Bentley's Grill - Salem Oregon Restaurant, Blog, Oregon, Salem Conference Center, The Grand Hotel in Salem News & Updates

The Statesman Journal wants readers to vote for their favorite people, businesses and things to do in Marion and Polk counties in their annual Best of the Mid-Valley Poll before Sunday April 8, 2012.   Bentley’s Grill, The Salem Conference Center and The Grand Hotel in Salem are nominated in several categories and we need your help!

Please visit the Statesman Journal Best of the Mid-Valley 2012 Poll before Sunday, April 8 and cast your vote! We have some very big competition and it would be a big honor to win “Best Of” in any of these categories:

Salem Conference Center is nominated for 

• Best Wedding Venue
• Best Use of Social Media
• Best Caterer
• Best Customer Service
• Best Green Business

 The Grand Hotel in Salem is nominated for

• Best Hotel
• Best Green Business
• Best Customer Service
• Best Use of Social Media

Bentley’s Grill is nominated for

• Best Restaurant
• Best Family Restaurant
• Most Creative Cocktails
• Friendliest staff
• Best Business Lunch
• Best Happy Hour
• Best Burger
• Best Romantic Dinner
• Best Place To Impress a First date
• Best Use of Social Media

Please spread the word and remember you can vote every day….Thank you for supporting us!

If you are passing through town next Tuesday, February 21 you might want to drop by Bentley’s Grill to get a taste of New Orleans.  The restaurant, located adjacent to our hotel and The Salem Conference Center will host their annual Fat Tuesday celebration by passing out fun Mardi Gras beads while guests indulge in Chef Derek’s New Orleans cuisine like Shrimp Po’ Boy, Jambalaya, Gumbo, Cajun Chicken, and more!

The Bentley’s Grill Lounge Bar will also serve up special Fat Tuesday cocktails like the Hurricane, Gator Bite, and Fat Tuesday Punch. This is an event we look forward to every year, and you don’t want to miss out.

Fat Tuesday, aka Mardi Gras, occurs on the day before Ash Wednesday and is a day of celebration and the opportunity to enjoy that favorite food or beverage that you give up for Lent. New Orleans has made this celebration famous and has a long standing tradition of wearing Mardi Gras beads and giving them to others. If you can’t be on Bourbon Street for Fat Tuesday, Bentley’s Grill is the next best thing.

Reservations recommended- visit bentleysgrill.com or call 503.779.1660

The Salem Conference Center announced they will offer a 20% discount off Summer 2012 wedding packages, and one couple will receive 50% off . Couples planning a May-August 2012 wedding will receive 20% off a wedding package if they use the code “WED2012” before February 13 when they book their wedding at the facility.

One lucky couple who enters a special drawing will win 50% off wedding package when they enter the Half Off a Salem, Oregon Wedding Package before February 13 (an estimated savings of over $1500).

“Our wedding packages include everything from ballroom rental to experienced event staff and even a complimentary champagne toast” says Director of Sales & Marketing, Donna Earley. “Our goal is to alleviate some of the planning details while giving the bride and groom the wedding they envision. This promotion is a great way to help them save on the overall costs associated with a wedding.”

The total prize package includes:

• 1/2 off a Salem Conference Center Wedding Package*
• Complimentary Night in a Jacuzzi Suite at The Grand Hotel in Salem
• Gift of Champagne & Chocolate Strawberries in Suite upon Arrival
• Dinner for two at Bentley’s Grill

To enter the drawing to win 50% off, visit their Half Off Wedding Package Sweepstakes page at facebook.com/SalemConferenceCenter.

*The Salem Conference Center Wedding Packages include Ballroom Rental, Setup & Clean Up, Tables & Chairs, Table Linens & Glass Centerpieces, China, Silver & Glassware, Buffet Lines (if requested), Dance Floor, Cake Cutting & Service, Wireless Microphone, Staging & Head Table (if requested), Guest Book & Gift Tables, Portable Banquet Bars, Dedicated Banquet Staff to Service Event, Complimentary Champagne Toast for Bride & Groom, Experienced Special Events Coordinator. The package does not include food and beverage.

The Salem Conference Center, Bentley’s Grill and The Grand Hotel in Salem is proud to be a Supporting Sponsor of the eighth annual Bonaventure Senior Living Civil War Dinner & Auction at the Salem Conference Center November 17, 2011.

The event benefits the support after-school and summer activities at Boys & Girls Club of Salem, Marion & Polk Counties. This outstanding organization plays a vital role in our community by promoting academic success, healthy lifestyles, character and leadership skills to approximately 10,500 youth in local clubs, athletics, and outreach programs.

So are you a Duck or a Beaver? Wear your colors with pride and support your team at this exclusive dinner and auction! This is the perfect way to get pumped up for the 2011 Civil War Game on Saturday November 26 at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, OR.

Here is a preview of the fabulous items that will be auctioned off this year

• Bandon Dunes Golf Trip for 2
• Dinner for 10 at the Alcyone
• 7 days, 6 nights in Kona HI
• 4 Day, 3 night golf trip to Palm Springs
• Super Bowl Party for 50 at Jonathan’s Restaurant
• Behind the Scenes of NASCAR in Las Vegas
• Civil War Game Tickets
• Variety of Oregon Golf Packages
• Duck and Beaver memorabilia and merchandise

For more information and to purchase tickets, visit www.civilwarauction.org or call 503.581.7383 Ext 15

Vip’s Industries Inc., parent company of The Grand Hotel Salem, Bentley’s Grill, The Salem Conference Center and The Grand Hotel at Bridgeport, is presented with The 2011 Regional/National Business of the Year Award!

The Salem Area Chamber honored six businesses this week at the 2011 Business of the Year Awards, presented by Umpqua Bank. More than 300 attendees were on hand at annual luncheon, held at The Salem Conference Center.

We are happy to announce The 2011 Regional/National Business of the Year Award was presented to Vip’s Industries Inc., the corporate company that owns and operates The Grand Hotel Salem, Bentley’s Grill and The Grand Hotel at Bridgeport. Vip’s Industries Inc. is also contracted by The City of Salem to operate The Salem Conference Center. We were recognized for our sustainable business practices, as well as the service quality.

Congratulations to all 2011 Award recipients:

Business of the Year: Rich Duncan Construction (You may recall Rich Duncan was the builder for ABC’s “Extreme Home Makeover” 2010 project in Salem)
Small Business of the Year: The H Group
Agri-Business of the Year: Oregon Cherry Growers
New Business of the Year: Sadler Business Coaching
Employer of the Year: Withnell Motor Company

We congratulate the 2011 recipients of this great honor. They truly are companies that exemplify “excellence in business” by not only taking care of their customers, but also by taking care of our community. -The Salem Area Chamber

Event Spotlight:
Pairings – A Celebration of Oregon Wine, Cuisine & Music
Friday, August 26, 2011 (5pm- 9pm)

Grand Hotel Salem & Bentley’s Grill have joined Hart of the Garden to sponsor Pairings - A Celebration of Oregon Wine, Cuisine & Music at the Oregon State Fair on Friday August 26, 2011. This is the 4th year we have sponsored the event which features pairings of Oregon’s finest wines with cuisine from Oregon’s Top chefs.

Those who attend will also be treated to a musical tribute to Ray Charles hosted by Patrick Lamb, featuring an ensemble of Oregon’s best talent! Where else can you go and hear great music and get all the wine sampling and food you can eat and drink… and get admission into the State Fair!

Pairings – A Celebration of Oregon Wine, Cuisine & Music will be held in the beautiful Hart of the Garden at the Oregon State Fairgrounds. Tickets are $50.00 and include Fair admission; Cuisine prepared by outstanding Oregon Chefs; Tastings from fabulous Oregon Wineries; Musical Entertainment, Commemorative wine glass. Visit oregonstatefair.ticketforce.com to purchase your tickets.

The Salem Conference Center, The Grand Hotel in Salem, and Bentley’s Grill (known as The Salem Block) promotes environmentally friendly practices in our day to day operations.

We have participated in numerous programs and initiatives and most recently have launched the Tree Hugger Program to recognize employees of the Salem Block who demonstrate a committment and enthusiasmm to follow our green initiatives.

Each month the Salem Block “Green Team” will nominate one person from the block to get to join the Tree Hugger family. The Tree Hugger inductees are employees who have lead by example and brought new ideas to the table. Attitude and participation play also a big factor in deciding who will receive this big honor!

Check out our Tree Hugger Awards section located in the “back of house” area of the facility. We had a blast putting it together!   Learn more about our Green Efforts from The Grand Hotel in Salem and The Salem Conference Center!

Jessica Seacrest and Kristi Reed- the Salem Block's "Tree Huggers" make their mark!

The Salem Conference Center, The Grand Hotel in Salem, and Bentley’s Grill, also known as The Salem Block, is proud of our commitment to environmentally friendly practices in our day to day operations to reduce our impact on the environment.

Our green initiatives continue to grow stronger each year and have been well received by our guests and the Salem, Oregon community.  Here are a few highlights of our efforts:

• The Grand Hotel in Salem and Bentley’s Grill and The Salem Conference Center is the first hotel and restaurant and conference center in Salem and Marion County to be EarthWISE certified.
• Earlier this year, the Salem Conference Center announced that it has been awarded LEED® Certification established by the U.S. Green Building Council and verified by the Green Building Certification Institute (GBCI).
• Just last month,The Salem Block was named “Large Sustainable Business Of The Year” at the 2011 Mid-Valley Green Awards.

To see us in action, watch this Allied Waste composting video that features how Oregon businesses are making a difference with the food waste composting, including the Salem Conference Center:

What an exciting week this was for The Grand Hotel in Salem and Bentley’s Grill!  We were so honored to learn that we were named Best Hotel in the  2011 Statesman Journal Best of the Mid-Valley Poll!  More than 819,000 votes were tallied in the three-week balloting period!

We are thrilled with this honor and thank our loyal customers and supporters for voting for us!  From everyone at The Grand Hotel in Salem staff- THANK YOU!

Congratulations also goes out to Bentley’s Grill has won Best Creative Cocktails and Best Business Lunch for the second year in a row.  Bentley’s Grill also received honorable mentions in the following categories:

Silver
Best Appetizers: Bentley’s Grill
Best Place to Impress a First Date: Bentley’s Grill
Best Happy Hour: Bentley’s Grill

Bronze
Best Romantic Dinner: Bentley’s Grill

Congratulations to all of the fine businesses who received top honors!  See all results here.