A new look in business hotels.

To most frequent travelers all hotel rooms look alike. Not any more, especially if W Hotels has its way. Starting with a renovation of Manhattan's Doral Inn (now W New York), W Hotels introduces a new concept in business hotels. "We've created a business hotel with a residential feel. Guest room furnishings are like those you'd have at home," says Diane Briskin, director of sales and marketing for W Hotels.

Fourteen W Hotels (owned by Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, the nation's largest hotel company) will open this year in Chicago, San Francisco, Seattle and two more in New York. Like the 750-room W New York, each will have a "sleek, urban, boutique hotel" design and will feature a business center with work stations and computers. Standard rooms are $279-$425. Suites run $450-$1,500.

The hotel trademark is "The W Bed" fitted with goose down pillows and comforters, top mattress and 250-thread-count linen. At least 15% of rooms will be designated business class, equipped with video cassette players, combo printer/copy/fax/scanners, two phone lines with dataport and speakerphone capabilities and cordless dual-line phones. Guests will have access to the Internet through their TV sets.