Having bespoke suits, shirts and shoes tailor made in Hong Kong is a sartorial rite-of-passage for many business travellers to "The Fragrant Harbour". It's quick, convenient, and your new clothes can be shipped back to you with a minimum of fuss.

The trouble is that it can be exhausting looking for the best quality, fair prices and good service in a city as teeming with tailors as Hong Kong. Luckily for you business travellers we've done the legwork so you can use your precious down time for more client schmoozing or to sample the delights of Lan Kwai Fong.

GET SUITED

The British Textile Company: Danny Tam's business has been running since the 1960s when it began in Shanghai. His hand crafted suits, made from English and Italian fabrics, take a week to complete and require two to three fittings. Prices for a tailor made suit range from approximately HKD 4,000 to HKD 8,000 depending on the quality of the fabric. In order to get the perfect fit, Danny recommends coming with a good idea of the style you want so that you can give them the best instructions possible. Orders can be placed from overseas and door-to-door delivery generally costs 10% of the total order. You can also have shirts, coats, waistcoats, dinner jackets, morning suits and ladies' clothes made here.
The British Textile Company, Shop G17, Ground Floor, Holiday Inn Shopping Mall, 50 Nathan Road, Kowloon, Hong Kong; Tel: +852 2730 3464; Fax: +852 2735 4999; Email: tkw1122@netvigator.com.

A-Man Hing Cheong Co. Ltd: This tailors has been up and running since 1898 and its success is tenable by merit of its super smart location in the Mandarin Oriental Hotel. Suits take five to seven days to make and require three fittings. The fabrics on offer are of the highest quality, imported from the UK or Italy. Prices for a bespoke suit range from HKD 8,000 to HKD 20,000, so excellence doesn't come cheap (they have to pay the rent somehow…). The good news is that once they have your measurements on file you can call or email in your orders and they will ship the finished product anywhere in the world to you for free.
A-Man Hing Cheong Co., Ltd, Unit M2 Mezz. Floor, Mandarin Oriental Hotel, 5 Connaught Road, Central, Hong Kong; Tel: +852 2522 3336; Fax: +852 2523 4707; Email: amhcltd@netvigator.com.

GET BOOTED

Mayer Shoe Co.: Quite literally follow in the footsteps of Henry Kissinger, local Tai-pans, and Hong Kong's former governors at this famous 46-year old shop. Also located in the glitzy Mandarin Oriental Hotel, the Mayer Shoe Co. specializes in bespoke ladies and gents shoes made from top notch European and American leather. The shoemakers can copy styles from a magazine picture, remake your favourite pair of banged up brogues, or you can choose from their collection of house styles. A pair of tailor made shoes takes between seven and ten days to make and costs from HKD 3,500.
Mayer Shoe Co., M-3 Mandarin Oriental Hotel Arcades, 5 Connaught Road, Central, Hong Kong; Tel: +852 2524 3317; Fax: +852 2524 5513; Email: mayerhk@netvigator.com.

Kow Hoo Shoes: Kow tow to Kow How: beautiful, butter soft handmade shoes are the order of the day at this 82-year old company. The shoemaker is also an octogenarian, so it takes six to eight months for each pair to be ready; sadly, shoemaking by hand is a dying trade. Each customer has a wooden shoe last crafted to the exact shape of their feet, so once you have ordered from Kow Hoo once you can email or fax across any style you like to be made to your exact specifications. You can also choose send in your old shoes to be remade if you've lost a pair you love. The leathers come from Europe, and exotic skins can be sourced if the fancy takes you. Prices start from HKD 6,800 and international shipping costs about HKD 280.
Kow Hoo Shoes, Shop 241, Prince's Building, 10 Chater Road, Central, Hong Kong. Tel: +852 2523 0489; Fax: +852 2877 1783; Email: kowhoo@hotmail.com.

GET SHIRTY

Best Shirt Maker Company: Tommy Lo has been doing his company's name proud since 1968, and his bespoke shirts have attracted Hollywood stars to the shop above Wellington Street. Fabrics at the Best Shirt Maker Company come from Japan, the UK and Italy – the finest being the Italian ones – and samples can be sent overseas. Prices start at HKD 400 for a tailor made shirt from Japanese cotton and go up to HKD 1,000+ for a bespoke Italian number. Allow one week for shirts to be made; if you live abroad you can email or call in your orders and Tommy will ship them.
Best Shirt Maker Company, Flat C, 1/F, Fortuna Building, 63 – 69 Wellington Street, Central, Hong Kong; Tel: +852 2525 3562; Fax: (Call before sending) +852 2110 0835; Email: best_shirt_maker@hotmail.com.

If you have had any good experiences having suits and shirts tailored and shoes handmade for you in Hong Kong we'd love to hear from you. Please leave your tips and comments below.

Image Credits: Suit via iStockPhoto; Shoe Last by Artbandito

Business travellers may be a road-weary lot, but we think that this selection of Christmas goodies will fill them with holiday cheer; we hope they please the road warrior in your life!

Heavenly Travel Blanket

There's nothing worse than being uncomfortable when you're travelling long-distance or overnight to an important meeting – so avoid it. Indulge your favourite business traveller with the Heavenly Travel Blanket from Westin. We've all heard the hype about their duvets, pillows and bed linens, and now the "heavenly" experience has been packaged up and made road ready. Opened up, it's a full sized blanket – folded it's a compact travel pillow. Nifty huh?!
Price USD 60 (ships internationally). Available online at www.westin.com/store.

Passport Cover

It's funny what a difference the little things can make. These leather passport covers from Smythson are ultra chic and luxurious, and will transform check-in from glum to glam. Choose from an array of styles and colours for traditionalists and fashionistas alike.
Price from £60 / USD 100. Available online at www.smythson.com.

Travel Journal

Encourage the business traveller in your life to record their journeys (and jot down the details of fab places to take you to later) in this super smart envelope wrap travel journal from Aspinal of London. It's got more than a whiff of the Victorian explorer about it, perfect for bringing some romance and a dash of the exotic into mundane business trips.
Price from £25 / USD 39. Available online at www.aspinaloflondon.com.

Flip Mino HD

If your road-warrior is more techie than traditional, the Flip Mino HD camcorder is the perfect gift to help them remember where they've been and what they've seen. It's also a great little device for recording up to 120 minutes of personal messages from exotic climes and emailing them over to friends and family. It is very easy to use, lightweight and small.
Price from USD 229. Available online from Amazon.com.

Digital Luggage Scale
This is a great stocking filler or present from the dog for your business traveller. Brookstone has a portable digital luggage scale that you can use to weigh your bags and avoid any hassle or unforeseen costs at the airport. The scale can measure up to 75 lbs / 34 kg.
Price USD 29.95. Available from Amazon.com.

In-flight Travel Bag
Get pampered at 30,000 feet with a gorgeous kit from skincare and fragrance guru, Jo Malone. Keep your skin in tip top condition so you look and feel great in those all important business meetings.
Price £76. Available online at www.jomalone.co.uk.

Recorded Bedtime Stories

If you know someone who is on the road a lot more often than they would like, this could make a great gift if they have children or grandchildren. Cherished Voices is a company that allows business travellers to record bedtime stories, in their own voice, over the phone that are then burnt onto a CD and shipped to the child. A very special way to stay in touch.
Price from USD 30 – 50. Available online at www.cherishedvoices.com.

Wine Ratings Guide iPhone App
Clients can be hard to please, so help out your favourite business traveller with this nifty iPhone app that helps to select the best bottle of wine on the menu. For the bargain price of USD 1.99 this application from Nirvino will turn anyone from clueless to connoisseur: 1 million wine ratings, a food pairings wizard, and a regional wine guide (so you can pick the best local tipple). Look like a genius, even if you're not.
Price USD 1.99. Available online at www.nirvino.com or via the iTunes store.

Screaming Pillow
Another delayed flight? A client who won't play ball? A deranged hotel receptionist? Let it ALL out on a screaming pillow. Business travel can be pretty stressful, so take a little piece of mobile therapy with you on the road. Simply place your face on the pillow and scream.
Price USD 19.99 (+shipping and handling). Available online at screamingpillows.com.

Luxe City Guides: World Tour Box
From LA to London, Beijing to Berlin – tour the world in style with 12 of the fab Luxe City Guides. This is one for business travellers who appreciate the finer things in life and don't want the slog of researching where to find them. Price USD 110. Available online at Amazon.com.

Want to know what to pack up for your next business trip? We've spoken to business travellers from around the world about the suitcases they recommend for business travel and why.

Ranging in price from USD 125/ £75 to USD 900 / £550 there should be something for every kind of business traveller on our list.

So here, without further ado, are the best suitcases for business travellers:

NATE PARKER, NEW YORK

Travels 200,000 - 250,000 miles per year; Suitcase: Tumi's Alpha Classic Garment Bag

I have owned the same Tumi suitcase for 3 years. It is durable, practical and expensive (multiples of what I have paid for any luggage before). However, it has definitely been worth the money as it's proved itself over and over to be long lasting and functional –perfect for business travel.

If I were to replace it I would go either for exactly the same model, or a smaller version of the same. It keeps suits and shirts wrinkle free and is secure if you need to check it in.

I would definitely recommend this suitcase to a friend. I use it bi-weekly and it is very reliable.

Price: USD 495; Size: 45.5cm x 59.5cm x 14cm (HxWxD).

Find out more about Nate's Tumi suitcase.

SARAH MEYER, HONG KONG

Travels 50,000 miles per year; Suitcase: Samsonite Black Label Opto (Tote on Wheels)

I tend to go on short business trips across Asia-Pacific, so the Samsonite Black Label Opto is perfect for my needs. The front part of the case detaches and becomes a laptop bag; the main part fits into the overhead compartment. You get two bags in one, which is pretty neat!

I think it is a pretty standard suitcase / carry on, but it is good for business trips and doesn't either stand out for being too OTT or too scruffy. If it fell apart tomorrow I would probably replace it with something else, just to try out something new, but that doesn't mean I wouldn't recommend it to a friend. My husband uses it for business trips too, and he has also been very happy with it.

Price: £239.78; Size: L44 x H33.5 x W24.5cm; Weight: 3.7kg.

RICHARD ARCHER-PERKINS, SHANGHAI

Travels 250,000 miles per year; Case: Tumi Alpha, Essential Leather Brief

I always travel with a black soft leather Tumi laptop case; I have owned it now for 18 months. It's excellently designed, practical and has useful hidden compartments to store bits and pieces for my computer.

It was definitely worth the money; I use it every day. It is stylish and very well thought out. If it fell apart tomorrow, which I doubt it would, I would replace it with the same Tumi laptop bag. I think it is very secure, it even has a system to track it if it is lost, but I am sure no-one would hand it in – I get too many envious glances when people see me with it!

Price: Approx. USD 495; External Dimensions: 32cm x 40.5cm x 12.75cm (HxWxD); Laptop Compartment Dimensions: 28.5cm x 35cm x 4.5cm (HxWxD).

SIMON HILL, LONDON

Travels 30,000 miles per year; Suitcase: Antler Tronic Z500

My Antler suitcase is practical, reliable and safe. Compared with other similar suitcases I think the price is mid-range. I've owned it for about 3 years, so in my opinion it was definitely worth buying.

I love it because it always turns up! It is very bog standard looks wise so no-one would ever want to steal it. It isn't ideal in terms of keeping my clothes wrinkle-free for meetings, but it is secure and durable and that counts for a lot.

Price: £119; Size: 56 x 36 x 22 cm; Capacity: 64 ltr; Weight: 4 kg.

ELIZABETH FITZWILLIAM, MELBOURNE

Travels 300,000+ miles per year; Suitcase: Mulberry Large Trolley

I am completely in love with my Mulberry suitcase. It is super stylish and perfect travelling across the world (yes, I am in fashion so I guess the suitcase has to be too!). I have had it for years and it has held up incredibly well. If you're in an industry where making a first impression – down to the last detail - is important (even if you're doing something as unglamorous as waiting at the luggage carousel) then I think Mulberry luggage is ideal – it is chic without being faddy, seasonal, or ever going out of style.

I think my suitcase was definitely worth the money – it is just the best on long business trips. If it were to die on me I would replace it with another one just like it. I can't say it keeps my clothes wrinkle free, but then I don't have to wear suits and I have my clothes looked after by the hotel when I reach my destination, so it doesn't really matter.

I would be wary of checking in my suitcase if I weren't a frequent flyer with frequent flyer perks like business class or first class service, because I do get a lot of envious stares when people see me with it. However, it is completely lockable and it is very hard-wearing so I'm sure I am just being overly wary.

I highly recommend this suitcase – it is a classic. I use it so many times per year and it just keeps on going, what more could you ask for when you spend more time travelling for business than you do at home?

Price: £550; Size: 79 x 47 x 27 cm (H x W x D).

JAMES BENNETT, LONDON

Travels 25,000 miles per year; Suitcase: Antler Laser Cabin Suitcase

I use an Antler suitcase when I travel for business. It is best described as solid and stylish. It wasn't very expensive compared with other suitcase brands that business travellers tend to go for, and it was worth the money.

I love it because it is small enough to put in the overhead locker, but if I had to name a flaw I'd point the finger at the lack of a side pocket, which would be useful for carrying documents and my laptop.

This suitcase is very unlikely to break on me, and if it does it is covered by a 7 year warranty which is a great bonus.

The Antler is secure, extremely durable and reliable – a great option for short-haul business travel.

Price: £75; Size: 52 x 38 x 23 cm; Capacity: 38 ltr; Weight: 2.7 kg.

Which suitcase do you use for business travel? We'd love to know what you trust and why.

Check out these tips for how to keep your luggage safe and secure whilst you're on the road.

Photo credit: Luggage by digiart2001 via Flickr (Creative Commons).

We've just uploaded The Business Traveller's Guide to Macau, check it out here.

The new guide is designed to help busy business travellers to Macau know how and where to wow clients and colleagues. It includes tips on where to stay, eat, drink, shop, spa, gamble and the best places to experience Macau.

We hope you like it - do leave your comments.

On Friday iloho caught up with CNN anchor and business travel guru, Richard Quest, during the Hong Kong stop of his Asia tour. Billed as “a voice of authority” on the Airbus A380 we were eager to get all the nitty gritty on this behemoth of the skies.

You’ve probably seen the news about Singapore Airlines grounding the hopes of amorous airborne couples by now: no sex on board the A380 please, we’re Singaporean etc. Well, Richard Quest, who flew on SQ’s maiden A380 voyage has a couple tips for mile high club wannabes and we’re going to share them with you here:

Tip 1: Be very careful in the first class suites

They aren’t completely sealed and have no sound proofing. The diminutive Singaporean air hostesses can’t see over the top of the privacy screens, but the airline’s taller passengers can. So, please, do everyone on board a favour and keep the cord on those first class pyjamas firmly tied.

Tip 2: Business class is where it’s at

If you’re a determined in-flight fumbler there is, according to Mr. Quest, a bathroom in the front of the business class cabin (left-hand side) where there’s enough room for “a veritable orgy”. Amorous couples should head there instead and save a few thousand dollars in the process.

So there you have it, quest over.