the Lewis/Clark Room up to 50, the LaSalle Room up to 40, the Nicolet or Joliet Room up to 25 and the Champlain Boardroom up to 12. Once you arrive, enjoy a dip at the Aquatic Fun Center, home to four pools, including an outdoor hot tub, or hit up the fitness center, game area, sand volleyball court, mini golf course, playground, pickleball or platform tennis courts, attached bar and grill with an expansive fire pit patio, or the complimentary bikes. bridgewoodresorthotel.com

BEST VENUE FOR MEETINGS & EVENTS

Cambria Hotel Milwaukee Downtown, Milwaukee

©CAMBRIA HOTEL MILWAUKEE DOWNTOWN

Cambria is a modern, chic hotel offering more than 1,800 square feet of meeting space in the heart of downtown Milwaukee. Its convenient location makes it easy for guests to network and mingle at popular nearby destinations like the Marcus Performing Arts Center, Fiserv Forum, Harley- Davidson Museum, Wisconsin Center, Miller Park, Milwaukee Art Museum and the Riverside Theater. With a customizable design, Cambria’s meeting room can be used for large events of up to 205 people or divided into two 923-square- foot rooms for smaller events. Wisconsin Meetings readers say the Cambria Hotel Milwaukee Downtown prioritizes its customers above all else. choicehotels.com

BEST BOUTIQUE HOTEL PROPERTY WITH MEETING SPACE

CopperLeaf Boutique Hotel & Spa, Appleton

©COPPERLEAF BOUTIQUE HOTEL & SPA

From the moment you step into the CopperLeaf Boutique Hotel & Spa, you recognize it is not an ordinary hotel. Modeled after small, family-owned and operated European hotels, CopperLeaf prioritizes attention to detail and personalized service in a warm, inviting and unique atmosphere. Events for small groups, ranging from four to 84 guests, are its specialty. With an executive-style table with up to 10 chairs, the Globe Boardroom is ideal for a meeting or strategic planning session. In contrast, the Autumn Room can accommodate 84 guests or be divided into two smaller rooms accommodating 42 guests each. The open floor plan allows for setup in a theater, classroom, boardroom, u-shape or banquet style. copperleafhotel.com

VENUE WITH THE BEST OUTDOOR RECEPTION SPACE

Beloit Club, Beloit

©BELOIT CLUB

Wisconsin Meetings readers say the Beloit Club is the perfect location to have an outdoor reception. The property grabs attention with its beautifully manicured grounds, towering brick manor house facade, elegant stone chimneys and acres of rolling hills. If you need to head indoors, the 24,000-square-foot clubhouse is filled with modern conveniences among centuries-old charm with four unique room options for groups ranging in size from 4 to 200 attendees. While you’re here, be sure to use all of the amenities to ensure your guests maximize their meeting time, while also allowing for a fun team-building and leisure experience. beloitclub.com

BEST LAKESHORE RESORT

The Osthoff Resort, Elkhart Lake

©THE OSTHOFF RESORT

The Osthoff Resort’s motto, “Your place on the lake,” says it all. If a stunning lakeshore view is what you seek, this resort has one of the best, winning the same category in 2019 and 2018. Hugging 500 feet of pristine shoreline on Elkhart Lake, the Osthoff features first-class meeting and event space for groups from 10 to 1,500. It also offers 38,000 square feet of elegant function space, group and team-building activities, the restorative Aspira Spa, bicycle and watersports rentals, two outdoor swimming pools, one indoor swimming pool, two indoor whirlpools, a fitness center and all the technology required to make your meeting a success. osthoff.com

BEST PROPERTY FOR A CORPORATE RETREAT

Ironworks Hotel, Beloit

©IRONWORKS HOTEL

Ironworks Hotel is the place for people who work hard and play hard to come together. In this industrial boutique hotel, cool iron and exposed brick are warmed by comfortable, natural finishes and expansive river views. Customizable spaces can accommodate events of all sizes — a business meeting for 10 or a 200-person banquet. For fun, guests can experience the nearby Beloit Club or head to Ironworks Golf Lab, an indoor golf entertainment facility. Come summer, head off site to truk’t for street tacos and local music. Jesse Seykora, vice president of marketing, Geronimo Hospitality Group, observes, “Over the past few years, Beloit has really seen a resurgence, and has quickly become a Wisconsin destination for meetings and corporate travel.” ironworkshotelbeloit.com

BEST CASINO WITH MEETING SPACE

Potawatomi Hotel & Casino, Milwaukee

©POTAWATOMI HOTEL & CASINO

Wisconsin Meeting readers say that Potawatomi Hotel & Casino is a win-win for holding your event or meeting at a casino. In fact, it’s the sixth consecutive win for Potawatomi due, in part, to its built-in night scene with delicious dining options, gaming action and world-class entertainment. The casino offers over 60,000 square feet of meeting space. Its Events Center is the largest option, providing more than 27,000 square feet of space, whereas its Innovation boardroom is ideal for business meetings of 14 people or less with just over 600 square feet. paysbig.com

BEST GOLF COURSE/RESORT FOR AN OUTING

Thornberry Creek at Oneida, Hobart

©THORNBERRY CREEK AT ONEIDA

As the official golf course of the Green Bay Packers, Thornberry Creek at Oneida offers 27 holes of championship golf at its finest just outside of Titletown. Known for its sloping hills and graceful scenery, the course provides fun and challenging layouts. Thornberry Creek also houses a variety of event spaces that can be tailored to your group’s every need — from rooms that seat 30 to a ballroom that can seat over 300. golfthornberry.com

BEST SUPPLIER

Event Essentials, Windsor

©EVENT ESSENTIALS

Whether planning a modest meeting or big corporate event, Event Essentials will walk you through the rental experience to help you plan and execute an unforgettable event. Madison’s premier event rental and design company rents tents, flooring, tables, seating, linen, chair covers, tableware, furniture, food service items, draping, décor, lighting and other essentials. General manager Greg Goke says, “Our staff strives daily to make every event memorable. This recognition is a testament to our hard work and dedication, and those customers and venues whom put their trust in us.” eventessentials.com

BEST GROUP OUTING

Lake Geneva Cruise Line, Lake Geneva

©LAKE GENEVA CRUISE LINE

It looks like Lake Geneva Cruise Line is in the same boat as last year with Wisconsin Meetings readers, taking the category of Best Group Outing five years in a row. If you’re looking for a unique atmosphere to rejuvenate staff and impress clients, the cruise line’s range of boats can offer your group a memorable lake experience on Geneva Lake. Groups can also enjoy a meal or sip cocktails while on board. Clare Mulcahy, charter sales manager, says, “We thrive on providing a rejuvenating outing that corporate families need, whether it’s a simple cocktail cruise or team-building event.” cruiselakegeneva.com