Let's face it: There may be no profession better suited to determine the best places to stay. Where business is, consultants will travel accordingly. And travel. And travel. For decades, you and your fellow consultants have found new ways to redefine the term "road warrior." As a profession, you are battle tested, and you have the scars to prove it. Not that you're complaining. Lots of travel means lots of business, and so far, 2007 is no exception. The profession continues to bounce back in a big way from the doldrums of just a few years ago, and as such you must take to the road to meet client demands – even if it means packing all your mouthwash and toothpaste in quantities of three ounces or less.
How many work-related flights do you take in a typical month? Click chart to enlarge |
Staying in Style
With all the time you spend on the road, consultants might as well do it in style. At least, you'd clearly prefer to be doing it in style. You ranked some pretty chic properties as the Top 5 hotel brands of our annual Best Places to Stay, 2007 Survey – namely the Four Seasons, JW Marriott, Ritz-Carlton, St. Regis and W Hotels. And while you really can't go wrong with any of those choices, one brand stood out from all the rest – St. Regis.
It's been quite a year for St. Regis. The upscale Starwood brand is fresh off a redesign at its flagship Manhattan property and has been busy opening additional properties, such as the May debuts of the St. Regis Resort & Residences in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., and the St. Regis San Francisco. The San Francisco property was recently awarded five-star status by the Mobil Travel Guide, joining the St. Regis, Monarch Beach, in Orange County, Calif., and the St. Regis Hotel, New York, on the list. Meanwhile, that Manhattan landmark has won the Mobil award 12 years running and has been a AAA Five Diamond Award Winner for the last 15 years.
My choice of hotel is most influenced by… Click chart to enlarge |
Clearly, St. Regis is a brand with momentum. Globally, St. Regis is poised to plant its flag in Jakarta, Indonesia, and Tibet, China.
But last year, St. Regis didn't even crack the Top 5 on our Best Places to Stay survey. What gives? Several consultants commented on all of the upgrades going on at Starwood properties, including St. Regis. But for most consultants, it all comes down to customer service. "St. Regis is focused on making my stay exceptional every time. I feel like [the staff] knows who I am. They call me by name and treat me like a valued guest." The same consultant noted that he had been upgraded several times at his regular St. Regis without asking.
