The Costa Mesa alternative for executive travelers to Orange County. (Executive Travel & Transportation).

Today's executive travelers are more discriminating in seeking the right place to meet and stay wherever their business travels take them. Most important, these places need to provide the best value for their money and allow them to be efficient and productive while away from the office.

Located at the crossroads of Interstate 405 and State Highway 55, Costa Mesa is adjacent to the increasingly popular Orange County/John Wayne International Airport and the world-famous 128-acre South Coast Plaza Shopping Resort. This coastal city provides business professionals with the perfect combination of a central Southern California location and an array of first-class, full-service entertainment and dining options.

Having the right selection of services and amenities is an important factor for business travelers in deciding which hotel is right for them. Most upscale Costa Mesa hotels offer business centers to traveling professionals, which provide every tool they would ordinarily find in an office environment. Secretarial services, photocopy services, faxing services, computer workstations, shipping/receiving services and office supplies are just some of the utilities that can be found in these "mini" offices.

With the rapid advancement of technology, more professionals find themselves dependent on instant access to emails and information via the Internet. "When I am away from the office, it is very pertinent for me to access the Internet so that I am always kept abreast of my client's latest happenings" states Johann Ibarra, account executive for Y&R Advertising. The increasing demand for high speed Internet access in hotels has led several hotels in Costa Mesa to make that service available.

Just as important, a hotel that offers state-of-the-art-meeting space and amenities geared to traveling professionals makes it desirable for corporate meetings, events, retreats and training sessions. According to the Orange County Business Journal, there is approximately 290,000 square feet of meeting space on the Orange County coastline. Of that, more than 100,000 square feet are found in high-end hotels in the Costa Mesa area. These properties offer meeting space equipped with state-of-the-art-technology and audiovisual equipment, and a dedicated, knowledgeable meetings staff to take care of their every need.

For business executives looking for a new and different place to meet, the Hilton Costa Mesa has recently completed the final phase of a multi-million dollar enhancement and renovation project. The hotel features nearly 500 contemporary-furnished guest rooms, a full-service business center and fitness facility; nearly 50,000 square feet of meeting space for groups of 12 to 1,200; and the recent introduction of wireless high-speed Internet access in the hotel's public areas to complement existing high-speed Internet service available in every guestroom.

After the end of a busy business day or week, Costa Mesa is minutes away from championship golf courses, world famous beaches, Disneyland, Edison International Field (homes of the world-champion Anaheim Angels) and the Arrowhead Pond (home of The Mighty Ducks and world-class concerts).

With everything Costa Mesa has to offer, it's no wonder that it is becoming increasingly popular as a convenient urban retreat with a perfect combination of business and pleasure in just the right place.

Debbie Moon is a Marketing Analyst in the Marketing and Sales Department at the Hilton Costa Mesa.