Life as a business traveler can be challenging. With hectic schedules, jet lag, and time away from loved ones, having the right hotel can play a big part in setting them up for a successful business trip.

In this article, we will identify what business travelers need to get the most from their hotel experience, including important amenities and a range of different hotel types to help travel managers find the best combination for their team – from upscale options for client meetings to practical rooms for extended stays.

What sets a hotel apart for business travelers?

Business travelers have unique needs compared to leisure travelers. They’re often working to tight schedules and prioritize flexibility and convenience to make the most of short trips and looming deadlines.

Within these hotel requirements, the profile of the modern business traveler is evolving. With more people working remotely, you may hear the term ‘business transient’ more often. This refers to travelers who are on small-scale or individual trips rather than traveling in a large group. Often they will visit multiple locations for short periods, so tend to value convenience and efficiency over luxury.

No matter the length of the trip, you’ll want them to stay somewhere that helps them get work done while feeling comfortable and relaxed. Understanding how best to provide this will inform the best choice of hotel.

Connectivity

Internet access is essential for business travelers for both professional and personal reasons. Whether it’s firing off a quick email to confirm a meeting, joining a video call, or checking in with loved ones before a business dinner, staying connected is non-negotiable. 

Having to spend ten minutes registering details and pulling out a credit card every time Wi-Fi is needed is not just frustrating. It's impractical and a waste of time on an already busy day. Set your business trips up for success by picking hotels with free, high-speed, and reliable Wi-Fi connectivity throughout the property.

Work-ready spaces that inspire focus

Multiple workspaces

In addition to having ample desk space in their room, choosing a hotel with alternative workspaces gives business travelers a real advantage. 

More and more boutique hotel brands offer coworking spaces onsite to ensure business guests have a dedicated area to tackle tasks and network during their stay. But even an onsite coffee shop or lounge with enough power outlets to hunker down and answer emails can offer much-needed respite.

Having a change of scene from client meetings or hotel rooms can help business travelers to re-energize and feel more inspired to tackle their inbox or prepare for that big presentation.

Business centers

With our lives becoming increasingly digital, it’s easy to overlook the importance of business center access when sifting through hotel options. 

While we might no longer rely on faxes or need to print out our boarding passes, choosing a base with business facilities can give your team more options for meetings, events and training sessions. For example, if they need to host a client at short notice, having a hotel with business facilities and meeting spaces could prevent a last-minute scramble.

Security

Employers have a duty of care to ensure their team members feel safe, especially when traveling solo or late at night. This should extend to their accommodations.

On-site parking, well-lit entryways, secure baggage storage, and keycard access to rooms and floors will all contribute to a feeling of safety and security, especially when in a new city after dark.

Dining options

As a travel manager, you don't want your team searching for food late at night after a day of traveling.

Having a decent restaurant or 24-hour room service in their hotel is another vital function in your company's duty of care towards travelers, especially when they arrive on late-night flights.

Support when your team needs it most

Concierge service

Having access to a knowledgeable concierge service can really assist your team members as they get to grips with a new city.

Business travelers already have packed schedules, so if they need to arrange a lunch meeting on the fly, concierges have local knowledge that can quickly solve that issue. Concierges can also assist with recommendations and making reservations, which really helps if plans change at short notice.

Chauffeur service

Especially in a destination like London or New York City, having a chauffeur service which can be pre-booked can be a lifesaver. Imagine heading to that critical pitch, and it starts pouring with rain. The last thing your team needs is to be frantically trying to hail a cab or turn up looking bedraggled. Additionally, if your business travelers are due to arrive late at night, they shouldn't be expected to hop into a car rental to drive themselves into town.

Knowing a hotel’s chauffeur service is booked and guarantees a safe ride provides peace of mind for travelers and travel managers alike.

Health and wellness facilities

For executive travelers, wellness might mean a more luxurious guest experience. Having the facilities to stay healthy while traveling for work is becoming an increasingly important consideration when booking corporate travel.

Access to a fitness center or spa, however small, should be considered a must-have to ensure physical and mental health is supported during business travel.

Sustainability

Alongside considering sustainability in their travel plans, many organizations are also keen to demonstrate their environmental commitments at every touchpoint, including hotels.

Demonstrating that your company is supporting hotels with carbon offset programs and green initiatives is a great way to reinforce the sustainability credentials of your brand.

Comfort and convenience

24-hour assistance

Between time zones, flight delays, and schedule changes, 24-hour assistance is a necessity for business travelers. Arriving at a hotel after a long-haul journey and having to wait for check-in assistance is demoralizing.

Hotels with round-the-clock reception and guest support help reduce stress, and fulfill an essential duty of care by ensuring teams can access their rooms safely and quickly on arrival.

Great location

A hotel's location can have a considerable impact on a business trip, but there is no hard and fast rule for finding the ideal spot. For example, short hops with an early return flight might benefit from being closer to the airport. In comparison, planning for travelers with an itinerary packed with meetings might need to be more strategic. Choosing the wrong location could lead to long, costly commutes between appointments.

Selecting a location around schedules or implementing a system where business travelers can have autonomy over their arrangements is the easiest way to make sure they’re in the best place for their trip.

Inviting design

While a hotel's aesthetics might not seem important at first glance, having a beautiful space to work can be galvanizing. Business travelers don’t always get to enjoy the cities they visit, but a thoughtfully designed hotel can help them feel more at home.

Ensuring your team is in comfortable surroundings with well-designed spaces will contribute to their comfort, wellbeing, and productivity.

Types of business accommodation

As a travel manager, you might have written different levels of benefits for workers on business trips into your travel policy. Whether it's spa access or a morning yoga class, a good travel management system can help to create benefits to suit different employees' specific needs. 

Choosing the best type of accommodation will often depend on a combination of the trip’s purpose, the budget, and the traveler’s preferences:

• Boutique hotels are often located in city centers and are ideal for impressive client meetings. 
• Budget hotels provide affordability and function, ideal for short stays.
• Chain hotels provide the consistency that is welcome for regular travelers, especially when they are visiting multiple countries.

Within these broad categories are many types of hotels that can make or break a business trip:

Resort hotels

Resorts often have large event spaces, meeting rooms, and other business-friendly facilities, making them ideal for large groups e.g. networking events, conferences, or team-building activities. The relaxed environment also makes them suitable for bleisure (an extended stay that combines business and leisure travel) trips.

Aparthotels

For long-term stays, aparthotels combine the privacy of an apartment with the services expected in a hotel, like a kitchen and laundry facilities. 

This approach can often be more affordable than hotels for long-term trips, while also offering a more home-like environment, allowing for increased privacy and a better work-life balance.

Hostels

While hostels may seem unsuitable for business travel, there are many freelancers and digital nomads who may find the affordability of this option appealing. 

In urban areas, hostels are increasingly becoming more modern, with many offering business-suited amenities like private rooms, coworking spaces, and reliable Wi-Fi.

Extended stay hotels

Business travelers on placements or extended stays of a week or more are well suited to extended-stay hotels, which provide a more home-like feel than a typical hotel, with larger living spaces and kitchens. Often long stays can result in discounts, making the per-night rate more affordable than a typical hotel.

Elevate the business travel experience

Travel management providers like TravelPerk aim to streamline the booking process for business travel and improve clients' travel experience. 

Any good travel management provider should highlight the key features of hotels in their inventory to make arrangement decisions straightforward.

If you would like to see how TravelPerk can help your business travelers find the best hotels for their stay, book a demo session today.