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In the thick of things: These hotels can help you save precious time on your next business trip

A pick of the world's best-located (and best-equipped) hotels for your next business trip

Jasodhara Banerjee
Published: Dec 9, 2016 06:46:41 AM IST
Updated: Dec 9, 2016 09:48:25 AM IST

In the thick of things: These hotels can help you save precious time on your next business trip

Putting up at a hotel that is at the heart of all the action saves you precious time while rushing between meetings, lunches, or deal-making cocktail dos. Even better if it keeps your mind free of niggles, like a freshly-laundered set of clothes or reliable WiFi connections.

The Langham Place, New York
In New York hotels, the view from your window can be the dealmaker. And few things look better than the Empire State Building. The Langham Place’s enviable location on Fifth Avenue ensures this, and that you are a 15-minute walk away from Times Square, Rockefeller Center and Grand Central Terminal.  

Rooms are spacious, considering it’s Manhattan. Suites come with separate sitting areas—so you don’t have to have meetings on your bed—a full kitchen (fitted with Miele appliances), and free WiFi.
Suites also have in-room washing and drying facilities; you could also get some pressed for free on the day you arrive.

If you must rush around in the neighbourhood for your meetings, you have the hotel’s chauffeured Jaguar XJL at your service.

And to wrap up your day, soak yourself in the deep bathtub, while watching the in-mirror telly or the cityscape from one of the expansive windows.


The Landmark Mandarin Oriental, Hong Kong

It is the smallest of the three Mandarin Oriental properties in Hong Kong, but its rooms and suites are the city’s largest.

The hotel is located in the heart of the city’s Central Business District, and has the best shopping and business locales, night life and entertainment options within a few minutes’ walk.

It is also a stone’s throw from the Airport Express station, which links it to the Hong Kong International Airport, business convention centres, and the Central MTR station.  

Rooms come with large working desks, and high-speed wired and wireless internet where you can plug in up to four devices, including an interactive entertainment system.

For those in the habit (or need) of working late, there’s a personal pantry, and a Nespresso coffee machine.

And when you are done with work, there’s a Ploh goose-down bed waiting for you.


In the thick of things: These hotels can help you save precious time on your next business trip
The Peninsula, Hong Kong
The Grand Dame of the Far East, as it calls itself, is the oldest hotel in Hong Kong. So prepare for loads of old-world charm. (More on location.)

If you want to make it real quick from the airport to the hotel, hop on to The Peninsula’s helicopter service that will take you there in 10 minutes flat. Or, if style, and not time, is your priority, opt for a Rolls-Royce from the hotel’s fleet instead.

Wake up to bedside and desk tablets that are interactive and fully customisable in 11 languages; punch in your preferences on the touch-screen panel on the walls to control in-room facilities. Available VOIP means you can make long-distance calls for free (and check if your team is goofing off in your absence).

Make yourself a steaming cup of tea or coffee at the in-room facility, or swig a drink from the minibar after a hard day’s work. All this while you watch free HD movies.

If this isn’t enough, check yourself in to any of the 14 private treatment rooms at the spa, all with spectacular views of the Victoria Harbour.


In the thick of things: These hotels can help you save precious time on your next business trip
Establishment Hotel, Sydney
Located in the heart of Sydney’s Central Business District, it is a short stroll from the Opera House, the Harbour Bridge and Circular Quay, and is housed in a building that was originally a warehouse. But don’t let the façade fool you.

If you like to start your day with a quiet breakfast, head to the Establishment Garden—a pocket of peace amid the CBD’s bustle—with its atrium-style glass roof, and columns dating back to the building’s origin in the 1890s.

If you are a foodie, this one’s for you: The hotel houses three of the city’s best restaurants—take your pick from fresh sushi at Sushi E, modern Australian cuisine at Est, or Cantonese food at Mr Wong—three bars and a nightclub.

And if you must return to your room, there are iPads, free WiFi and a Bose surround sound system.

In the thick of things: These hotels can help you save precious time on your next business trip
Claridges, London
At Claridges at Mayfair, you can experience the best that London has to offer, be it art galleries, luxury shopping or fine dining. Bond Street, with its designer stores, Oxford Street with its bustle, Burlington Arcade with its luxury quotient, and Piccadilly are just a short walk away. And if quietude is what you seek, head to Green Park or Hyde Park.   

Suites come with separate sitting areas for dining and meetings, and with a personal butler for your every whim.

The hotel’s famed afternoon tea can be turned into a business meeting like no other: Pick from a selection of over 20 kinds of all-natural tea, served with finger sandwiches, scones and pastries.

If you don’t feel like heading to your room at the end of the day, go to the Map Room for the day’s developments, read and relax.

(This story appears in the 09 December, 2016 issue of Forbes India. To visit our Archives, click here.)

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