Hertz rental car discount

SWEEPING CHANGE. REVOLUTION. UPHEAVAL. Transformation. Whatever you care to call it, the business travel market is experiencing it right now.

But even in these lean and uncertain times, our latest Business Travel Awards winners are still going out of their way to cater to business travelers' growing needs. Interestingly, several previous (some perennial) Business Travel Awards winners are the very companies that are flourishing today. Prior winners such as AirTran, Frontier and Southwest are now the darlings of the air travel market. Hampton Inn, Holiday Inn Express and W Hotels are leading the pack in their respective hotel segments in many ways. In addition, Payless and Thrifty are currently picking up where the major car rental companies have left off.

Because it's becoming increasingly important to get a bigger bang out of very business travel buck, we've found other companies worthy of joining the ranks of our previous winners. So look no further than our 10th annual Business Travel Awards for help in your search for value. This is not a formal or scientific survey, just a subjective list of suppliers who offer affordable options to value-driven travelers everywhere.

BEST CAR-RENTAL COMPANY: ENTERPRISE

With the airport "hassle factor" looming large in every business traveler's mind, more are opting to literally hit the road in a rental car instead of taking to the skies. But choosing the right car-rental company is an increasingly complex task for the value-conscious, independent traveler.

Our suggestion? Enterprise. Why? Because you get exactly what you pay for--nothing more, nothing less--which is a good thing these days. Don't expect fancy red carpets, onboard satellite radios, frequent-flier miles or other perks that bump up rates at other rental-car companies. At Enterprise, you'll find pleasant, helpful employees, easy reservations, well-maintained cars and low rates.

By providing these basic features consistently, Enterprise has won the highest rankings in J.D. Power and Associates surveys for the past four years--unseating such perennial full-service rentalcar companies as Avis and Hertz. Enterprise says that its success at airport locations is largely due to a winning combination of unique customer service and low rates, which usually run about 20 percent less than its competitors.

In addition, frequent car renters can nab even lower rates by simply signing up for Enterprise's Corporate Glass program (call 877-881-5500 for more information).

While the company has been around for many years serving local markets, in 1998, it jumped into the airport market and is currently on-site at about 125 of the top U.S. airports. For more details, call (8oo) RENT-A-CAR or visit www.enterprise.com.

BEST HIGH-END HOTEL: KIMPTON GROUP

You may not have heard of the Kimpton Group, but you've probably heard the name of at least one of its 40 stylish boutique hotels that combine both affordability with personality in 15 cities across the country--such as the Hotel Monaco in Denver and Washington, DC; the Vintage Park in Seattle; the Allegro in Chicago; or any one of 17 unique boutique hotels in the chain's home town of San Francisco.

The company's M.O. is renovating and repositioning old buildings into charming hotels which feature popular restaurants. Each hotel has a cozy, living room-like lobby where guests can enjoy a free wine-tasting session each evening.

Rooms feel almost residential and even a little bit funky--but don't be fooled by their quirky design. All the rooms are thoroughly modern, with, among other things, two-line phones; high-speed Internet access; new, oversized bathrooms; large, well-lighted desks; and fully stocked mini-bars.

Affordability is yet another important key to Kimpton Group's hotel success--rates run $100 to $200 per night, and they are usually about 25 to 30 percent less than other comparable hotels nearby.

To find out more about the hotel chain, call (8oo) KIMPTON or log on to www.kimptongroup.com.

BEST MIDPRICED HOTEL: HILTON GARDEN INN

Once you've tried a Hilton Garden Inn, it's hard to go back to any other chain. Dipping into its deep and vast reservoir of experience in the hotel business, as well as a lot of customer research, Hilton created the Garden Inn concept in 1996 to help attract a new and growing breed of value-conscious business travelers: that is, those who are no longer willing to pay for the costly trappings of large-scale hotels but still need more than just the basic amenities the inexpensive budget hotel brands have to offer.

The 150-plus Hilton Garden Inns across the country (all newly built) deliver everything you need to conduct your business, including such amenities as an oversized desk and two-line phone, free high-speed Internet access and a convenient 24-hour business center.

If you plan on staying in the area for several days, you'll surely appreciate homey touches such as an in-room microwave, a mini-fridge and an easy chair with an ottoman. Don't feel like going out? You can swing by each hotel's 24-hour "Pavilion Pantry" for a snack, or eat at the hotel's full-service restaurant.

The best part about the Hilton's new hotel concept, however, is its consistency: Each Garden Inn offers the same pleasant experience at reasonable rates that will keep you from blowing your travel budget (from $80 to $180 per night). Log on to www.hiltongardeninn. com or call (8oo) 774-1500 for further details.

BEST LOW-PRICED HOTEL: HOLIDAY INN EXPRESS

On any given evening, at any given freeway interchange, there are several economy hotels welcoming a mix of business travelers and vacationers. If there is a Holiday Inn Express in the area, it'll be the first to sell out of rooms for the night. That's because the chain's 1,200-plus properties consistently offer budget-minded travelers a fresh and uncomplicated hotel stay at a good price--about $65 to $85 per night, which includes a breakfast and free local phone calls.

If you're already on the Holiday Inn Express circuit, you'll be pleased to know the chain is upgrading its free breakfast offering, adding cinnamon rolls, gourmet coffee, and more protein and fresh fruit. Even better, the chain will add at least 100 new locations this year. For more information, call (800) HOLIDAY or visit www. hiexpress.com.

BEST MAJOR AIRLINE:

AMERICA WEST

Have you flown America West lately? If not, it might be time to give the airline another try After years of lagging at the bottom of on-time performance and complaint rankings, flirting with bankruptcy and angering customers, the airline installed new management, and, within months, a remarkable turnaround was underway.

First, the airline got its operational house in order, and now it sits at or near the top of on-time performance rankings. Last spring, the airline tackled the problem of an unwieldy, major-airline fare structure and threw it out.

In its place are simplified, business-friendly fares that offer customers reasonable prices on tickets bought on short notice, and with no aggravating "Saturday night stayover." These radical moves enraged major carriers, which retaliated with fare wars in America West's Phoenix and Las Vegas hubs. But America West hung on.

The plan is working. Bookings and revenues are up, delays are down, and America West is coming to the rescue of value-conscious travelers seeking an inexpensive way to fly between western cities, or from coast to coast.

For example, transcontinental travelers who are willing to make a quick stop at America West hubs in Phoenix or Las Vegas pay 40 to 70 percent less than those using nonstops on major airlines. Even better, America West also offers a 5 percent discount on all tickets to small companies that are enrolled in its Corporate Awards program (free enrollment online or call 800-601-6002).

America West is currently the eighth largest carrier in the country and flies to 92 cities in the United States, Canada and Mexico. For more information, log on to www.americawest.com or call (800) 2-FLY-AWA.

BEST LOW-COST AIRLINE: JETBLUE AIRWAYS

Skeptics scoffed when JetBlue took off for the first time from its hub at New York's Kennedy Airport in February 2000. There had been too many stories of airlines soaring momentarily, then ending up in the increasingly large dustbin of failed airline start-ups.

But after three years of practical, well-thought-out expansion, and glowing reviews from passengers and the media, business travelers can't get their JetBlue tickets fast enough. Why? Because the airline offers just about everything a thrifty business traveler could want.