Northern California hotels offer catering services, convenient parking, state-of-the-art audiovisual amenities and meeting and exhibit space, all designed to specifically meet the needs of the business community.

From bed-and-breakfasts to high-end hotels and in between, the San Francisco Bay Area provides diversity in visitor housing to fit any budget. Also, event planners may look forward to working with some of the top professionals in the industry while planning schedules, negotiating room rates and developing menus.

Because meeting planners are such a force in the hospitality industry, many national-chain hotels have designed websites that aid in planning. Resources can include room availability, meeting space layouts and lists of readily available services and supplies, so event planners know exactly what to pack and what they can leave at the office.

San Francisco
San Francisco has more than 30,000 hotel rooms designed to please the savviest traveler. From quirky, intimate boutiques to large-scale, luxury chains, San Francisco is equipped to meet the needs of business travelers of all kinds.

A number of high-end hotels in the downtown area are popular meeting spaces for companies looking to mix business with excursions and nightlife. One such hotel is the Westin St. Frances, located in Union Square. The Westin St. Frances features more than 56,000 square feet of meeting space and 1,195 lavish guest rooms and 34 impeccable suites. The Westin St. Frances offers the perfect mix of historic ambiance and modern amenities.

With a style all its own, the architecturally stunning JW Marriott San Francisco offers 329 guest rooms and more than 11,820 square feet of meeting space.

The newly built Orchard Garden Hotel is California’s first generation of truly “green” hotels. It is the only hotel in San Francisco to earn a coveted “Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design” (LEED®) certification. The Orchard Garden Hotel offers a rooftop garden and executive board room for events and is outfitted with 86 stylish guest rooms.

The Phoenix Hotel is known globally as San Francisco’s “Rock and Roll Hotel.” This funky hotel is located less than three blocks from the Civic Center and features 44 guest rooms. Past guests have included Pearl Jam and The Red Hot Chili Peppers.

A Personality Hotel, the Hotel Diva is a sleek inn that features 116 guest rooms styled with Diva-style cobalt blue carpets, silver accents, custom-designed sculptured rolled-steel headboards, graphic-hued bedspreads, bright orange shower curtains, modern black leather couches and blond wood tabletop desks. Other Personality Hotels include Hotel Union Square, Kensington Park, Hotel Metropolis, Hotel Vertigo, Hotel Frank and The Steinhart.

Lights, camera, action! Hotel Bijou in Union Square is a movie lover’s paradise. With 65 jewel-toned guest rooms, a mini-movie theater in the lobby and dramatic Hollywood portraits gracing the walls, Hotel Bijou has become a blockbuster in San Francisco.

Parc 55 Hotel, a four-diamond hotel, is a perfect representation of the beautifully appointed lodging opportunities that exist in San Francisco. With 1,010 spacious guest suites and more than 21,000 square feet of meeting space, Parc 55 Hotel encompasses the unique style that characterizes San Francisco.

Other notable hotels in San Francisco include the award-winning Hilton Hotel and Towers; the lavishly designed Hotel Vitale; the ideally located Hyatts at Union Square and in the Embarcadero; the historic Fairmont San Francisco and Intercontinental Mark Hopkins San Francisco.

East Bay
The East Bay is home to some of the best lodging options in the Bay Area. Luxury and class define the many boutique hotels, chain lodges and world-class resorts housed east of San Francisco.

Nestled in the Oakland/Berkley Hills is The Claremont Resort and Spa, with more than 30,000 square feet of meeting space and 278 unique guest rooms. Known for its 20,000 square-foot health center, the Claremont is the ideal one-stop-shop for meetings and events. Numerous accolades have been given to the Claremont including the title of “Best in the West,” by Meetings West magazine. The Claremont Resort and Spa is designed to provide relaxation and a peaceful retreat from the world.

The Waterfront Plaza Hotel, in the heart of historic Jack London Square, is one of Oakland’s most popular venues. The hotel features 143 nautically inspired guest rooms and meeting space for events from two to 300 people. Its prime location on the Oakland Harbor has helped make it a meeting planner’s paradise.

Also worth considering in the East Bay are Hotel Ibiza, Four Points by Sheraton San Francisco Bay Bridge, Berkeley’s Hotel Durant and the Oakland Marriott City Center.

The Peninsula
Diversity perfectly describes the variation of lodging on the San Francisco Peninsula. There, you’ll find accommodations for business travelers seeking tranquility mixed with modern amenities.

The Ritz-Carlton on Half Moon Bay offers meeting space and lodging that combines state-of-the-art facilities with impeccable service. This beachside paradise includes 17,000 square feet of indoor meeting space and three outdoor function areas that can accommodate up to 400 people. The Ritz is equipped with 261 well-appointed guestrooms and offers dining in two lavish establishments.

The Wild Palms Hotel, in Sunnyvale, is conveniently located close to dozens of major technology companies, including Google, Apple and Yahoo. This brightly appointed hotel provides a resort-style atmosphere that is popular with both business and leisure travelers looking for luxury. With 208 guestrooms and more than 1,800 square feet of meeting space, the Wild Palms Hotel is the perfect business meeting destination.

Hotel Avante salutes the ingenuity of the inventor. This avant-garde hotel features 91 guest rooms equipped with executive toy boxes, furniture on wheels (that allows guests to arrange their room to their preference) and idea pads. Hotel Avante also offers an executive boardroom and conference tables for business meetings.

Another popular Peninsula location is the Beach House Hotel on Half Moon Bay, which includes four meeting rooms with more than 1,800 square feet of space. The hotel’s rustic charm mixed with state-of-the-art facilities and a breathtaking view of the Pacific Ocean has made it a premier destination for corporate events. The hotel is equipped to serve the needs of small corporate meetings or events for up to 55 people.

Additional notable hotels include Oceano Hotel and Spa Half Moon Bay Harbor and Cypress Inn on Miramar Beach.

South Bay
From iPod docking-stations to operable in-room windows, the South Bay is cutting-edge when it comes to lodging. The influences of Silicon Valley have resulted in accommodations that ooze with sophistication and meeting spaces that define what it means to be tech-savvy.

The Hilton Santa Clara is conveniently located next to the Santa Clara Convention Center, the Great America theme park and the Santa Clara Golf and Tennis Club. This Mediterranean-inspired hotel is a preferred destination of business travelers and features multi-line phones, large work desks and high-speed Internet access. The hotel offers 280 guest rooms and 5,000 square feet of meeting space, including an executive business center.

The Hotel Montgomery in San Jose is a perfect example of the beauty that comes from the marriage of high style and high technology. With 86 guest rooms that feature Burberry chairs, leather wall coverings, gourmet mini-bars and pocket doors, Hotel Montgomery is considered one of the best-furnished hotels in the Bay Area. It is also the oldest hotel in San Jose and is centrally located to many major area attractions, including the San Jose Convention Center.

Other popular destinations include the Dolce Hayes Mansion and the lavish Four Seasons Hotel Silicon Valley.

Monterey
Visitors to Monterey can expect to find accommodations and meeting spaces that reflect the natural beauty, cultural flavor and lively ambiance of the area. Monterey offers many hotel facilities that take advantage of the city’s dazzling waterfront views.

The Hilton Garden Inn Monterey means business. With a full business center and 6,500 square feet of meeting and banquet space, the Hilton Monterey is equipped to handle any event. The hotel offers 204 rooms and affords guests the opportunity to enjoy nearby attractions, such as the historic Fisherman’s Wharf and Poppy Hills Golf Course.

The Coast Santa Cruz Hotel is the only beachfront hotel and convention facility on the Santa Cruz Monterey Bay coastline and showcases some of the best ocean views in the Bay Area. The hotel is outfitted with 5,000 square feet of meeting space and includes a 10-story building with 163 guestrooms.

Monterey is also home to Casa Munras, A Larkspur Collection Hotel; Chateau Coralini Retreat & Spa, Hyatt Regency Monterey Resort & Conference Center, Intercontinental The Clement Monterey and Portola Hotel & Spa at Monterey Bay.

North Bay
The North Bay is characterized by charming bed and breakfasts and homey boutique hotels. The abundance of vineyards in the area has created an environment that thrives on old-world elegance and promotes modern sophistication.

The Napa River Inn offers 66 spacious rooms and 2,000 square feet of indoor meeting space. The Inn also boasts up to 7,300 square feet of outdoor meeting space and the convenience of an on-site business center. The Napa River Inn is located in the downtown Historic Napa Mill and is within walking distance of award-winning restaurants and shops.

The Sheraton Sonoma County-Petaluma is equipped with six meeting spaces and more than 180 first-rate guest-rooms. The Sheraton is located just a short drive from spectacular beaches, dense redwood forests and premium wineries, making it a suburb central meeting place.

Marin County is home to many luxurious hotels and inns. One such establishment, the Acqua Hotel in Mill Valley, provides up to 1,600 square feet of meeting space and 49 guestrooms. The Acqua Hotel has an exclusive partnership with Piazza D’Angelo Catering and is fully equipped to provide a memorable Californian experience to meeting guests.

Other notable hotels in North Bay include the Embassy Suites Hotel Napa Valley, The Meritage Resort and Spa, Napa Valley Marriott Hotel & Spa, Bodega Bay Lodge & Spa and Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn & Spa.

A variety of hotels throughout the San Francisco Bay Area make the region a prime location for holding any type of business meeting. Business Meetings and More San Francisco and Northern California offers an extensive list that details hotel accommodations in the Greater San Francisco Bay Area.