Travelling for work- Tips?

[Moonlamp]

I start a new position on Monday, one which will require me to be away from home most weeks, sometimes for a few days and sometimes for the whole week.
Of course, I've done training courses away before, but does anyone who travels for work regularly have any hints or tips as to how to live in hotels successfully?

(It's all UK based)

I don't but am interested in what people say, so watching - and good luck with your new role!

I take my Bose Micro speaker so I've got good sound everywhere I go, if I go way so that is my tip - the sound quality is excellent and they are small enough to go in handbag, very durable, can drop etc, clip it on, water proof.

Dp is away a lot. He keeps a full set of toiletries, reading glasses, spare phone charger etc in his carry on case and packs clean underwear and shirts into the case straight from doing our laundry to save time packing. He keeps the case under our bed.

He's away all week this week which is a few times a year, flying or driving

When i travel regularly I always have a wash bag packed with small bottles that I top up every few weeks as needed.
wear comfortable shoes if you’re flying or taking the train.
check the weather forecast for where you’re going before you pack!
invest in ear plugs and an eye mask
check hotel facilities for pool / gym if you’re interested in using those
pack a set of metal cutlery (unless you’re flying with hand luggage) as takeaway
food comes with wooden cutlery these days
if you’re staying in one place regularly join the hotel loyalty scheme as you tend to get offered better rooms or discounted food etc and then you can use the reward points for your own use (unless your work have rules against this)

Brilliant, thanks all. Some great tips in there...
I need to get a suit/dress bag and some mini toiletries set really...

I always take my pillow with me (I drive)

Yes to spare set of chargers and toiletries, keep them in the suitcase.
Pack outfits, not separate clothes - so you don't discover none of the tops actually go with any of the trousers and shoes.
Travel steamer - even business hotels often don't have irons any more, I think about 9 our of 10 hotels I most recently stayed in didn't have irons but only offered horrendously expensive laundry service.

Maybe take some cutlery! I don’t travel often but when I do I don’t always want a full meal. I would just go to M&S and buy a salad and baguette for example and it’s nice to then be able to eat it.

Yes, mix n match outfits are useful if you’re limited to packing space - trousers you can wear 2 days with different tops, jacket / cardigan you can wear with more than one outfit, shoes you can wear with all outfits…..

Congratulations on the job!

I have a spare standby outfit, in black, just in case someone dies whilst I’m away (morbid or what)

You need hotel shoes/sliders for going to the gym and in case of fire alarm.

Definitely agree with having a work set of toiletries, they can be normal sized if you aren’t flying.

If you straighten your hair, get a heat proof storage bag for the straighteners. The last thing I do is sort my hair before leaving my room so I don’t want to wait for them to cool.

Also re hair - get a shower cap, some hotel showers aren’t adjustable and you may not want to wash your hair.

Learn to sleep with the bedcovers tightly tucked instead of faffing untucking them. This will save you about a day a year!!!

Good luck and enjoy it.

Have a bag always half-packed. Eg toiletries, get a second charger, always have underwear in there.
Then there's less to pack each time!
Have some cutlery and a proper size mug in your bag as hotel stuff is crap!

I used to regularly travel away for work. I quite enjoyed it.

Get a proper work suitcase, and have items that are just for travel. I used to have a full wash bag ready to go (with spare medication, duplicate hairbrush etc) - the ones that have a hook are handy.

Definitely have specific PJ's for work travel.

Extra chargers/cables that live in your suitcase.

A slouchy cardigan for when you get in your hotel room. (They're always cold!)

Ear plugs. Tea bags.

I would usually take dresses, so much easier to have 1 dress per day, than separates.

All the above.

Plus I had a movement sensitive light which I put in the hotel room so that when I get up and can't remember where the toilet is, or the light switch is, it is already on and helping me to stop walking into walls.

One of the best things we ever bought. Still use it for night time bathroom trips down the hall.

I have a spare standby outfit, in black, just in case someone dies whilst I’m away (morbid or what)

Are you the queen?

I rarely travel for work, but my experience of hotels is that whilst you normally get a selection of tea, the coffee is usually horrible instant, so I always take decent coffee bags.
I'd make sure I have gym/swimming gear if the hotel has those facilities available, and duplicates of everything from chargers to straighteners in my bag permanently.

An extension lead because plug sockets are always the other side of the room.
I have a first aid bag, mini sewing kit with safety pins in that stay in my case.

If you stay in one location a lot then research things to do in the evenings, even if it's a stroll through a park. I spent 18 months travelling back and forth to our headquarter and it was just nice to get out of the office and not just sit in a hotel room.

If you go abroad, ensure you have been enrolled in a business travel insurance and take the details with you.
Find a credit card with no fees for your personal expenses.
Get 2-3 plugs for your chargers, not every hotel has moved to USB sockets yet and you may need to charge your phone, laptop and tablet at the same time.

Like the guys above, my bag is half-packed at all times with straightners, brush, proper mug, wash bag, undies & a hairdryer (thick long hair and I may as well stand out in the wind than use one of the hotel hairdryers! I have a travel iron and an extension lead with usb ports on it as some hotels have limited sockets and the can be in the strangest of places!

If you cherish your morning cuppa take your own mug!

I always travel with a large travel mug. The hotel mugs are always tiny. And then I can walk out the door with it too.

Def have a complete travel washbag, mine also has tweezers and nail scissors as well as soaps etc.

A tiny sewing kit, literally a pre threaded needle and a couple of safety pins

When you get fed up with yet another restaurant meal, dont forget you can get a salad from a supermarket and have a simple dinner in your hotel room.

No but I blame her for this! In a previous job it would have affected my job if she died whilst I was working so I got in the habit of having a spare outfit, well I’d have a spare outfit anyway, it’s just always a black one.

I also recommend having a second set of all your essentials that you can keep packed in a case all the time - chargers, hairbrush, hairdryer (hotel ones are usually awful), toiletries / first aid bag (especially if you’re not flying and don’t have to worry about liquids), nail clippers/scissors and file, tweezers, little sewing kit to mend buttons etc., cutlery for takeaways, travel cup etc.

exercise - try and keep some sort of activity in your routine, hotel gym or pool if that’s an option, take shoes that are good for gym / a walk rather than just smart work shoes, I usually have a set of resistance bands in the suitcase in case there’s no gym

sleep - spend some time working out what helps you sleep in new places, for me I bring a silk pillowcase from home for my top pillow, eye mask and ear plugs, comfy sleep clothes that I won’t be embarrassed about going out in a fire alarm in - leggings and a t shirt for me or shorts in hot weather.

entertainment - kindle rather than books if you like reading, a small Bluetooth speaker if you like music, I tend to not both trying to get hotel TVs to work unless they’re smart with built in streaming, so a laptop with decent speakers is good for watching TV / films.

Food - eat some vegetables! I know that sounds crazy but when I first started travelling for work lots and eating out, I realised I ate far too little fruit / veg because the portions that come with most meals in restaurants etc. just aren’t big enough. I make sure to order a couple of vegetable sides usually - although I guess it will depend a bit on your expense account situation. Take some decent coffee, especially if you’re going rural / away from coffee shops. I use coffee bags now after an incident trying to clean a cafetière in a hotel bathroom sink. I take a travel kettle too because most hotel kettles are disgusting.

cleanliness - I know they should be clean, but it can be variable. I usually have a pack of antibac wipes I can use on the major touch points - taps, light switches, bedside table. Have slippers you can put on rather than bare feet, and shower slippers / sliders in case the bathroom is a bit grim.

If I was on my own I would use room service in the evening. I just love sitting in bed with a glass of wine and my dinner on a tray watching tv.

From a security perspective I'd recommend getting a door jam or similar device so you can ensure no-one can get into your room whilst you are asleep.

I've stayed in some rough hotels and locations over the years!

I'd also recommend a book or kindle for the inevitable meal on your own. It was a handy crutch for when I was first getting used to solo dining. I hate feeling coupled up in the hotel room so would hang out in the hotel bar, a book and a good resting bitch face helped prevent a lot of unwanted chit chat.

In addition to many of the things mentioned by pp I have a little hot water bottle that lives in my work travel bag.
To many cold rooms.

If you like good coffee an aeropress is a lifesaver. Mine's been all over the world.

I also second finding things to do in the evening- if you swim, find a good pool, if you like art are there interesting galleries etc. Make the most of the chance to check out new places. Harder if you're on an industrial estate in woking.

And yes to the second toiletry bag etc.