Chicago can be an expensive business travel experience, so when you’re shopping for good business trip accommodations, you also have to think about the cost and amenities. You want to make sure that you are secure in your room, the WiFi is free, and that you’re able to call the front desk whenever you need something. Business trips always come with surprises, but in Chicago, you should be able to find a hotel that’s going to be located in the right place and have all the tech amenities you want.
Picking the right hotel brand is important as well. Some hotels are now unifying their tech packages for business travelers, while others are making free WiFi standard across all of their hotels. For example, the Hyatt Regency O’Hare Chicago is going to have the same amenities as a Hyatt in New York City.
When you go to Chicago, it’s also about the location. Being close to everything is important so you don’t have to worry about transportation and being too far away from networking events after the conference.
Find a One-Stop Shop Hotel in Chicago
There are lots of hotels that have cheaper rates, but do they have room service and WiFi? Do they have a business center? What about a fitness center? It’s important that you check off these things when you start your search. The best hotels in Chicago will have the following for business travelers:
- Business travel center
- Free WiFi
- 24-Hour room service
- Printer/fax/copy center
- Back-up amenities like toothpaste, phone chargers, deodorant, and even headphones
- Complimentary shuttle service
Some other amenities to consider when looking for a hotel are a fitness center with lots of machines and weights or does it have an indoor pool. In addition, the location matters as well. You want to be able to access all of the restaurants, network meet-ups, and taxi stations.
Look for Secure Hotels
Hotels should always be concerned about security and protecting guests. The best hotels will have a secure lobby and room-key secure elevators. This prevents people from coming into the hotel and accessing guest rooms without a key. While older hotels may not have any elevator protections, you want to find active room key protection so that you can protect your items.
Research the Location
Obviously, you want to stay in an area that’s close to where you’ll be working on your trip. There are a few areas in Chicago that are better to stay in than others. This includes the Magnificent Mile, River North, Lincoln Park, The Gold Coast, the Loop or McCormick Place. Most conferences and conventions are held at McCormick Place, Donald E. Stephens Convention Center, or McCormick Square. These areas have a lot of restaurants and bars in the area, so if you want to stay near the networking events, then you should pick a hotel by the convention center. This will cut down on travel time in between conference meetings and seminars.
The smallest details really make a difference when you stay in a big city like Chicago. You obviously want to keep your expenses down if you can, but you also want to make sure that you’re secure and have all of the things you need to access your files and devices.