You put a lot of effort into turning your house into a home because you live there. The same rule applies to any place you’ll hang your hat for a while, even if it’s a hotel.
When you’ll be “living” in a hotel for the extended future, you shouldn’t settle for the cheapest you can find. You’ll want a place where you can conveniently access your job and living necessities and sleep soundly.
That’s not too much to ask for all the hard work you do on the road or for your staff if you’re the travel manager. But finding the ideal long-term stay hotel to suit your needs isn’t as easy as inputting a destination into a hotel search engine.
These three tips can help you balance nightly and weekly hotel rates with things that will help you have a comfortable and enjoyable long-term stay wherever you go.
1. Aim For Hotels, Not Motels
When you see the rates, you might wonder if there’s a difference between hotels and motels. Wouldn’t it be better to nab a cheaper motel if it’s just where you’re going to be sleeping and getting ready for work?
Hold on to your mouse before you click that reservation. Let’s talk about the difference between hotels and motels for the average corporate traveler.
As Hotel Engine discusses in this article, motels are a relatively new concept. They began about a century ago, whereas hotels have been common in the lodging industry since the 1600s.
Motels cropped up because people needed a quick place to stay for a night or two, and they didn’t care about whether that place had perks, comfy beds, or other amenities.
So, when you see brands that were originally geared toward the motel line, they’re not going to have the benefits that make long-term lodging comfortable and restful. They may have “extended stay” rates, but they’ll likely be missing the pleasantries.
2. Check Out (The Amenities, That Is)
What are some things that you don’t want to live without while you’re away from home? Factor those in when you filter your search and cross off any hotels that don’t include extended stay rates and those essentials.
You’ll find that most hotels that market themselves toward corporate travelers include plenty of complimentary room perks, like:
- High-speed internet access
- Streaming service availability on smart TVs (which may require you to have your own account with your favorite apps, like Netflix or Hulu)
- In-room kitchens, complete with a fridge, stove, oven, microwave, sink, and coffee machine
- Filtered water sources
As you explore the offerings outside of the room, you’ll see that many hotels have on-site transportation to the most popular destinations, such as shopping malls, the airport, and tourist attractions. They’ll provide laundry services and/or on-site self-serve laundry facilities.
Look for pools, hot tubs, or fitness centers and on-site transportation to shopping centers and tourist attractions. When you earn how to schedule your errands around the free scheduled transport services, you’ll save money, too. Long-term stay hotels in Memphis are definitely a way to go with all amenities that they are providing. With so much to explore, Memphis is one of the best choices for a long-term stay this year!
3. Search for Prime Spots
Where will you be spending most of your time? Looking for a hotel near that area but also central to the prime spots may cost more per night, but how much will it save you in time, gas, and transportation costs?
If you have a company or private vehicle, watch for hotels with free parking. Nightly fees for on-site parking spaces add up fast. Unless you really need your car, it might be cheaper to use the hotel’s transportation, the subway (if there is one), a cab, or rideshare.
Research the Radius of the Hotel
When you’ve narrowed your search down to two or three potential hotels, take a few minutes to search the area. Type the address into your map app, and scroll out to see what businesses are nearby.
Are there enough grocery and restaurant options to keep you stocked and fed, or will you need to drive a while to get to the nearest stores and decent dining places?
How far is the hotel from your job? Will you be stuck in traffic for a good chunk of the day? If you’re relying on outside sources, like rideshares, to get you there, how much will a one-way trip cost you?
When you detail your expenses, you’ll see that the nightly rates aren’t enough to look at. You could save significantly by staying at a more expensive hotel.
Conclusion
You’re going to spend money staying away from home. It’s a given. But don’t you want those funds to be strategically spent on something that you can feel comfortable in?
With these tips, you’ll learn how to adjust your thinking to look for more than nightly rates and find the best long-term hotel to suit your needs.