Whether you’re a traveler manager, or it just falls into your realm of responsibilities to help employees with their business travel plans, choosing the right hotels is a big part of this.
Business travel is becoming an important priority for companies because they are looking for ways to do everything from streamlining expense reimbursement processes to making sure employees are happy.
It’s a unique time to be a company that plans business travel, because of employees, particularly Millennial employees, embrace the idea more than ever before, given the right circumstances.
At the same time, while employees might dread business travel a little less than decades before, it’s essential to plan properly, and a big part of that is about the hotel’s employees stay in.
The following are some things to think about this year, as you’re selecting possible hotels and negotiating with them.
It’s All About the Location
If traveler managers in 2018 follow nothing else on this list, let it be this one.
Business travelers, particularly Millennials and younger employees, value a good location above pretty everything else.
Travel managers should try and think about walkability when they’re making plans for the new year, and locations that will help business travelers avoid the need to rent cars.
Business Centers Aren’t That Important
A lot of hotels have put attention on luring in business travelers and securing deals with their employers, and in doing so, they’ve done things like adding additional communal workspaces or expanding existing ones.
However, the majority of business travelers seem to prefer working in their room or somewhere outside of hotel common spaces, so this isn’t so important when doing travel planning.
Health and Wellness
While business travelers might not be that concerned about having public work spaces, they do care about health and wellness.
Travel managers should try to look for unique facilities that understand this. For example, some hotels are incorporating amenities like yoga mats in every room, or exercise classes on demand on the TV.
Also, well-equipped fitness centers and room service menus with health offerings can be appealing to frequent business travelers who want to be able to keep up with their healthy lifestyle when they’re on the road.
Tech-Savvy Travelers
Finally, business travelers love having access to technology that’s going to make their life and their work easier, and a lot of hotels are capitalizing on this.
As you plan for your company’s upcoming business travels this year, ask about how high-tech their offerings are.
For example, according to Conde Nast Traveler, one hotel that does this well is the Peninsula Chicago. They’ve recently undergone a major renovation and rooms include a tablet system that allows guests to control pretty much everything.
They also offer additional phone chargers in the rooms, iPad docking stations, and free high-speed wireless.
