A stone's throw from Wall Street, the financial services industry has found an oasis in Manhattan: The Ritz-Carlton, Battery Park. One investment firm books 10 percent of the hotel's room nights annually, according to Hotel Manager David Chase. But this 5-year-old charmer is more than a local favorite. For incentive programs or board meetings, the 298-room property combines uptown luxury (Bulgari in the bath, Frette on the bed, Prada in the spa), downtown excitement, and a breath of fresh air in the city.

A centerpiece of Lower Manhattan's renewal, the 39-story tower is perched at the tip of the island along the beautiful Battery Park esplanade. Inside, art deco-inspired design is cool and sophisticated. But what really strikes you is the space and light. The Ritz-Carlton, Battery Park feels airy, looking out across the harbor to the Statue of Liberty and the vast sky beyond.

Meeting space includes ballrooms of 4,500 and 1,800 square feet. Technologically, the hotel can manage connections between meeting rooms as well as external videoconferencing and satellite and broadcast hookups.