hotels articles

Travelocity Business, a full-service corporate travel agency, is continuing to expand its special hotel rates tailored to business travelers by offering discounted corporate rates from Best Western International. The discounted rates offer more flexibility than those created for leisure travelers, giving businesses the ability to save money without the restrictions and cancellation penalties of leisure discounts.Bruce Adams, badams@advanstar.com

AS part of the Regal International Hotel group, the Regal Airport Hotel offers its guests a variety of reward programs. Its loyalty programs include the Regal Select, 925 Club and the Regal Merit. The hotel also participates in some of the region’s leading frequent flyer programs including Asia Miles, JAL Mileage Bank, the Dynasty Flyer Program and the Asiana Club.

Regal Airport Hotel, the only airport hotel in Hong Kong, is world-class, and is connected directly to the passenger terminal of Hong Kong International Airport by an enclosed, air-conditioned linkbridge. As a previous winner of the Business Asia Best Business Hotels in Asia category of Best Airport Hotel, the Regal Airport Hotel provides superb accommodation with 1103 rooms, state-of-the-art meeting and banquet facilities, the largest pillarless ballroom in Hong Kong (with the majority of break-out rooms on the same level as the ballroom), delicious culinary delights, as well as a complete range of recreational facilities. With a total gross floor area of 72,000 square metres, Regal Airport Hotel is the largest hotel in Hong Kong and one of the largest airport hotels in the world.

G Paul LeBlanc, senior director of sales and marketing, stated: “The Hotel is in the centre of the Pearl River Delta region and is an integral part of the international airport community. Our strategic location on Lantau Island is centred in the middle of the Delta region. An important part of the five-year development plan of the airport area and economic success of the Hong Kong area rely on drawing on the population and industry of Southern China,” he said.

“We have the largest ballroom in Hong Kong that is surrounded by breakout rooms. We also have more meeting rooms on the ninth floor over-looking the landscaped gardens. The flow of meeting participants during a conference is important to meeting planners for their conferences. The multi-faceted facilities available at this hotel are not well-known by local, regional or international meeting planners.”

Regal Airport Hotel not only provides an extensive choice of meeting and conference facilities, it also offers advanced information technology that is sure to satisfy different guests’ needs.

With its convenient location, luxurious ambiance and the finest in personal service, the JW Marriott Hotel Mexico City is the ideal choice for business travelers. “Our guests include many executives from multinational corporations and business professionals who appreciate the classic elegance of our hotel,” says Kevin Schwab, General Manager.

Opened in 1996, the 312-room JW Marriott Hotel Mexico City is located in the exclusive Polanco district of the city, just minutes from major corporate offices and some of the best restaurants and boutiques of the world-famous Presidente Masaryk Avenue. It is also within walking distance to the seven principal museums of the city and minutes from the Zona Rosa, also well known for its shopping and nightlife.

“Our clientele consists largely of travelers from the United States, as well as from Europe, Canada and other regions of Mexico,” says Clavel Garibay, Sales Director. “Our hotel has extensive meeting facilities and our building is also the home of Club de Industriales, where the most important business people of Mexico come on a regular basis.

The JW Marriott Mexico City is noted for its convenient location to major companies, including Chrysler, Dupont, General Electric, General Motors, Hewlett Packard, IBM, Pepsi and Procter & Gamble.

The JW Marriott Hotel Mexico City–which holds a “Four Diamond” rating from the American Automobile Association (AAA)–was honored recently in annual “World’s Best” lists compiled by two international travel magazines.

Conde Nast Traveler’s 2003 Gold List and Gold List Reserve recognized the JW Marriott Hotel Mexico City and four other JW Marriott Hotels and Resorts. Travel + Leisure’s first annual “T+L 500–The Best Hotels in the World” honored the JW Marriott Hotel Mexico City and four other Marriott properties.

The JW Marriott brand represents the most elegant and luxurious hotels carrying the Marriott name. They cater to discerning upscale travelers seeking a lodging experience of high comfort and prestige, according to Garibay. “JW Marriott Hotels extend the traditional Marriott culture of warm, genuine hospitality and dependability in a more luxurious environment with upgraded amenities and high levels of personal service,” she says.

Last year, the JW Marriott Hotel Mexico City won top honors in the Latin America and Caribbean region in the Ultimate Service Awards, the only global award that recognizes good service in the hotel industry. Travelers in more than 120 countries voted online in this independent initiative involving CNN Partner Hotels, American Express and Taylor Nelson Sofres Hospitality and Leisure. The awards recognize hotels and their employees that make an effort to provide memorable and enjoyable guest stays.

Guests at the 26-story hotel enjoy some of the most spectacular views of the city, including Chapultepec Park and Presidente Masaryk Avenue. On the Executive level, guests enjoy special privileges, such as wireless services, complimentary continental breakfast, afternoon snacks and an honor bar in the lounge.

Business travelers appreciate the many guest room amenities at the JW Marriott Mexico City. A two-line phone, speakerphone, voice mail and data ports make it easy to stay in touch with the office. A television with cable/satellite TV service includes an all-news channel and in-room movies. Newspapers are delivered to the room Monday through Friday.

Full kitchens and wet bars are available in some rooms and all rooms include a minibar stocked with refreshments for convenient access. Personal amenities include hairdryers, bathrobes, iron and ironing boards and in-room safes. “We are freshening the rooms this year with new duvets and tables,” says Garibay. “We are also including a package of luxurious personal amenities in the room.”

The hotel recently renovated its onsite Business Center, which helps travelers work more efficiently and productively. Services include faxing, photocopying, overnight shipping and Internet access.

No visit to the JW Marriott Mexico City would be complete without a relaxing visit to the outdoor pool or the solarium, health club, whirlpool and sauna. The hotel’s health club was recently upgraded to offer an even more luxurious setting for guests.

“Our variety of restaurants and lounges allows travelers and their guests to relax over a fine meal or just a light bite,” says Garibay. The hotel’s JW Italian is an onsite restaurant with an international menu. Other facilities include the Pergamino coffee shop, Lobby bar with complimentary coffee in the lobby and 24-hour room service.

Hotel services include a laundry valet, hair salon/barber, concierge, gift shop/newsstand and child care. Onsite parking is available.

Avis Rental Car reservation is available through concierge desk, making it easy to visit nearby attractions like the Anthropological Museum, Chapultepec Castle, Pyramids-Archeological Site, San Angel Flea Market, Xochilmilco-Floating Gardens and the Zona Rosa (Pink Zone) shopping and entertainment district. Two golf courses, Club de Golf Chapultepec and Club de Golf Churubusco Country Club are also located with in 10 km of the hotel.

Guests at the JW Marriott Hotel Mexico City can also enjoy the benefits of the Marriott Rewards program. Exclusive membership privileges include a choice of frequent flyer miles in airline programs or points toward free vacations for every dollar spent at over 2,600 hotels in the Marriott family. Frequent travelers can also earn “elite level” benefits after staying 15 nights or more in a year.

JW Marriott Hotels and Resorts is a premium global collection of 25 distinctive hotels offering elegant environments and personalized service for discerning travelers. These properties support the success of every guest by providing services, amenities and staff dedicated to helping travelers make the most out of every trip.

Marriott International, Inc. is a leading worldwide hospitality company. Its heritage can be traced to a small root beer stand opened in Washington, D.C., in 1927 by J. Willard and Alice S. Marriott. Today, Marriott International has more than 2,600 lodging properties located in the United States and 63 other countries and territories.

Zagat Survey, the provider of consumer survey-based dining, lodging, and leisure information, has published its first “Survey of Top International hotels, Resorts & Spas.”

Nearly 12,000 frequent world travelers (who averaged a full month on the road in the past year) contributed to the new survey. Using Zagat’s 30-point scale, surveyors rated hotels, resorts and spas for their rooms, service, dining and public spaces! facilities, also estimating the average cost of a one-night, double-room occupancy.

The resulting guide includes 872 premier properties in 77 countries worldwide (excluding the U.S., which was covered in a separate survey). It also reports on the best hotel chains.

The guide sells for $12.95

Going to Disney World and wondering where to stay? Our insider’s guide unlocks the secrets of Disney’s 12 resorts. We’ll show you where to hang your mouse ears if you long to lie on a white sand beach, want a special program for the kids, desire a quiet getaway, or need to be kind to your wallet.

The best way to immerse yourself in Mickey’s Orlando, Florida, kingdom is to stay in one of the theme park’s dozen hotels. Sleep in a tree house at Disney’s Village Resort, go Hawaiian at the Polynesian, or camp at Fort Wilderness. Disney’s creative decorating enhances even standard rooms.

Disney hotels offer their guests perks denied to other World visitors–free transportation to the parks, restaurant reservations when you book a room, guaranteed tee times at Disney’s golf courses, and an hour’s head start at the Magic Kingdom four days a week. Rates. Prices are the range for a double room. You’ll typically save $10-$20 a night during the value season, which in 1993 runs until February 13, April 18 -June 11, and August 15 December 20.

Information. Hotels: call your travel agent or 407/W-DISNEY. Disney World: Walt Disney, World Guest Information, Dept. BHG, P.O. Box 10,040, Lake Buena Vista, FL 32830-0040; 407/824-4321. Orlando: Orlando/Orange Count CVB, 800/551-0181.

THE BUDGET PLAN

Disney treats its cost-conscious guests like first-class citizens when it comes to swimming. Each of its three motel-style properties sports a large pool complex. Although all three offer basically the same small rooms, Disney’s theming dresses them up different. Year-round rates: $89-$119.

Caribbean Beach. The vast Caribbean Beach Resort gives you a Disney–clean feeling of five Caribbean islands. Each two-story complex displays a color typical of its native counterpart. You know you’re in Jamaica when you arrive at the yellow buildings; Barbados beckons with a rosy glow.

Stretch out in a hammock slung between two palm trees or on a chaise lounge on a beautiful white sand beach, and you can believe that you’re in Aruba or Martinique. Separate island beaches make Caribbean Beach the top choice in this price category. The resort’s biggest handicap comes from its lack of a sit-down restaurant; you must queue up with the guests in the other 2,111 rooms at a food court.

Port Orleans. If you don’t want to walk far, choose the 1,008-room Port Orleans., the most compact of the three value resorts. Disney’s G-rated version of New Orleans conveys the spirit of the French Quarter with help from a brick courtyard by the check-in area, lacy grillwork (look for the mouse ears), fountains, and lush landscaping–palm trees, dogwoods, crepe myrtles, and hibiscus.

Designers brought back booty from an actual New Orleans parade to decorate the food court, set in a make-believe Mardi Gras factory. A pirate mask, a court jester, and other memorabilia surround diners munching on jam-balaya, gumbo, and beignets, as well as non-themed fare.

Dixie Landings. Live oaks, pines, and weeping cypress transport you to the bayous of Dixie Landings. Separated by the 3.5-acre Ol’ Man Island recreational area, two distinct settings house this resort’s 2,048 units. Hickory furniture dresses Alligator Bayou’s rooms rustically, while tapestry, maple, and gold trimmings contribute an elegant look to the four “mansions” of Magnolia Bend.

Coming spring 1994. Disney is projecting rates starting in the low ’60s for the 3,800 rooms of the All-Star Resorts.

MID-PRICED HOTELS

Polynesian. Enter the open-air lobby of the Polynesian Resort, and you are transported to a tropical oasis. Piped-in Hawaiian Muzak follows you throughout the public areas, even to the pools. Palm fronds dance in the breeze. Saucer-sized hibiscus and the scent of gardenias add an exotic touch. You’ll feel at home in flip-flops and a flowered shirt.

The Polynesian shares a white sand beach with the Grand Floridian Resort. At night, you can watch the Electrical Water Pageant on the Seven Seas Lagoon. $195-$295.

Contemporary. More like a standard hotel than a themed getaway, the Contemporary lacks the warmth and clever Disney touches of its sister properties. You’re most likely to find those gems outside-flowers and shrubs crafted into a gigantic Mickey Mouse watch and Disney topiaries. Rows of trees, pruned to resemble homemade Popsicles, set off this 14-story, modernistic A-frame. Disney’s original hotel is known for the monorail that glides through its eight-story atrium. Warning: If you book the most-economical rooms, you’ll stay in a garden wing, not the tower. Disney’s largest convention hotel and only high rise boasts the biggest video arcade at Disney World. The Top of the World Restaurant provides a spectacular view. $205-$260.

The Disney Inn. Snaking your way up a long driveway between a pair of championship golf courses, you know you’ve arrived at The Disney Inn when you see the greens of Dopey’s eyes. Topiaries of the Seven Dwarfs near the front porch rocking chairs signal the reincarnation of one of Disney’s early hotels. Scared away when it was called The Golf Resort, nongolfers and families never discovered that Disney’s smallest hotel features the largest rooms–with a dressing area almost big enough to sleep in–and a setting so quiet that deer wander within view of the oversized balconies and patios. Now billed as a country inn, the 288-room Disney Inn has adopted Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs as its patron characters to signify its removal from the frenetic Disney pace. $195-$215.

Fort Wilderness Resort and Campground. You can pitch a tent or set up your camper among towering cypress and pine trees at Fort Wilderness. Even noncampers can experience the camaraderie of a campground in one of 408 furnished Fleetwood trailers, containing a bedroom, a kitchen, a living room with a Murphy bed, and a dining area.

Throughout the camp, you’ll find tetherballs, basketball hoops (with balls), and playground equipment. Shuttle buses provide free transportation, but it’s fun to putt around the 750 acres in a golf cart ($24-$33) or on a rental bike.

More of a self-contained resort than most other Disney hotels, Fort Wilderness offers trail rides, canoeing, fishing, a petting farm, and the family-oriented Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Revue. Watch your child’s face glow as Chip and Dale join you for a songfest around the campfire and a free Disney movie. You’ll also have easy access to Disney’s original water park, River Country, and Discovery Island, wildlife refuge. Campsites: $38-$49; trailers: 195.

1994 attraction. The 700-unit Wilderness Lodge will sit on the edge of Fort Wilderness. From about $150.

Village Resort. You won’t be stuck in a single hotel room at the Village Resort. In the least-expensive lodgings, 324 club suites, a door separates the bedroom and bath from the living area with its dining table, mini refrigerator, and microwave. The Village Resort also offers 197 one- and two-bedroom villas and four homes on a cul-de-sac that were plush prototypes for an abandoned Disney city.

But, if you’ve ever yearned to live in a tree house, opt for one of the 60 aerial hideaways among a forest of laurel oaks, cypress, and pines. Climbing up to the front door, you h a bird’s-eye view from the living room, kitchen, and two bedrooms. A circular staircase leads down to the ground level third sleeping room. $200-$360

Vacation Club. While Disney experiments with the time share market, you can stay in some of its cushiest accommodations. The Key West-style retreat wrapped around Lake Buena Vista Golf Course goes to great lengths to give homey feel to its 300 studio apartments and one-, two-, and three-bedroom condos. Studios have coffeemakers, a we bar, and a microwave; condos contain most of the comfort of home, including a Jacuzzi in the master bath. The Vacation Club features free tennis lessons and videos plus birthday parties for kids. $190-$340.

IT COSTS MORE, BUT I’M WORTH IT

Yacht and Beach Club Resorts. If you like luxury and long to unwind within strolling distance of Epcot, the Yacht and Beach Clubs are your cup of clam chowder. Reminiscent of the New England seaside, the elegant fronts of the yoked gray Yacht and blue Beach hide Disney’s most ambitious swimming complex in the back. Stormalong Bay hardly seems like a swimming pool because of its sand bottom. The mast from a “shipwreck” serves as a water slide, kiddies frolic in their own area, and you can relax in a whirlpool. Which of the Siamese resorts should you choose? Go for the Beach if you want a casual atmosphere. Select the Yacht if you desire a traditional, formal setting. $220-$370.

Grand Floridian Beach Resort. You’ll either feel pampered or intimidated by Disney’s plushest hotel. Zelda and F. Scott Fitzgerald would have felt right at home pulling up to the grandiose white edifice with Victorian-style turrets and dormers, topped by a red gabled roof. Valets wearing knickers usher you into a five-story lobby with Christmastree-sized chandeliers and a trio of stained-glass domes. This isn’t the place to strut in swimming attire. Folks wear classy resort outfits for tea or dress in their finest for the ultimate Disney dinner–a seven-course extravaganza at intimate and pricey ($75 per person) Victoria & Albert’s. $250-$440.

HOTEL HIGHLIGHTS

What are you looking for in a hotel? Match your needs with the resorts that excel in these areas. * Largest hotel rooms: The Disney Inn, Polynesian, Grand Floridian, Contemporary * Quiet retreat. The Disney Inn, Fort Wilderness * Health club: Yacht and Beach Club, Grand Floridian * White sand beach: Caribbean Beach, Yacht and Beach, Grand Floridian, Polynesian, Contemporary, Fort Wilderness * Monorail to Magic Kingdom: Contemporary, Polynesian, Grand Floridian * Exotic isle setting: Polynesian’s Hawaiian theme, five different island villages at Caribbean Beach, Key West retreat at Disney Vacation Club * Walking distance to Epcot. Yacht and Beach Club * Best pools: Yacht and Beach Club’s Stormalong Boy; Dixie Landing’s Ol’ Man Island * Fits golfers to a tee: The Disney Inn, Village Resort, Vacation Club * Character breakfasts: (Needn’t be a guest to participate) Beach Club, Polynesian, Grand Floridian, Contemporary, Vacation Club * Child-care services: Neverland Club at Polynesian, Mouseketeer Clubhouses at Grand Floridian and Contemporary, Sand Castle Club at Beach Club * Video arcade: Contemporary–more than twice as large as those at some of the other hotels * Call of the wild. Fort Wilderness * Fishing: Fort Wilderness, Dixie Landings, Polynesian

SAN FRANCISCO — JiWire, the leading provider of information and services to help people connect to the Internet without wires, today announced that Expedia, Inc. (NASDAQ:EXPE), one of the world’s leading travel service companies, has chosen to include information from the company’s WiFi Hotspot Finder in its online travel booking service. Now, Expedia users can further identify hotels, resorts and other lodging destinations around the world where WiFi access is provided when they are making their travel reservations through Expedia’s online service.

More than 22,000 hotels and resorts around the world provide public WiFi access — more than any other industry segment. Now, with continually updated information provided by JiWire, Expedia.com shoppers can easily search for accommodations based on where wireless Internet is available when arranging their travel plans.

According to the Travel Industry Association (TIA), more than half (59%) of trips booked online include a hotel/motel/B&B stay. Additionally, the TIA cites searching for lodging as the second most popular aspect of online trip planning, with 53% of travelers using online sites for this important function.

“As the number of wireless Internet users has grown, it has become increasingly important for people to be able to rely on WiFi connections when they’re on the road,” said Kevin McKenzie, CEO of JiWire. “This year, more than half of all hotel accommodations will be purchased online. Our relationship with Expedia.com will give shoppers instant access to the type of information they’re looking for — and help them make the right decision about where to stay during their trip.”

About JiWire

Founded in 2003, JiWire provides information and services to help mobile professionals and computer enthusiasts find and connect to the wireless Internet. Through relationships with 400 Wireless Internet Service Providers (WISPs) and thousands of independent venues, JiWire offers the most comprehensive and up-to-date guide to verified public hotspots around the world as well as unbiased how-to guides, product reviews, and industry news. This critical information, combined with services to manage and securely connect to any wireless network, offers users everything they need to safely and easily connect without wires — anywhere. Customers include AvantGo, CNET Networks, iPass, PC World, and USATODAY.com, among others. JiWire.com was named one of the “50 Coolest Websites” by Time Magazine and is a recipient of a 2005 Mobility Award presented by MobileTrax. With over one million people using JiWire’s services, the company has created one of the world’s largest WiFi communities.

Radio reporters find hidden costs of NYC homeless housing deals

Homelessness is a perennial problem in New York. It’s the only city in the country where the homeless have a right to shelter within 24 hours of seeking help. That court order has undoubtedly helped a lot of people. However, it also spawned an informal, off-the-books “emergency” shelter system that we found was costing the city $180 million in 2003.

We became interested in that system when a source of Edding’s complained about his inability to break into the business. he was proud of the affordable housing he had created in the past 15 years for the homeless, the sick and the elderly. But all of his work had been done outside of New York. The source said he could not get anyone in the city’s Department of Homeless Services to do business with him. he said there was a “cartel” of operators who made a bundle charging the city exorbitant rates for often-squalid rooms in apartment buildings and single-room occupancy hotels. With the city’s homeless population nearing a record 30,000 people in the spring of 2003 (it’s now near 38,000), we decided to look into his claims.

Off-the-books deals

When we began this investigation, we expected to find a standard “pay-to-play” pattern. We thought we’d get a list of contractors, crosscheck it with campaign contributions and lobbying expenditures, and, voila, our story. But our investigation turned out to be anything but standard.

We started by asking the city comptroller’s office for a list of people who had received contracts for homeless housing business. We knew the names of many of the hotel owners, because sources had leaked to us an internal document of the Department of Homeless Services. We wanted the official numbers. Strangely, when we got the list of names from the comptroller, none of the names were on the list.

So, we asked for - and got - a meeting with the head contracts man at the comptroller’s office. We asked him to enter the names we knew into his system. Shockingly, none of the names was in the city’s central payments database. This system tracks, for example, contractual expenditures on office supplies; but payments to providers of emergency shelter for the homeless were not found.

We were to discover they were getting tens of millions of dollars of business, without contracts and without their paychecks passing through the comptroller’s office. In essence, the Department of Homeless Services (DHS) and the Human Resources Administration (HRA), which handles homeless people with AIDS, had constructed off-the-books arrangements for these landlords.

While some watchdogs and homeless advocates had criticized this arrangement from time to time, no one had ever taken a systemic look at the extent of these arrangements - or their corrosive effects. That’s what we set out to do.

Because the payment information wasn’t in the city’s central database, we asked each agency to supply us with five years of records on the amount of money spent on emergency homeless housing, the landlords they had paid, and the services they had received for their money.

HRA claimed it could not disclose its list of homeless hotels, citing the need to keep confidential the HIV status of those buildings’ residents. But HRA also was using client confidentiality to justify withholding the names of the landlords it dealt with, and how much those landlords had been paid. We threatened to sue the agency for that information under the state’s freedom of information law; HRA relented, providing us with the data four months after our initial request.

DHS took its time, but eventually gave us the figures we wanted, though not in the format we requested. While HRA had provided us with the data in Excel files, DHS gave us paper lists that we had to recreate as an Excel file. We used Microsoft Access to link the databases, so we could get information on the total payments to landlords, and compare payment patterns

We found the city was on track to spend more than $180 million dollars on homeless hotels and apartments - a five-fold increase in six years. Landlords were getting about $98 a night for their rooms - nearly $3,000 a month. Most of the money was going to a dozen landlords, many of whom have been in the business for decades.

David FuId was one of them. His hotels earned him $75 million between 1999 and 2003. he was the only landlord who would speak to us. It wasn’t a coincidence that his facilities were also clean, well-run and safe. Asked if he thought the industry was controlled by a tight-knit group, he said, “In the real estate industry, there are cross-investments and limited partnerships. I don’t think that’s uncommon in the media and the press, either.”

But a former city homeless official said, “It is a small group and they controlled the air in my room when I tried to address this issue, and they clearly have the city exactly where they want ‘em.”

Overnight homeless shelters

We now had a grasp of the extent of the system, and the confirmation of our original source’s claim that there was a small group of landlords that got most of the city’s homeless housing business. With our news director, John Keefe, and editor, Karen Frillmann, we drew up an outline: What was the problem? No contracts. What was the effect of no contracts? No oversight on spending and housing quality, and no input from the community. What do we want? Contracts!

Eddings set out to report the effect these “handshake hotels” had on their neighborhoods. When the city wants to open a facility, whether it’s a bus depot or a homeless shelter, it must hold several public hearings on the issue. If the city enters into a contract with a private vendor that’s worth more than $100,000, these arrangements also are subject to public hearings.

But these hotels and apartment buildings were privately owned; and even though our figures showed all but four of the city’s 61 homeless hotels were earning more than $100,000, these landlords did not have contracts with the city. No public input was required. While residents’ reaction to a homeless shelter on their block is often driven by stereotypes, people were not getting a chance to voice those fears and have city officials respond to them.

Neighbors spoke of watching apartment buildings, advertised as luxury condos, turn into homeless shelters overnight. They felt betrayed.

Meanwhile, Bernstein visited homeless people at dozens of hotels. At the Marion hotel on the Upper West Side, Jaqueline Davis, an HIV-positive homeless woman, wore a chain around her neck that jangled with keys from the homeless hotels she’s been in.

Adams, 35, has been in the shelter system since she was 17. Lengthy stays in these “emergency” hotels are typical. The rooms are often small and rank. Residents complained of vermin, of drug dealing in the halls, and of security guards who accepted bribes for the larger rooms.

One hotel in the Bronx was considered so dirty and unlivable, the Human Resources Administration stopped sending homeless people with HIV/AIDS there, claiming it was “medically inappropriate.” But once the building was emptied of people with AIDS, DHS filled it with pregnant women. A DHS spokesman said the facility was inspected before anyone was placed there, and conditions were deemed satisfactory.

Our figures showed that the hotel owner lost about $1.2 million worth of business from HRA after it stopped dealing with him. Meanwhile, his business with DHS went up, by almost exactly that amount.

Without contracts, city agencies did not know with whom they were doing business.Unlike the vendors in the city’s contracts database, there was no information about these landlords. Even city officials had no way of knowing a past performance record.

As we were nearing the air date of our three-part series, a spokesman for the city comptroller told us employees were completing an audit of the Department of Homeless Services. That audit was due to come out around the time of our reports, in late june. But Comptroller William Thompson did not release the audit until October 2003, and when he did, Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Homeless Services Commissioner Linda Gibbs were at his side.

They announced an effort “to increase the use of contracts with existing homeless facilities.”

“Good government means transparent management and accountability,” Bloomberg said. “And bringing more facilities into a formal contracting process will be better from every perspective.”

BY ANDREA BERNSTEIN AND AMY EDDINGS

WNYC-NEW YORK PUBLIC RADIO

Andrea Bernstein is political and investigative reporter for WNYC/New York Public Radio and a regular contributor to National Public Radio. Amy Eddings is currently WNYCs local host of NPR’s “All Things Considered.” “Handshake hotels” has received an IRE Award for Radio Reporting, the Newspaper Guild of America’s Heywood Broun Award, the Society of Professional Journalists’ Sigma Delta Chi Award for Best Investigative Reporting, the RTNDA Regional Edward R. Murrow Award for Best Investigative Reporting, and the New York State Associated Press Broadcasters Association award for best enterprise reporting.

After reviewing many hotels in the vicinity, SLA has agreed to designate the following hotels as its official conference hotels.

Why should you book your accommodations through the Housing Bureau using one of the official conference hotels?

* To ensure the best possible rates and added amenities, SLA needed to commit to a particular number of bookings at each hotel. We need your help fulfilling those commitments!

* The more rooms booked this year through the Housing Bureau, the better rates we’ll be able to negotiate for next year’s conference site.

* Booking through the Housing Bureau enables SLA to better anticipate attendance at conference events and plan accordingly.

* Booking through the Housing Bureau is fast and easy — we’ve done all the busy work for you!

Please help SLA get the most for your conference dollars by staying at one of the hotels listed below!

Headquarters:

The Westin Bonaventure 404 S. Figueroa Street

This landmark, located in the heart of downtown Los Angeles business district, is six blocks from the Los Angeles Convention Center and within walking distance of all major office buildings, attractions, restaurants, museums, and theaters. A gleaming cluster of five glass towers, the 35-story Westin features a six-level atrium lobby housing a five-story shopping gallery and a one-acre indoor lake. There are 40 shops, boutiques, and restaurants to choose from in the gallery. Rooms feature cable television, in-room movies, private bars, two telephones, hair dryers, irons and ironing boards, video checkout, and luxurious down pillows.

Guest Services: valet/laundry, 24-hour room service, business center, multilingual staff, currency exchange, in-room safes, child-care referral, physician referral, concierge, FAX, Telex, car rental, non-smoking floors, atrium shopping gallery, wheelchair access, and more.

Recreational Facilities: adjacent state-of-the-art fitness facility including tennis courts, is available to hotel guests for a nominal fee. Off the fourth level is an outdoor heated pool, deck and grassy park, set amidst the towering skyscrapers of downtown.

Room Rates: Single - $179; Double - $199

Additional Facilities:

Figueroa Hotel 939 S. Figueroa Street

The Figueroa Hotel can best be described as a fun ecclectic boutique hotel with a Mediterranean-Spanish decor. A twelve-story Mediterranean-style hotel (1926) located one and 1/2 blocks from the convention center and 16 miles from the airport. Rooms come with climate control, color TV, and phone. The hotel does have an outdoor heated pool, jacuzzi, garden, and gift shop.

Room Rates: Single - $114; Double - $118

Holiday Inn L.A. City Center 1020 S. Figueroa Street

Multistory commercial hotel is located one block from the convention center and 15 miles from the LA airport. The rooms are air-conditioned, with phone, radio and color TV. Suites are available and the hotel has nonsmoker’s floors. The hotel does have room service, restaurant, cocktail lounge, and a patio bar. Swimming pool and sundeck are available.

Room Rates: Single - $145; Double - $145

Hyatt Regency Los Angeles 711 S. Hope Street

Internationally renowned luxury hotel is centrally located in downtown’s business center, within walking distance of the Convention Center. The hotel is located at MCI Center, which also houses the Broadway Plaza shopping mall. The downtown contemporary luxury hotel features a dramatic lobby, 443 deluxe, spacious guest rooms with marble bathrooms, and 42 custom-designed suites.

Guest Services: valet/laundry, room service, concierge, currency exchange, turndown service, FAX, data port hook-up, car rental, non-smoking rooms, multilingual staff, gift shop, and handicapped access.

Recreational Facilities: The California lifestyle is yours to embrace with the Hyatt’s fully equipped complimentary fitness facilities, including Lifecycles and Stairmasters, and an adjoining outdoor sundeck and spa.

Room Rates: Single - $179; Double - $204

Los Angeles Athletic Club 431 W. 7th Street

This downtown hotel is close to the Federal Building. Guest rooms come with hair dryers, an iron/ironing board, bathrobes, a phone, a data port, a minibar, and a coffee maker. The hotel has rooms for nonsmokers. The facility does have three restaurants and two bars for hotel guests. Recreational facilities include an indoor swimming pool, basketball/volleyball, indoor running track, racquetball, handball, squash, spa with steam Jacuzzi, sauna, and massage. Parking is available.

Room Rates: Single - $134; Double - $134

Marriott Downtown

Los Angeles

333 S. Figueroa Street

All rooms have individual climate control, two telephones, modem access and voice mail, color TV, alarm clock radio, cable movie channels, in-mom pay movies, mini-bar, in-mom safe, and coffee maker. “The Room That Works” available at extra charge. The hotel is located diagonally across the street from the Headquarters Hotel.

Room Rates: Single - $175; Double - $175.

The Millenium Biltmore

Hotel

506 S. Grand Avenue

The Millenium Biltmore is located at the comer of Fifth Street and Grand Avenue, in the financial and cultural heart of Los Angeles. The Music Center, Civic Center, theaters, shopping and restaurants are within a few blocks of the hotel, and LAX is just 17 miles away.

Guest Services: Valet Laundry, 24-hour room service, concierge, currency exchange, child care, turndown service, FAX, voicemail, car rental, non-smoking rooms, multi lingual staff, gift shop, complimentary newspaper, tea, coffee, continental breakfast, hors d’oeuvres, cocktails, and handicapped access.

Recreational Facilities: Guests may enjoy complimentary use of the Biltmore Health Club, a full-service facility featuring a Roman spa-like pool, steam room, sauna, whirlpool, and Nautilus equipment. Massage and aerobics classes also are available.

Room Rates: Single - $169; Double - $189.

Wilshire Grand

930 Wilshire Boulevard

Located in downtown LA, the hotel is within walking distance to the Los Angeles Convention Center and many of the city’s corporate headquarters, as well as area shopping, cultural, and tourist attractions. It is a sophisticated, contemporary hotel offering classic style and service. Spacious rooms and suites offer guests the most up-to-date conveniences and amenities, including remote control color television, AM/FM radio, cable, in-room movies, minibars, and multiline telephones.

Guest Services: Valet/laundry, room service, complimentary hors d’oeuvres, tea/coffee, concierge, turndown service, FAX, Telex, car rental, non smoking rooms, multilingual staff, travel agency, barber/beauty shop, business services, shoe shine, zipout checkout, quick check program, and more.

Recreational Facilities: Full-service fitness center, outdoor heated pool, and sun deck.

Room Rates: Single - $149; Double - $159; Deluxe Single - $169; Deluxe Double - $174

Please read all instructions before completing the SLA Official Housing Request Form

* To receive the special SLA conference rate, use the housing request form to make your hotel reservations. Submit your requests over the Internet at http://LosAngeles.sla.org.

* The Housing Bureau also accepts phone calls: 1-800-370-8282 (answered from 9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. EST, M-F) or 1-404-584-7458 (answered from 9:00 am. to 5:30 p.m. EST, M-F). You can also mail your Housing Request Form to: SLA Housing Bureau, 240 Peachtree Street, Suite 22-S-10, Atlanta, GA USA 30303; fax it to: 1-404-584-0685.

* Reservations are processed on a first-come, first-served basis until May 8, 2002. You must indicate a hotel preference as instructed on the Housing Form, If your top choices are not available the Housing Bureau will assign you to a comparable hotel. After May 8, 2002, conference rates and hotel rooms will be based upon availability.

* Do not fax and mail your housing form.

* The Housing Bureau will acknowledge your reservation by fax within 24 hours after a reservation has been entered into the system. If a fax number is not available, notice will be sent by mail and should reach you at the address given within two to three working days after a reservation has been entered into the system. This will be the only confirmation that you will receive. If you do not receive notification within ten days, please contact the SLA Housing Bureau at 1-800-370-8282.

* Contact the Housing Bureau via phone or fax for all changes and cancellations. Please do not contact the hotel directly. Hotels will not accept direct phone calls for bookings, changes or cancellations.

* All reservations must be guaranteed by check, credit card, or money order. Advance check deposits should be sent and made out to Ambassadors Services Group, Inc. Do not send advance deposits to the hotels.

* Individuals requiring any special housing accommodations are urged to note the request on the housing request form. Every effort will be made to accommodate your request.

To avoid room charge cancellations must be received 72 hours prior to scheduled check-in.

* Please make all individual suite reservations with the Housing Bureau. All hospitality suites are based on availability and must be approved by SLA. No hospitality suites, sales meetings, or similar private entertaining should be scheduled during official conference programming. To do so violates SLA policy. SLA appreciates your cooperation on this matter.

Why Settle? Settle-In with Style and Comfort at the Envoy Club. Making its mark in the ever-growing extended-stay sector is the Envoy Club, 57 beautifully appointed Executive Studios and One and Two Bedroom Apartment Suites on the first seven floors of the Eastbridge Landing building, a recently built residential building developed by New York-based RFR Davis and located in the historic neighborhood of Murray Hill on 33rd Street at 1st Avenue.

Catering to business travelers, corporate relocators and individuals who wish to stay in Manhattan for a minimum of thirty days, the Envoy Club provides a viable alternative to pricey hotels with limited living space and few of the comforts of home. The finest in amenities provided by hotels apply, including 24-hour Concierge Services, Daily Maid Service, Valet Laundry d Dry Cleaning Services and on-site parking.

What sets the Envoy Club apart from its competitors is the high level of service offered as well as the wide variety of state-of-the-art high-tech perks available to the Corporate Guest.

According to Daniel Silva, General Manager of the Envoy Club, the biggest advantage to an extended-stay facility is that it offers fine hotel services and amenities at an excellent value for those individuals in need of residence for 30 days or more. “We make a special effort to give our guests a competitive edge while away from home and office, so we offer business amenities, such as personalized business cards, in-room fax machines, two-line phones with data port, voice-mail an caller ID.Plus, all suites are wired with high-speed, digital Internet access,” said Mr. Silva.

“But we also want them to feel entirely at home in New York City, and since a minimum Envoy Club stay is thirty days, all our apartments are designed for long-term sojourns. They are especially spacious, contain entertainment centers including VCRs, stereos, 25″ televisions and full kitchens equipped with dishwashers, microwaves, Royal Doulton china, flatware by Christofle, bathroom amenities by Molton Brown and an array of kitchen utensils that would even impress Julia Child! We will even shop in advance for guests so that favorite foods and beverages await them upon arrival.”

Other distinctions at the Envoy Club include a Business Center, a private Cinema Room, an on-site laundry room provided as an alternative to outsourced valet services, traditional White Glove Concierge Service with Maitre d’Etage on staff, state-of-the-art Fitness Center, and a “Pet Friendly” management for animal lovers.

The architect for Eastbridge Landing is Costas A. Kondylis, whose work in Manhattan includes 610 Park Avenue (former Mayfair Inn), 279 Central Park West, Paramount Tower and TriBeCa park. William T. Georgis, a former Associate in charge of decorative projects for architect Robert A.M. Stern, designed the interiors at the Envoy Club.

Among his projects is an installation of Ming dynasty furniture for Hickory Business Furniture and china and silver for Swid Powell. His work has been exhibited at the National Academy of Design and Columbia University and is included in the permanent collections of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, The Art Institute of Chicago and the Denver Art Museum.

“The Envoy Club at Eastbridge Landing is the first of such extended-stay hotels planned for New York,” said Silva.RFR Davis is currently in construction at 425 Fifth Ave. across from Lord & Taylor for a 67-story residential/office/retail mixed-use project, designed by renowned architect Michael Graves, which will become home to the second Envoy club.Expected opening is early 2003.

“We established the Envoy Club as the pre-eminent brand in the City,” said Daniel Silva. “It’s a name that equates with quality, comfort, reliability and a consistent level of service coupled with cutting edge high-tech equipment for the fast-paced business professional.”

Why Settle? Settle-In with Style and Comfort at the Envoy Club. Making its mark in the ever-growing extended-stay sector is the Envoy Club, 57 beautifully appointed Executive Studios and One and Two Bedroom Apartment Suites on the first seven floors of the Eastbridge Landing building, a recently built residential building developed by New York-based RFR Davis and located in the historic neighborhood of Murray Hill on 33rd Street at 1st Avenue.

Catering to business travelers, corporate relocators and individuals who wish to stay in Manhattan for a minimum of thirty days, the Envoy Club provides a viable alternative to pricey hotels with limited living space and few of the comforts of home. The finest in amenities provided by hotels apply, including 24-hour Concierge Services, Daily Maid Service, Valet Laundry d Dry Cleaning Services and on-site parking.

What sets the Envoy Club apart from its competitors is the high level of service offered as well as the wide variety of state-of-the-art high-tech perks available to the Corporate Guest.

According to Daniel Silva, General Manager of the Envoy Club, the biggest advantage to an extended-stay facility is that it offers fine hotel services and amenities at an excellent value for those individuals in need of residence for 30 days or more. “We make a special effort to give our guests a competitive edge while away from home and office, so we offer business amenities, such as personalized business cards, in-room fax machines, two-line phones with data port, voice-mail an caller ID.Plus, all suites are wired with high-speed, digital Internet access,” said Mr. Silva.

“But we also want them to feel entirely at home in New York City, and since a minimum Envoy Club stay is thirty days, all our apartments are designed for long-term sojourns. They are especially spacious, contain entertainment centers including VCRs, stereos, 25″ televisions and full kitchens equipped with dishwashers, microwaves, Royal Doulton china, flatware by Christofle, bathroom amenities by Molton Brown and an array of kitchen utensils that would even impress Julia Child! We will even shop in advance for guests so that favorite foods and beverages await them upon arrival.”

Other distinctions at the Envoy Club include a Business Center, a private Cinema Room, an on-site laundry room provided as an alternative to outsourced valet services, traditional White Glove Concierge Service with Maitre d’Etage on staff, state-of-the-art Fitness Center, and a “Pet Friendly” management for animal lovers.

The architect for Eastbridge Landing is Costas A. Kondylis, whose work in Manhattan includes 610 Park Avenue (former Mayfair Inn), 279 Central Park West, Paramount Tower and TriBeCa park. William T. Georgis, a former Associate in charge of decorative projects for architect Robert A.M. Stern, designed the interiors at the Envoy Club.

Among his projects is an installation of Ming dynasty furniture for Hickory Business Furniture and china and silver for Swid Powell. His work has been exhibited at the National Academy of Design and Columbia University and is included in the permanent collections of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, The Art Institute of Chicago and the Denver Art Museum.

“The Envoy Club at Eastbridge Landing is the first of such extended-stay hotels planned for New York,” said Silva.RFR Davis is currently in construction at 425 Fifth Ave. across from Lord & Taylor for a 67-story residential/office/retail mixed-use project, designed by renowned architect Michael Graves, which will become home to the second Envoy club.Expected opening is early 2003.

“We established the Envoy Club as the pre-eminent brand in the City,” said Daniel Silva. “It’s a name that equates with quality, comfort, reliability and a consistent level of service coupled with cutting edge high-tech equipment for the fast-paced business professional.”