Travel perks.

While travel for business and pleasure has many rewards, the unexpected extra services found along the way make each experience more pleasant and memorable.

Many of these added travel "perks" are designed to soothe the weary globetrotter and leave guests feeling like royalty visiting with family during their journey. Others make travel as convenient and cost effective as possible even before the first voyage is booked.

"It is the sum total of all the little things that create a special relationship between host and guest," according to Ron Roy, vice president of business travel and distribution for Sol Melia Hotels & Resorts, one of the world's most successful hotel groups offering 350 hotels in more than 30 countries worldwide via four brands: Melia Hotels, Tryp Hotels, Sol Hotels and Paradisus Resorts.

Sol Melia offers its "Mas" program to guests who stay in the company's hotels frequently. They enjoy preferential reservations, free companion stays (especially important in European and Asian hotels), express check-in, free newspapers and credit card cashing privileges. Late check-outs are also offered and particularly appreciated by those on long haul travel schedules, Roy said.

Guests of the group's Royal Service suites enjoy a personalized pillow menu, access to meeting facilities, fully equipped work spaces, plus breakfasts and cocktails served in a private lounge. Taking relaxation to the maximum, Sol Melia's garden villas offer a personalized sheet menu and a private pool and garden area with outdoor massage pavilion.

"The perks are all about feeling comfortable in an atmosphere of warmth and welcome," said Roy. "Many of our guests also appreciate certain recipes that they can expect when they stay with us and the fact that they often see staff who have greeted them on numerous stays."

InterContinental Hotels' "Little Things That Make a Difference" program is also designed to anticipate guests' needs. This global hotel group offers international guests the "Jet Lag Recovery Kit"--a pack of special aromatherapy products and tips to help them adjust to local time zone changes. They are also offered a complimentary 15-minute head and neck massage to help relieve the stresses of a busy workday or long flight, plus an Insider's Guide to the City guidebook.

Access to personal concierge and shopping services is provided as well, along with "Instant Money"--a pack of local currency worth about US$25 in small denominations that can be charged to the guest's folio for an easier count of expenses. Included in the package is a guide on local tipping and customs.

To keep current with events at home, guests of InterContinental Hotels can view "WorldChannels", which features television programming from their native country and in their own language.

While away from home, guests of Grupo Real's six Real InterContinental hotels in Central America enjoy all the perks of personalized service 24 hours a day.

A one-stop service button on each room's telephone provides access to all that guests require--regardless of the time of day or night. They can enjoy a work-out in the gym, valet or room service at their convenience, in addition to 24-hour access to fully-equipped, high-tech business centers. Rooms are also outfitted with high-speed Internet access and plush appointments and toiletries.

"We know that a hotel should also combine the efficiency of your office with the comfort of your home," said Camilo Bolanos, director of sales and marketing for Grupo Real, a company dedicated to exemplary hotel administration and operation in Central and North America. "Style, elegance, service and above all--international understanding--define the essence of our chain."

VIP guests can enjoy access to the upscale Club InterContinental floors, where they will benefit from preferred accommodations, private registration, early check-in and late check-out, a private club lounge featuring complimentary breakfast buffet and evening cocktails, a comprehensive business library and access to private meeting facilities.

Hilton International's Equilibrium program aims to relieve the stress associated with a business trip away from home by relaxing, restoring and refreshing guests. This series of perks is based on research the company commissioned regarding the needs and preferences of the modern business traveler.

Rooms within the group's 400 hotels in 60 countries are divided by decor and other features into three zones: Relaxation, work and bathroom. As guests enter they are treated to aromatherapy and provided with an array of specialty massage and toiletry products. An assortment of books, DVDs and CDs are provided in the relaxation area, which is separated from a comfortably appointed, state-of-the-art work area by a screen. Bathrooms feature spa baths and "power showers" with body jets, as well as television.

"We understand how difficult it is to travel and we try to provide our guests with balance in the experience," said Kelly J. Yoder, vice president of sales and marketing for Hilton International--The Americas. "We try to put back a little of what life takes out in the process of travel."

Guests of Hilton hotels also receive access to secretarial staff, along with the traditional benefits of private check-in/check-out facilities, lounges and concierge. Frequent guests also benefit from one of the more unique programs in the industry: The Hilton Honors program is one of the few that offers both air miles and points toward stays or products.

Starwood Hotels' Preferred Guest program offers "gold" status after just 10 stays (or 25 nights) a year in the group's six brands: Westin Hotels & Resorts, Sheraton Hotels & Resorts, Four Points by Sheraton, St. Regis, The Luxury Collection and W Hotels. The benefits of the frequent stay program--which is offered in 700 hotels in more than 80 countries--include automatic room upgrades and the ability to quickly accumulate air miles and points toward hotel stays.

Guests also enjoy late check-outs, morning newspapers, check cashing privileges up to $300 and access to special customer service for reservations and information. Starwood recommends visiting website www.spg.com for the details and enrollment in its award winning program.

Even before travelers leave home, the American Express Corporate Travel Program is making their trip easier. The program features rapid worldwide reservation and booking services for air, hotel and car, with the added benefit of extra services available via its interactive capabilities.

When online, American Express clients can build and change their travel profiles and pre-trip itineraries at their convenience without having to contact a travel counselor. Their trip templates are stored so repeat bookings can be made quickly, while air travel comparisons can be sorted by cost, carriers or flight times. Hotels can also be searched for by name or chain to aid selection, with driving directions and maps available to most of those chosen.

To help clients navigate schedule changes, American Express keeps them updated regarding periodic flight delay and cancellation notices via e-mail, pager, mobile phone or PDA.

"At American Express we are obsessed with client loyalty and deepening relationships," said Ramon Martin, vice president and head of Global Corporate Services for the Latin American and Caribbean Divisions of American Express. "This is why we offer clients a personalized program agreement that guarantees that your American Express program meets your specific needs and performance expectations."

Extensive support services are available as well to American Express Corporate Travel clients. There is Spanish and English assistance 24 hours a day, seven days a week for travel-related and navigational questions from the company's experienced interactive travel specialists. Helpful trip planning tools, include destination guides, conversion charts, currency calculators and travel advice.

Continental Airlines, the second-largest U.S. carrier into Latin America and the Caribbean, also goes beyond basics to show customers how much the airline values their business.

Customers traveling to one of the 55 destinations Continental serves in Latin America and the Caribbean, including 23 in Mexico, connect at George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston or Newark Liberty International Airport in the New York area. Continental recently unveiled its 23-gate, 600,000 square-foot Terminal E facility at Intercontinental Airport, the base of the airline's international operations in Houston, where travelers enjoy the convenience of a variety of restaurants and shops in a spacious, modern design.

OnePass, Continental's frequent flyer program, and President's Clubs, personalized service and a relaxing oasis in 27 private airport clubrooms, continually earn accolades for Continental. BusinessFirst service features first-class amenities at a business-class price, including sleeper seats with adjustable headrests and electronic leg- and footrests, and personal built-in entertainment systems.

EliteAccess, Continental's new program for OnePass Elite members, first class and BusinessFirst ticket holders, entitles them to expedited security screening (where permitted), head-of-the-line boarding at any time during the boarding process, space-available first-class upgrades, and priority baggage claim.

Continental offers 750 eService Centers in U.S airports for domestic flight check-in, more than any other carrier. Customers also may check in for domestic flights via continental.com up to 30 hours before departure. Passengers on 737, 757 and MD-80 aircraft can connect laptop computers via modem to the Verizon Airfone handset for unlimited access to the Internet while flying over North America.

In 2003, Continental earned the highest score in the Business Travel News airlines survey; the highest U.S. airline ranking for premium class comfort and value in Conde Nast Traveler's survey of business travelers; Best Executive/Business Class in the OAG Airline of the Year Awards; and Fortune magazine's most admired international U.S. airline.

HILTON SANTO DOMINGO TO OPEN IN SPRING 2004

Growing Brand to Open 15th Caribbean Property as Leading Business & Conference Hotel

Hilton Caribbean will add a fifteenth property to its fast growing collection: The Hilton Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic is under construction and scheduled to open in Spring 2004. The 21-floor tower-style hotel will boast the largest casino in the Dominican Republic and house 228 mostly oceanfront guestrooms, all with high-speed Internet access and floor-to-ceiling windows showcasing spectacular views of the Caribbean Sea.

The hotel will be located on Santo Domingo's oceanfront boulevard, and will anchor a mixed-use complex, The Malecon Center--a 14,680 square-meter complex housing retail, a cinema, restaurants, entertainment areas, office space and luxury residential condominiums.

The hotel, which is a joint venture of Coral Hotels & Resorts and Jesus Rodriguez Sandoval, a prominent Dominican real estate developer, will incorporate a spacious two-story health club, plus spectacular elevated food and beverage outlets. These include a 165-seat buffet restaurant with an adjacent specialty theme bar overlooking the Caribbean Sea; an outdoor cafe and a pool bar looking upon the hotel's freeform swimming pool, plus a large sundeck with stunning sea views.

Three Executive Floors will feature guestrooms offering amenities such as free daily newspapers, surround sound music capability in bathrooms, CD alarm clocks, and access to a 20th floor Executive Room Lounge.

The hotel will also offer a 4,644 square-foot Hilton Meetings[R] complex complete with two boardrooms, five flexible meeting rooms and a fully equipped business center with four PC stations and high-speed Internet access. Additionally, a 7,203 square-foot ballroom with a 550-person capacity, a 2,312 sq.-ft, junior ballroom and a 2,430 square-foot foyer bring the hotel's total meetings space to nearly 17,000 square-feet.