The Descriminating Traveler

So, if you could spare all the cash and points in the world, where would you rather stay? As in the past, the Ritz-Carlton, the Four Seasons, and Westin were ranked in the top three favorites. The Park Hyatt was bumped down six spots from fourth place in 2005 to tenth place this year. Meanwhile, JW Marriott replaced W Hotels at the number five spot.

When asked what makes staying at places like the Ritz and the Four Seasons so memorable, Raghuraman replies, "There are about three things that set these hotels apart. One is consistency of high service. You always know what to expect, and they come through. It's also a real service-oriented culture. They bend over backward to make sure that you have a good stay and come back. Related to that, it seems like they give their staff a lot of latitude in making decisions and helping the customer. If something goes wrong, they are empowered to make an immediate decision and comp your breakfast or upgrade you, instead of having you go through several layers of management."

About how many frequent-flyer
miles do you log annually?

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Recently, in the wake of the Transportation Security Admi-nistration's (TSA) crackdown on carry-on baggage, the Ritz found one more way to stand out. Ritz-Carlton Hotels is reinstituting "Luggageless Travel." Through this service, which was initially offered after 9/11, frequent guests are eligible to leave luggage behind for when they return. (To be eligible, guests must stay at the hotel at least three times a month.)

But some other, slightly less opulent hotels also satisfied many of you — luggage service or not. Back in 2004, you let us know that it was the always affordable Hampton Inn, and not the Ritz or the Four Seasons, that became first to offer free high-speed Internet in every room. Moreover, the vast majority of you (88 percent) said that high-speed Internet access is now essential. It seems that you hate wasting time. In fact, nearly half (47 percent) felt that no-wait check-in and check-out is paramount, while 42 percent of those we surveyed made it clear that doing laps in a pool is not a mission-critical part of their on-the-road itinerary. By and large, you also don't care much for in-room computers, shoeshine, or concierge service.

Preferences Over the Years

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More than anything, perhaps, you appreciate it when a hotel or corporate apartment goes the extra yard on your behalf. For instance, a Renaissance Hotel in Chicago offers guests dining alone at the hotel's restaurant a personal DVD player for watching comedies from a library of television programs. Meanwhile, one business traveler told us about how Hyatt Hotels had overnighted breast milk on dry ice to her home address. "And they generally don't even charge for it," we were told.
In Retrospect

How do this year's findings compare to those of years past? In most cases, your tastes haven't changed very much, but we did find some trends worth noting. Since 2003, 17 percent more consultants consider fitness centers in hotels to be "very important." Thirty-four percent more consultants feel that in-room high-speed Internet is crucial. Probably as a result, 20 percent fewer consultants prefer having two phone lines in their rooms. Interestingly, despite the increase in Internet interest, 41 percent of consultants (8 percent more than in 2003) still like getting a newspaper delivered to their door daily.

The 2006 Best Places to Stay

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