Kellogg Hotel & Conference Center

Busy and bustling—that’s the normal state of affairs for the Kellogg Hotel & Conference Center. From Monday morning when the first conferences start up, through a week of business meetings and seminars, to the weekend as people gather for a football game, a wedding reception or a festive luncheon, Kellogg Center never slows down. Since 1955, it has anchored the northwest corner of the Michigan State University campus and has provided comfortable lodging, public spaces for any need, and extraordinary food and wine.

Hotel Manager Geoff Parkerson says, “We strive to make every guest welcome by anticipating their needs. No detail is too small for us to make our guests’ stay the most enjoyable. Every employee here at Kellogg Center understands that customer satisfaction is our number one goal and commitment.”

With its 160 guest rooms, 32,000-square-feet of meeting space in 32 function rooms, three private dining rooms and two restaurants plus full-service catering, Kellogg Center overlooks the Red Cedar River and offers views of MSU’s beautiful campus.

According to Nick Aune, director of sales and conference services, “During the week, we are definitely a ‘business hotel.’ On weekends, it’s a different story. Big Ten sports and other campus events are a big draw, and we also host a lot of social gatherings like wedding receptions. In fact, we now have a wedding planner on staff and can accommodate up to 1,100 guests in our largest banquet room.”

In all, Kellogg Center has close to 400 employees with a mix of full- and part-time staff. Many of the part-time employees are MSU or Lansing Community College students.

Aune says, “We have recently renovated the guest rooms and hallways, adding flat-screen televisions to the rooms and replacing carpets, wall coverings and linens. We’re happy with the way it turned out, and our guests seem to like it too.”

The hotel offers a variety of specials including the MSU Parent Package special, Kellogg’s Theatre and Entertainment Package, Weekend at MSU special and a romantic weekend getaway. More information about these specials is available at www.kelloggcenter.com/specials/index.html.

Chef Michael Clyne has been overseeing the exceptional food and wine at the State Room restaurant for seven years and continues to provide palate-pleasing menus as well as an award-winning array of fine wines. Menus change quarterly and feature local, fresh and organic products. Each year, Clyne “cooks up” a special holiday menu based (loosely) around the Twelve Days of Christmas, featuring such enticing dishes as “sweet potato and pear bisque with curried breast of partridge.” (A partridge in a pear tree.) The menu is available throughout the holiday season.

The hotel also offers casual dining in KC’s Lounge, featuring a grill menu with a variety of spirits including specialty bourbons, single-malt scotches and Michigan microbrews.

Every fall, Kellogg Center offers a Visiting Chef series featuring well-known chefs from throughout the country. Each chef demonstrates the preparation of a four-course meal. This, of course, includes audience participation as the group enjoys the resulting dinner complete with complementary wines!

Whether you are looking for a small and intimate space for your holiday party or a larger venue for dinner and dancing, Kellogg Center can provide the space and the food as well as a unique ambiance. According to Aune, “We enjoy decorating for the holidays and go all out to provide a welcoming atmosphere.”

Pleasant, comfortable and clean rooms (and don’t forget the flat-screen TV!), great views, spacious public spaces, delicious food and exceptional wines—you can’t go wrong with the Kellogg Center.

East Lansing Marriott at University Place

The Marriott Hotel in East Lansing was built in 1988 and was a Holiday Inn until 1995 when Marriott Hotels & Resorts took ownership. Eric Sudol has been general manager for 16 years. He says, “I grew up in Detroit and came here to go to Michigan State and liked the area so much, I never left.”

With 180 guest rooms on seven floors and 12,000 square feet of meeting and event space, the hotel continues to be successful despite the economy. Says Sudol, “We are fortunate to have many loyal corporate customers. The brand loyalty connected to the Marriott name serves us well.”

Like many hotels, the hotel serves its business customers during the week and caters to leisure travelers on the weekend. Its proximity to Michigan State and downtown East Lansing makes it convenient, and its comfortable guest rooms and welcoming public spaces make it an excellent choice for either business or pleasure travel.

According to Sudol, “We have recently renovated our guest rooms, adding new carpeting and wallcoverings. Our on-site fitness center has all new equipment, and we have an indoor pool for our guests on the third floor along with a sauna, whirlpool and sundeck. We offer many other amenities like WI-FI, high-speed Internet, fax and copying and concierge services. We have facilities for business meetings, conventions and seminars and can offer customized catering and banquet space for anything from a small holiday luncheon to an elaborate wedding reception.”

He continues, “We have two certified wedding planners on staff as well as two certified meeting planners who can work with clients to plan and produce the perfect event.”

The hotel offers casual dining at Bistro 43 with a variety of delicious options for breakfast, lunch and dinner, which is open for fine dining in the evening.

For Big Ten fans, the Marriott provides not only an on-site tailgate party before the game but transportation to and from the stadium. The hotel also offers packages for parents and families of MSU students, and its prime location close to campus makes it ideal for people visiting the University. Douglas J’s salon and educational facility offer discounts to hotel patrons. In addition, the Michigan Flyer, providing transportation to Detroit International Airport, leaves from the Marriott.

Sudol adds, “We are certified by Green Lodging Michigan, a partnership between the Michigan Energy Office and the Department of Environmental Quality, and we meet standards as a leader in energy conservation, air quality and reduced water consumption and waste. We are also a partner in progress with Lansing Economic Area Partnership (LEAP).”

Location, luxury, service and value—it all comes together at the Marriott. As they say, “Going above and beyond. It’s the Marriott Way!”

Author: Jane Whittington

Photography: Terri Shaver