Choose the right hotel

When a flight is delayed, uncomfortable or even cancelled, it is invariably the airline that the traveller blames.

When a hotel is noisy, uncomfortable or overbooked, it is the travel arranger that will carry the can!

Business trips demand optimum use of time and budget and the travel arranger, back at the office, needs to ensure that a property is chosen in the correct location, with the right amenities and at an acceptable price.

Unless a major event is on in a city, it is rarely necessary to pay the rack rate for a room.
Look at the major hotel booking web sites such as activehotels.co.uk octopustravel.com, or lastminute.com and one room in a certain hotel on a precise date may have a dozen or more different rates to choose from. This figure will depend on the cancellation penalties, the advance booking period, and the length of stay. Often the ‘Run of the House’ rate is the cheapest but remember that the type of room will not be confirmed until the person checks in. They could end up with a corner box-room with the shower and toilet down the corridor.

On the internet it is often necessary to shop around. Check the refund policy as many cheaper rates require full payment in advance and in the event of a cancellation will not provide a full refund. Most business travellers prefer not to pay in advance but will happily provide a credit card number as guarantee. Even then, if a cancellation is made, obtain a cancellation number and keep a note of it.

Beware of rates shown in currencies other than in sterling or that of the country to be visited. The price may well become inflated once it has been converted into your local currency. A hotel booking made in France recently was shown in US dollars but was promoted on an Australian web site. By the time the charge reached the client’s credit card statement, it had increased by over 20%.

The Eton Group operates hotels in London, Leeds and Edinburgh. All are in prestigious locations and offer guests high standards of comfort, sumptuous luxury and an attention to detail that makes the guest feel individual and pampered. Such hotels are sometimes hidden behind plain facades, in keeping with their historical past, but this sets them apart from the larger chains which are often predictable, rather sterile and lacking in character.

Indeed, guests at Eton’s five-star properties even enjoy use of an ‘honesty bar’ in a club-like atmosphere where clients are sure to be impressed. At Threadneedles in the heart of London’s City this bar is in what was previously the main hall of Midland Bank’s headquarters.

Remember that frequent travellers seek hotel accommodation which is as comfortable as their own home. The property that they stay in is, in many ways, representing their company. Location, price, reputation, security and quality are all-important factors to be considered when ensuring that the right choice is made.

The chances are that a bad flight experience will only last a few hours but a hotel experience can last for days.