Readers' choice. (Best of Latin America).

Places Apart

In a world of global trade and multinationals, it's a rare business executive who doesn't travel at least occasionally. Among the 400,000 LATIN TRADE readers, nearly, all of them hit the road--and with frequency. For these road warriors, a seamless trip is essential.

That may mean finding the hotel with discriminating business services or one situated in a location that means no time wasted in traffic. It means knowing the perfect restaurant for a breakfast meeting or for a dinner to celebrate the signing of a deal. It means choosing the airline that gets its passengers where they want to go with no hassles, the car rental agency that keeps its vehicles in tiptop shape, the travel agency for which no request is too complicated.

What better way to identify those hotels, restaurants, travel agencies, airlines and car rental companies than by asking those who know best: executives on the road. To celebrate its 10th anniversary, LATIN TRADE taps that front-line expertise in its first-ever reader survey of the Best of Latin America.

Readers responded enthusiastically to our e-mail questionnaire. Within 40 minutes of sending out the 10-question survey, we were inundated with a first wave of replies. Respondents were invited to cast their votes in English, Spanish or Portuguese. Portuguese-speaking respondents' evidenced a fierce national pride. The vast majority named Brazilian spots and services as their first choice. But, as you'll see from the results, Brazil fared well among all voters.

There were some surprises, including two hotels tied for the top spot in their category. At the same time, Argentina, which has suffered mightily with its current economic problems, proved that it's still a contender.

We didn't stop with just our readers' appraisals. In addition to the survey results, LATIN TRADE has selected the region's 20 biggest business cities and revealed our own "Best" choices, which run the gamut from restaurants to services for keeping healthy while on the road.

Best Airport Lounge 

LanChile's Pablo Neruda Lounge

Since it opened a year ago, LanChile's VIP waiting area at the Santiago airport has grabbed headlines. It also nabbed the biggest number of votes in our Best of Latin America survey. And there's a good reason. It's hard to name something that isn't found in the massive lounge named for one of Chile's two Nobel Prize-winning poets. Lamps from Italy, chairs from Spain and contemporary art from Chile set a classy tone for the meeting rooms and 12 computer work stations in the 7,150-square-foot space designed to accommodate 123 passengers. Video systems allow travelers to access up-to-the-minute information about their flights; showers let them freshen up before, after or between flights. Telephones and Internet connections appear all over the lounge, along with international publications, cable TV, food and copious supplies of Chilean wine. For those who still have cravings for something they can't find, the lounge has an arrangement that allows local grocery delivery. The lounge, peppered with books and photogr aphs of Neruda, is open to LanChile's first class passengers and members of its Premium Silver and Comodoro frequent flier classes.

Business travelers who pass through Santiago can count themselves lucky. The runner-up in the airport lounge competition was another VIP salon in Santiago: American Airlines' Admirals Club.

Best Airline

American Airlines 

Bigger apparently is better when it comes to airlines. Or at least that's what LATIN TRADE readers voted. Behemoth American Airlines emerged as the hands-down winner in our "best airline" category. It has been 60 years since American scheduled its first Latin American route--from Dallas to Mexico City, with a Monterrey stop along the way. Comments from survey participants indicate that the extensive route system honed by the carrier in the decades since is its biggest plus. American's code-sharing and partnership relationship with Latin American carriers LanChile and Grupo Taca was undoubtedly also a factor.

Despite slashing elsewhere in the world, American held tight to its Latin America routes after the Sept. 11, 2001, travel slide and it has been pumping millions of dollars into upgrades at U.S. gateways like St. Louis and New York. Frequent fliers appeared to have voted for the carrier because it flies to all major cities in the region.

Best Frequent Flier Program

AAdvantage

American Airline's frequent flier program benefits from its expansive ties with 30 airline partners and the eight-member (soon to be nine when LanEcuador joins) Oneworld alliance. Its ubiquitous presence in Latin America also makes it easy for road warriors to follow the best frequent flier advice for accumulating miles: pick one program and stick with it. AAdvantage, with the most members of any frequent flier program in the world, requires more miles than some competitors when it comes to redeeming tickets, but that seemed to be no problem for LATIN TRADE readers. They chose it far ahead of its competitors. (The exception was Portuguese-speaking voters, who gave Varig's Smiles program the biggest vote of confidence.) LanChile's LanPass ranked a distant second.

Best Business Hotels: A Tie!

Alvear Palace in Buenos Aires 

The Louis XVI look, crystal chandeliers and the gilt and marble may lead you to discount this as a place where people come to be decadently pampered, not to work. But Buenos Aires' most stunning hotel has a new business center, a laundry list of amenities geared toward traveling executives and a notable level of service. Rooms look elegantly Old World, but they're jammed with state-of-the-art technology including Internet access, work desks and fax machines. The executive floors have butlers to assist guests. Those who want are assigned a private email address for the duration of their hotel stay. The Alvear's regal beds have slept anyone who is anyone and, if you catch a break between meetings one afternoon, you may see some of those movers and shakers taking advantage of the hotel's legendary high tea in L'Orangerie. When your workday is over, head to the hotel's health club to swim, lift weights, work out or just unwind in the sauna. Marcelo T. de Alvear 1891; phone: [phone] and 54-11-4808-2100. w ww.alvearpalace.com

Four Seasons in Mexico City

This classy hotel with a Spanish colonial feel is designed so most of its 240 guest rooms look out onto a lovely courtyard with a bubbling fountain. The effect is to offer a soothing respite after hard day of meetings in sprawling and traffic-clogged Mexico City The third-floor business center offers everything from Internet and translation services to a reference library and color scanner, and a series of meeting rooms can accommodate groups from 10 to 420. Fax, mail, courier and photocopying services are available 24 hours a day. But traveling executives will find it just as easy to work in their rooms, which feature multiple phone lines (for fax, Internet or voice mail) and desks. And when the work is over, masseuses are waiting in the health club. The hotel's extras--which make the Four Seasons popular with serious road warriors--include cell phone rental, complimentary overnight shoeshines, one-hour dry cleaning, work areas and bigger-than-usual closets. Phone: [phone]. www.fourseasons.com

Best Business Hotel Runner-up

Hyatt Regency in Santiago. The ultramodern Hyatt is conveniently located--just a quick taxi ride downtown or to the financial district. However, as much as location matters, the Hyatt fared well in the LATIN TRADE survey because of its services and amenities. Situated around a 24-floor atrium, the 310-room hotel offers something for everyone, from the executive suites with gardens and terraces to the free-form pools for road warriors who like to start their day with a swim. Even the regular guest rooms are larger than usual; all have floor-to-ceiling windows looking out at the Andes. The top five floors are reserved for executives seeking special services, including a dedicated concierge, a private breakfast room and complimentary snacks and beverages all day Rooms have multiple direct-dial phone lines and speaker phone capacity. The business center off the lobby is full service with computers, Internet access, fax machines, printers, secretarial services and a boardroom for private meetings. Phone: [phone]. www.santiago.hyatt.com

Best Business City

Sao Paulo

Sao Paulo maybe sprawling, crowded and traffic-jammed, but our readers crown it the best city in the region for doing business. The nearly 17-million-resident metropolis came out an easy winner in our survey, far ahead of closest rival, Mexico City. LATIN TRADE readers characterized the Mercosur powerhouse with an ethnically diverse population as the economic and investment capital of Latin America and were specific about why it's a place where they can get deals done. "Businesses are up to speed in all that is new," said one voter. "It's home to big corporations. Everyone who counts is there," commented another.

The city led the way among English-speaking voters, although Mexico City scored higher with Spanish speakers. Among those who took the survey in Portuguese, nearly 86% put Sao Paulo at the top of the list. The city's dynamic infrastructure, including business hotels, banks, top-notch restaurants, conference and meeting facilities, passenger and cargo transportation--and a well-trained service sector to run them--set the background for the victory. Brazilians' love of technology swayed some voters.

Readers also praised the attitude and preparedness of paulistanos. "People are open to developing new ideas," one reader wrote, echoing comments of other voters.

Best Conference Center

Anhembi

Sao Paulo's Anhembi Park, anchored by an orange structure rising from among trees and vegetation not far from the downtown area, won the most votes in the conference center race, easily beating convention centers in Mexico City--the metropolis that saw the biggest number of meetings facilities nominated in this category. The Anhembi complex includes an expositions pavilion used for trade fairs, the convention building with an auditorium that seats nearly 3,400 and an arts and culture facility. Its largest auditorium, which has seen a roster of big-name musicians take its stage, among them Brazilian Roberto Carlos and American Miles Davis, seats nearly 3,400 and recently was renovated. The facility's support services include banks, a first-aid clinic, photocopying, fax, audio-visual equipment and translators. It also has its own restaurants.

The largest conference complex in Latin America may have passed its 30th birthday, but it remains a work in transition. After a big infusion of cash for last year's marketing push and a face lift for the complex, including the sprucing up of an outdoor area that had been unused for six years, Anhembi is now seeing its hotel supply boosted. The most notable of the hotel additions is a Holiday Inn slated to open late this year.

Best Restaurant

Hacienda de Los Morales in Mexico City

This is the spot in Mexico City for weddings, baptism parties, bar mitzvahs and other family celebrations. It's also a stop on many package tours for foreign visitors. Increasingly, however, its main dining hail and 12 private dining rooms have become the dinner destination for executives hosting clients. Hacienda de los Morales was almost as likely to be selected as the best restaurant among English- and Portuguese-speaking voters in the LATIN TRADE survey as it was among Spanish-speakers. Part of the charm of this 35-year-old restaurant is its location within the nearly 360-year-old farm known as Hacienda de San Juan de Dios de los Morales, one of the area's most important colonial estates and a property known for its wheat fields, flour mill and eponymous mulberry bushes, the latter a legacy of a long-ago silkworm venture. The menu here is expansive and includes continental cuisine, along with traditional Mexican fare. After 6 p.m., dinner jackets and ties are required. Vazquez de Mella 525, Colonia del Bo sque; phone: [phone] or 52-55-5096-3055.

www.haciendadelosmorales.com

RUNNER UP: Cabanas Las Lilas in Buenos Aires.

Buenos Aires may be shouldering economic problems, but its restaurants are still grabbing accolades. This eatery in the trendy Puerto Madero warehouse district came in just a few votes behind Mexican winner Hacienda de los Morales. The food at Cabanas Las Lilas can be summed up in five words: beef, beef and more beef. The barbecue options are served in a setting that's elegant but affordable. A meal generally runs about US$35. Avenida Davila 515, phone: [phone].

BEST RESTAURANT CHAIN: Rubaiyat in Sao Paulo.

One name popped up more than any other in the restaurant vote, "Rubaiyat" in Sap Paulo. But we had no way of knowing which among the five restaurants in that group were being nominated. The Rubaiyats serve up grilled meat in abundance. The favorite for business lunches, Baby Beef Rubaiyat (Alameda Santos 86, Paraiso: phone: [phone]) wears its most popular dish in its name, although its expansive Mideast buffet has a lot to do with drawing the noontime crowd. Down the road, the hipper Rubaiyat Figueira (Rua Haddock Lobo 1738, Jardim Paulista; phone: [phone]) encircles a courtyard with a giant fig tree for which it is named.

Best International Airport

Comodoro Arturo Merino Benitez

Santiago's Comodoro Arturo Merino Benitez International Airport is a mouthful to say. It's also jammed with exactly the kind--and level--of service that road warriors want. Behind a series of upgrades and improvements, the spacious 40-year-old facility beat out newer airports to win the "Best Airport" title among LATIN TRADE readers. Baggage service is fast and dependable, bank machines and Internet cafes are found throughout the terminal and the business center (with meeting rooms and a small eatery) keeps long hours--from 6:30 in the morning to 11 at night--to accommodate executives on the road. That well-equipped space boasts videoconferencing equipment, fax machines, Internet connection and computer workstations. Elsewhere in the Chilean airport, a pharmacy and medical post join a bevy of retail outlets, from bookstores to wine shops. There are lots of welcome conveniences, like the luggage storage (US$9 a day).

Best Airline Food

LanChile

The old joke about airline food doesn't apply at LanChile, according to our readers, who voted the Chilean airline's food as the best by a wide margin. Maybe the easy win stems from the airline's decision to tap well-known chefs in Chile, Peru and Argentina to cook up its menu. Or maybe the wine offered to wash down those meals was a factor. LanChile for several years has racked up a long list of aviation industry awards for its wine cellar--one of the top among global airlines. In both business and first class, French champagne is available but most other vintages are home-grown--from Santa Rita winery's 1999 Casa Real Cabernet Sauvignon to Vina Cono Sur's 2000 Reserva Chardonnay.

Best hot tips

"Travel light" was the most-mentioned travel tip from our readers. "Fly business or first class" and "carry on your luggage" were close runners up. Many of the tips smacked of lessons learned the hard way.

* In your hotel, ask for a room with a computer and Internet connection.

* Use (American Airlines') Admiral Clubs for short meetings.

* Know the weather at your destination.

* Carry some cash--small denominations of the local currency.

* Buy an airport lounge membership. While you wait for flights or during flight delays, these are comfortable spots for working or just relaxing.

* Small hotels often have better service and attention than the big hotels.

* Avoid Friday afternoon and evening flights out of Sao Paulo and Mexico City.

* Buy a mini-steam iron. It's a miracle-maker when you unpack and find your clothing wrinkled. Take an electricity converter (converters for South America are 220-volt) and pack an eight or 12-foot phone cord for hotels that don't put the phone (with the data port) on the desk.

* Avoid making phone calls from the hotel. Use prepaid long-distance phone cards or call from a public phone. The savings can be enormous.

* Always have your business cards close at hand. You never know when you'll meet someone who could become a good business contact.

* Schedule your meetings at the hotel where you're staying. You avoid time lost in traffic.

* Know in advance the currency exchange rate in the country you're visiting.

* If you're in Bogota on business, make sure you visit the Gold Museum and take a night off to go dancing at La Calera.

* Always use official or authorized taxis at the airport. If possible, don't leave the customs area without asking about cabs or purchasing a taxi ticket.

* Don't rent cars in Rio de Janeiro. Instead, use taxis that belong to a cooperativa.

* Always ask for paper airline tickets.

* Don't use the toll free, 1-800 phone numbers for hotel reservations. Instead, get the local phone number of the hotel in your country of destination and call there directly. Sometimes you'll get a better rate.

* Take an extra cable for your PC/modem/Internet. Hotels can't always provide them if you forget.

* If traveling to Brazil with a laptop, bring a company letter stating that the computer will return with you to your home country.

* Make sure your laptop has a spare battery.

* Eat the local food. It's one of the best treats in business travel and a great way to learn about other cultures.

* Get the proper vaccinations for your destination.

* Don't travel in business attire. That's a signal for customs officials to pull you over and check your luggage.

* Buying the domestic legs of your travel in-country can be substantially less expensive, although there is some risk if you change/mix flights.

* Never pay the first price asked unless you've done your research and know it's OK.

* Try Buenos Aires for your business conferences. Hotels, restaurants and ground transportation are very affordable right now and the city is charming ... although not as secure as it used to be.

* Be prepared to lose your luggage.

* If you're a golfer, squeeze in a round when you can. There are some nice courses in Latin America and you may make excellent business contacts.

* On every trip, include one personal activity (visiting a museum, dining out, shopping, massage, etc.). Traveling for business takes its toll after a while, These little rewards make it less hard.

* Get a confirmation number for your hotel reservation.

* Do not book more than two important business meetings in a single day in Mexico City or Sao Paulo.

* Make sure that your cell phone works in the region, or rent one at the concierge/airport.

* Pay with a credit card, not cash.

* Make sure to stay behind the yellow line at immigration in Rio de Janeiro.