Escaping winter's frigid slush

Breathes there a winter-weary soul who has not peered out an office window at a bleak, icy, wind-whipped landscape and sighed, "Get me out of here ... Now!"

There is something dispiriting about drab winter months, especially those that follow the holidays, when the only glimmer on the horizon is a stream of cute Super Bowl commercials and the faint hope that spring weather just might arrive early.

Admit it, now. Wouldn't you rather tuck your toes into toast-colored sand on a lush Caribbean island or connect squarely with a golf ball on an emerald green course that overlooks turquoise waters somewhere south of the Snow Belt?

But, you sigh, there's no room for vacation time, and your electronic calendar is stuffed with details of a critical five-year planning summit guaranteed to keep you in meeting-room-lockdown for days on end. Obviously, you have no choice but to slog on through winter's sad slush.

But wait! If your dream is to escape winter, why not schedule an important business session somewhere warm, far away from your office and miles away from beige, windowless meeting rooms with bleak, white boards.

Finding a place to meet in a warm weather destination is not all that difficult. There are countless options in stunning settings that eagerly welcome small-to-large meeting groups. The key is getting to the good ones, those that consistently offer top-notch service and have a track record of successfully catering to executive groups.

Small inns, golf resorts, a collection of private villas in the Caribbean, all-inclusive resorts anywhere warm, spas with meeting facilities, or a cluster of sailboats tacking from island to island — all can work successfully as a location for a business meeting.

Where to begin?

If you chose to work with a local travel agency, make sure it's a full-service travel company with plenty of savvy when it comes to planning off-site meetings. You'll want the meeting minutiae skillfully handled by someone who is both familiar with suitable properties and experienced in the endless details that make a meeting successful. Another plus: they can book your airline tickets and run interference if/when flights are delayed or canceled.

If you prefer to do it on your own, you'll find resources on the Internet. The global Society of Incentive and Travel Executives (SITE) offers wide-ranging planning options on their Service Finder Web page. Convention bureaus at your chosen destination can be a good resource too; look for a comprehensive list of links at www.conventionbureaus.com.

Just for fun (and because it's winter, and cold) let's conjure up a few exceptional warm weather meeting destinations:

n Florida is always a good choice for a dead-of-winter off-site meeting. It's easy to get to and you'll find plenty of good-to-great properties to choose from. Naples, on the Gulf Coast south of Fort Myers, is a classy small city with plenty to offer for both meetings and after-hours relaxation.

Fifth Avenue in the heart of Olde Naples is the quintessential dining-entertainment-shopping scene and as luck would have it, there is a fine business-friendly small hotel, The Inn on Fifth that successfully combines good meeting facilities (gather in the boardroom, the ballroom, or poolside) with lush accommodations and a feng shui-inspired Spa on Fifth (relax mind and body after grueling planning sessions).

Another big plus is the Inn's close proximity to McCabe's Irish Pub (it's attached to the Inn) and Truluck's, a stylishly casual restaurant specializing in excellent stone crab (they operate their own fisheries), succulent steaks and an impressive wine list.

If you would rather hold your meeting just a chip shot away from a good golf course, excellent options abound. Florida, of course, is replete with fine courses on both coasts and inland as well. Just 35 miles north of Jacksonville on Florida's east coast, for example, the Amelia Island Plantation offers business groups an impressive array of accommodations and meeting facilities. And you'll find plenty of golf there too: Amelia Island's 72 championship holes designed by the best-of-the-best earned it the title of "Silver Medal Golf Resort" from Golf Magazine.

n For drier air, mountain views and brilliant sunshine, consider meeting almost anywhere in The Valley of the Sun surrounding Phoenix, Arizona. A well-chosen golf resort in the rapidly-expanding metro area can be a winner - or stay at a nongolf property with meeting facilities and then play a few rounds at one or more of the area public courses. This user-friendly Convention and Visitors Bureau Web site can help narrow down options and request assistance: www.visitphoenix.com/meeting/index.cfm.

• Look to Mexico or the Caribbean, too, for a myriad of meeting options. In Mexico, for example, Cancun, long a hot destination, is close to incendiary these days, with exciting new properties ranging from a delightful collection of small boutique hotels to familiar hotel names along powdery beaches stretching south to the Riviera Maya and beyond.

Don't overlook the good selection of all-inclusive resorts in the area. Many have meeting facilities to suit small and large groups, and the all-inclusive "package" approach that bundles air, lodging, food, beverages, entertainment and water sports can simplify the entire meeting planning process.

Popular tour operators like Apple Vacations and Funjet, while not officially meeting planners, offer complete packages that, with a little tweaking, can work for meetings too.

• The Caribbean has almost as many meeting options as there are islands. For a truly unique experience, consider renting one or more private villas in close proximity and use the largest as a meeting base. Wimco Villas, a company that specializes in the rental of privately-held luxury villas, recently added a collection of 10 contiguous yet private beachfront villas in the island of St. Martin's Baie Rouge area. The villas range from one to six bedrooms and are just 10 minutes from the island's international airport.

Meetings under sail

Bob Wise, co-owner of the boat-brokerage firm Paradise Connections on the Caribbean island of St. Thomas, can convince you that chartering a boat, or better yet, several boats, will guarantee the best corporate meeting experience you have ever had.

Bob and his wife Sheila work with corporations and travel planners to custom-design programs that draw on the inventory of the approximately 300 privately-owned sailboats and motor yachts in the Caribbean. Bob favors using a fleet of crewed sailing catamarans, each accommodating 10 guests that can be combined for a "tandem" sail through the tranquil waters of the U.S. or British Virgin Islands, stopping at picturesque anchorages every night and during the day, following the wind and whims of his onboard guests.

The catamarans, Bob explains, are more economical for business groups, and they can be rafted together at a harbor anchorage, making them a unique floating conference room. To simplify planning, food is included in the cost and guests' food preferences are surveyed prior to departure so menus can be custom-crafted.

"If someone doesn't want to eat carrots, we won't serve them carrots," says Wise.

So, what are you waiting for?

Put away that heavy winter coat and soggy boots. Stash the ice scraper and tuck away the jumper cables. Gather your key staff and that important Five-Year Plan and head someplace warm and sunny. You'll work hard, yes, but you'll relax too. The boost to productivity, teamwork and camaraderie will make it a trip worth taking.

Betty Stark is a Madison travel industry consultant and business travel writer with 25 years' experience.