The Business Traveler North America Award Winners 2024: Hotels and Properties

Best Independent Hotel Company

Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group

Mandarin Oriental / Photo: Courtesy of Mandarin Oriental

Mandarin Oriental has few peers when it comes to upscale international hospitality. The luxury hotel company that first turned heads skyward as The Mandarin Hong Kong in 1963 has no intention of slowing down. “Fans of the Exceptional, Every Day, Everywhere” captures the essence of Mandarin Oriental as it embarks on a 10-year push bringing new properties to aspirational locations, unveiling wellness initiatives and immersive activities, and amassing more Michelin stars than any other hotel portfolio of its size.
—Lark Gould

Multiple Awards

Marriott International and Marriott Bonvoy

Marriott International / Photo: Courtesy of Marriott International

Best Business Hotel Company North America
Best Hotel Loyalty Program
Best Hotel Company for Conferences

Marriott International has proved to be a powerhouse. Earning Best Business Hotel Company in North America, the Marriott umbrella encompasses 5,834 locations in the U.S. amid over 30 brands.

Through expansion projects, robust loyalty opportunities and, not surprisingly, creative connectivity tools for events, Marriott International and Marriott Bonvoy are striking gold with business travelers and meeting planners. All this bodes well for a company that got its start as a Washington, D.C., root beer stand in 1927.

But being on top has its responsibilities, and these now extend to an ambitious net-zero emissions policy by 2050. The goal aligns the hotel group with the needs of business travelers, event planners and corporate travel companies and underscores recent Connect Responsibly initiatives by the hotel company.

Marriott Bonvoy / Photo: Courtesy of Marriott International

“Meetings and events are important for Marriott,” says senior VP of global sales Tammy Routh. “And our customers are eager to participate in sustainability efforts. Connect Responsibly expands ongoing initiatives and strengthens our focus on sustainability in hospitality.” Furthering its popularity are robust and extensive loyalty programs with Marriott Bonvoy, now bolstered by “fifth night free” promotions and PointSavers programs. “With a membership base of over 210 million members and growing, Marriott Bonvoy is a key competitive advantage,” says Anthony Capuano, president and chief executive officer. “We remain focused on enhancing the loyalty program’s benefits and finding new ways to engage with our members both on and off property.”
—Lark Gould

Multiple Awards

Hilton and Homewood Suites by Hilton

Waldorf Astoria / Photo: Courtesy of Hilton

Best Business Hotel Company World
Best Brand for Extended Stays

Hilton operates hotels such as Waldorf Astoria, Conrad and LXR in a portfolio covering 24 brands amid 8,300 properties in 138 countries. Hilton put hospitality on the map, starting a century ago with Conrad Hilton’s first Texas location showcasing cold running water and public AC. Always expanding, Hilton is joining up with NoMad, AutoCamp, Small Luxury Hotels of the World and Graduate Hotels as new noteworthy brands add to its luster.

Homewood Suites / Photo: Courtesy of Hilton

But it is the Homewood Suites line that is gaining appreciation and accolades from road warriors on extended-stay jaunts. These suites are easy fill-ins for apartments, offering a living room, bedroom and kitchen space. A refrigerator, microwave, dishwasher, dining ware and cooking appliances are all standard.

To make this home away from home cozier, guests can attend complimentary evening socials with wine, beer and refreshments. And breakfast is always free—whether it’s eggs done right, overnight oatmeal or the celebrated Taco Tuesday breakfast bar.
—Lark Gould

Best Wellness Resort

Joali Being Maldives

Joali Being Maldives / Photo: Courtesy of Joali Being Maldives

This “island of well-being” in the Maldives takes travelers on an immersive healing journey. The wellness quest begins with a pre-trip questionnaire to share current health habits, with more than 60 experts ready to help guests fine-tune their minds, skin, microbiome and energy throughout their stay. On-site, the well-being amenities abound: a salt-inhalation room, a chamber for cryotherapy, a hydrotherapy hall, an overwater deck for antigravity yoga, and a discovery sound path. Not to mention the Maldives’ largest fitness center.
—Stephanie Vermillion

Best Restaurant Group

José Andrés Group

José Andrés Group / Photo: Courtesy of José Andrés Group

This collection has a purpose that goes beyond entertaining and serving great food. Following its self-proclaimed and well-achieved mission, “To Change the World Through the Power of Food,” the team is driven by the company’s core values. The story began in 1993, when Rob Wilder and Roberto Alvarez convinced young José Andrés to open Jaleo in Washington, D.C. Andrés’ corporate dining program currently encompasses a variety of authentic concepts, including Spanish, Greek, Mexican, Peruvian and American, each featuring unique storytelling highlighting travel, experimentation and discovery. From D.C.’s China Chilcano and Fish in the Bahamas to Las Vegas’ Bar Centro, Andrés keeps busy while continuing to feed those in need through his nonprofit World Central Kitchen.
—Terry Zarikian

Best Golf Resort

The American Club

The American Club / Photo: Courtesy of The American Club

With four highly ranked golf courses and lodgings including a lakeside inn, luxurious private cabins and a historic resort, Kohler, Wisconsin’s American Club is this year’s winner of Best Golf Resort. Fans of the Royal and Ancient Game can take on a portfolio of Pete Dye’s best work, including waterside Whistling Straits (home of four major championships and the Ryder Cup, as well as resident Scottish Blackface sheep); the Irish course, a linksy windswept target layout set in coastal dunes; and the River and Meadow Valleys courses at Blackwolf Run, which caper across rolling glacier-carved terrain beside the Sheboygan River. Resort and spa experiences combine open Midwestern friendliness with throwback old-school formality (think dinner jackets). High levels of service and a natural setting help The American Club exceed even the expectations set by its many awards.
—Jeff Wallach

Best Coworking Brand

The Malin

The Malin / Photo: Courtesy of The Malin

The Malin, a boutique coworking club, has grown to seven locations, with an eighth on the way. The Malin offers a place to work with everything you want—comfort and amenities of home—without distractions. Within its footprint, find dedicated desks, private offices, meeting rooms, phone booths, a library and a kitchen filled with bespoke furnishings, bold graphic art and old-world details (bonus points for the natural light effect that has become a hallmark of its locations). While The Malin is not a social club, members can access concierge and executive assistant services. Inevitably, some unique connections are bound to form in a space with so many like-minded professionals.
—Melinda Sheckells

Best Private Club Brand

Soho House

Soho House / Photo: Courtesy of Katty Cantalamessa

Arguably the monarch of all member clubs, Soho House grew its membership to more than 264,000 people worldwide by the end of June, with 111,000 potential members on the application list. In 2024, Portland and São Paulo joined the roster, and new locations are planned for Charleston, Manchester, Milan, Madrid and Tokyo. Soho House continues to evolve its hospitality offerings to keep up with its jet-setting creative membership base. Look for many planned transformations and additions such as Soho Pool House Barcelona and a 200-room hotel in Sydney.
—Melinda Sheckells

Best Global Sustainability Initiative

Meliá Travel for Good

Meliá Hotels / Photo: Courtesy of Meliá Hotels International

Meliá Hotels knows tourism brands are integral to the United Nations’ sustainable-development goals. That’s why the Spanish company introduced its Travel for Good sustainability strategy in 2022. The program integrates environmental responsibility across five key areas: sustainable design, such as its cutting-edge prototype for carbon neutrality; reducing energy by more than 70 percent by 2035; monitoring and minimizing water consumption; elimination of single-use plastics and reduced food waste; and protecting local biodiversity. The program also calls for diversifying its workforce, particularly at the managerial level, while generating positive community impact through philanthropy and employing and training vulnerable populations who lack equitable access to the job market.
—Stephanie Vermillion