For the business professional staying at your hotel, there’s nothing that takes the drudgery out of a work trip like having accommodations that make doing business easier.
What do business travelers need in a hotel?
As some of the ultimate road warriors, business travelers are looking for a hotel guest experience that doesn’t get in the way of doing their job.
When considering how to enhance or improve guest experience in a hotel for the business person, your hotel’s design and hospitality casegoods are the best place to start.
5 Hospitality Design That Meet Business Traveler Hotel Requirements
Just because someone is traveling for work doesn’t mean they’ll be spending all their time away from the hotel.
In fact, many business travelers spend considerable time working in their hotel rooms, either alone or brainstorming with co-workers. In a sense, a business traveler’s hotel requirements are the same as at their office.
It’s your job to make sure your hotel’s accommodations for business travelers are conducive to conducting business, while also providing options for communal work spaces in other parts of the hotel.
To help professionals get the most out of their stay, optimize your guest spaces for hospitality design elements such as:
- Multifunctional custom desks
- Outlets and charging stations
- Smart headboards
- Functional guest room layouts
- Communal workspaces
1. Multifunctional Custom Desks
A customized desk is an absolute necessity for business travelers. And don’t skimp on desk size -- just like at their office, business travelers need plenty of space to set materials and work.
Full-spectrum lighting and comfortable seating are essential desk items in your hotel rooms. You may even want to offer the increasingly popular standup desks that can be wheeled into guest rooms on request, for collaborative working.
2. Outlets and Charging Stations
Consider installing full charging stations with USB outlets for laptops, tablets, and cell phones -- often, business travelers need to charge multiple devices at once. These stations can be seamlessly integrated into hotel design, by being incorporated into fixtures, furniture, and equipment (FF&E) items such as:
- Lamps
- Headboards
- Nightstands
At the very least, make sure there are ample outlets throughout the room that are easy to find and access. No business traveler wants to crawl behind their bed to find their phone charger before an important call.
Incorporating other technology wherever helpful is a good way to stay ahead of the curve, and provide intuitive solutions to tech-savvy business travelers.
3. Smart Headboards
The bed occupies the largest amount of space in a hotel room, so it’s important to make sure it’s conducive to working on a mobile device, tablet or streaming the latest movie.
Headboards with USB ports and lights, as well as built-in plugs or charging stations, should be standard in all guest rooms. Take them to the next level with multidirectional lights and pull-down panels for holding electronics. Making your hotel headboard as functional as possible saves space and impresses guests.
4. Functional Guest Room Layouts
Business travelers are not only well-organized when traveling, but they’re also smart and resourceful packers. Rarely do you see them lugging around a large suitcase full of clothing and gear. They’ve mastered the art of efficient packing.
It’s important to remember your guest room should focus available space on functionality -- especially small hotel room layouts.
Rather than roomy wardrobes and dressers that box spaces in, consider an open-concept floor plan with hotel casegoods that stay out of the way.
Open shelving is helpful to the business professional for easy access to:
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Books
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Papers
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Electronics
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Briefcases
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Personal effects
5. Communal Workspace
Hotel business centers with work spaces make it easy for colleagues to brainstorm together before or after important meetings. Identify underused areas in your hotel’s layout that can be converted to efficient, quiet working spots with enough privacy for freely doing business. Make sure they’re outfitted with:
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Customized tables
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Desks
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Chairs
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Charging stations
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Internet access
Individual workstations in the lobby are also a big plus for individuals who prefer working in a livelier environment than a hotel room. Think about the thousands of people who conduct business from laptops in busy coffee shops across the world -- it’s the same concept. These workstations can be discreet and blend into lobby décor, as long as they include outlets, adequate lighting, and a comfortable chair.
Hospitality Design That Makes Business Travelers Pick You Again & Again
Hotels are uniquely positioned to provide reliable, state-of-the-art rooms and facilities for the guest experience business travelers need.
Customizing your hotel FF&E (fixtures, furniture, and equipment) shows that you care enough to earn – and keep – the loyalty of those who blaze the business trails day-in and day-out.
Casegoods That Complement Hospitality Design
Design casegoods that meet your guests’ expectations and fit your budget. Set up your value engineering consultation today:
This blog was orginally published in 2018 and was recently updated to reflect industry trends.
