Category: Hospitality News

Lake Arrowhead Lodge catches its 60th Tuna Conference

Each year, some of the world’s leading experts in scientific and commercial topics related to tuna and tuna fisheries meet at the Lake Arrowhead Lodge. Sponsored by the Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission (IATTC) and the Southwest Fisheries Science Center, NOAA/NMFS, the annual Tuna Conference recently made its return to the Lodge after a three-year hiatus from meeting in person.

“We’ve really missed it and we’re so happy to be back,” said Stephanie Flores, NOAA affiliate, who led the planning for 80 attendees from around the world. “The Lake Arrowhead Lodge has such a great layout and design that it feels cozy. Everything is gorgeous and the staff is amazing. Every single question we’ve had, or anything we’ve needed, they’ve just gone above and beyond… It’s just magnificent.”

It was also magnificent to mark an important milestone, said Cassiopeia Figueroa, director of sales and marketing at the Lake Arrowhead Lodge. “This was the 60th time the conference has come to the Lake Arrowhead Lodge, making it a longstanding tradition for this group and for us.”

One of the unique aspects of the conference being at Lake Arrowhead Lodge is the opportunity to disconnect from distractions, said JoyDeLee Marrow, IATTC data specialist and assistant to the head of data collection and database program – regional vessel registry manager. Participants are encouraged to engage in meaningful conversations with each other throughout the day and into the evening. This fosters a collaborative atmosphere where scientists can share their current work and gain insights from colleagues from different parts of the globe.

“Being in the woods and mountains nestled by Lake Arrowhead is extremely peaceful and allows people to completely relax and engage in constructive conversations with zero distractions from the outside world,” said NOAA fisheries biologist and conference attendee Owen Snodgrass.

In addition, attendees rave about the incredible food, said Flores, adding that delegates love participating in a hands-on culinary experience with the Lodge’s chef, something they’ve been doing for the past three decades. “Our conference goers come in, cut up sushi and make poke, and you would never see that in any other conference center,” she said. “It makes the experience special.”

The conference also includes a highly revered tuna barbecue and bonfire, which provides a delightful evening of food and camaraderie, said Figueroa, adding that she and her team love tailoring experiences for the different needs and interests of different groups.  Additionally, participants had the freedom to explore various on-site activities, ensuring a well-rounded experience for everyone, she said.

“This is an incredible group with an incredible mission, and we are so proud to be part of their legacy.”

This summer, the Lake Arrowhead Lodge is welcoming conferences, meetings, retreats and team-building events from any of our 10 University of California campuses. Other colleges and universities may also book similar events with an educational purpose, space permitting. To discuss your specific requirements, check availability and secure your booking, please call 909-337-2478.

Luskin Hotel welcomes USGA U.S. Open Championship

The UCLA Hospitality team, including those from the Luskin Hotel, got a close up look at one of golf’s most coveted artifacts: the U.S. Open Championship Trophy. As one of just a handful of hotels who worked in partnership with the U.S. Golf Association (USGA) to accommodate VIPs, guests and fans attending the U.S. Open, the Luskin Hotel was part of a trophy tour organized by the USGA as a way to say thank you.

“Being part of such a monumental event in Los Angeles was an honor,” said Tony Perrone, general manager of the Luskin Conference Center and Hotel. “We were proud to share our incredible brand of service and hospitality with the USGA VIPs, guests and fans who stayed with us.”

The United States Open Championship, commonly known as the U.S. Open, is one of thefour major championships in professional golf and attracts top players from around the world. It returned to Los Angeles June 15-18 for the first time in 75 years.

The last time the event locally was in 1948 when Ben Hogan won the first of his four U.S. Opens with a 72-hole score of 276 (8 under par), two strokes better than Jimmy Demaret, at The Riviera Country Club in Pacific Palisades. This 2023 event was held roughly two miles from the Luskin Hotel.

The trophy is treated with the utmost care, requiring white glove treatment, said U.S. Open Championship Director Charlie Howe, who accompanied it to our venue on June 1. “The privilege of touching it with bare hands is reserved for the champion who earns it each year. That champion earns the right to hoist the trophy and have a little fun with it for the next year when they have it in their possession.”

This year’s winner was Wyndham Clark, 29, of Denver, CO, who stole the show to claim a one-stroke victory and add his name to the list of legendary champions.

From a hospitality standpoint, Los Angeles boasts an array of incredible properties and the Luskin Hotel, in particular, stood out as an exceptional venue for accommodations, said Howe.

“Our guests, our fans and our VIPs will love the space and love the amenities in Westwood,” said Howe. “Sitting here today, being outside in such a nice courtyard space — anywhere in this general vicinity — is great. That’s what we love, and that’s what our guests will love.”

UCLA Conferences & Catering shines during Bruin Family Weekend

As the sun rose on UCLA, there was already a flurry of activity permeating as the campus prepared for Bruin Family Weekend. This annual tradition welcomes thousands of guests from across the nation and around the world who gather to spend time with their students in their lives, most of whom are freshman, and learn more about  what makes UCLA  the No. 1 public university in the nation.

In total, the campus welcomed roughly 5,000 individuals over the two days event.

A critical component of events, no matter the size, is food, and UCLA Conferences & Catering works to help clients keep their hungry guests happy.

“Bruin Family Weekend is one of our largest events of the year,” said Samantha Chan, director of UCLA Conferences, Catering and Events, which provides planning expertise, professional catering services and meeting rooms all year round, plus overnight accommodations during the summer. “People expect a lot from UCLA because of its world-class reputation and commitment to excellence, and our campus catering operations are no different. We put our all into making every event match that standard.”

In nearby kitchens, talented chefs, cooks and bakers had been chopping, cutting, assembling, blending, mixing and finishing items to be delivered for two breakfast events. In addition, banquet staff are gathering equipment, loading trucks and charting floor plans. One event held in Dickson Plaza welcomed parents and families, while other one held on the Ahmanson Terrace at Royce Hall was for UCLA alumni.

And this was only the beginning.

By noon, the team had prepared and delivered lunch to six different “Meet the Dean” events and were preparing for dinner service. They also provided breakfast service the following morning.

“An event like this requires a great deal of logistics, planning and care,” said Chan. “Everything needs to be perfect.”

The same care and dedication to excellence also extends to smaller gatherings,” said Chan, noting that groups as small as 20 can order catering from her team for their meetings, celebrations and other events. UCLA Conferences & Catering can also help with meeting spaces at the UCLA Luskin Conference Center and various other locations at UCLA.

“We’re really a one-stop shop for events at UCLA. It’s something we take extreme pride in.”

Cozy, mid-week mountain stay or family holiday getaway

There is no question that remote and hybrid work and learning are here to stay. The ability to log in to meetings and handle assignments from virtually anywhere is an exciting approach to what used to feel mundane. For those staying at the UCLA Lake Arrowhead Lodge, mid-week escapes allow people the benefit of getting back to nature and for creativity and fresh-thinking to flourish in a beautiful environment. Right now, our mid-week stays start at just $179 per night. This year alone, the Lodge has welcomed a variety of visitors to the mountains to mix work and learning with fun, adventure and relaxation.

Many of these visitors are parents with children who are looking for a fun way to spend time together away from screens and other distractions. With Spring Break approaching, lots of families will be visiting us from April 6-9 for our all-inclusive Spring Break Family Holiday stay. Spaces are still available if you’d like to join us!

If you’ve been here you know this is a pretty special place. And If you haven’t, you need to experience it. Here are just a few of the things that make the Lake Arrowhead Lodge the No. 1 hotel in Lake Arrowhead, a Tripadvisor Travelers’ Choice Award recipient for the past three years and a must-visit destination for so many in 2023.

Amazing food

Meal planning, shopping and preparing meals are off the table while you’re here. Each day starts with a hearty breakfast made fresh by an award-winning culinary team. Guests converge in the dining room to enjoy a full buffet and the company of other guests. And just when you think things can’t get better it does because you are welcomed back for a buffet lunch and a plated sit-down dinner, too! Come see why guests like you voted to make us a 2023 Diners’ Choice Award winner.

Fantastic rooms

Unlike standard hotels, our accommodations have real personality. Whether you come solo bring your spouse, children, friends or colleagues, we have a chalet to suit your needs. Accommodations range from one-bedroom plus twin loft to our four-bedroom Briar Creek house that sleeps up to 10 people. Many of our  accommodations also come with decks and fireplaces for that little something special. Some even have kitchenettes and full kitchens.

Free activities

There is certainly lots to see and do here. Not only do guests have access to our fitness center and jacuzzi, there is also a host of great outdoor activities for those who like to hike, bike, bird-watch and enjoy getting back to nature. In 2020, we introduced a 12 stop self-guided history tour, which guests really enjoy. And nothing captures the magic of a mountain night under the stars than s’mores over a crackling campfire.

Off-site fun

Lake Arrowhead and its surrounding communities are also pretty cool places. Get out and enjoy our surroundings with shopping, dining and events in Lake Arrowhead Village, outdoor adventures at SkyPark, the slopes at Snow Valley Ski Resort, exciting Lake Arrowhead Queen Boat Tours and arid forests and majestic mountains in San Bernardino National Forest. There is no time like now to experience this kind of SoCal experience. For a limited time, enjoy rates for midweek stays (Sunday – Thursday) starting at just $179 per night, based on availability.

Conference goers mix it up in UCLA’s new teaching kitchen

When the team at the Luskin Conference Center and Hotel has an opportunity to elevate a meeting, group stay or conference by offering a little something extra to the experience, they look to the resources available at UCLA to do it. Unlike other hotels, the Luskin resides in the heart of the nation’s No. 1 public university and one of the most well-known campuses in the world. This allows the Luskin to bring a myriad of unique experiences to their clients and guests.

Members of the global Teaching Kitchen Collaborative know this first-hand. The group recently held a three-day hybrid research conference featuring discussions, presentations and breakout sessions. A highlight of the event was a series of pre-taped cooking demonstrations enjoyed on-site by some and streamed online for those attending remotely.

Leveraging a new state-of-the-art teaching kitchen that opened in one of UCLA’s new student residences in Fall 2022, guests not only watched some of UCLA’s talented chefs prepare dishes in front of them, they also participated at 25 individual stations equipped with all the necessary tools to participate in following along in the cooking demos.

This was the first time that conference goers had worked in this space, as the teaching kitchen is primarily designed for UCLA students, but the space was be available at the particular time and offered a wonderful experience that was perfectly aligned with the mission of the Teaching Kitchen Collaborative.

This was not the first time that Luskin event guests have participated in cooking classes. As part of its efforts to create fun and engaging team-building events, the Luskin sales and events team has invited UCLA chefs to the conference center to guide small teams in the creation of a multi-course meal that the group prepares and then enjoys together. Meeting and conference guests have also had opportunities to step out of their comfort zone and build trust with one another by climbing on UCLA Recreation’s ropes course.

Another fun option has been to hold receptions steps away from the Luskin in UCLA’s Morgan Center, which is home to the UCLA Athletics Hall of Fame, 120 NCAA championship trophies (more than any other school in the nation) and a replica of renowned basketball coach John Wooden’s den.

Six reasons why we are one of the greenest hotels in Los Angeles

According to a recent survey, 61% of travelers say that the pandemic has made them want to travel more sustainably in the future. For those visiting Los Angeles, the Luskin Hotel is a prime choice. From the onset, the Luskin Hotel was built with sustainability in mind. Some might say it’s in our DNA – starting with the building materials and expanding to touch every facet of our facility and operations.

Continue reading “Six reasons why we are one of the greenest hotels in Los Angeles”

Lake Arrowhead adventures await

In September, a group of medical professionals left their scrubs at home and headed to the Lake Arrowhead Lodge. While they all worked for the same hospital and came across each other daily, each doctor was the head of their respective department and they hardly knew one other. Considering the challenges of their occupation and the demands of leading a medical department, the goal of their trip was for everyone to leave the mountain with stronger relationships so that each person would feel more comfortable communicating openly, leaning on the other leads for support and bouncing improvement ideas off of each other more readily. 

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UCLA Hospitality creates new events team

Meetings and conferences at UCLA have always been fantastic, but now they are even better. After strategizing ways to amplify the talents of our Conferences & Catering professionals for the betterment of our guests and clients, a new events team has emerged.

“We are expanding UCLA’s meeting servicing expertise to now include the Luskin Conference Center,” said Samantha Chan, director of conferences, catering and events, who leads the team.

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Breakfast is back at the Guest House

When the pandemic hit, protocols related to food service changed. The self-serve buffet style of eating that we all knew and loved was no longer permitted. At the UCLA Guest House, this meant a suspension of the deluxe complimentary continental breakfast that guests had become a traditional mainstay of their guest stay.

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Rolling with rollatini: conference goers connect over great food

In-person conferences and meetings are finally back! UCLA Conferences & Catering has been working to make these events memorable and inspiring for everyone, and the team was thrilled to welcome the Teaching Kitchen Collaborative to the Luskin Conference Center this month to connect, network and learn. A highlight of the two-day program was a series of cooking demonstrations led by UCLA Senior Executive Chef Joey Martin, who showed off UCLA’s new teaching kitchen and instructed attendees on how to prepare and plate several recipes, including this hearty, delicious and nutrient-rich Mediterranean classic. We invite you to join in the fun and impress your friends and family by trying this recipe at home.

Continue reading “Rolling with rollatini: conference goers connect over great food”