The Mandarin Oriental Washington D.C. took top honors in a survey of chief executive officers that ranked the best hotels in the world for business travelers. The annual survey, conducted by the trade publication Institutional Investor, measures room quality, service, dining, location and overall design. This is the first year in the survey’s 26-year history that a District hotel won the top spot.
Mandarin Oriental opened less than three years ago and has since become one of the most popular convention hotels in the city. In 2006, the Mandarin hosted 453 events and conferences; about 90 percent of its visitors were either corporate or convention guests.
The business-traveler market is a big part of the region’s overall tourism industry. In 2005, 49 percent — or 14.1 million — of all travelers to the Washington area were business travelers, according to figures from the Washington, D.C. Convention, & Tourism Corp., and 35 percent of those traveled here for a convention.
“We are delighted to be recognized by the readers of Institutional Investor as the premier hotel in this highly competitive market,” Jan Goessing, general manager of the property, said in a statement. “It is an honor to become the hotel of choice for both discerning travelers and financial institutions.”
The Mandarin Oriental, which has four other U.S. locations and numerous hotels throughout Asia and Europe, has done several things to set itself apart as a top convention hotel, said Renee Sharrow, a Mandarin Oriental spokeswoman. For example, meeting planners can book spa meeting breaks for convention-goers as a way to recharge during a full day of meetings.
The Mandarin Oriental Washington D.C. has been criticized in the past for its Southwest location, which is out of the way of a vibrant restaurant and nightlife scene. But, Sharrow said, business travelers like it because of its proximity to both Reagan National Airport, Union Station and the Capitol.
