Corporate hotel booking

Corporate hotel booking tips for travel bookers

Accommodations make a big impression on travelers, especially business travelers. That's why corporate hotel booking can be tricker than planning your next vacation. Cleanliness, skilled customer service, and convenience are all expected.

As travel volumes and hotel rates continue to increase annually, it's essential to find ways to save while still meeting travel requirements and maintaining comfort levels. No one wants to deal with a plugged sink at home, let alone when they're traveling for work.

How can you prioritize what's important when so many aspects of the experience can vary? Find out how to book hotels the better way with our corporate hotel checklist.

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Contents

Travel management strategies for corporate hotel booking

Who, what, and where. The last one is the most important. A hotel with a central location is a great option since it can cut down on ground transportation expenses and save employees time. 

A hotel property's brand is also important, signaling the level of service and support travelers will receive. Then, there's the room itself, with considerations like noise, accessibility, space, and suitability for working. For frequent travelers, value-adds like a 24/7 gym, bike rentals, or laundry service can make or break a business trip.

Learn about LRA and NLRA

Understanding terms like LRA (last room available) and NLRA (not last room available) is important. LRA means that if a hotel has only one room left, it must still honor the rate. NLRA means the property can adjust rates based on high or low occupancy.
For great rates and more predictable expenses, Corporate Traveler recommends looking for hotels that offer LRA, like the ones in our exclusive hotel programs. Get the best hotel rates, even in the busy season.

Preferred hotel programs and extended stay

Loyalty points and programs can offer you discounted rates at your preferred hotels. This is common knowledge, but what about corporate hotel rates? Corporate hotel rates can mean more cost savings, more predictable travel expenses, and even extra perks and privileges.

It's not just for large companies, either, since working with a travel management company (TMC) can provide access to volume savings without requiring high volumes of travel. Corporate discounts can save you 10% off (or more) of the standard booking rate. A common example of this is when special hotel rates are offered to conference attendees.

Secure discounted rates by working with hotel properties either directly or through a TMC, which can also check for restrictions and limits on the number of rooms with discounted rates.

Other ways of saving require some planning and creative thinking. Can you bundle several meetings or client visits into one? Would an extended-stay hotel be ideal for this destination? TMCs can help with creative hotel booking strategies as well. 

How to stick to the travel policy and budget

Smart travel tips can help you book corporate hotels while still keeping to the budget and the company travel policy. Try these steps to keep costs low:

●    Set smart policy guidelines: Set a maximum nightly rate for hotel bookings, but make it possible to get approvals when there's a reason for an exception. 
●    Use technology to compare rates: Compare rates and complex characteristics with razor precision so you're not looking at airport hotels when you want downtown digs or vice versa. 
●    Check for free cancellation: Things happen. Plans change. Look for ways to recoup this forgotten area of savings. 

Upgrades, free Wi-Fi, and late check-in…oh my!

It can be difficult to figure out what to prioritize with hotels.  Pricing, safety concerns, convenience, and many other options all need to be considered. Especially with perks and amenities, you're never comparing apples with apples, and of course, each employee has different preferences.

This is where an online booking tool can be helpful, especially one that's customized to your employees and your negotiated vendor contracts. You'll have the data on your side to make decisions easily.

Hotel booking tools for business travel

Online booking tools, like Melon, Corporate Traveler's all-in-one booking platform, can bring together all the trip details to make booking hotels a simpler decision. It's with you every step of the way in the travel booking process:

1.    Input traveler data: Preferences and details like passports, payment cards, and loyalty program numbers are stored in the system for easy reference.  
2.    Set policy controls: Intuitive controls like Recommended Spend help you stay within budget even with fluctuating prices.
3.    Compare rates: Compare and contrast accommodation rates and access exclusive extras. Melon Exclusive Deals add an average of 5.3% in extra value compared to similar rates from direct bookings or online travel agencies.
4.    Access emergency support: Instant access to the 24/7 emergency assistance team for travelers around the world. 
5.    Ensure duty of care: Security alerts and real-time traveler tracking mean you always have eyes on your team. 
6.    Unlock advanced reports: View travel and finance data or drill down to unused ticket metrics and more specific insights. Detailed travel program analytics are now available.

TMCs can provide more than just travel technology and negotiated rates. They can also help iron out the payment process by setting up a company account or integrating with corporate card systems.

Of course, you can always book directly on hotel websites, but that's typically for individual bookings and personal travel, so it may be difficult to get negotiated rates or upgrades. Online travel agencies are another route for booking travel, but again, they tend to focus on leisure travel.

Get the corporate hotel booking checklist  

What are the best methods for booking accommodation for business travel (beyond just clicking "book now")? When you're managing travel for a growing team or a globe-trotting exec, having a smart hotel booking strategy can make all the difference. Happier travelers? Check. Fewer headaches? Absolutely. Budget that actually behaves? Yes, please.

Use this hotel booking checklist to plan a stress-free stay that's short or long.

 

For more detailed travel support, book a meeting with one of our travel experts.

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