Hotels for Business

When planning accommodations for a business trip, choosing the right hotel can help you accomplish so much more. In addition to presenting a professional impression to colleagues, high quality lodging can help you eliminate the need to carry all your tech equipment with you.

Business travel can be more enjoyable and efficient with certain room amenities. Be sure to ask if the room has a phone and desk in it. Look for accommodations that offer Internet hookup for your laptop computer and fax services on site. Grooming aids such as a hair dryer, iron, and ironing board, can be a great boon when planning to meet with others.

While these perks are often included in room accommodations, they can also be part of the package when staying in a bed and breakfast. In fact, a bed and breakfast often provides flexibility in cancellations and check-in times that you may not find with a traditional hotel.

The cheapest hotel is often not the best one to choose when traveling for business. For one thing, it can present a less than professional impression if you have to meet a colleague there. Another consideration is that it will probably not provide the business or comfort accommodations you desire.

For instance, higher quality hotels often provide workout facilities. Traveling business people need a chance to get some exercise. It can be difficult or unsafe to find places to walk or jog in an unknown city. A hotel fitness center can be a real help. This can be in the form of fitness machines, free weights, or an indoor swimming pool.

Some mid-range hotels provide in their accommodations package a business center. The Hilton Garden Inn is one such hotel. Hampton Hotels offer complementary high-speed wireless Internet access in the lobby and in meeting rooms. Accommodations include Internet access, as well as a lap desk that can be used anywhere in the room. Breakfast is free at Hampton, too.

Marriott Hotels offer a chance for in-room fitness with your choice of workouts via equipment or video instruction. Business travelers had a say in the design of Marriott Courtyard. Marriott is also working towards offering wireless Internet services in more of their locations.

It is estimated that one third of all business trips are arranged online, with travel agent companies such as Orbitz, Travelocity, and Expedia handling many of the details. Orbitz for Business screens each hotel to be sure it offers Internet access in each room, a restaurant, and a business OR fitness center.

Business centers vary in efficiency from one to the next. The main toll-free number of a chain of hotels will probably not be able to give you the detailed information you are after. Call the hotel you plan to stay in and ask what their business center is like. Ask if they have laser or ink-jet printers, and if they are available in color. Also ask about PC's and copiers available for use by guests. If there are other business machines you will need, ask about those, too. ...