Top tips on how to select a hotel when on Business
It's called business travel for a reason. We want to be able to work from any part of the world with minimal disruption. So, in saying that, how can we pick a hotel that gives us the best working environment?
My Top Tips are as follows:
1. Location - Price may be important, but the location is just as important. Picking the right location may come with a price. At the end of the day, you will need to check the value for your money. For example, if you book into a hotel at a remote location due to the price affordability, then you will have to compromise on transport. You may need to take a taxi to your next meeting which eventually adds up. On the hind side, if you had picked a centrally located hotel, you could easily access public transport.
2. Free unlimited WiFi - A very important aspect of business travel and an important MUST HAVE in your room. Some hotels say "WiFi" available, but we need to ensure it refers to in-room WIFi and not in certain areas of the hotel. It's worth asking the question when you book a room in the hotel, as some hotels do only provide Free WiFi in certain common areas of the hotel.
3. Complimentary shuttle services or private transfers - You may need to head out to meetings or catch up with friends and you would want to be at a hotel that can organise private or complimentary transfers. This is an alternative to hiring a private car.
4. Service Standard - Whether you are on business or leisure, service standards are always important. My personal take on this is basically to pick a brand. For example, if you are a fan of the Hiltons or the Hyatts, you more or less know the service level will be expected to be top notch. They have a name to upkeep with. Again, this depends on the budget side of things. It’s crucial that when you ask for that dreaded, early morning wake-up call, that the request is carried out on time, and you also want to trust that you’ll have a cab called when needed or that your laundry will arrive back from the cleaners when required.
5. Business Centre within the hotel - This is important too. You may want to use facilities like fax or scanning material across to businesses. It’s also important to research the business facilities that your accommodation outlet provides. You might assume that certain facilities (such as a business centre with Internet access and a fax, scanner and copy machine) might be available at a hotel and then find out on arrival that they’re actually not.
6. Reviews - Always read reviews of the accommodation to gauge what the general opinion is of the property. You are not going to get perfect reviews from everyone, but you can use it as a guide to make your choice.
7. Food - Always wise to know what the availability of food outlets are like around your accommodation. You may not always want to eat at the hotel, as it could be pretty pricey or for that matter, order room service all the time. Having a choice of other eateries or restaurants could be a good thing to look out for.
8. Loyalty programmes - When you travel regularly for work it’s also nice to know that you can earn some extra mileage out of all those business costs. Look for a hotel that’s part of a chain so you can accumulate loyalty points, or choose a regular haunt that will provide room upgrades or discounts for multiple stays.