| January 27, 2011
top story Mark Your Calendar  Repeated snow storms have been blanketing much of the eastern U.S. this month, leading many of our readers to dream of their next big getaway. With Business Traveler's 2011 Online Charity Auction launching this Tuesday, February 1, planning that trip just got easier. We have business-class tickets to Brazil, hotel packages in Hawaii and plenty of other options that will help thaw you out. Proceeds from this year's auction will benefit Pencils for Kids, Inc., an organization that helps children in need in developing countries get basic supplies, such as backpacks and uniforms, so that they can attend school. Visit auction.btusonline.com Tuesday, February 1, where you can register for free and bid on your well-deserved escape.
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find us online! Follow Business Traveler on Facebook! Follow Business Traveler on Twitter! more news Track LAX Improvements Online Traveling through Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) soon? Los Angeles World Airport has launched a new Web site (laxdevelopment.org) that can tell you what to expect on your visit. The Web site provides regular updates on construction and improvement projects at the airport, including the $1.5 billion Bradley West Project, installation of more runway status lights, and the Elevator and Escalator Refurbishment Program. It also hosts two "Earthcam" cameras which automatically take images of Bradley West construction from different angles and vantages every day. In addition, the site includes the latest traffic and passenger alerts to make navigating LAX easier during construction, helping to keep travelers, area residents and airport workers informed with the latest information on developments. AM
Lufthansa Brings A380 to San Francisco  Lufthansa has announced that on May 10 it will augment the number of daily seats it sells between San Francisco and Frankfurt by 30 percent when it introduces the A380 on this route. The German carrier will be the first airline to offer scheduled service out of San Francisco using the new Airbus plane, with one-way fares starting at $549 (based on roundtrip purchase). Jens Bischof, vice president, The Americas for Lufthansa said, "I applaud the airport's management for their dedication in becoming A380-ready. It demonstrates our shared commitment to serving the global travel needs of the area's active business community while embracing the environmental advancements of the A380." AM Fairmont Says Bon Appetit! Eating right can be difficult enough at home, but when traveling it can be near impossible to do without settling for something bland and unsatisfying. Fairmont Hotels and Resorts sympathizes with guests who don't want to sacrifice flavor for health, by offering a new Lifestyle Cuisine Plus menu. Available upon request, it features special dietary-specific meals for conditions such as diabetes, heart disease and gluten allergies, in addition to macrobiotic, raw and vegan options. Fairmont chefs have been trained to create dishes within the same nutritional parameters, but each property offers specific options that reflect the destination, including baked tofu with bean noodles (gluten free at Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn and Spa); zucchini, carrot, Portobello and cashew butter pavé (raw at Fairmont Mount Kenya Safari Club); and chocolate ganache flan (vegan at Fairmont Hotel Vancouver). AM
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deal of the week Third Time's the Charm The Renaissance Chicago Downtown Hotel has a free night offer for guests booking their stays by February 11. Three-night reservations between Thursday and Monday will receive one night's stay free, on either Friday or Saturday night. This offer applies to visits February 10 to March 27. For more information, click here. AM
more deals Take A Dip at Riu Santa Fe Guests can escape to the all-inclusive Riu Santa Fe from $99 per person, per night now through April 24, 2011. Located three miles outside Cabo San Lucas in Baja California, the hotel features four swimming pools, tennis courts, gym, sauna and Jacuzzi with several swim-up and regular bars. The $99 rate includes all taxes and gratuities. For more information, visit riu.com. AM
Return to Camelot  In celebration of the 50th anniversary of John F. Kennedy's presidential inauguration, Ritz-Carlton Hotels of Washington, D.C. are offering Camelot-Themed Packages. Available from January 20, 2011 for 1,000 days (the length of JFK's presidency), The Ritz-Carlton, Washington, D.C. has a 50th Anniversary Camelot Package that includes overnight accommodations, a copy of the book and DVD Portrait of Camelot: A Thousand Days in the Kennedy White House, two tickets to the Newseum, and a copy of Life magazine's "JFK: The Run for the White House." For more information on this package, which starts at $329 per night, visit ritzcarlton.com/en/properties/washingtondc. The Ritz-Carlton, Georgetown's Camelot at Dawn Package features overnight accommodations, a walking tour of homes that JFK and Jackie lived in before moving into the White House, VIP reservations at Billy Martin's Tavern, in the booth where JFK proposed to Jackie and a copy of the book Camelot at Dawn: Jacqueline and John Kennedy in Georgetown, May 1954. This package starts at $399 per night and is available through December 31, 2011. For more information, visit ritzcarlton.com/en/properties/georgetown. AM
Sample the Very Best Waldorf Astoria Hotels and Resorts has extended the "Best of Waldorf Astoria" offer that includes overnight accommodations, breakfast for two, and a per-night hotel credit to be applied to experiences such as a spa treatment, cocktails or dinner. Guests may book the "Best of Waldorf Astoria" offer now through March 31, 2011, for travel through May 1, 2011. Hotel credits will vary according to property, starting at $25 per night. To find out more, call 1-800-WALDORF or visit waldorfastoria.com. Mention "Best of Waldorf Astoria Hotels and Resorts" when booking via telephone, or use promo code PBWWIN when booking online. AM
tried and tested Hotel Vier Jahreszeiten Kempinski Munich
Munich, Germany  
WHAT'S IT LIKE?
Walking into the Hotel Vier Jahreszeiten Kempinski Munich is like stepping back in time into one of the grand old hotels of Europe. Once in the salon-style lobby, which features a mosaic glass roof portraying the four seasons (the hotel's name, Vier Jahreszeiten, means "Four Seasons"), guests might bump into heads of state, royalty, and the discerning business traveler. WHERE IS IT?
Built in 1858 at the behest of Kaiser Maximilian II, the Vier Jahreszeiten is near the Residenz, the former royal palace of the Wittelsbach royal family of Bavaria, a central point in Munich's Altstadt (Old Town) and close to the opera and English Garden, as well as major shopping streets, including the Maximilianstraße itself. Excellent public transportation is also nearby. HOW MANY ROOMS?
The hotel offers 303 rooms, including 65 suites. ROOM FACILITIES
A EUR13.8 million renovation was completed two years ago; the 42 rooms with views of the Maximilianstraße were completely redone. My generously-sized Deluxe Junior Suite (538 square feet), a renovated room, was both comfortable and green. (For example, the air conditioning turns off if one opens a window.) Furnishings and décor were both modern, with elements of traditional charm—a difficult feat to pull off, but one that worked quite well here. The room featured a copy of a masterpiece from the Alte Pinakothek museum, which had been photographed and then installed as wallpaper onto walls, giving many rooms their own Rubens or van Dyck. The bed was exceptionally comfortable. I fell asleep within minutes of my head hitting the pillow and awoke early the next morning feeling completely refreshed. Technology was everywhere, although I would have preferred a less complicated and more clearly marked system to turn the room lights on and off. On the other hand, to enter the room, all I had to do was wave the contactless key in front of the lighted sensor and turn the handle. Once inside, pressing the green LED button on the door locked the door, and the LED turned red. My room included a very comfortable sitting area, and the sleeping area could be cordoned off with curtains, which made the room a perfect place for meetings. Many rooms (including mine) featured a small high-tech television built into the bathroom mirror, which was heated, so it didn't fog. While many hotels now offer heated floors in the bath area, this was the first room I had ever encountered with a heated floor in the shower stall. BUSINESS FACILITIES
When the hotel first opened in 1858, it boasted state-of-the-art technology, including gas lighting in all of the rooms. Today, rooms boast fast—albeit expensive, at EUR21.80/day—Internet (I clocked it at over 2 Mbps) and excellent (electrical) lighting to read by. The desk and work area, including chair, were quite comfortable. The Cherubin Ballroom (one of several meeting rooms) can accommodate up to 500 people. Various other rooms can accommodate groups of 10 to 150 attendees. LEISURE FACILITIES
The spa features a pool, sauna, steam bath, ice fountain, and grotto shower, and the gym offers superb views of the city while one pumps iron. BARS AND RESTAURANTS
Restaurant VUE Maximilian treats patrons to a view of the splendor of the Maximilianstraße, while they dine from a menu by chef Sven Büttner, who uses many local and regional products in his dishes. I've found the English-style Jahreszeiten Bar an ideal place to relax with friends after a night out on the town. A pianist plays a variety of music every evening. During my most recent visit, due to an early morning meeting, I chose to have breakfast in my room and enjoyed wonderful fresh-baked croissants, rolls, and pastries, with yogurt, freshly-squeezed carrot juice mixed with apple juice, and coffee—all while looking out onto the Maximilianstraße from my window. VERDICT
The Vier Jahreszeiten's website promises guests Munich cordiality and discreet luxury mixed with "trendition," a portmanteau that combines the words "trend" and "tradition." In addition to delivering on this promise, the Vier Jahreszeiten also combines superb accommodations and a staff that quietly meets every guest's needs, making it a hotel I will return to again and again. PRICE
Rates start at EUR153 for a standard room. CONTACT
Hotel Vier Jahreszeiten Kempinski Munich, Maximilianstraße 17, Munich, Germany; tel. 49-89-2125-2799; kempinski-vierjahreszeiten.com. — Jonathan Spira
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