At Portola Hotel & Spa at Monterey Bay, meeting planners have their pick of top-notch venues, ranging from renovated ballrooms and a historic garden where flowers bloom year-round to a Club Room inspired by the area’s seafaring history and a brewpub with a private barrel room. 

 

Portola

The iconic hotel’s latest renovation provided a stylish makeover to the seventh-floor Executive Boardroom, creating an ideal space to host board meetings, executive retreats, as well as small-group sessions and breakouts.  

 

But it’s not just the exceptional meeting spaces that set Portola Hotel & Spa apart for groups big and small. Located along the scenic Central California coast, the hotel’s location makes it a prime destination to hold retreats that weave in wellness and inspire creativity with spa breaks and healthy menus incorporating the region’s bountiful produce as well as on-site bike rentals for attendees and easy-to-access nature trails. 

 

Portola Hotel & Spa’s meetings and events team can also coordinate unique programming for retreat guests coming to Monterey, including morning sound meditation sessions that allow groups to set their intentions for the day and guided outings on bikes or kayaks so attendees can slow down and take in the coastal setting, with cameos from California sea otters and the crescendo of crashing waves providing the soundtrack. 

 

Inspired yet? Ahead, discover the types of itineraries rooted in wellness that executive groups meeting at Portola Hotel & Spa can experience in 2025 and beyond. 

 

 

New Board Room and Blue Zone-Approved Catering Menus 

Portola

Newly renovated, the 760-square foot Executive Boardroom perched on the hotel’s top floor can accommodate up to 20 guests, and it was designed as a space to inspire and engage small groups—whether that’s boards of directors, executive teams, or those gathering for small conferences. The modern design strikes a balance of comfort and functionality, with creative design elements anchoring the space to Monterey (think: cerulean blue accents, sophisticated sepia-toned nautical art, framed coastal paintings that nod to the area’s maritime history).  

“Portola is nestled between the harbor and downtown Monterey, so we’re a little bit quieter and a great place to come and relax and unwind,” says Courtney Ebertowski, Sales Manager at Portola Hotel & Spa.  

For small groups, the Executive Meeting space features a conference table with built-in power connections and a projector screen, a small library, and a built-in kitchen with a wet bar, Ebertowski says. 

 

As for catering for wellness-focused meetings, sample menus can include refreshing mocktails, like sans-booze mango mules and raspberry-basil lemonades, as well as menu items like grilled cauliflower steaks with zesty, tomato-based romesco sauce and grilled Portabella mushroom tacos.  

 

The bountiful farmlands in the surrounding Salinas Valley put the region on the map as the “salad bowl of the world,” and local produce is prized at Portola, which is a “Blue Zones Project Approved” property thanks to its healthy offerings. 

 

 

Sound Bowl Meditations and Spa Experiences 

Portola Spa

 

Those in town for meetings can enjoy walks along the Monterey Bay Coastal Recreation Trail before their day gets going to take in the sights of the Monterey Bay, spotting moored boats, wildflowers, and even sea lions sunning on the rocky outcrops. 

“Monterey is the perfect location for a wellness-focused meeting and enjoying nature at the start of the day has a very healing and grounding effect,” says Ericka Lavariega, Spa Manager at the hotel’s Spa on The Plaza.  

The spa team, she says, encourages guests to take a stroll on the coastal trail before the start of their treatments. Guests can choose from more than 40 signature offerings including aromatherapy facials, a coconut balm massage and ocean salt glow wraps. 

 

In addition to breaking for a spa treatment, other wellness opportunities for groups include guided sound meditations.  

 

During one of these meditations, groups can experience a harmonious blend of gongs and crystal bowls, explains Jordan Rossow, Manager of locally owned Om Studios, which leads the wellness experience at Portola Hotel and Spa. For those who are new to sound healing, the experience involves “simply relaxing and receiving,” Rossow explains. During the 60-minute experience, participants let harmonious sounds—like the gentle hum of gongs and the subtle whisper and rattles of instruments—wash over them.  

 

The practice, Rossow explains, promotes relaxation, reduces stress, and fosters a sense of inner peace. Sound healing sessions can help set groups up for productive meetings because the practice promotes relaxation (many participants often feel like they’ve gotten restful sleep after just a 30-minute session). “You’re getting that ideal rest that allows you to problem solve,” Rossow says.  

 

 

Biking and Kayaking Along California’s Central Coast  

Monterey Bay

Portola Hotel & Spa’s proximity to Monterey’s landmarks is another perk of staying at the hotel as it’s a three-minute walk to the Old Fisherman’s Wharf and Cannery Row is just a mile away.  

 

One of the best ways to get around is on two wheels, which comes with the bonus of feeling the ocean breeze. Guests can rent bikes and e-bikes from Adventures by the Sea, an outfitter that has a location at the hotel. 

 

During executive retreats, attendees can rent bikes and explore on their own along the coastal recreation trail that’s punctuated with scenic vistas and spots to see wildlife, including harbor seals, sea otters, sea lions, birds and sometimes even whales. Another favorite route is the scenic 17-mile drive in Pebble Beach: “You get dramatic coastlines, rocky shores, and white sand beaches,” says Kyle Wareham, Owner of Adventures by the Sea.  

 

His company can also lead team building outings, like “Bicycle Bingo” that encourages participants to stop and take photos of landmarks and scenery along the coastal trails.   

 

Groups can also get out on the water in single or tandem kayaks for guided excursions with Adventure by the Sea. Participants get to see sea lions, harbor seals, and California sea otters, which were once on the brink of extinction and are now thriving.  

“You can expect to see up to 20 sea otters—that’s the real highlight,” Wareham says. “There’s so much wildlife to spot. It’s pleasantly overwhelming.”