Business travelers have very different needs than vacationers, honeymooners and other leisure travelers. Most people traveling for work want accommodations that offer comfort and luxury, as well as convenient amenities and services that will help them be more productive, get a good night sleep, and have a successful trip.
High-speed Internet access, a large in-room desk and work area, multiple electrical outlets located near the desk, duel line telephones, an in-room fax machine, 24-room service, and access to an executive lounge are among the amenities most in demand by business travelers. Other popular services among business travelers include a 24-hour concierge, an in-house business center, valet parking and a fitness center.
The key to a successful business trip is ample preparation. To help make a business traveler’s travel planning easier, Entrepreneur Press has launched a new series of city-specific, pocket-sized travel guides that offer everything from tips for saving money when book airfares, to detailed reviews of top business-friendly hotels, restaurants and attractions in major cities frequented by business travelers, including New York City, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Chicago, Washington, DC and Orlando. Each edition is sold separately.
The recently published New York City edition of
Entrepreneur Magazine’s The Business Traveler ($17.95) offers all of the information and resources business travelers need to plan and experience a successful work-related trip to Manhattan. Featured in the travel guide are detailed descriptions and reviews of the top 25 business-friendly hotels in the city, which include (in alphabetical order):
Four Seasons New YorkAddress: 57 East 57th Street, New York, NY
Reservations phone number: (800) 819-5053
Main phone number: (212) 758-5700
Web site: www.fourseasons.com/newyorkfs
Hilton New YorkAddress: 1335 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY
Reservations phone number: (800) 445-8667
Main phone number: (212) 586-7000
Web site: www.newyork.Hilton.com
London NYCAddress: 151 West 54th Street, New York, NY
Reservations phone number: (877) 597-9696
Main phone number: (212) 307-5000
Web site: www.thelondonnyc.com
The Peninsula New YorkAddress: 700 5th Avenue, New York, NY
Reservations phone number: (866) 382-8388
Main phone number: (212) 956-2888
Web site: www.peninsula.com
The Regency – A Loews HotelAddress: 540 Park Avenue, New York, NY
Reservations phone number: (800) 233-2356
Main phone number: (212) 759-4100
Web site: www.loewshotels.com
Unlike other major U.S. cities, virtually all of the hotels in Manhattan are expensive, yet the guestrooms are relatively small in size. Despite this, hotels within The Big Apple enjoy at least an 86 percent occupancy rate year round, so it’s important to make your reservations well in advance to insure you get the accommodations you want and need at an affordable price.
Business travelers should plan on spending at least $250.00 per night for a standard guestroom at a three-star hotel. At a luxury hotel, a standard guestroom will cost at least $400.00 to $700.00 per night. Unfortunately, the accommodations offered at many hotels rated lower than three-stars are sub-standard and not suitable for business travelers.
In addition to standard guestroom charges, be prepared to spend an extra $50.00 per night for parking, $19.95 per night for Internet access, plus any charges for incidentals (such as telephone calls, faxes, room-service, pay-per-view movies, or items taken from the guestroom’s mini bar). Experiencing a business trip in New York isn’t cheap, yet the city continues to be one of the most frequented destinations in the world amongst business travelers.
One way to save money on hotel accommodations is to make your reservations through a popular online travel-related websites, such as Travelocity.com, Hotwire.com or Kayak.com. While you could save up to 40 percent off regular rates, reservations made through these services must be pre-paid and are typically not cancelable or changeable. Hotels.com recently changed its policy and now allows for reservations to be changed or cancelled, but certain restrictions apply.
As you’re making your travel plans, keep in mind that most New York City hotels strictly adhere to a 3pm check-in time on the day of your arrival, and an 11:00am check out time on your day of departure. If you’ll need to check-in early or check out late, contact the hotel’s front desk in advance. Also, because Manhattan can be a noisy city (due to traffic and ongoing construction), consider requesting a room on a higher-level floor.
To save additional money, consider choosing a hotel that is situated close to where you’ll be conducting the majority of your business. If you’ll be attending an event at the Jacob Javits Convention Center (located at 655 West 34th Street), for example, any hotel located in the Times Square, Downtown or Central Park area offers easy access to the convention center via taxi. Around these areas, you’ll also find countless restaurants and attractions, so the need for costly taxi trips will be kept to a minimum. If you’ll be conducting your business in the Wall Street area, there are plenty of business-friendly hotels nearby.
For more information about business-friendly hotels in New York City, as well as reviews of top restaurants, shows, attractions and business-related services, pick up a copy of Entrepreneur Magazine’s The Business Traveler Guide to New York City. Reading the guide prior to your departure could easily save you hundreds, perhaps thousands of dollars on your next business trip. The travel guide is currently available from bookstores nationwide, as well as from Amazon.com, BN.com and EntrepreneurPress.com.
The following tips will help you maximize your time and efficiency when attending a trade show or convention:
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