The hotel experience for travellers starts well before they arrive in their bedroom, regardless of whether they’re travelling for business or pleasure, alone or with family.
And while location and the proximity to local amenities is of great concern to business travellers in particular, the design of the hotel that they book to stay in remains important in supporting their needs and providing access to the facilities they need, when they need them. In this blog post, we’re focussing on the experience of business travellers and how to optimise your hotel design so that it not only supports their needs but appeals to them in the first place.
Keep reading for advice on how to design everything from the bedroom to the lobby and additional facilities in line with what business travellers need. But first, a little more about the target customers and their motivations…
What do business travellers need from their hotel stay?
If a business person is travelling for work, then they are likely booking into a hotel on their own or with a group of colleagues. Typically, these kinds of hotel stays facilitate your guests’ attendance at events or conferences or enable them to visit an office in a particular location. As such, the location of the hotel is integral – with some of the most successful hotels geared towards business travellers, located in the heart of a city or town with plenty of nearby public transport.
In addition to location, you need to think about access to amenities and facilities both within your hotel and nearby. Finally, consider offering different types and styles of room at different prices – ensuring an accessible and affordable option for solo business travellers, without isolating those who require a larger family room. Having options simply means that your hotel appeals to a wider audience.
But with that comes one big concern for business travellers, and it’s one you need to consider as you design every area within the hotel.
The importance of dedicated work spaces
Any hotel which markets itself as an all-rounder will likely have families and business travellers overlapping. This means that while one guest is trying to work in the lobby or take a call at breakfast, another table of guests may be planning a day trip with the kids.
Having quiet spaces for work and relaxation is an important part of any hotel design if you want to attract and earn good favour with business travellers. This can be added to the lobby, or integrated as separate meeting and conference facilities and event rooms which are situated away from the main guest areas.
Any hotel that wants to bridge its target audience and invite business as well as family visitors to stay, should consider the benefits of integrating meeting and conference spaces. These should be versatile and functional and should be designed in such a way that any individual from any business could use them with ease and without impacting their business image.
Creating a harmonious hotel lobby
Following on from the last point, the hotel lobby needs to be welcoming and warm, as well as elegant and well thought-out. Ideally, the lobby will lend itself to professional and leisure stays, making guests feel at home and providing access to business-friendly amenities such as charging stations and comfortable seating.
High-speed Wi-Fi, which can be accessed as soon as business guests arrive in the lobby and check-in for their stay, will enable connectivity for busy individuals – while an elegant and modern setting lends itself to a professional environment and meeting point.
Designing the bedrooms with business travellers in mind
The bedroom is the mainstay of any hotel and needs to combine comfort with style and convenience – considering the additional features that elevate the experience for business guests and ensure that they have what they need.
Plenty of plug sockets, good in-room connection, a desk, and ergonomic chairs can all help to support a business traveller. Meanwhile, having a neutral aesthetic with indoor plants helps to facilitate concentration and productivity.
Other things to consider include a mini fridge and/or hot drink station to keep them fuelled, and information pamphlets on the local area including places to eat and drink.
Additional features and amenities
This is where you consider all the extras that business travellers and solo guests might want to enjoy as part of their stay – spanning health and wellness facilities, a gym, and onsite restaurants and bars which facilitate business meetings.
Where possible, adding a versatile array of seating options throughout bars and restaurants will allow the space to be used flexibly, while incorporating elements of local culture in the design offers a welcome immersive experience for travellers. Meanwhile, having a gym and sauna and other facilities helps to create a peaceful and relaxing space for business travellers to wind down.
Building a hotel with business travellers in mind: is it worth it?
Business travellers are among the most consistent in the world, often seeking a hotel which is as functional and accessible as it is design-centric and comfortable. Provided they can access the amenities they need, with a few extra facilities available for the evenings and down time, business travellers can easily be satiated with professional environments, good Wi-Fi, and a bar or gym.
For more information and advice on creating your hotel with business travellers in mind, get in touch with the Carroll Design team directly.