Those of you who travel for business may have to put up with ‘humorous’ jibes about your ‘difficult’ life from your friends and family. There may even be a little envy expressed about how lucky you are to be jet-setting from city to city across the continent or the world and the glamorous life you lead.

The reality, as you know, is that business travel is often stressful. In addition to all the normal pressures of work - a challenging presentation or pitch, a tense meeting, or a difficult client interaction – the exigencies of jet lag, separation from friends and loved ones, and unfamiliar surroundings just add to the difficulty of performing your job.

The luxury industry is, however, now coming to grips with the fact that business travellers are a growing percentage of their clientele and that they must address their needs. A business centre in a hotel is no longer enough; executives want a high-speed wireless connection in their room. A small desk with a lamp that takes up most of the square footage isn't adequate; they want a large working surface area with adequate lighting and ample electric sockets. Throw in an in-room fax machine, 24-hour room service, a stapler, and a fistful of pens that actually write, and well, the hotel might just have a happy business guest.

These issues, and more, are on our radar when we review luxury business hotels, from the smallest details to the overall comfort and convenience that make all the difference to the smoothness and success of your business trip.

BUSINESS

 

TRAVEL

In this section, we will produce hotel review after hotel review related to luxury properties that take business travellers seriously, until you have a list of tried and true favourites for each city you visit. It's going to take a while for us to circle the globe, so visit the site often for updates, and keep your favourite articles book-marked so that you can access them when the time arises.

As news related to business travel emerges, you'll see updates here related to issues that may assist you: an article related to the tricks to getting airline upgrades; the latest blackberry model; new airline or airport services, and the like.

And in our Business Life section we include pertinent, up-to-the-minute articles by internationally respected business coaches on all aspects of business leadership and successful business travel.

Should you have suggestions for our research or ideas that you feel may be relevant to other business travellers, email us at business@justtheplanet.com.

Your opinions and advice matter to us.