Lightening the traveler's load

Tighter airport security all but eliminated the frequent-flier game of "how much carry-on luggage can I jam in the plane?"

So a top-tier Sarasota hotel hopes to play off business road warriors' aversion to waiting at the baggage claim belt. The Ritz-Carlton Sarasota is promoting "luggage-less" travel for frequent business travelers.

Stay at the Ritz at least four nights monthly and the hotel will store your clothes and personal items for free between visits. The Ritz also will do your laundry and dry cleaning, replace toiletries and fill your room closet before arrival.

The hotel has a posted daily rate of $395 a night, but is getting an average daily rate of about $200 a night during peak season. And it's promoting offers as low as $129 to fill rooms this summer. "We have several regulars who would qualify for luggage-less travel, but so far nobody has done it," said Alisa Bennett, spokeswoman for the 266-room hotel.

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