Work travel - accommodation
Discussion
Further to an earlier post in the “do you enjoy your job?” thread, I wonder what people’s thoughts are on accommodation when travelling for work? Do those of you who do travel for work have accommodation that is the same or better than at home? Is a particular standard written into your contract?
I work in Compliance for a UK company that has an office in Barcelona. The company Chairman rents out a flat of his to the company. Usually, the three-bed flat is occupied by UK-based sales people training in Barcelona. For that reason I have been fortunate enough to be put up in a nearby four-star hotel.
The UK-based sales people have either quit already or are now full-time in the UK so a room in the flat is now usually available for my visits, which is a shame as the beds are very uncomfortable (see pic). It’s only for two nights at a time but I have my boss (a large chap) who declared himself “hotel only” last year and a colleague junior to me, for whom the company pays for four nights at a time in the hotel (due to clashes with the flat being full) so I’m feeling a bit put out!
How would you approach this subject? I’m 18 months at the company and number two in the department.
I work in Compliance for a UK company that has an office in Barcelona. The company Chairman rents out a flat of his to the company. Usually, the three-bed flat is occupied by UK-based sales people training in Barcelona. For that reason I have been fortunate enough to be put up in a nearby four-star hotel.
The UK-based sales people have either quit already or are now full-time in the UK so a room in the flat is now usually available for my visits, which is a shame as the beds are very uncomfortable (see pic). It’s only for two nights at a time but I have my boss (a large chap) who declared himself “hotel only” last year and a colleague junior to me, for whom the company pays for four nights at a time in the hotel (due to clashes with the flat being full) so I’m feeling a bit put out!
How would you approach this subject? I’m 18 months at the company and number two in the department.
Is it just the bed that's bugging you?
Does look suitable for a 2 year old but you could always get a blow up mattress to put on top.
Or, do you feel you are missing out by not being in a hotel?
When I travel, I stay in Holiday Inns which are ok but not as nice as my house but it doesn't bother me.
Does look suitable for a 2 year old but you could always get a blow up mattress to put on top.
Or, do you feel you are missing out by not being in a hotel?
When I travel, I stay in Holiday Inns which are ok but not as nice as my house but it doesn't bother me.
I've stayed in all sorts. In Aberdeen I once stayed in a stinking hovel of a place- even the taxi driver asked me, and I quote, 'what the f
k are you staying there for?!?'. It really was that bad.
OP- why can't you just declare yourself hotel-only too, citing convenience as the main reason?
k are you staying there for?!?'. It really was that bad.OP- why can't you just declare yourself hotel-only too, citing convenience as the main reason?
If you work in Compliance, my first thought would be to check the accounting for this flat 
Most places where I have worked had an expenses policy, which capped expenditure rather than setting a standard. Sadly one place I worked at for over a decade did not update the caps, so I went from being able to book a nice Crowne Plaza to sketching around looking for a Travelodge. Shortly before quitting anyway.
Most places where I have worked had an expenses policy, which capped expenditure rather than setting a standard. Sadly one place I worked at for over a decade did not update the caps, so I went from being able to book a nice Crowne Plaza to sketching around looking for a Travelodge. Shortly before quitting anyway.
Morning all,
No, it's not just the bed that's bugging me, it's the fact I had become accustomed to the hotel (their fault!) and also that my colleague not only got the hotel on the previous visit but also for four nights, when my visits are two (nights) and the budget won't stretch to the hotel! To confirm, I am not complaining about the length of my visit - two nights a month is sufficient for me!
Next week will be my third stay in the flat - the first stay, when I took the picture above, I returned from dinner to find my bag no longer in the room but in the hallway after a mess up with the bookings and a German sales guy (based in Berlin) having moved my bag - so I spent the night on the sofa! I have managed to sufficiently explain my dismay about that night to the Barca office manager and claimed back lounge access plus shower on the way back.
Which brings me to Deckster's point - yup there's a sitting room with a sofa but no TV and use of the kitchen but there's so many nomads coming and going I wouldn't leave anything there (anyway, eating out is so cheap).
Yup, we've had a laugh about the arrangement of the Chairman renting out a flat to the company!
Stu - have thought about tackling my boss on that one too - convenience/comfort. I am going to try and chat to him today as I want to know what's going on with my deputy MLRO training I was meant to be having.
No, it's not just the bed that's bugging me, it's the fact I had become accustomed to the hotel (their fault!) and also that my colleague not only got the hotel on the previous visit but also for four nights, when my visits are two (nights) and the budget won't stretch to the hotel! To confirm, I am not complaining about the length of my visit - two nights a month is sufficient for me!
Next week will be my third stay in the flat - the first stay, when I took the picture above, I returned from dinner to find my bag no longer in the room but in the hallway after a mess up with the bookings and a German sales guy (based in Berlin) having moved my bag - so I spent the night on the sofa! I have managed to sufficiently explain my dismay about that night to the Barca office manager and claimed back lounge access plus shower on the way back.
Which brings me to Deckster's point - yup there's a sitting room with a sofa but no TV and use of the kitchen but there's so many nomads coming and going I wouldn't leave anything there (anyway, eating out is so cheap).
Yup, we've had a laugh about the arrangement of the Chairman renting out a flat to the company!
Stu - have thought about tackling my boss on that one too - convenience/comfort. I am going to try and chat to him today as I want to know what's going on with my deputy MLRO training I was meant to be having.
The bed is the most important thing to me in the room, if I can't sleep because of the bed or noise then I'm going to be complaining and highly unlikely to stay there again. It is a shame that you are in a more difficult situation as it is the Chairman's flat, I imagine you'd be less than shy about complaining if it had been the hotel that gave you that room.
Personally I would rather stay in a managed apartment than a hotel room as you get more space and you can cook for yourself as I get bored eating out when staying in the same area for an extended period of time.
Personally I would rather stay in a managed apartment than a hotel room as you get more space and you can cook for yourself as I get bored eating out when staying in the same area for an extended period of time.
It looks like crap. I would be checking the expenses policy, finding out the cap for a hotel per night and requesting to book that instead - cite needing to be able to work in the evenings and the apartment not being a suitable place due to the other occupants.
My company aren't the best for expenses but we have a cap and that often gets me into a half decent hotel. When it doesn't, it is a Travelodge, but even that is better than the room judging by the picture!
My company aren't the best for expenses but we have a cap and that often gets me into a half decent hotel. When it doesn't, it is a Travelodge, but even that is better than the room judging by the picture!
I luckilly enjoy a relative freedom in choosing accomodation. I choose flight and accomodation and I send the request to the travel agency the company works with. Mid range hotels acrosso Europe are usually clean and comfortable enough, I only had some issues in India, where while I experienced some great hotels for the money, others close to the plant were not clean enough. Also in Russia I had some issues, the hotel looked better in photos. But I have to say that I changed accomodation only a bunch of times among hundreds of trips over the years.
ComoEstas said:
Further to an earlier post in the “do you enjoy your job?” thread, I wonder what people’s thoughts are on accommodation when travelling for work? Do those of you who do travel for work have accommodation that is the same or better than at home? Is a particular standard written into your contract?
I work in Compliance for a UK company that has an office in Barcelona. The company Chairman rents out a flat of his to the company. Usually, the three-bed flat is occupied by UK-based sales people training in Barcelona. For that reason I have been fortunate enough to be put up in a nearby four-star hotel.
The UK-based sales people have either quit already or are now full-time in the UK so a room in the flat is now usually available for my visits, which is a shame as the beds are very uncomfortable (see pic). It’s only for two nights at a time but I have my boss (a large chap) who declared himself “hotel only” last year and a colleague junior to me, for whom the company pays for four nights at a time in the hotel (due to clashes with the flat being full) so I’m feeling a bit put out!
How would you approach this subject? I’m 18 months at the company and number two in the department.
I haven't read the whole thing - but is that a prison cell??I work in Compliance for a UK company that has an office in Barcelona. The company Chairman rents out a flat of his to the company. Usually, the three-bed flat is occupied by UK-based sales people training in Barcelona. For that reason I have been fortunate enough to be put up in a nearby four-star hotel.
The UK-based sales people have either quit already or are now full-time in the UK so a room in the flat is now usually available for my visits, which is a shame as the beds are very uncomfortable (see pic). It’s only for two nights at a time but I have my boss (a large chap) who declared himself “hotel only” last year and a colleague junior to me, for whom the company pays for four nights at a time in the hotel (due to clashes with the flat being full) so I’m feeling a bit put out!
How would you approach this subject? I’m 18 months at the company and number two in the department.
Update:
I have just had a chat with my boss and explained the above and he replied (bear in mind he does not sort the accommodation, the office manager in Barca does) "maybe because she's a woman they didn't want to put her in the flat with the others" - One for the "things that really annoy you" thread for sure. I am fuming!
My boss (who books our flights) is a very accommodating (pun) chap and already sees that my colleague (who resides in the Midlands every weekend) hasn't yet had to come down to London on the Sunday night when flying to Barca but instead flies from B'ham, so she's had it pretty good.
I did ask what if I just say that I've now tried the flat and it's extremely uncomfortable (like he did) and see what happens? He didn't disagree.
My concerns will be taken to the CEO and we'll see what happens.
I have just had a chat with my boss and explained the above and he replied (bear in mind he does not sort the accommodation, the office manager in Barca does) "maybe because she's a woman they didn't want to put her in the flat with the others" - One for the "things that really annoy you" thread for sure. I am fuming!
My boss (who books our flights) is a very accommodating (pun) chap and already sees that my colleague (who resides in the Midlands every weekend) hasn't yet had to come down to London on the Sunday night when flying to Barca but instead flies from B'ham, so she's had it pretty good.
I did ask what if I just say that I've now tried the flat and it's extremely uncomfortable (like he did) and see what happens? He didn't disagree.
My concerns will be taken to the CEO and we'll see what happens.
ComoEstas said:
that my colleague (who resides in the Midlands every weekend) hasn't yet had to come down to London on the Sunday night when flying to Barca but instead flies from B'ham
What difference does that make - does it cost more to fly from Birmingham ?A commercial director in one of my old companies had the right policy imo. If you stay away on company business they should put you in accommodation with the same facilities as if you'd been at home. ie access to meals, shower, gym, reasonable amount of private space. The company did own a flat near the office but there was no obligation for people to stay there.
mp3manager said:
Jeez, you office types don't know when you're born. At least in that room/hotel accommodation, you'll have access to nearby running water, washing facilities and a toilet.
Try sleeping under your desk, to see the amount of space, us lorryists have to endure 5 nights a week!
I've often wondered how much money those sleeper-cabs save. Given the price us normal car drivers have to pay to park up at an MSA overnight (if we aren't staying in the attached hotel), how much does it cost to have a lorry parked there overnight? With Travelodge rooms at £25 a night, and the extra cost of the sleeper cab, it must be a fairly close run thing between a normal lorry and stay in the MSA room versus sleeping in the truck?Try sleeping under your desk, to see the amount of space, us lorryists have to endure 5 nights a week!
Or is the economics based on finding places to park like laybys, farms and industrial estates?
Reasonably flexible, there's nothing stated in the travel contract the accommodation needs to be equal to home residence, but there is a set amount per night that can be claimed.
When I first started I did some flying out to the German plants/ suppliers. Being naive and young I just called our travel company and got them to book me any hotel near to my destination. This usually meant a terrible hotel as it was cheap. Speaking to the Quality Engineers that were out every week and employees that used to live near the various destinations, you quickly find out the better places to go within budget!
I got seconded for a month to Germany and realised that Air B n B was cheaper and nicer than the hotels lined up for me. Of course finance gave that the OK! Being a reasonably easy job with minimal hours, it also meant I could fly my missus out for three weeks (teacher, end of term) so we spent three weeks around Munich/ Italy for next to nothing! We also were able to cook/ live a bit more normally, than compared to a small hotel room with minimal facilities.
When I first started I did some flying out to the German plants/ suppliers. Being naive and young I just called our travel company and got them to book me any hotel near to my destination. This usually meant a terrible hotel as it was cheap. Speaking to the Quality Engineers that were out every week and employees that used to live near the various destinations, you quickly find out the better places to go within budget!
I got seconded for a month to Germany and realised that Air B n B was cheaper and nicer than the hotels lined up for me. Of course finance gave that the OK! Being a reasonably easy job with minimal hours, it also meant I could fly my missus out for three weeks (teacher, end of term) so we spent three weeks around Munich/ Italy for next to nothing! We also were able to cook/ live a bit more normally, than compared to a small hotel room with minimal facilities.
No way would I stop in that hovel, most places I have worked have had a policy that you should be as comfortable as you would be in your own home.
I did once join a small local firm, and went to visit a client in Glasgow, with the not so powerfully built MD. He drove us to B&B and I was doubts were setting in, at reception 1 key was handed over and he said I hope you don't mind sharing to keep costs down.
Actually I do, so wandered off to find another hotel at my own expense, we did the client meeting and on the way back he berated me for not having the appropriate company spirit, I I told him to stick his job following day.
I did once join a small local firm, and went to visit a client in Glasgow, with the not so powerfully built MD. He drove us to B&B and I was doubts were setting in, at reception 1 key was handed over and he said I hope you don't mind sharing to keep costs down.
Actually I do, so wandered off to find another hotel at my own expense, we did the client meeting and on the way back he berated me for not having the appropriate company spirit, I I told him to stick his job following day.
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