BOSTON— From budget-conscious chains to more lavish full-service properties, hotels are offering high-tech amenities such as wireless Internet access, in-room T1 lines, and high-touch personal concierges to keep today’s road warriors comfortable and connected, according to the Boston Herald . At Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas, a fully staffed business center designed for privacy and efficiency separates business travelers from the casino, offering a quiet, personal workstation with a computer, telephone, and fax. Charleston Place in South Carolina and Miamis new Mandarin Oriental adeptly pack and ship parcels of any size at almost any hour of the day. Bostons Seaport Hotel equips each room with an armoire filled with Post-its, film, floppy discs, computer cables, and other business travel essentials. Wyndham Hotels “Room That Performs” features an ergonomically designed chair like the ones found in many luxury boutique hotels. Even the smallest inns have taken note. At the West Mountain Inn in Arlington, VT, a telephone center, formerly a storage closet, is popular for business calls when cell phone usage encounters the occasional Green Mountains dead zone. The Chickadee Cottage in Northeast Connecticut invites guests to use the house fax machine. Larger hotels are even offering aromatherapy towelettes and embroidered travel bags, like those given at the Hilton Seattle Airport and Conference Center, and the Hotel Teatro in Denver provides travelers with “Pillow Preferences” menu. San Franciscos boutique Hotel Palomar is especially attentive to women’s business travel needs, making available for purchase or loan a full menu of clothing and beauty items. SOURCE: Boston Herald
