How To Make The Most of Your Next Business Trip

Business travelers are increasingly extending business trips to experience new destinations because, why not? Food and dining are big drivers in the change, as is the opportunity to bring the family along. Whether traveling to Tokyo or Nashville, D.C. or Dubai, I’ve selected my top five picks to help make the most of your next business trip.

Ready to start planning? Send me an email at Lswanson@departurelounge.com to get started.

When in Tokyo...

An Oasis in The Heart of the City - Hoshinoya Tokyo brings the hot springs mind-set to the heart of the Otemachi business district. The scent of incense wafts through the city’s first luxury ryokan inn, which inhabits an entire 17-story tower; each floor, accessible only by its guests, is designed like a typical Japanese inn. True to tradition, the 84 rooms are minimally furnished with soft, cotton futons and soaking tubs; tatami-mat-covered halls lead to a shared lounge with a library, sofas and dining area for tea and morning miso soup.

Book with me and you receive: Upgrade on arrival, subject to availability; Complimentary in-room full Japanese or Western Breakfast for two daily for duration of the stay; Tea Ceremony Experience; Complimentary Wi-Fi; Early check-in/late check-out, subject to availability.

When in Dubai...

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Gateway to the Middle East - Located on the northern Musandam Peninsula, just two hours from Dubai International Airport in the Sultanate of Oman, Six Senses Zighy Bay is set in indigenous village style accommodations. The peninsula's rugged mountains which rises up to 2,100 meters above the coast and just into the Strait of Hormuz have a spectacular fjord-like look. It is no wonder that Musandam is also called "The Norway of the Middle East.” What’s more, where else can you paraglide upon arrival and depart by traditional yacht?

Book with me and you'll receive: Upgrade on arrival, subject to availability; Complimentary Daily Breakfast; A complimentary 50-minute massage for up to two people, per room, once during stay; Early check-in/late check-out, subject to availability; Complimentary Wi-Fi

When in Nashville...

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Stay Awhile in Music City –In its heyday, The Hermitage Hotel, Nashville’s grande dame, hosted everyone from Hank Williams to Patsy Cline in its banquet rooms. Updated for the 21st century, the beaux arts–style hotel added a new stanza with 122 refreshingly refined accommodations. The elegant Capitol Grille is the epitome of sustainable Southern cuisine, sourcing ingredients from a farm just miles away.

Book with me and you'll receive: Upgrade at time of arrival, subject to availability; Complimentary Full breakfast for two daily for duration of the stay, in restaurant; $100 USD Food & Beverage credit to be utilized during stay (not combinable, no cash value if not redeemed in full); Complimentary Wi-Fi; Early check-in/late check-out, subject to availability.

When in Washington...

Small Town Americana Meets International Culinary Stage – Just outside of Washington, D.C., is The Inn at Little Washington. Proprietor Patrick O’Connell abandoned acting for the “living theater” of his renowned farm-to-table restaurant, one of the world’s first. The Inn’s 24 bedrooms and suites, individually appointed by London set designer Joyce Evans, are equally dramatic; many feature balconies and serene garden views. Take one of the complimentary bicycles out for a leisurely ride into the surprisingly sophisticated historic town, founded in 1769.

Book with me and receive: Upgrade on arrival, subject to availability; Full breakfast daily for up to two in-room guests, served in restaurant; Copy of Magnificent Obsession, Authored by Chef Patrick O'Connell; The Inn at Little Washington tea towel and a jar of house made The Inn at Little Washington jam; Early check-in/late check-out, subject to availability; Complimentary Wi-Fi.

When in Shanghai...

Sanctuary in the City - Just outside downtown Shanghai, a cherished camphor forest sets the scene for Aman's fourth destination in China: Amanyangyun. This refreshing retreat is the result of painstaking efforts to save Ming- and Qing-dynasty dwellings, which have been reassembled, brick by ancient brick, to create the peaceful, refined spaces that guests enjoy today. 

Contact me to learn more about exclusive perks and amenities.