A New Destination for Meeting Planners and Travel Agents

Oregon is the newest option for wine country visitors, meetings and events at The Allison Inn & Spa

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. November 05, 2009

A New Destination for Meeting Planners and Travel Agents: Oregon is the newest option for wine country visitors, meetings and events as The Allison Inn & Spa debuts in Willamette Valley

NEWBURG, OR - October 30, 2009 - According to a Sept. 2009 TripAdvisor poll, Willamette Valley is the second highest-rated wine region in North America for wine tourists, ranked behind only the Napa/Sonoma Valleys. Until now, there has not been a luxury hotel option for Willamette Valley, which is just one hour from Portland and two hours from Oregon's coast, but last month, The Allison Inn & Spa opened its doors in the wine country town of Newberg. There are 200 wineries in the area, half of which have tasting rooms within a twenty minute drive from the resort. The Allison Inn & Spa opens up a fresh new market for travel agents to offer their clients and for meeting planners to host wine country events in true luxury.

The Allison is independently owned and operated. The hotel is a Preferred Boutique global brand member and is pending LEED Gold certification. The Allison features 12,000 square feet of function space on one level with a separate entrance and an impressive reception foyer. Guest accommodations span four floors and are generous in size, ranging from 490 - 1,575 square feet. All guest rooms and suites have a gas fireplace and outdoor terrace or balcony access, and Meadow and Estate Gardens are available for private functions, weather permitting. Group rates are available through the sales department for 10 rooms or more. The average group rate is 20 rooms for 3 nights; a block of 60 rooms has an average rate of $250 a room.

The well-designed public spaces for private functions extend to outdoor terraces and formal gardens for lovely summer and autumn weddings and other social gatherings. The Coppergold Ballroom is central to the function space, offering 4,500 square feet for a capacity of 300. The Reception Foyer adds another 4,200 square feet of dedicated space and various terraces and meeting rooms can accommodate 10 to 300 guests inclusive of a Board Room.

Business Services include rental of lap tops, printing, Federal Express, mail and complimentary WI-FI in all accommodations and throughout the property. All major credit cards are accepted, and pets are welcome in Terrace Rooms that have been designated as such. A 10 percent commission will be paid to travel agents. Gift certificates and packages for The Allison Spa, JORY Restaurant and accommodations are available.

With respect to the travel agent community, the interest level has been high. The Allison participated in industry events and trade shows with its Preferred Hotels partner. Many agents expressed interest in Oregon's wine country for their “foodie” clients, executive meetings and weddings.

Although The Allison just opened this month, the dedicated executive staffs from the sales, banquet and catering departments have been working for the past year during the pre-sell development period. The Allison already is experiencing both short-term and long-lead time bookings from local and national corporate, association and social groups. The staff has also found that special interest groups (wine clubs, destination weddings, family reunions, corporations and national associations) are choosing Oregon and The Allison for events this fall and into 2010.

Two important parts of the resort are The Allison Spa and the signature restaurant, JORY. The 15,000 square-foot spa has 12 treatment rooms and a creative menu of services. Hotel guests also have exclusive use of a swimming pool, terrace and fitness studio.

JORY offers Oregon Wine Country Cuisine with an emphasis on fresh, local ingredients and a seasonal menu. The wine cellar boasts 700 wines and 50 wines by the glass to ensure every guest will experience a very good representation of what the region has to offer.

JORY also services catered functions and 24-hour in-room dining. A 10-seat private dining room is adjacent to the restaurant and offers access to a terrace; the Board Room, which accommodates up to 18 people, is also available. A semi-private dining area in JORY can be reserved for meals for up to 16 people. The charming Chef's Table for 8 people is located off to the side of the Open Kitchen. A minimum is required for the use of this space: luncheons are $400 and dinners are $600.

The restaurant will create customized catering and wedding menus based on occasion, season, client preference and budgetary concerns.

Portland International Airport (PDX) is located 25 miles away from The Allison. Major carriers such as United, American, Delta, Air Canada, Continental, US Airways, Jet Blue, Southwest, Horizon, Frontier and Alaska offer daily flights. Rental cars are readily available directly across from the airline terminal. Other car service or mini-vans can be arranged with advance notice through our Concierge Department. Private aircraft have the option of flying either into Mc Minneville Municipal Airport, just 20 minutes away, or Aurora State Airport, only 12 miles away.

Off-site requirements; restaurant reservations, winery tours, golf, equestrian, hot air balloon or helicopter rides are handled through The Allison's Concierge Department. The hotel offers valet and complimentary self-parking.

For more information or to make reservations, visit www.TheAllison.com; call 503-554-2525 or toll-free 1-877-294-2525. The Allison Inn & Spa is located at 2525 Allison Lane, Newberg, Oregon 97132.