Strategies for Driving Group Business at Lifestyle and Luxury Properties

Group business continues to be one of the most powerful drivers of success for lifestyle and luxury hotels. These properties are uniquely positioned to deliver the kind of thoughtful experiences, professional and detailed service, and upscale amenities sought after by meeting planners and event organizers. If they want to stand out, however, properties must also merge hospitality with imagination and serve guests’ needs both personally and professionally. 

Drawing from 35 years of experience in hotel marketing and sales, here are the top seven ways I’ve found that make the greatest difference in driving group business. 

Elevate Service Through Group Concierge Programs | 

Personalized service remains the hallmark of luxury. A group concierge service that serves as a single point of contact for planners and attendees offers clarity and continuity across the entire event. Properties like Stein Eriksen Lodge Deer Valley in Utah have a dedicated concierge team to ensure a seamless event from sessions to offsite excursions to addressing individualized attendee requests. The result is an experience that feels well-managed, organized, and human-centered. Similarly, at Raffles Boston, the hotel’s butler team serves as a discreet, attentive presence throughout the guest journey, offering the ease and grace of a personal host. While the approaches differ in style, both highlight the same principle: when service feels continuous and thoughtfully attuned, the entire group experience feels more seamless, cared for, and memorable.

Showcase Distinctive Venues With a Sense of Place

Planners increasingly seek properties that offer authentic experiences that reflect their destination. Unique indoor-outdoor spaces, art-driven lounges, onsite venues playing local music, and gardens with local flora provide flexibility and help spark creativity. Properties like The Maven Hotel at Dairy Block in Denver and Hotel Polaris in Colorado Springs embrace their respective locations, offering distinct activities—from Dairy Block’s booming downtown scene to flight simulators at Hotel Polaris, which sits near the U.S. Air Force Academy. These environments help attendees feel rooted in the destination’s culture and character.

Lead With Culinary Creativity

Food remains one of the most powerful shared-experience drivers. Chef-led activations, interactive tasting sessions, and menus inspired by local ingredients create memorable touchpoints. Rancho Bernardo Inn in San Diego does this beautifully by highlighting regional wines, seasonal produce, and chef-hosted culinary storytelling. Groups also increasingly value wellness-forward dining that supports focus and high energy, so offering nutrient-rich or plant-forward menu tracks can deepen attendee satisfaction.

Use Technology to Streamline and Personalize the Journey

The best technology blends quietly into the background, helping the experience flow. Mobile check-in, QR-coded agendas, real-time space signage, and hybrid-ready AV infrastructure support smooth execution. As part of its historic billion-dollar renovation, The Venetian Las Vegas unveiled new digital signage throughout its five-story convention center alongside powerful technology (powered by Creston panels) for more lighting control and audiovisual capability. Together, this new technology creates personalized touchpoints, strengthening engagement and long-term loyalty.

Encourage Collaboration Beyond Structured Programming

Across meetings, incentive trips, retreats, and executive gatherings, some of the most meaningful moments happen outside scheduled sessions. Hotels can encourage spontaneous connection by activating outdoor lounges, fire pits, walking paths, communal tables, and creative studio spaces. At Estate Yountville in Napa Valley, groups often bond aboard the Napa Valley Wine Train, transforming shared transit into shared memory. Curated art tours, vineyard walks, beach bonfires, and city explorations help deepen relationships organically.

Integrate Wellness as a Core Experience, Not an Add-On

Well-being programming has become essential. Morning meditation sessions, movement breaks, and biophilic design elements such as natural light and greenery support cognitive clarity. Amrit Ocean Resort on Florida’s Singer Island integrates wellness into the group experience with guided wellness circuits, spa-forward activations, and mindful programming designed to help attendees recharge between sessions. These touches contribute directly to engagement and satisfaction.

Build Authentic Partnerships That Enrich the Event

Collaborations with local chefs, cultural institutions, artists, DMCs, and community organizations create experiences that feel connected to place. Orlando’s Lake Nona Wave Hotel leverages its close relationship with the USTA National Campus to offer personalized coaching sessions for guests. Additional partnerships with nearby restaurants and wellness facilities unlock special access, private workshops, and community engagement opportunities that extend the sense of purpose well beyond the hotel footprint.