Hotel confidential

摘要

The post-9/11 world has been tough on the hotel business. Smacked by a one-two punch — heightened travel fears and corporate cost-shaving — executives at top-tier hotels have had to find ingenious ways to thrive. Some have managed better than others, as revealed in our 26th annual ranking of the world's best hotels. Once again our elite group of voters — CEOs and other senior executives from the U.S., Asia and Europe — has revealed the finest hotels on the planet. These extreme business travelers should know: Last year they spent an average of 46 days away from home. Many of the hotels on this year's list (see page 107) have distinguished themselves from the pack by getting personal — knowing more about their guests than their guests know themselves. These are the places where your preferred brand of Italian chocolate magically appears on your bedside table every evening and the TV is preset to your go-to news channel. (In hotelkeeping there are no coincidences, only detailed guest history logs.)