Travelling executives and salesmen are a hard-working lot, and they certainly deserve the most sybaritic hotel amenities in order to stay focused and charged-up. Nothing takes more out of you than a long plane trip from New York to Singapore to negotiate a seven-figure deal for your merchant bank. It is only natural that after hours of tense negotiations in a foreign land, you need to sink back in a luxurious room, perhaps order a wonderful lobster and steak dinner with French wine. But you have learned that not all hotels can meet your high standards. Savvy travelers know which hotels are truly the best for business executives, and those hotels can charge sky-high rates for their services.
Luxury begins with a large multi-room suite and a well-appointed bathroom. Only the finest materials are used in these rooms: marble, mahogany, and silk adorn these gorgeous accommodations. Executive secretaries are available any time of day or night to assist executives with whatever big problems arise. There are computers and printers in each room, and access to conference rooms and meeting facilities. Translators are available, and a helpful concierge can always find you the most exclusive tickets in town.
Who are the recipients of this level of comfort and care? Corporate executives make up a large percentage of these customers, but salespeople are also well-represented. They sell everything. They sell real estate and corporate divisions. The sell leads and secrets. They sell things that make the economy hum and push finance forward. No wonder luxury business hotels are being constructed all over the globe, from Hong Kong to Dubai. They all share one important attribute: they protect the privacy of their guests. Discretion is absolutely required in order for the world’s top executives to move around freely without causing rumors or tipping off competitors. A low profile is a necessity, and any business hotel that fails in this area will soon be out of business.
Executive travelers rely on a small coterie of super travel agents who have the connections to make any request possible. It takes decades for a travel agent to reach this level of influence. One must cultivate relationships with movers and shakers from industry and politics in order to advance in this rarified environment. Just a few words exchanged between a client and his super agent can initiate a frenetic burst of activity that must always ends in complete satisfaction. The stakes are too high to fail, and super agents seldom do. This elite network of businessmen, hotels, and travel agents operates smoothly and quietly, and all the rest of us can do is sit back and marvel at perfection in action.