Here’s what’s special at a sampling of hotels in 20 major business centers
Key to the “bests” in each metropolitan area:
– Highest rated hotels from Conde Nast Traveler magazine (CNT).
– Top business travel hotels from Travel & Leisure magazine (TL).
– Bests in three categories–hotels, small hotels and resorts–from the Zagat Survey (Z).
Not all cities had ranked hotels.
Atlanta
AVERAGE ROOM: $156.50 PER DIEM: $263.25
AmeriSuites Downtown ($89): TCB (Taking Care of Business) Suites (here and other AmeriSuites).
Four Seasons ($370): Spouse Programme tours/lunches (here and other Four Seasons); best hotel (Z).
Omni at CNN Center ($179): Say “hi” to Ted (Turner) in his home-away from-home.
Ritz-Carlton Buckhead ($265): Tech/bath butlers; best business hotel (TL); best hotel (CNT).
Westin Peachtree Plaza ($209): Take home a Heavenly Bed (on sale here and other Westins).
Baltimore
AVERAGE ROOM: $145.36 PER DIEM: $262.29
Harbor Court ($330): Best business hotel (TL); best hotel (CNT)
Homestead Studio Suites BWI Airport ($91): Full kitchens/tech workspaces for long stays (here and other Homesteads).
Hyatt Regency ($245): Skywalk to Baltimore Convention Center/Harborplace.
Marriott Waterfront ($239): Global conferencing via EventCom (here and other Marriotts).
Pier 5 ($209): Kennels for your pet; computers in room/jogging track for you.
Boston
AVERAGE ROOM: $156.69 PER DIEM: $271.92
Eliot: ($255): Book a meeting room at Harvard Club next door.
Four Seasons ($590): Best business hotel (TL); best hotel (CNT; Z).
Nine Zero ($239):Meeting rooms w/Surroundsound, plasma TVs.
Sheraton ($299): Connected to convention center; New England’s largest indoor/outdoor hotel pool.
XV Beacon ($350): Best small hotel (Z).
Chicago
AVERAGE ROOM: $186.66 PER DIEM: $308.76
Four Seasons ($390): Personal shopper at Bloomingdale’s; best business hotel (TL); best hotel (tie-Z).
Hilton ($206): Self-service check-in kiosks (also in New York).
House of Blues ($229): Meetings with a theme.
Peninsula ($335): Store bags between trips–and have clothing cleaned/pressed for return; best hotel (tie-Z).
Ritz-Carlton ($390): Order en route from airport for Room Service on Arrival; best hotel–not just in Chicago but U.S. (CNT)!
Dallas
AVERAGE ROOM: $129.37 PER DIEM: $233.77
Adolphus ($199):Management training via Team Building Chili Cook-Off.
Four Seasons at Las Colinas, Irving ($330): Ben Crenshaw/Tom Watson suites on 18th green for meetings; best resort (Z).
Mansion on Turtle Creek ($300): Best business hotel (TL); best hotel (CNT; Z).
Westin Park Central ($199): Heavenly Dog Bed for your pet (here and other Westins).
Renaissance ($179): Rooftop fitness center.
Denver
AVERAGE ROOM: $136.59 PER DIEM: $248.81
Best Western Central ($62): Free local calls (here and other Best Westerns).
Brown Palace ($220): Laptop recharging station; best business hotel (TL).
Hyatt Regency Tech Center ($119): Located in techie heaven, 10 miles from downtown.
Teatro ($180): Tumbler of scotch (“Scotch and Soak”) or split of Champagne (“Bubbles & Bubbles”) with your Aveda bath.
Warwick ($139): In-town courtesy car.
Detroit
AVERAGE ROOM: $137.00 PER DIEM: $241.22
Atheneum Suite ($185): People Mover transport to downtown offices/shops.
Marriott Renaissance Center ($189): Biggest downtown hotel; GM world headquarters here.
Omni Riverplace ($143): Get Fit kits/rooms, with your own treadmill (here and other Omnis).
Ritz-Carlton,Dearborn ($219): Tech butlers; best business hotel (TL).
Townsend Hotel Birmingham ($275): Best hotel (CNT).
Houston
AVERAGE ROOM: $144.97 PER DIEM: $260.39
Four Seasons ($340): Free downtown car service; best business hotel–not just in Houston but in U.S. (TL)!
Houstonian ($265): Access to Redstone Golf Club, a country estate in heart of Houston; best hotel (Z).
Hyatt Regency ($185): On city’s tunnel system for cool access to downtown offices.
Marriott at George Bush International Airport ($149): 24-hour business center.
St. Regis ($310): Luxury, Texas-style–personalized butler packs for you.
Las Vegas
AVERAGE ROOM: $116.50 PER DIEM: $227.79
Bellagio ($259): Best hotel (CNT); best resort (tie-Z).
Four Seasons ($475):Vegas without slots; best business hotel (TL); best resort (tie-Z).
Mandalay Bay ($129): Invite your competitors to the Shark Reef.
New York New York ($130): Check-in/register at airport while awaiting your bags.
Venetian ($159): Ride a gondola to your meeting.
Los Angeles
AVERAGE ROOM: $132.96 PER DIEM: $263.54
Bel-Air ($375): Best small hotel (Z).
Four Seasons Los Angeles at Beverly Hills ($390):
Kosher kitchen, comp limo to Rodeo Drive; best hotel (tie-Z).
Millennium Biltmore ($174): On-site filming locations (this is L.A.!).
Peninsula Beverly Hills ($375): Best business hotel (TL); best hotel (CNT; tie-Z).
Raffles L’Ermitage ($315): Best hotel (tie-Z).
Minneapolis
AVERAGE ROOM: $142.08 PER DIEM: $259.78
Grand ($279): Free access to Minneapolis Life Time Athletic Club.
Hilton Airport ($138): Fitness Guest Rooms and/or treadmills in your room (here and other Hiltons).
Hyatt Regency on Nicollet Mall ($138): 1-800 Check-In service (here and other Hyatts).
Nicollet Island Inn ($140): Only 24 rooms–but they come with fresh-baked cookies.
Wyndham Airport, Bloomington ($149): Bring the kids along for a SpongeBob Sleepover (here and other Wyndhams).
Miami
AVERAGE ROOM: $132.25 PER DIEM: $257.11
Fisher Island Club ($325): A golf cart for every guest; best small hotel (Z).
Mandarin Oriental ($249): Cellphone rentals; best business hotel (TL); best hotel (Z).
Summerfield Suites by Wyndham-Airport ($109): Grocery-shopping service.
Tides ($315): Rooms with telescopes; best hotel (CNT).
Turnberry Isle, Aventura ($285): Two 18-hole golf courses; best resort (Z).
New Orleans
AVERAGE ROOM: $147.83 PER DIEM: $263.65
Hilton Airport ($134): 24-hour business center.
Holiday Inn Select Convention Center ($112): 24-hour business services (here and other Holiday Inn Selects).
Inter Continental ($193): Upgrades/freebies with Business Options program (here and other Inter Continentals).
Ritz-Carlton ($245): Best business hotel (TL).
Windsor Court ($175): Personalized pillows; best hotel (CNT; Z).
New York
AVERAGE ROOM: $211.80 PER DIEM: $351.80
Benjamin ($285): Five-foot body cushions–and nine other types of pillows.
Four Seasons ($595): Cellphone rentals; best business hotel best hotel (tie-Z).
Inn on 23rd ($189): Business-oriented B&B in Chelsea where New School cooking classes meet.
St. Regis ($525): Best hotel (CNT; tie-Z).
Tribeca Grand ($289): Let them walk your pet; 24/7 business concierge.
Philadelphia
AVERAGE ROOM: $149.62 PER DIEM: $271.65
Four Seasons ($310): Best business hotel (TL); best hotel (CNT; Z).
Marriott Downtown ($199): Skywalk to Philadelphia Convention Center.
Park Hyatt at the Bellevue ($188): In-room laptop-sized safe.
Rittenhouse ($330):War Room office-away-from-office for attorneys who
stay during run of a trial; best small hotel (Z).
Sheraton Rittenhouse Square ($169): Organic linens/curtains, non-toxic paints/carpets in “first environmentally smart hotel.”
Phoenix
AVERAGE ROOM: $166.58 PER DIEM: $284.44
Fairmont Scottsdale Princess ($509): Best hotel (Z).
Four Seasons at Troon North, Scottsdale ($465):
Two Weiskopf-designed golf courses; best resort (Z).
Hermosa Inn, Paradise Valley ($179): Best small hotel (Z).
Phoenician, Scottsdale ($405): 27-hole golf course; best hotel (CNT).
Ritz-Carlton ($239): Best business hotel (TL).
San Diego
AVERAGE ROOM: $152.90 PER DIEM: $265.21
Four Seasons Aviara, Carlsbad ($395): Arnold Palmer-designed golf course; best resort (Z); best hotel (CNT).
Hilton Gaslamp Quarter ($249): Secure private entrance in Enclave Towers “hotel within a hotel.”
Hotel del Coronado ($230):Work where Marilyn played in “Some Like It Hot.”
L’Auberge Del Mar ($200): Hold a meeting in the Desi Arnaz Library.
Marriott Hotel and Marina ($220): Next door to convention center/marina.
Seattle
AVERAGE ROOM: $114.19 PER DIEM: $224.74
Fairmont Olympic ($335): Former Four Seasons was best business hotel (TL), best hotel (CNT, Z).
Monaco ($315): Goldfish on request (here and other Monacos).
Sheraton ($179): Starwood Turbo Net High Speed Internet Access (here and other Sheratons).
Sorrento ($199): Unwind with Room and Board (Scrabble, backgammon, etc) or shiatsu massage.
Watertown ($115): Ala Carts (games cart, goodnight cart, surf cart, etc.) brought to your room.
San Francisco
AVERAGE ROOM: $190.79 PER DIEM: $323.87
Clift ($250): One-on-one physical trainers.
Four Seasons ($539): “Childproofed rooms”; best hotel (Z).
Huntington ($315): Free cars to financial district.
Mandarin Oriental ($299): Binoculars to check out the view; best business hotel (TL).
Ritz-Carlton ($345): Nanny Survival Kit for kids; best hotel (CNT).
Washington, D.C.
AVERAGE ROOM: $178.40 PER DIEM: $299.99
Four Seasons ($405): Best hotel (CNT; tie-Z).
Jefferson ($339): “Rush” emergency meeting service; best small hotel (Z).
Ritz-Carlton ($395): Tech butlers give computer problems a boot 24/7; best hotel (tie-Z).
Ritz-Carlton,Tysons Corner,McLean,Va. ($319): Best hotel (tie-Z).
Willard Inter Continental ($279): Business center with . . . shredding services; best business hotel (TL).
*Average room prices/per diems from Business Travel News’ 18th annual Corporate Travel Index. Room rates for individual hotels are lowest-priced single rooms that could be obtained in early September for a midweek stay in October; taxes/service charges are extra.
