Booking travel arrangements for the boss is the biggest headache for the UK’s PAs according to research from LateRooms.com, the late availability hotel room specialist.

Finding rooms at late notice and dealing with ever changing travel plans were the major bugbears for PAs responsible for making travel arrangements for management.

As a result, the company has launched its TRAVEL BLISS top tips to reduce the cost and stress associated with business travel arrangements. These are based on its experiences working with PAs and assistants booking over 20 rooms a month with the company.

T       Trust - a trusted partner who knows the hotel industry inside out can ease the load and point you in the                                             right direction for the most suitable hotel to meet your boss’ needs
R       Reviews and ratings - can help when selecting a hotel. It’s worth checking what other business travellers say about the establishment and its facilities
A       Aggravations - everybody has their own little foibles so make a check list of your boss’ preferences to ensure that the hotel you book will meet his/her specific needs
V       Value - are you getting the best rate? Business travel costs can soon mount up. Booking at the last minute can help you save up to 70 per cent off the room rate
E       Environment - check the location of the room within the hotel. Does it look over a busy road? Is it near the lift? A noisy room just isn’t conducive to business
L       Location - is the hotel close to the meeting location or can the hotel offer meeting rooms on-site? On the flip side, if your boss wants to go out and about after hours, what attractions and leisure facilities can be found nearby?

B       Breakfast - the most important meal of the day so make sure it is included in the room price if you want your boss to get the best start possible
L       Late bookings - with constantly changing travel plans it can be a nightmare to keep track of arrangements. Leaving things to the last minute ensures that you don’t have to keep chopping and changing and helps to keep room charges down through late availability deals. In fact, LateRooms research shows that the majority of business bookings are made just one day before a stay
I       Internet and email access - a must for today’s business travellers but the costs can spiral with the average charge around £10 a day. Checking whether the hotel you select offers free broadband access can help to keep costs down
S       Services - what facilities does the hotel provide? What can it offer the business traveller to support their work? Wi-Fi? Meeting rooms? Conference call services? And, for relaxation at the end of a hard day, what amenities are available? Spa? Swimming pool? Bar?
S       Speed is of the essence - if you’re having a busy day you don’t want to have to spend hours researching and locating a hotel for your boss. You need fast, tailored information on the choices and availability.

One PA who uses LateRooms regularly is Joanne Jones at RJD Interiors Ltd. “In our busy periods we book around four hotels each week. This used to take me half a day to source the hotel and then book the room, now one call to LateRooms’ business team and it’s done in less than half an hour.”
 
“Business travel is not only expensive for companies but can be a headache for whoever is having to make the arrangements,” said Tony Walsh, development director at LateRooms. “Our Travel Bliss top tips are designed to give PAs and secretaries a check list to help them get the best deal in the most efficient way,” he added.
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