From cross-cultural communication challenges, to last minute meeting changes, to unexpected traffic in an unfamiliar city, to your toothbrush not making it into your luggage, to needing a cup of coffee or a quick mile run, business travel requires expecting the unexpected.
While staying in a larger hotel makes many solutions available on site or nearby, more and more business travelers use homestay services such as Airbnb. In any lodging situation, taking just a few minutes to locate key conveniences ahead of time can go a long way toward making your trip frustration free. Be sure to think about your destination, the goals for your trip, and your likely needs.
Here are some common unexpected but necessary destinations. Which ones could be important to you on your next trip?
- Taxi stand
- Mass transportation stop or station
- Alternate route to appointment or meeting
- Reservable meeting space
- Dry cleaning services
- Clothing store
- Library
- Pharmacy
- Supermarket
- ATM
- Parcel shipment and business services
- Sports/fitness gym
- Biking/jogging paths
- Urgent care facility
Your concierge, homestay host, and colleagues can all be good sources of information. Another option is to visit Google Maps and, for example, type “taxi stand near (lodging address)” in the box that appears on the top right. This will open a map with pins on all nearby options, allowing you to determine for yourself which option is likely to be the most convenient.
Written by Erin Fitzgerald, GMS, Content Manager
