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When was the last time you had a truly memorable meeting, conference or corporate event? When you book your team visit in El Paso, Texas, your attendees are guaranteed to have a fantastic experience they’ll remember for a long time. Between the gorgeous hotels, unique attractions and authentic El Paso dining, there are many ways to embrace this engaging city beyond the boardroom.
Work in Modern Hotels and Spaces
A major revitalization is sweeping through El Paso with new venues, attractions and accommodations. New hotels are opening everywhere you look. Aloft El Paso Downtown is styled in an urban and sleek setting and located in the center of downtown. The entire space has natural light and oversized windows to help your attendees feel awake and lively rather than “stuck” at a corporate event. The hotel also features delicious dining options and live music from local artists. Lifestyle brand, Hotel Indigo El Paso is another new downtown hotel. The building used to be a Downtowner Motor Inn. Now it’s a hip setting with a rooftop pool, floor-to-ceiling windows and fantastic views of the Paso del Norte region.
If you’re looking for space and privacy, Courtyard El Paso Downtown by Marriott is the property for you and your team. Its spacious rooms are ideal for preparing work materials and relaxing after meetings. The hotel is peppered with media pods for privacy in between group activities. Each pod contains a flat-screen TV, electrical outlets and wireless internet access.
El Paso is also home to several new, unique hotels. Stanton House is a boutique hotel with a peaceful, spa-like atmosphere. Even the showers in each suite are reminiscent of a luxurious spa. Your attendees will love the rooftop balcony and natural light throughout this hotel. Hotel Paso Del Norte is truly transportive, from its elegant décor to its contemporary art, chandeliers and modern rooms. Situated adjacent to the El Paso Convention Center and opening in fall 2018, the hotel will feature over 36,000 square feet of meeting space and the largest concentration of rooms in the downtown area. It has both indoor and outdoor dining options for the team meals you want to keep on-site. The Plaza Hotel is a historic hotel being renovated to bring new life to the classic red brick still on the building’s façade. Renovations are expected to be complete in 2019, and your group will love to learn the history of this hotel, which was one of the first hotels built by the founder of the Hilton hotel brand, Conrad Hilton.
Play at Local Attractions and Shopping Centers
Your team could spend the entire trip in and around one of El Paso’s hotels and have a great time, but El Paso is also full of unforgettable attractions and shopping opportunities that can set your event apart from any other. It might be hard to believe but El Paso and its surrounding area is home to some of the Southwest’s finest vineyards. Take a tour or hold a meeting at Zin Valle Vineyards to give your group a true taste of El Paso. Founded in August 2000, this winery has a relaxing atmosphere where your group can enjoy a picnic and wine tasting, all while taking in impressive views of the Franklin Mountains. La Vina Winery is just over the Texas border and is New Mexico’s oldest winery. You can enjoy local music on the patio over the weekend, check out one of La Vina’s many festivals or even experience a wine tasting with your commemorative glass.
If your group wants to see teamwork in action, they’ll appreciate a visit to Southwest University Park, home of the El Paso Chihuahuas. Check out a minor league baseball game in this 7,500-seat stadium, or hold your own event in one of its restaurants, such as the Sun Kings Saloon or the City Hall Grill. You can even host a team race or athletic competition on the baseball diamond for a home run event.
Say your group is getting hot—this is Texas, after all. There are plenty of indoor attractions available. The El Paso Museum of Art is free to explore and features art from the Renaissance and Baroque periods. The museum holds more than 7,000 works. It was founded in 1959 to display a large donation of art to the city of El Paso, and today it is located in the center of El Paso’s Downtown Arts District. You can also bring your team to the museum for an art class.
Top Golf is another great attraction for your group to build rapport. Although El Paso is home to some of the best weather in the region, Top Golf has more than 100 climate-controlled hitting bays, so you can golf in any season. Top Golf’s technology tracks your ball and scores your shot based on trajectory, but you don’t need to be a golf fanatic to be delighted with an adventure here. The whole space has a high-energy feel, along with bars, restaurants, meeting rooms, and a rooftop terrace to “top off” a day of work and play.
As for shopping, this area has options for any price range and style. The Outlet Shoppes at El Paso offers a free group shuttle for visitors. It has more than 90 stores, including classic outlets like Brooks Brothers, Polo Ralph Lauren and Banana Republic.
Fountains at Farah is an open-air shopping mall with covered parking. The mall has two levels, with the upper level offering nationally known retailers, such as Barnes & Noble, Ulta and Best Buy, and the lower level offering smaller boutiques. Fountains at Farah also features—as you may have guessed—beautiful fountains and landscaping that add to its relaxing ambience.
Shops at Montecillo offers unique and upscale shops to give visitors an urban experience. Cielo Vista Mall has an international vibe your team will enjoy. In fact, it services Juarez, Mexico, along with nearby Texas communities. This indoor mall has more than 140 specialty stores.
Enjoy Authentic Fare
Keep your group satisfied during the trip with dining options close to downtown.
For lunch, try the gourmet soups, salads, sandwiches or burgers at Delight, a spot that opened in 2016 to highlight fresh, local flavors. The Tap is another option, with classic Mexican flair and live music. To take things up a notch, try Tabla. This restaurant has modern décor and an extensive tapas-style menu. Its small plates allow individuals and groups to try a wide variety of items. Try the bruschetta with salmon, goat cheese and balsamic or the bacon-wrapped dates with candied pecans.
Park Tavern is new to the area, but it is making an impact. Its new American cuisine includes elk tenderloin and branzino. Its wide variety of seating options can fit any size team, from booths and tables to high tops and patio seating.
Not sure what kind of dining your group is in the mood for? Head to Anson 11. This restaurant, housed in what was once the tallest building in El Paso, has two levels, featuring two styles of restaurant. The first floor is a casual bistro with options including burgers, pizza and tacos. The second floor is elegant and for fine dining, with white glove service and exquisite plates, including steak, duck and seafood mélange.
Café Central has an authentic feel your group will love. It originally opened in 1918 in Mexico as a popular nightspot. After Prohibition ended in the United States, the restaurant moved to El Paso. Its menu balances high-caliber cuisine with a traditional feel that embraces its 100-year heritage. Try the tenderloin steak with black bean puree, jalapeno and lime, or the octopus with avocado cream and cilantro.
Pot Au Feu is a fantastic restaurant to visit at the end of your stay to celebrate a successful event. Chef Roberto A. Espinoza trained at Le Cordon Bleu and helped build the restaurant. The menu is a tiny world showcase, with global flavors used in clever ways. Try the namesake Pot Au Feu made of beef shank, short rib, carrots, leeks, potatoes and pickled onions, or try the beef bourguignon or yellow coconut curry.
Beyond the downtown area and connected by the El Paso Streetcar, you’ll find plenty of dining on nearby Mills Street, with healthy options, such as juices, smoothies and salads, and seafood and burger places.
Maybe it’s the authentic Tex-Mex dining. Maybe it’s the boutique hotels and shopping centers. It might even be the wineries or the artisanal craft culture. Business professionals and travelers fall in love with El Paso for many different reasons. Book your next conference, corporate event or meeting in El Paso for a memorable team experience and discover your own reasons to fall in love.