National Report--With many high-end properties in the United States experiencing strong increases in business, firmer rate structures and loyal clients booking advance repeat stays, it looks as though luxury hotels are the darlings of the industry's latest positive growth trend.

And why not? Luxury hotels are perfectly positioned for the upcycle, as business travelers hit the road with less stringent travel budgets and leisure travelers seek creature comforts greater than those they have at home--and are willing to pay for them.

"Demand is strong and getting stronger, so we are seeing a significant change in rate structure, particularly in New York City where the [demand] pressure is high," said Tom Downing, general manager of the 168-room Trump Hotel & Tower located in Manhattan. An increasing number of sold-out evenings are hitting the books at the Trump Hotel, noted Downing, who said it has enabled the hotel to gradually raise rates by about 4 percent to 8 percent over the past year.

"And we don't expect that to slow down in 2005 or 2006," he said.

Having already built a strong, loyal business clientele primarily through the entertainment and financial industries, the Trump Hotel & Tower is concentrating its efforts on attracting the leisure traveler returning to New York by offering family packages with value add-ons such as free overnight parking and an escorted bike ride in Central Park.

"We are also seeing our business clients returning more often," Downing said. "Companies are encouraging people to entertain and have more face-time with their clients."

At The Delamar, an ultra-luxurious, 82-room property in Greenwich, Conn., there is an increasing demand trend, particularly with business travelers who are no longer shy about prebooking repeat stays.

"High-level corporate executives who are doing business in the area that may have been staying at Marriott or Wyndham are trading up to stay with us as their purse strings loosen," said Jonathan Wise, g.m. "In fact, we are even seeing executives that are still limited with regard to travel spending pay the difference in rate from their travel allowance to stay with us because they want to be in this type of environment."

As demand at The Delamar grows, the hotel has been able to manage yield better, leading to a slight increase in rates.

"We have also been able to slowly decrease our use of third-party online distributors," Wise said. "We now get most of our business through our own Web site, Small Luxury Hotels' distribution channels or via word-of-mouth."

Coupling the upscale environment of The Delamar with services such as complimentary port and sherry upon arrival, a free copy of The New York Times daily and free local shuttle service during the week via a town car, the hotel also has made an impression on leisure travelers.

"Our guests want to come here because they get pampered and they don't mind paying for it," Wise said.

Meanwhile, the Ritz-Carlton Atlanta is basking in the glow of returning corporate meetings, which had fallen off dramatically during the industry downturn. The 444-room hotel, like most in the downtown Atlanta area, depends heavily on group business and corporate travelers.

"The return of corporate meetings business is clearly driving the additional business we are experiencing," said Mark Ferland, g.m., Ritz-Carlton Atlanta. "We are seeing quite a bit more sales meetings and recognition gatherings at our hotel as corporate America attempts to take care of their sales executives to keep profits moving in a positive direction. They have high regard for the Ritz-Carlton name and want to show their employees how important they are by bringing them here."

Several corporate clients that recently booked at the Ritz-Carlton have in fact traded up from various other hotels, Ferland said, underscoring the willingness of these companies to spend a bit more for a high-end hotel experience. With demand rising, the hotel has even been able to negotiate slight increases in rate among its corporate clientele over the past year.

"We have seen about a 5-percent increase over the last year," Ferland said.

Similarly, the Regent Beverly Wilshire in Los Angeles also is experiencing a spike in demand, which has allowed the property to more effectively yield manage its 399-room inventory, particularly its suites.

"As our business has improved, we find we sell out of our traditional rooms faster," said Don Jones, director of marketing. "That creates more demand for our high-end category rooms and suites, which we yield manage much more carefully."

As a result, the hotel expects to have a much stronger year in 2005, he said.

An increase in leisure business, particularly from travelers in and around the area, round out the positive trend at the Regent Beverly Wilshire, said Jones, who noted the hotel is offering several new packages to take advantage of the rising demand, including a free night's stay with three nights booked at rack rate.