What Business Travellers Truly Value in Hotels

Frequent business travellers quickly learn that the right hotel can make or break their time spent at a trade fair. They need the right conditions to deliver peak performance no matter where they end up and how far they’ve travelled to get there. It’s not enough to have a bed and call it a day.

We’re going to touch upon the key things business travellers look for in a hotel.

Location tops the list every single time

No matter what personal preferences come into the decision making process booking hotels for a business trip comes down to one single thing – location. It’s a utilitarian decision from a practical standpoint. The main objective is to attend a trade show located in the city’s exhibition centre, so proximity to the venue trumps all other considerations.

It all comes down to convenience. Close the distance and limit in-city travel. In turn, you reduce unnecessary travel costs and time spent on the commute, resulting in a more optimal experience for all involved. Travellers don’t have to learn how to navigate a foreign city and learn about buses and the metro lines, if they’re close enough to walk or take only one public transport line.

Plus, less time spent commuting means an increase in productivity as well as some extra time to wind down and recharge between meetings.

Trade Fair Trips works with hotels in all major cities across the globe and knows the most preferred hotels near major exhibition centres. You’re in perfect care when it comes to finding the right hotel room close to where you need to be and accommodates your specific budget.

Access to adequate meeting facilities is a must

Although plenty of networking happens at the trade fair itself through designated matchmaking events and networking lounges, leading more in-depth conversations with clients takes place off site. In cases where business travellers have to lead negotiations, run presentations or pitch ideas, access to meeting facilities is paramount. Hotel conference rooms and meeting spaces provide a quiet, peaceful environment away from the charged energy of a trade fair.

Dress rehearsals provide a secondary use for meeting facilities. Rehearsing presentations, going through a sales pitch for an event or even doing a practice run for a speech require silence and the right space, which are not always possible to acquire at the venue. Hotels that have conference rooms with AV equipment such as projectors and screens present the most attractive choice for business travellers, especially exhibitors who otherwise would have to do all their prep work in their hotel room.

Rooms should ideally facilitate good sleep

One thing business travellers value regardless of price point is bedroom comfort. The right mattress and pillows make all the difference. Uninterrupted sleep is essential to a traveller’s performance at a trade fair. Many business travellers experience jet lag, so a restful night goes a long way. What travellers value here are black-out curtains, a room facing away from main roads and soundproofed windows.

Fast Wi-Fi ensures high performance

Business travellers can stomach a lot of inconveniences, but Wi-Fi is not one of them. Hotels with no free Wi-Fi don’t make the cut, but the quality of the Wi-Fi should not be overlooked. No one should have to deal with poor Wi-Fi connection when accessing messages, email or files.

Research needs to be done into the quality of the Internet connection as well. Certain hotel gains offer low-speed Wi-Fi free of charge, but provide faster connection at an upcharge. Guests of certain status are also afforded the same. It’s important to negotiate such a status prior to the reservation. Luckily, a business travel agency can tackle this task and secure solid Wi-Fi without amassing any unnecessary upcharges.

The experience has to be personalised

Time remains an essential resource and the less time travellers have to spend is always better. Does the hotel offer digital check-in and check-out? Hotel chains have been adapting to automation and digitization trends since as early as 2018 and accompanying apps provide a seamless experience from arrival right down to departure.

This sits at the lower end of preferences, because booking can be delegated to travel agents or a travel manager. Our team handles pretty much the entire hotel reservation process, so you don’t have to burden yourself with non-essential tasks. Plus, we’re in communication with the hotel to create a bespoke experience that meets your specific requirements.

Power outlets should be many and easily accessible

Business travellers bring multiple smart devices on their trip. Smartphones, tablets, headphones, laptops and even vapes all require daily charging. It’s quite the inconvenience to have to figure out how to charge devices with one or two power outlets. Older hotels are the ones with fewer outlets in general, especially if they haven’t been renovated in the last decade.

The hotels that meet the right requirements for the number of power outlets have either been updated in recent years or have been recently constructed.

Any on-offer service should be performed fast

Business travellers work on a tight schedule and have packed agendas. You never know when you will need to have your shoes polished or an outfit dry cleaned. The same applies to needing an iron or ordering room service.

Ideally, hotels should provide many of their services overnight (dry-cleaning and shoeshine), have an iron on hand at a moment’s notice and deliver room service within half an hour. Some leeway can be afforded for business travellers staying for three or four days during larger fairs, but for the overnight guests waiting is tantamount to being late whether it’s for a meeting or catching a return flight.

A good assortment of healthy nutrition options & fitness facilities

Consumers have embraced a healthier lifestyle with emphasis on clean diet and regular exercise. Maintaining a healthy diet and fitness level directly correspond to better performance during trade fairs, overall wellbeing when travelling and increased endurance when having to live on the road frequently.

That’s why hotels with spacious fitness centres with readily available machines and healthy dining options are in higher demand.

Trade Fair Trips secures the hotel you deserve on your business trip

We understand how important it is to stay in a hotel that hits all the sweet spots. You don’t want to overspend, but you also don’t want to settle for subpar hotel accommodation. Trade Fair Trips has worked in the business travel sector for over a decade and have developed a strong network of suitable hotels that deliver on price, comfort and convenience.