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ELITE LIST: Top 20 Business Hotel Amenities
01. HELICOPTER SERVICE at the Peninsula, Hong Kong
Guests get a bird’s eye view of the pulsing metropolis and rolling hills of Hong Kong—and a quick trip between the international airport and the hotel. With a helipad on the hotel’s roof, you can roll out of bed and take to the skies within minutes. Cost: 19,000 Hong Kong dollars per hour.
peninsula.com
02. FINGERPRINT ROOM ACCESS at the Murano Urban Resort, Paris
You don’t need to keep track of a key card to get into your room at the Murano. Your fingerprint unlocks the door, which makes for hassle-free entries and exits when juggling laptops and paperwork.
muranoresort.com
03. AIRPORT SERVICE at Rocco Forte Hotels,Munich, Berlin, Frankfurt
With Rocco Forte’s Fraport VIP Travel Service, you can arrive at the airport only an hour before an international flight’s scheduled departure. You go through a separate, expedited security line and sit in a private airport lounge while a personal attendant checks your baggage and handles customs procedures. Price: €275.
roccofortecollection.com
04. THOMAS PINK CLOTHING AVAILABLE 24/7 at the Mandarin Oriental, New York
Who hasn’t arrived at a hotel and realized he forgot to pack a critical piece of clothing? At any hour, guests can place orders to buy clothes through the concierge who will deliver clothing to your door within minutes. Prices vary.
mandarinoriental.com
05. IN-ROOM SHOE SERVICE at the Fullerton, Singapore
Each room is fitted with a shoe shine niche into which you can place your shoes before bed, dial room service and voilà—after being picked up from the hallway side, your freshly buffed shoes are waiting for you the next morning, compliments of the hotel.
fullertonhotel.com
06. PERSONALIZED STATIONERY AND BUSINESS CARDS at the Stafford, London
All rooms are stocked with personalized, complimentary watermarked stationery and business cards created by Conqueror, the business line of Arjowiggins Fine Papers.
thestaffordhotel.co.uk
07. DOCTOR-APPROVED NUTRITION at the Intercontinental, Hong Kong
Business travel can make healthy eating difficult. The Intercontinental teamed with the Hong Kong Adventist Hospital to create a room service menu that offers more nutritious fare than is typically found. The menu includes meals that cater to diabetics and heart disease sufferers. Food is available from 5 a.m. to midnight; prices vary.
intercontinental.com
08. MOBILE PHONES AND MOTORBIKE TAXIS at Brown’s,London
Complimentary cell phones, programmed with the concierge’s number, are particularly helpful to international travelers. And if snarled London traffic threatens to make you late for a meeting, you can whiz by it in one of the hotel’s motorbike taxis.
brownshotel.com
09. PRIVATE YOGA OR PILATES CLASS at the Metropolitan,Bangkok
Because it’s hard to stay healthy while traveling, guests can take free yoga or Pilates classes at the hotel spa or, for a fee, arrange in-room classes.
metropolitan.como.bz
10. LUGGAGE REPAIR at the Four Seasons, Chiang Mai
If your suitcase or bag is damaged en route to Thailand, you can leave it with the concierge who will send it out for repair and return it to your room, usually within 24 hours. Repair is complimentary, barring extensive damage. It’s done by a local vendor who will also clean and polish leather luggage without charge.
fourseasons.com
11. WATER TAXIS at La Réserve, Geneva
The hotel provides complimentary water taxi service, shuttling guests to the center of Geneva in 10 minutes.
lareserve.ch
12. IN-ROOM LAPTOPS & WI-FI at the Lanesborough, London
Each room contains a Sony VAIO laptop to use free of charge.
lanesborough.com
13. HI-TECH CABANAS at the Peninsula, Beverly Hills
Move your office to a cabana next to the rooftop pool replete with wi-fi, phones, fax machines, power outlets and flat-screen TVs. When you need a break from work, you can draw the drapes and enjoy a massage or facial, or take a dip in the hotel’s 60-foot pool without worrying about your valuables— they can be stored in your cabana’s safe. Price: $300 a day.
peninsula.com
14. PREFERENCE PANEL at The Plaza, New York
With one interactive panel, guests can control rooms’ appliances, lighting and temperature. You can also use the panel to connect to the Internet, contact the concierge or request the services of a butler.
theplaza.com
15. LONG-TERM STORAGE AND CAR SERVICE at the Sofitel, Washington, D.C.
Free of charge, the hotel will store clothing, toiletries and supplies for guests who make frequent trips to D.C. The hotel also provides complimentary chauffeured town cars weekdays from 7 to 9 a.m.
sofitel.com
16. PRO GYM at the Fairmont, Chicago
Guests get complimentary access to the Lakeshore Athletic Club, a 120,000- square-foot gym frequented by members of the Chicago Bulls. Guests traveling light can borrow exercise attire and shoes, provided by the Fairmont.
fairmont.com
17. BUSINESS COURSES at the Dolder Grand, Zurich
Guests with a free day between meetings can hone their understanding of international business conduct by taking an eight-hour class on business etiquette. The hotel also offers courses on communication, sales and customer relations. Prices vary.
thedoldergrand.com
18. 24-HOUR CLINIC at the Pudong Shangri-La, Shanghai
If you feel ill at any hour, you can head to the hotel’s on-site clinic or call for a staff doctor to come to your room. Clinic check-ups cost $65; in-room consultations, $100.
shangri-la.com
19. TO-GO BREAK-FAST at the Crosby Street Hotel, New York
This funky boutique hotel, which opened in October, provides freshly prepared packaged breakfasts for guests in a rush. Orders can be made in advance. Prices vary.
firmdale.com
20. SPA MEETINGS at the Viceroy, Miami
With “Briefcase Betty” and “Men at Work” spa packages, guests can do deals while getting spa treatments, including manicures and massages. Prices vary.
viceroymiami.com