When it comes to booking a hotel for business travelers hotels, your job might not be an easy one if you are the booker. It’s not always easy to match all the preferences of each individual traveler that you might be responsible for. You might be asked to schedule a last-minute trip with very few rooms available when someone decides to attend a convention at the very last minute. When you have options, it’s a rewarding job to find quality accommodations that align with your company travel policy and your traveler’s requests and desires.
Here’s a look at the Top 10 Things Corporate Travelers Desire for their on-the-road accommodations
Location is the top priority. Travel managers need to know the primary reason for a business trip to book the most convenient and intuitive hotel to meet the business travel needs. The proximity of the hotel is important to productivity. Most booking platforms allow you to search for hotels within a certain distance of specific cities, zip codes and even landmarks so finding a hotel that offers proximity is easy. Does your company allow travelers to book their own accommodations? If so, consider holding training sessions that share with travelers how they can use filters when booking hotels. Consider sending regular email updates that remind them how to find quality hotels close to where they want to be.
This is where technology really comes into play. Most business travelers want to stay at hotels where they can use an app to check in and check out — and hotels brands are responding to that desire. The major hotel brands now offer technology and automation that streamlines the guest experience from start to finish. These new technologies aren’t just appreciated, they are now expected by most business travelers. New technology and automation can help at booking, too. No matter who does the actual booking (a travel agent, a travel manager, or a team member) preset preferences tied to a loyalty account can ensure that travelers have the type of experience they want.
Hotels that don’t provide free WiFi should never be considered for corporate travelers. Free WiFi is a must. The faster the WiFi, the better. Some hotel chains will offer a lower speed internet connection for free and a faster connection available for an upcharge or to guests with a certain status.
Business travelers have so much to plug in and power up these days. They might roll into a hotel room needing outlets for a cell phone, a tablet, a computer and more. And when it comes time to press a shirt for the next day, there needs to be an outlet left over for the iron. Many hotels still offer too few power outlets. When possible, look for hotels that are newer or that have been recently renovated. New and updated hotels are more likely to offer the power outlets that business travelers love.
Business travel is often essential to securing new clients, pitching ideas to existing clients and having important conversations that simply can’t be conducted over the phone. Business travelers prefer hotels that offer accessible conference rooms and private meeting spaces.
Conference rooms and meeting spaces give team members a chance to have dress rehearsals before making big pitches. Having the chance to run through a presentation or pitch beforehand can be the difference between winning or losing out on new business. You don’t want to hold these dress rehearsals and dry runs in a cramped hotel room. It’s always nice when a hotel offers AV equipment such as projectors and screens where guests can quickly and easily plug in their laptops.
Business travelers are often working on short timeframes, flying into a city one day and flying out the next. No matter what type of services a business traveler needs, they should be fast and effective. Room service should arrive within 30 minutes. Dry-cleaning and shoeshine services should be available overnight. There’s no time to waste when it comes to getting a meal or getting an outfit ready for the next day.
One of the greatest challenges with life on the road is staying healthy. Airports are packed with tempting fast-food options, and business dinners often include cocktails and red meat. Look for hotels that provide healthy dining options and preferably via room service. Most business travelers love to have a healthy breakfast, lunch, and dinner option to help balance out what they’re eating in airports and with clients or colleagues.
It’s not enough to just have a fitness center. Business travelers want that fitness center to be spacious, easy to find and well maintained. It can be frustrating when a fitness center is so small that a guest must wait to use a certain machine. And it’s frustrating when a guest steps onto a treadmill only to find that the belt is too loose to use or that the built-in television shows static only. When a fitness center frustrates a guest, he or she is unlikely to use it at all.
There are one of two main goals when a business traveler is at his or her hotel. They either need to be: 1) getting things done, or 2) getting rest, so look for hotels that promote both. A productive hotel includes a business center where a guest can print documents or take care of other things — around the clock. A restful hotel is one that is quiet and comfortable. An individual traveler is going to be more comfortable in a king-size bed than a queen.
The best hotels offer inviting public spaces where guests can enjoy a drink, enjoy live music, or watch the sunset. It would be nice to have some sort of common space where guests can spend time away from their rooms. Yes, rooms should be places of productivity and rest, but too much time spent in a hotel room can feel more like you’re hibernating in a cave.
We hope you found these hotel accommodation tips helpful. Now it’s time to put them into practice on your next business trip. Here at Ecko Worldwide Transportation, we wish you a comfortable and successful business trip and remember, we can provide service in any city in the world.