Bella Vista Business Association Directory

Sales and Marketing Director Pamela Ferguson and General Manager Andrea Ortquist pose in front of mural featuring local scenery in the lobby of La Quinta. While La Quinta Inn is not in Bella Vista, it is just off the Razorback Greenway, so the hotel's general manager Andrea Ortquist, a resident of Bella Vista, can commute to work by bicycle. She loves living in Bella Vista and enjoys knowing she can ride her bike to work if she wants to. Being close to the bike trails is just one of the things that make La Quinta Inn bicycle- friendly, according to sales and marketing director Pamela Ferguson. e hotel has its own bike wash station and tools available to borrow. Guests can store their bikes in their rooms and the hotel has a good relationship with the local bike shops if anyone needs parts, service or a rental. Staff members at the front desk are happy to print out trail maps for their guests. e trails are constantly being updated, so pulling up the electronic version of the trail map is always the safest bet, Ferguson said. But not all the guests are in town to ride bikes. Business travel is coming back, Ortquist said. Right aer the pandemic, most of her guests were in town for leisure travel. ey came to Bentonville for Crystal Bridges, e Walmart AMP, and the trails. Now, she is seeing an influx of business travelers. "Everyone is just excited to have travelers back in the area," Ortquist said. At La Quinta, the amenities for business travelers include two meeting rooms: A boardroom with a large executive table that seats 12; and a banquet room with a center divider, smart TV, mounted LCD projector, and a podium. Food can be catered for meetings and La Quinta's staff can help set that up. ey know the restaurants in the area and the many types of food that are available. A hot breakfast is served in the lobby every morning, and the guests love it. Both business and leisure travelers enjoy the heated indoor pool and spa. A fitness room and laundry facility are also available to guests. "We also house sports teams for sporting events," Ortquist said. Soball and travel soccer teams come to town regularly. Ortquist sometimes talks to guests from the local area who are enjoying a staycation. e location is perfect for a weekend stay since it is easy to get to the area's attractions, by both the streets and the trails. "You can become a visitor in your own hometown," she said. at gives locals the chance to experience amenities like Crystal Bridges in the same way a tourist would. Ferguson represents La Quinta at BVBA meetings. She enjoys doing it and has built good relationships with the members. Recently, the hotel joined Gusano's Pizza to host an evening meeting. Gusano's provided the food, and La Quinta provided the space. Everyone enjoyed it, she said. She is impressed with the number of small businesses in the area and recommends them to guests. e members of BVBA always support each other, she said. Although a final decision hasn't been made yet, Ferguson thinks La Quinta will have a presence at the next Bella Vista festival or BVBA Business Expo. is year's Halloween event is in the planning stages and La Quinta may have a booth there, as well. With all of Northwest Arkansas growing and changing, connections like the BVBA are becoming even more important to businesses across the region. 20 | 2023 Bella vista Business association directory La Quinta Inn welcomes business and leisure travelers By Lynn Atkins Special to Bella Vista Business Association Directory

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