The Hilton Boston Logan Airport, with 600 guest rooms--and space to expand by another 300 rooms--recently opened, almost three months ahead of schedule. The $100 million hotel offers a quiet respite (No, I really mean it!) in the middle of the seventh-busiest international gateway to the United States. All guest rooms have extra-large windows with soundproof glass and casings, bringing the spectacular views of Boston's skyline, harbor, and airport inside while leaving the noise outside. Rooms feature dual-line phones with voice mail, data ports with high-speed Internet access, and conference calling. The top floor of the hotel is Hilton's 75-room Executive Level.

The grand and junior ballrooms share a reception area covered by the hotel's sweeping, 65-foot skylight, which also soars above the spacious lobby. All 30,000 square feet of meeting space are on one level, and many meeting rooms feature city views. An on-site conference manager is available, as is a fully equipped business center and a 6,600-square-foot European-style spa and fitness center.

Best of all, the hotel is a short walk by skybridge (with movable walkway) from terminals A and E (the international hub). "Zip in" check-in means guests with reserved rooms board a private van at the arrival gate, present their credit card during the five-minute ride to the hotel, and receive their room keys upon stepping off the van. --Barbara L. Brewer

More than 1,000 readers of the Missouri business magazine Ingram's voted Kansas City Marriott Downtown the Best Meeting Facility in the city in the magazine's first Best of Business Kansas City competition.

The hotel is in the heart of the city's business, theater, and government district and is adjacent to the Kansas City Convention Center. It consists of two towers: the modern 573-room Marriott Tower is connected by skybridge to the recently opened 410-room Muehlebach Tower and its adjoining renovated historic Muehlebach Hotel lobby and public areas. The towers combined offer 100,000 square feet of meeting space, including a 17,040-square-foot ballroom and a 12,000-square-foot exhibit hall. The hotel also has a health club with indoor lap pool, two full-service restaurants, and two lounges.