Ambience matters --
just ask any contestant who has experienced the shadowy,
wood-paneled opulence of Donald Trump’s mid-Manhattan firing spot
on TV’s The Apprentice. Coupling cutting-edge amenities
with spectacular views, the following are among the world’s most
beautiful -- and beautifully equipped -- boardrooms.
Four Seasons Hotel San Francisco. The
private dining room known appropriately as Windows, at the 268-room
Four Seasons San Francisco, often doubles as a boardroom thanks to
its ideal size (capacity: 18) and panoramic views of bustling
Market Street. The hotel, just a short walk from the Moscone
Convention Center, offers more than 15,000 square feet of total
meeting space. (415) 633-3000; www.fourseasons.com/sanfrancisco
Shangri-La’s Rasa Ria Resort, Kota
Kinabalu, Malaysia. The boardroom meets the boardwalk in
any of the three gazebos at Shangri-La’s Rasa Ria, set along the
South China Sea. (The larger seats 10, the two smaller seat eight
each.) The 330-room resort offers 17,000 square feet of total
meeting space, which includes two ballrooms. (011) 6088-792-888; www.shangri-
la.com/kotakinabalu/rasaria/en/index.aspx
Hotel Lungarno, Florence, Italy.The
Sala Guarnieri room at the Hotel Lungarno offers a view of the
rustic Old Bridge over Florence’s gracefully winding Arno River.
It’s wise to book this 20-seat boardroom well in advance, as it is
the property’s sole meeting space. The 73-room boutique hotel is
just steps away from the famous Uffizi Gallery. (011)
39-055-2726-4000; www.lungarnohotels.com
Sheraton Centre Toronto Hotel.
The 43rd-floor Club Boardroom at the Sheraton Toronto seats 14 and
offers a bird’s-eye view of the city, with one of the world’s
tallest buildings -- the CN Tower -- up close and personal. The
1,377-room hotel offers approximately 116,000 square feet of total
space divided among nearly 60 meeting rooms, including the
20,213-square-foot Grand Ballroom. (416) 361-1000; starwood.webcanada.com/sct
Doubletree Guest Suites Times Square-New York
City. Overlooking a revitalized Times Square, the 460-room
Doubletree New York City provides a number of meetings-friendly
vantage points from above all the action. Each of the property’s 12
conference suites has tables seating eight, plus a living room with
couch. Five more meeting rooms totaling 6,000 square feet round out
the options. On a clear day, attendees can see well into New
Jersey. (212) 719-1600; www.doubletree.com
Island Shangri-La, Hong Kong. The Harbour Room at the
531-room Island Shangri-La is on the 56th floor and overlooks
Victoria Harbour -- and beyond. Seating up to 20 people for
boardroom-style meetings, the posh venue is connected to an
exclusive roof garden that can accommodate up to 300. Island
Shangri-La also features an additional 10 meeting rooms large
enough for banquets and receptions. (011) 852-2877-3838; www.shangri-la.com/hongkong/island/en/
index.aspx
Sheraton Vancouver Wall Centre Hotel,
Canada. Lined with indigenous artwork from Asia and
Africa, the 733-room Sheraton Vancouver’s Chartroom is beautifully
perched over downtown Vancouver -- just ask the Dalai Lama, one of
many celebrities who have attended meetings here. The table seats
12, and the room accounts for 300 of the 49,000 total square feet
of meeting space at the property. (604) 331-1000 www.sheratonwallcentre.com
The Drake Hotel, Chicago.The landmark
535-room Drake Hotel, on Michigan Avenue’s Magnificent Mile,
affords views of both the downtown Loop district and Lake Michigan
from its stately Lakeshore Boardroom, which seats 20. The hotel
offers 19 meeting venues in all, spanning approximately 30,000
square feet of total space. (312) 787-2200; www.thedrakehotel.com
Pan Pacific Singapore.This recently revamped 775-room
property offers the awe-inspiring Coral Suite on the 22nd floor,
with seating for 20 and expansive views of Marina Bay. The property
features a total 32,000 square feet of meeting space divided among
24 meeting and banquet venues. (011) 65-6336-8111; singapore.panpacific.com