Frequent Business Traveler » InterContinental

Priority Club Changes Points System

Paul Riegler — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 21:11:17 +0000

Priority Club Rewards, the guest loyalty program of InterContinental Hotels & Resorts, will credit guests 10 points for every dollar spent on qualifying revenue during stays.

The new points system goes into effect on February 15, 2012.

Previously, guests earned 2,000 points per stay, regardless of what was spent at the hotel.

It is expected that most members will earn three times the number of points with the new system when compared to the current program.

InterContinental properties outside of the U.S., Canada, Mexico, Latin America, and the Caribbean as well as InterContinental Alliance Resorts will continue to award 2,000 points for each qualifying stay. Ineligible charges include gift certificates, spa charges, Internet access, AV fees, and miscellaneous expenses.

Photo: Lobby of InterContinental Mark Hopkins (Jonathan Spira)

Choice, Hilton, Hyatt, ICH, Marriott, Wyndham Launch Roomkey.com Search Engine

Eva Leonard — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 18:05:38 +0000

Six hotel companies have launched the new hotel search engine Roomkey.com, which provides search and direct booking capabilities for U.S. travelers.

Choice Hotels International, Hyatt Hotels Corporation, Hilton Worldwide, Marriott International Inc., InterContinental Hotels Group and Wyndham Hotel Group partnered to create the new site. Following its launch, Roomkey is to expand to other English-speaking countries and to add features such as independent reviews.

InterContinental Mark Hopkins Hotel, San Francisco Review

Jonathan Spira — Wed, 01 Jun 2011 04:02:00 +0000

As I headed over to the InterContinental Mark Hopkins, I looked at my watch. It was nearly 4 p.m. The fog would soon be rolling in over the Golden Gate Bridge and the hotel’s Top of the Mark lounge was (according to my mother, who knows such things) THE place to see it.

Perched on the southeastern peak of Nob Hill, a neighborhood in San Francisco that, by the late nineteenth century, had become one of the city’s most fashionable, the hotel is steeped in the city’s post-earthquake history. It was built on the site of the original Mark Hopkins mansion (which was destroyed in the fire that followed the earthquake) after the Great San Francisco Earthquake of 1906. The Room of the Dons has nine seven-foot-high murals depicting aspects of California’s history, including Queen Califia accompanied by two of her warriors (the state’s name comes from the mythical Island of California, which was first described by Spanish writer Garci Rodriguez de Montalvo, who created Queen Califia’s character in the same novel).

THE ROOM

My one-bedroom suite had a separate bedroom and a generously-sized living room/dining room area. An elegant gift box on the bed held a discount card for local shopping. The bed itself was supremely comfortable and I woke up energized and ready for my meetings.

The elegant marble bath had a soaking tub with relaxing whirlpool jets as well as a separate shower.

A miniature chocolate version of the Mark Hopkins appeared in my room shortly after check-in. While chocolates are de rigueur welcome gifts at many hotels, I don’t think I have ever gotten to taste a chocolate hotel before. It was, in fact, a very faithful rendition of the building and also very tasty.

ROAD WARRIOR SUPPORT

While my suite was very conducive for meetings (my guests enjoyed the view immensely), there was no real desk (the Ethernet cable for high-speed Internet as well as the telephone were on a small side table along the wall). Wi-Fi is available throughout the hotel. The Internet itself was fast and is reasonably priced at $12.95 for 24 hours.

The dining room table made for a great desk and the chairs were quite comfortable, but the lack of a convenient electrical outlet near the table made it necessary for me to string the electrical cord somewhat precariously back to the closest wall outlet.

A hidden gem (perhaps not so hidden) is the executive lounge, which is one of the best lounges I’ve visited in any hotel. Located on the ground floor near reception, it has its own receptionist (who greeted me by name even on my first visit). A scrumptious buffet breakfast is served in the lounge and light food is served throughout the day including afternoon tea as well as sushi and warm canapés in the evening. A nice variety of soft drinks, beer, and alcoholic beverages is available at a self-service bar. The lounge is a very pleasant place to hold a meeting or two.

The fitness center is open 24 hours, which is a good thing if you indulge in too much food or drink in the executive lounge.

Click here to continue to Page 2 – Dining and Virtual Tours

InterContinental Boston Review

Jonathan Spira — Wed, 16 Feb 2011 18:29:04 +0000

Centuries ago, visitors to Boston from far away lands arrived by ship in Boston Harbor. Today, the very site of the Boston Tea Party, a milestone event in the American Revolution, is also the location of a gleaming new hotel, the InterContinental Boston. Business travelers can reach the InterContinental in the same fashion, albeit via water taxi from Logan Airport to the hotel’s private dock.

In my case, however, I drove. It was easy to find the InterContinental. It faces both the harbor and the Rose Kennedy Greenway (part of the former Big Dig site) and its two glistening blue glass towers are the height of the masts of those tall ships that brought earlier generations of travelers to the city.

Greeting me at the entrance was an eagle landing on its nest. Inside I found an octopus and seascape not to mention an owl and a tree frog in the elegant lobby, all part of an art installation by local artist Chris Williams.

THE ROOM

My room was a superior suite with a separate living room that had a comfortable sitting area as well as a dining table that seated four. Despite the hotel’s size (424 rooms, 38 suites), there was a very intimate feel to everything. Views from my room were incredible (see slide show below).

The bed was extremely comfortable and allowed for a restful night’s sleep. I particularly liked the lounge chair in the bedroom and I tried to figure out how I could fit a similar piece of furniture into my own bedroom.

ROAD WARRIOR SUPPORT

A generously-sized desk was in a corner of the living room and the desk chair provided excellent support. I kept wishing, however, that the desk were situated in the direction of the harbor for the view.

Wireless Internet ($6.95 for one hour or $14.95 for 24 hours) was fast and easy to set up.

To unwind, a 6,600-square-foot spa and health club were also available. Spa services include classic massage techniques, hot stone treatments, and body wraps and exfoliations. I was invited to bring my own iPod to my massage, but I declined and asked the massage therapist to select appropriate music instead. The massage was relaxing and invigorating after a stressful day of meetings.

DINING

Breakfast was served in Miel, the hotel’s organic Provençal brasserie. The French toast was excellent and the service was superb. Other dining options included Sushi-Teq, a combination sushi-tequila restaurant and RumBa, the hotel’s bar.

The hotel has its own rooftop apiary with a colony of over 40,000 honey bees. Miel (which means “honey” in French) incorporates the hotel’s honey into various dishes throughout the year.

Before my departure, I ordered a hamburger from in-room dining and the extra-large and very tasty patty and the accompanying French fries were served hot, just as if I were sitting in the restaurant.

BOTTOM LINE

Although the InterContinental is convenient to everything including transportation (subway lines, ferries, water taxis) as well as sites ranging from Faneuil Hall, the Seaport, the Financial District, and to Chinatown, it is also an oasis of serenity that one notices as soon as one crosses its portal. The staff did everything possible to make my stay a pleasant one and they not only succeeded in this but have made me hope that I will have many future visits to Boston and this hotel.

InterContinental Boston
510 Atlantic Avenue
Boston, Ma. 02210
+1 617 747-1000
www.ichotelsgroup.com

–Jonathan B. Spira is the Editor of Executive Road Warrior and Chief Analyst at Basex, a knowledge economy research firm.

THE INTERCONTINENTAL BOSTON

THE INTERCONTINENTAL BOSTON INSIDE

ROOM AND ROOFTOP VIEWS – THE INTERCONTINENTAL BOSTON

InterContinental Resort Berchtesgaden Review

Jonathan Spira — Sun, 23 Jan 2011 03:55:40 +0000

My memories of my first visit (in 2005) to the InterContinental Resort in Berchtesgaden are many and wonderful. I remember the beautiful drive via the Alpenstraße. I think of the incredible view from my window at an altitude of 1000 meters. I remember the warm hospitality and I remember the food.

Almost five years later, I found myself driving along the Alpenstraße for a return visit.

The InterContinental is set on a small plateau overlooking that Nationalpark Berchtesgaden in Berchtesgadener Land, Bayern (Bavaria), immediately adjacent to Salzburg, Austria. The park itself has five mountain ranges and it is a mixture of mountains, woodlands, rock, and alpine pastures.

As I took in the view, I recalled the site’s history. During the National Socialist era, Field Marshal Hermann Göring built his mountain residence on this parcel of land, to be close to the Berghof, the alpine residence of Adolf Hitler. Indeed, during the Second World War, the town of Berchtesgaden itself was a closed city and only those with connections to the Nazi party were allowed to live there.

Today things are quite different. As I wrote in my review five years ago, the hotel’s presence “is a confirmation of how good triumphed over evil.”

THE ROOM

Each room is designed so that the incredible panoramic view can be enjoyed even from bed. My Executive Studio was comfortably furnished with a sitting area and of course the eye-popping view. The view was just as I remembered it and I still wondered why the rooms came with flat-screen televisions as no program could possibly compete with it.

The bed was wonderful and I slept dreaming of the views. The generously-sized marble bathroom had a separate shower and a heated floor, which felt wonderful on a cold, winter day.

The refrigerator was stocked with juice and water (all complimentary) and a tray of snacks including chocolate and nuts and fresh fruit was replenished daily.

ROAD WARRIOR SUPPORT

Internet access was fast although mobile phone reception in this particular room was iffy and I was able to place and receive calls without a problem only from one corner of the room near the desk (that was not the case at all during my previous stay).

Desk and chair were placed so that the views would be a constant distraction from work. I remembered that the electrical outlets were concealed behind a wooden panel built into the desk so I was up and running in no time at all.

The hotel is perfect for smaller meetings (there are only 138 guest rooms) and the ballroom can accommodate 280 people for a reception and 156 when the room is set up classroom-style. Views are included with every meeting.

Click here to continue to Page 2 – Dining and Leisure

Le Ciel, Berchtesgaden, Germany

Jonathan Spira — Fri, 01 Jan 2010 20:00:59 +0000

A twisty drive on the Alpenstraße brings the visitor to Le Ciel, a 12-table restaurant that offers dining at an altitude of 1000 meters at the InterContinental Resort Berchtesgaden. The hotel itself is set on a small plateau overlooking the Nationalpark Berchtesgaden in Berchtesgadener Land, Bayern (Bavaria) adjacent to Salzburg, Austria.

On Christmas Day it had started to snow in the late afternoon and the restaurant’s softly lighted interior seemed all the more inviting, the quiet elegance of the place adding a festive note to the visit.

The atmosphere reflects the passion of Chef Ulrich Heimann, the modest chef of Le Ciel. Heimann is a perfectionist and a believer in herbs, vegetables, and fruit straight from the garden and the use of seasonal ingredients. He has assembled a mélange of local suppliers, a farm in the Salzkammergut for beef, a nearby butcher for veal, hunters and fisherman for their bounty. Heimann often takes hotel guests and diners on hikes, showing where the herbs are grown or the trout are farmed.

Upon being seated at a corner table with a view of the entire room and the floor-to-ceiling windows, I was immediately offered a glass of Champagne and an amuse-bouche, three actually, a croissant of chorizo and tomato, two kinds of Gänsestopfleber (foie gras), and a skewered piece of Ente (duck) in a Pankomantel (panko breading).

But there was another amuse-bouche, Konfierter Kalbeljau with Kräutersalat (confit of codfish with herbal salad) before the meal would actually start. A bit salty for my taste but very flavorful.

And then there was the bread, three types, all perfectly warmed, served with two types of butter (salted and unsalted), oil, two salts, and a carrot purée (my personal favorite).

“Now we start” (“Jetzt starten wir”) the waiter said before bringing the first course, Lauwarmer (lukewarm) Eismeerforelle (Arctic Trout) carpaccio with chive oil.

I started with a crisp and elegant 2008 Steirische Klassik Sauvignon Blanc from the Weingut Neumeister in Steiermark with a wonderful, fruity aroma that was perfect for the multiple amuse-bouche mini-courses as well as the trout.

Next came the Artischockenschaumsuppe (cream of artichoke soup) with black truffles, one of the highlights of the evening. Each spoonful was a cloud of delicious, contrasting flavors and aromas.

The Tranche (slice) of Schwertfisch (swordfish) – served 90 minutes after having been seated, just to provide an idea of the gentle pace the meal was taking – was tasty although a bit chewy. I would have preferred it without the bok choy but the tasty yellow radishes that accompanied it made up for it.

To accompany it, I switched to a 2007 Mantlerhof Weitgasse Grüner Veltliner. The fresh and delicate flavor of the wine nicely paired to the swordfish as well as the dishes that were to follow.

Before continuing with the next course, a pleasant and not-too-sweet cassis sorbet was offered.

Next came the Vierländer-Ente, a duck raised in the Vierlande region on the Elbe River in southeast Hamburg. The first piece of duck was superb although a bit dry in the center. The Knuspercannelloni (crispy cannellonis) were a surprising but perfect accompaniment. The second piece of duck, however, was inedible due to the presence of gristle. The server noticed a problem, swept the dish away, and returned (despite my protestations that I didn’t need or have room for a replacement course) with a superbly cooked piece of steak with herb sauce. Needless to say, while I took a few bites, I did not manage to finish this extra course.

At two hours and 30 minutes, I declined the fruit and cheese course and was served the final official course, a magnificent piña colada-cream and pineapple granitée.

This wasn’t quite the end, however. Shortly after I managed to finish my dessert, the waiter pulled up with a trolley that was covered with pralines, truffles, cookies, cakes, and pastries, all of which I had to decline.

Three hours after the meal had started, it was time to leave Le Ciel.

As I left, the chef bade departing diners farewell at the door, giving each a small gift of pâté in a jar, just in case we were to become hungry in the elevator ride back to our rooms.

–Jonathan B. Spira is the Editor of Executive Road Warrior and Chief Analyst at Basex, a knowledge economy research firm.

Austria, Germany, Hungary, and Italy by Car

Jonathan Spira — Wed, 01 Mar 2006 17:05:53 +0000

THE 2426 KM DRIVE

In 5 days, I covered 2426 km and four countries (Austria, Germany, Hungary, and Italy). I crossed international borders 22 times.   I planned each day’s drive the night before, choosing my destination primarily based on the promise of good weather.

11. November – 460 km, Germany, Austria, and Italy

Friends Rich and Jill joined me for breakfast and soon enough, we were on the Autobahn in two 2006 3er Series BMWs. Our itinerary: drive across the Brennerpaß into Italy and then head back north to Berchtesgaden. I wonder if anyone noticed the consecutively numbered license plates on the two automobiles.

Destination: Berchtesgaden

We headed south in tandem on the A8, continuing on the A93 and then the A12 (Inntal-Autobahn) as it led to the Brenner-Autobahn (A13) and became the Autostrada del Brennero (A22)

Heading south was a good idea as it offered the best weather in the region. It turned out to be a beautiful, sunny day, with temperatures reaching 13°C.

Once we got to Sferzing (214 km later), it was time to change direction and head towards Berchtesgaden. This involved retracing our steps until we reached the motorway intersection at Inntal, at which point we headed east on the A8 towards Salzburg.

I let the navigation system guide me the final kilometers to Berchtesgaden and the InterContinental Resort. Given the fog, the late hour, and the fact that we were climbing to an altitude of 1000 m, I was able to enjoy the ride knowing that a little voice would tell me where to go.

Tired but exhilarated, I checked into the InterContinental. Even though it was dark, I could sense how incredible the view from my window would be. I couldn’t wait until morning to actually see it.

View from the author's room at the InterContinental, Berchtesgaden

The view was incredible. The InterContinental Resort Berchtesgaden, built on the site of Field Marshal Hermann Göring’s house near the Berghof, is promoted as being “between heaven and earth,” set on a small plateau 1000 m high overlooking the Nationalpark Berchtesgaden in Berchtesgadener Land, Bayern (Bavaria) adjacent to Salzburg, Austria. Innately beautiful, the Nationalpark contains five main mountain ranges; one third of the park is rocky and glaciated, a further third is covered in mixed woodlands of spruce, beech, fir, and other conifers; alpine pastures comprise the remainder.

12. November – 550 km, Salzburg and Niederösterreich

Today was a ca. 550 km roundtrip to Dürnstein. Leaving the InterContinental, I took the windy Alpenstraße (B160) to the Tauern-Autobahn (A10), staying on that a brief 7 km or so until I get on the West-Autobahn (A1).   I stopped briefly along the banks of the Mondsee, one of the most beautiful lakes in the Salzkammergut. I continued driving west to Melk, where I turned on to the Donau-Bundesstraße (B3), running along the Donau (Danube).

A view of the Danube in the Wachau valley

Dürnstein is where Richard Löwenherz (Richard the Lionhearted) was held captive after having been captured in Erdberg by the Mayor of Vienna in 1192. He was held in a huge fortress on a hill high above the village. His loyal troubadour, Blondel de Neale, found him, so the story goes, by wandering around Europe singing Richard´s favorite ballads outside every castle, until a response came.

I stopped at the Gasthof Goldener Strauss for a glass of Grüner Veltliner (a local specialty), Frittatensuppe, Forelle (Trout), and for dessert, Powideltascherl before returning to Berchtesgaden.

13. November – 370 km, Bayern, Salzburg, Steiermark, Kärnten, Osttirol

Today was a Landstraße/Bundesstraße day. I started on the B305 leaving Berchtesgaden and, after 10 km, crossing the border into Austria, where I continued on Landstraßen and then the B159 for several kilometers. At Hallein, I entered the Tauern-Autobahn (A10), going through the Tauernautobahn Tunnel. After 128 km, at Lendorf I switched to the B100 to get to Lienz. I then headed to Kitzbühel and back to Berchtesgaden taking the Felber Tauern Straße and Tunnel, and for the drive into Berchtesgaden, the Alpenstraße.

I drove through many different climates (coldest: 0,5°C – warmest 12°C in Berchtesgaden), went from light frost and a little snow on the ground to sunshine, and went up and down several times to 1200 or 1300 m.

14. November – 747 km, Germany, Austria, Hungary

For this trip, I planned a mix of Autobahnen and Bundesstraßen, allowing me to take the Tauern-Autobahn for ca. 60 km, and continue with Bundesstraßen (the B99 and the B320) for 75 km towards Liezen in Steiermark. From Liezen I took the Pyhrn-Autobahn (A9) towards Leoben (Kärnten) for ca. 80 km. From there I continued on the Semmering-Schnellstraße (S6) through Steiermark and Niederösterreich. The S6 meets the Süd-Autobahn (A2) at the Anschlußstelle Knoten Seebenstein where I continued on the A2 towards Wien (Vienna). Near Wiener Neustadt I switched to the S4 (Mattersburger-Schnellstraße). From there, I took the S31 to the Südost-Autobahn and in 6 km I was crossing the border into Hungary.

Neon-lighted highway rest area

I did get a chance to practice my Hungarian (which is somewhat limited) and enjoyed some nice palacsintá (with chestnut filling) and Hungarian coffee. With some quick shopping (stocking up on paprikás and Marzipan), I still had a 380 km trip back to Berchtesgaden so I headed towards Wien and took the West-Autobahn (A1) for a fast drive back.

15. November – Berchtesgaden to Garching bei München – 173 km

The weather this morning was the best since I arrived. Sunny, 12°C (of course that was at 1000 m. When I got down to 500m, it was .5 ° C). I didn’t want to leave the InterContinental (in addition to the view, I was becoming especially attached to the electronically-controlled, gas Kamin (fireplace) in the room), but it’s a good thing I did. Two days later, Germany was hit with heavy winter storms and, although my car has xDrive, it also is equipped with high-performance summer tires.

My final drive for this trip would take me to the offices of E.H. Harms in Garching (bei München). A ritual I’ve followed many times before. Condition report; power of attorney form, remove front license plate (I had already removed the first aid kit and warning triangle and shipped these with other sundry items from the hotel), and hand over one key.

Rolf Raffelsieper (see resources), who worked at BMW since 1967 before retiring, was happy to pick me up at E.H. Harms and drive me to the airport in a new 745d.

Before I knew it, I was on board Lufthansa flight 410 to New York. I logged into FlyNet, for on board Internet access. The adventure was over, but I had a lot of e-mails and pictures to send from 11,000 m aloft.

–Jonathan B. Spira is the Editor of Executive Road Warrior and Chief Analyst at Basex, a knowledge economy research firm.

InterContinental Resort Berchtesgaden

Jonathan Spira — Sun, 01 Jan 2006 23:47:53 +0000

Getting there is half the fun when you visit the InterContinental Resort Berchtesgaden. Few hotels offer amenities such as a twisty drive via the Alpenstraße. My car’s navigation system guided me through the fog as we climbed to an altitude of 1000 meters. Even though it was dark, I could sense how incredible the view would be.

And, come morning, the view was incredible. The InterContinental Resort Berchtesgaden, built on the site of Field Marshal Hermann Göring’s house near Hitler’s Berghof mountain residence, is promoted as being “between heaven and earth,” set on a small plateau 1000 m high overlooking the Nationalpark Berchtesgaden in Berchtesgadener Land, Bayern (Bavaria) adjacent to Salzburg, Austria. Innately beautiful, the Nationalpark contains five main mountain ranges; one third of the park is rocky and glaciated, a further third is covered in mixed woodlands of spruce, beech, fir, and other conifers; alpine pastures comprise the remainder.

The views continue unimpeded throughout the hotel, thanks to the generous use of floor-to-ceiling windows. Despite the soaring ceilings, the hotel has an intimate feel to it.

Prior to its opening in early 2005, the issue of the appropriateness of building a resort in the same place where Hitler enjoyed the incredible views and conceived of his evil deeds was strongly debated in Germany and elsewhere but, to me, the hotel’s presence is a confirmation of how good triumphed over evil.

THE ROOM

The hotel’s 138 rooms range from spacious doubles to suites and all have one feature in common: eye-popping views of one’s surroundings. The view was enough to cause me to take several hundred photos at different times of the day (and night) over the course of my stay. Luckily, the view is easily accessible from the restaurants, the lobby, and the spa.

My room became my own private mountain retreat. Many rooms (including mine) have fireplaces. When I returned each evening, I started the fireplace (gas-fired) and sat looking out at the view. The room had a flat-screen TV but I didn’t really see how it could compete with what was on the other side of the window.

ROAD WARRIOR SUPPORT

Internet access was quite fast. Desk and chair were very comfortable and lighting was excellent both at the desk for work and in bed for reading. The only problem I had was finding sufficient electrical outlets but then I discovered they were concealed behind an elegant wooden panel built into the desk.

MEETINGS

The hotel is perfect for small- and medium-sized meetings with two boardrooms, two conference rooms, a ballroom that can accommodate 280 for a reception and 156 classroom style, and state-of-the-art equipment. And you get the views, too.

DINING

Panoramic Restaurant 3’60 lives up to its name and serves an incredible buffet breakfast (the chef was kind enough to share his secret for making Müesli; he added apple juice in addition to the milk), as well as lunch and dinner. The kitchen is positioned behind a wall of glass. At dinner, I couldn’t resist ordering Salzburger Nockerl, a vanilla dessert soufflé with peaks that resemble the clouds I could see from my room.

The Michelin Star Le Ceil wasn’t open when I was there but friends have reported that it’s worth the two-hour drive from Munich even if you are not staying at the hotel.

LEISURE

The Mountain Spa offers treatments that feature indigenous ingredients and has heated indoor and outdoor pools (try that in the snow!) in addition to two saunas, a steam bath meditation rooms, and treatment rooms.   The fitness center never closes. There is much to do including horseback riding, biking, tennis, paragliding, water aerobics, and boating on the Königssee. There are lots of activities for children including a cooking class.

BOTTOM LINE

The InterContinental Berchtesgaden Hotel and Resort is set in one of the most beautiful parts of Europe, the rooms were so comfortable I considered moving in, dining (be it breakfast or dinner) is memorable, and the staff does its utmost to make one feel relaxed and welcome. This is one of those rare hotels where I would be happy to go out of my way just to visit it again.

InterContinental Resort Berchtesgaden
Hintereck 1
83471 Berchtesgaden Germany
+49 (8652) 97550
www.ichotelsgroup.com

–Jonathan B. Spira is the Editor of Executive Road Warrior and Chief Analyst at Basex, a knowledge economy research firm.

The Road Warrior’s European Fly/Drive Sojourn

Jonathan Spira — Sat, 26 Nov 2005 01:44:21 +0000

Friday, November 11, 2005, Munich Germany
Last week, we left off with success (insofar as Internet connectivity was concerned) in the Confetti Suite; this after two other suites had no connectivity. Prior to my departure from the hotel (today’s plans called for a drive from Munich to Italy via Innsbruck across the Brennerpaß

The author's brand new BMW 330xi was followed by a red BMW 3er across the Brenerpaß.

as far as Sferzing, and looping back to Berchtesgaden), I passed by the front desk just in time to hear another guest complaining about problems with Net connectivity. He was quite upset (apparently, his room had no connectivity) and was simultaneously speaking with one of the hotel managers and someone on a customer service line. His complaint: had he known he would not have Internet access, he would have stayed elsewhere. Apparently, I was lucky to be in the Confetti Suite.

As Net access in hotels becomes as ubiquitous as television, hotels (such as the one I was staying in) catering to business travellers need to ensure a more seamless experience. Almost all hotels work with third-party providers; unfortunately, when that partner becomes unreliable, the hotel guest sees only the hotel brand and such unreliability tarnishes that brand. Unhappy guests seldom return, regardless of who was at fault.

Friday, November 11, 2005, Berchtesgaden, Germany

View at 1000 m - from the InterContinental Hotel and Resort, Berchtesgaden

630 kilometers later and at an altitude of 950 m, I found myself comfortably ensconced in a suite at the recently-opened InterContinental Resort Berchtesgaden. No Confetti Suite here; I was online within minutes. The biggest problem I had was finding an electrical outlet for the computer (the outlets were concealed behind a wood panel). Berchtesgaden was to be my base for the remainder of my trip.

During the balance of my stay, I visited Dürnstein (the town where Richard the Lionhearted was held captive), Lienz, Kitzbühel, and Sopron (Hungary) – in all, driving 2426 km.

Tuesday, November 15, 2005, Munich, Germany
I drove ca. 175 km to the town of Garching, outside of Munich, to turn the car over to the shipping agent, E.H. Harms. From Garching, it was a 15-minute ride to Munich’s ultra-modern Franz Josef Strauss Airport. As mentioned last week, I had been looking forward to trying Lufthansa’s FlyNet onboard Internet service, but on the trip over, the service was unfortunately kaput. I was pressing my thumbs together (German/Austrian equivalent of “fingers crossed”) for good luck for the flight home.

Tuesday, November 15, 2005, 11,000 m over Europe
As soon as we reached cruising altitude, my computer detected Wi-Fi and I logged into FlyNet.  Seat power outlets are conveniently located and I had a choice of U.S. or the European Schuko connection systems. I started off with simple chores, such as checking the news (I decided NOT to grab a handful of newspapers as I boarded, opting – hoping – to see the more current online versions).

With Lotus Notes replicating my mail and other databases in the background, I started receiving Sametime instant messages from colleagues. Briefly put, my initial experience (discounting last week’s flight) with FlyNet was very positive. Granted, it was relatively slow (I did several speed tests and it was marginally faster than GPRS) but we WERE, after all, at 11,000 m cruising along at 860 km/h.

After reading some e-mail, I called home using Skype (quality was decent), checked my voicemail, upgraded iTunes, did some online banking – in short, nothing extraordinary, absent the venue.

The author, connected to the Net at 30,000 feet via Connexion by Boeing

My neighbor in seat 3J, Frau Frowein, lives in Munich and was visiting New York for the first time. She had some questions for me about things to do, so I suggested we look online at some information about events for the upcoming week in New York – another good use for FlyNet.  I also recommended a concert at Carnegie Hall, so we looked at the program and she and I booked a ticket for her for a concert with Hilary Hahn.  We also e-mailed her daughter (Frau Frowein had never used e-mail before).

About 3 hours into the flight, I briefly lost the connection but the service was flawless from that point forward.

Last Tuesday’s flight took place entirely during business hours in the United States. We departed at 15:15 local time, which is 09:15 in New York. We landed at 18:25 New York time. This represents an entire day – and given the pace at which the knowledge economy moves – missing one day is more than many can afford.

–Jonathan B. Spira is the Editor of Executive Road Warrior and Chief Analyst at Basex, a knowledge economy research firm.