Travelling for business is one of the perks and burdens of busy professionals. You’ll have plenty of opportunities to see new places and undertake new adventures, but this change of scenery can also prove disconcerting for some.
Just as there are many great things about travelling for work, there are also plenty of drawbacks – and this brief guide to the best travel hacks business travellers should know is sure to help make your next trip much more convenient.
Travel light
Baggage charges and waiting around for your checked luggage after a flight is often a troublesome part of business-related travel. In addition, packing an enormous suitcase is never a good idea, particularly if your business trip is likely to involve public transport. We recommend travelling light, enabling you to get from A to B (and back again) with minimal fuss and hassle.
There are ways to ensure you only bring what you really need. Part of this comes from practice, realising which items add no great value to your trip and which ones slow you down by making you bring more luggage than you should. Focus on your packing with a meticulous attention to detail, and carefully assess whether each of the things you’re bringing will really be required while staying at Hyde Park accommodation.
Keep in mind that in a city like London, you’ll be able to stock up on some of the essentials once you arrive – so stick to the basics for your visit and you’ll find it much less stressful.
Book travel and transport online
Booking online has become the accepted standard for many business travellers, and there are a few key reasons why. Not only is this more convenient than alternative methods, but online booking also offers transparent pricing and an immediate response.
After knowing your accommodation and transport is organised, alongside any fun activities you have planned, you’ll be free to focus on the real purpose of your business trip, and really shine when meeting colleagues and clients.
Check your luggage weight
While you might have crammed everything into a smaller suitcase, depending on the form of transport you use to get here, the weight of the luggage is still important. For flights it can be the deciding factor between travelling with hand luggage and having to place your bag(s) in the hold. For all other forms of travel, a weighty bag will slow you down and hinder your visit.
Invest in a luggage scale and check before each trip. These are inexpensive and can even be packed in your bag ready to ensure the return weight is also within accepted limitations. Practice briefly wheeling or carrying your luggage before you leave, and make sure it is a manageable weight, to help prevent injury or accidents when travelling. There are lots of things to do near Hyde Park, and it would be a shame to miss them because you hurt yourself toting a heavy bag around the city.
Bring an extra copy of any vital documents
Documentation can take many forms, from items relating to your travel itself to business documents and other vital pieces of paper relevant to your trip. We recommend bringing a backup copy of everything you need – preferably digitally.
This will allow you to print off an extra copy if needed, but it also ensures that you only have a limited amount of paper to keep track of while travelling. In the event of an emergency, you’ll be happy you took the precautionary step before heading to hotels in Bayswater.
Buy gifts on your final day
If you want to take a few things back home for loved ones (or yourself), then schedule a little time on the last day of your trip. This helps to make gift shopping a fun event – and ensures you can immediately pack anything you buy ready for your return travel. In addition, it helps to keep everything together, and makes it much less likely you will lose your new purchases.
Add extra time to your journey
No matter how well you have planned your trip, or how meticulously the timings have been arranged, things can and will go wrong. Instead of arriving late for important meetings or missing out on some fun sightseeing while staying at the Grand Royal London Hyde Park, always assume everything will take a little longer than you anticipate.
This time-conscious ethos can extend to everything from your flights to train travel and journeys once you’re in your end destination. It might seem like a stressful approach, but in fact you are merely allotting extra time for any inconveniences which occur during your travels – allowing you to see and do much more without constantly feeling rushed.
Take time to relax
No matter how stressful your business trip, take a little time to relax and indulge yourself during your visit. London is a beautiful and action-packed city, but there’s also plenty of places where you can simply stop and watch the world go by.
We recommend enjoying a Grand Royale afternoon tea as a way to unwind and treat yourself. If you have more relaxed business meetings planned, then this is also a great way to introduce business partners and colleagues to a UK tradition.
Bring a contactless payment method
There are many places in London which accept contactless payments, including everything from the London Underground to buses, restaurants and more. This is a streamlined way to pay for getting around the city, and helps halt the need for queuing at ticket offices.
For those who are unacquainted with contactless, it can take a little while to get used to, but ultimately results in a more convenient way to shop and explore London. It will also help you spend less time waiting around for trains by speeding up the purchase process.
