With the increasing jobs and businesses on the go, more and more hotels and motels are catering to business travelers. If you have not been much of a traveler in your “traditional” job world and are now finding that your home business is requiring you to get out on the road (or in the air ), negotiating the confusing realities of finding the right accommodations for business travels can add a new challenge to doing business…
With the internet and the ease of making one’s own travel arrangements, it is becoming less likely that a person will go through a travel agent to book business travel and accommodations. You may find that in you small home business, it is just easier and cheaper to do it yourself. But, this means you have the task of finding the right accommodations on your own shoulders. What you look for in a good accommodation will depend on your own tastes and the needs of your business–but it will likely be a bit different than what you look for in personal travel accommodations.
The truth is, you can find accommodations in just about any price range if you are willing to do the search. If you can’t afford a traditional hotel or motel, you might look for a home stay or hostel or other alternative accommodation. This can be an incredibly rewarding and interesting way to travel if you have the right temperament for it (and a great way to make additional business contacts), but you will need to do your research and make arrangements in advance.
Other things to consider: do you need to have wireless internet or access to other computer needs? Do you need faxing or printing capabilities? Telephone? What can you tolerate and what do you need? Also keep in mind how long you will be staying and whether there is any chance you will need to extend your stay. Some accommodations will be more “friendly” to extending a stay than others.
Also consider the proximity to transportation. Not just how close the hotel or motel is to the airport, but whether you are near public transportation (if you are in a large city) or whether there will be cars or taxis available for you to use. Finding the right business accommodations will mean taking everything into account–travel, sleeping arrangements, food and meals, and cost.
Also: Living With Frequent Business Travel
What About Kids On Business Trips and at Meetings
Packing Tips for the Business Traveler