What do business travelers really expect from hotels that companies often underestimate?

For employees, business trips involve intense days, tight schedules, back-to-back meetings, and the need to be "in shape" from the very beginning. In all of this, a hotel is no longer just a place to sleep. It also becomes a space for work, regeneration, and preparation for future business challenges. Jakub Nestorowicz, a specialist at WorkTrips, will discuss what's important when choosing a hotel and what working with such properties looks like from a business travel management perspective.

Paulina: Jakub, thank you so much for agreeing to this interview. First, please tell us how your career in the business travel industry began.

Jakub: My adventure in the business travel industry began in 2017. While still completing my studies, I joined a travel agency, where I was responsible for hotel reservations from the very beginning. This immediately brought me closer to the world of accommodation services. It's a fascinating field because it requires understanding two perspectives simultaneously: the specifics of the hotel business and the specific needs of companies that have business travel embedded in their DNA.

I've always enjoyed working at the intersection of relationships and negotiations, delivering solutions that address real needs. I felt this was where I could add the most value. Over time, I became increasingly involved in the dynamics of business travel—an environment where company interests, employee comfort, and hotel capabilities converge. Over the years, I gained experience, progressing through the professional ranks, which led to the opportunity to join the WorkTrips team in November 2025.

Paulina: What does your daily work at WorkTrips look like?

Jakub: Every day is different. My area of responsibility is customer service and collaboration with hotels, negotiating terms of cooperation, analyzing and negotiating offers, and responding to customer needs. It's a lot of communication, a lot of coordination, and a lot of work "behind the scenes" that isn't immediately apparent. 🙂

Paulina: As you mentioned, you work at the intersection of two worlds – hotels and companies sending employees on business trips. How different is a business guest from a private one?

Jakub: It varies greatly. A private guest is often looking for attractions, atmosphere, and experiences. A business guest, on the other hand, seeks peace, comfort, predictability, and efficient service. They don't want surprises—they want everything to simply work out.

Paulina: It's interesting what you're saying. What are the needs of business travelers that come up most frequently in conversations with companies? Do you notice any consistent patterns?

Jakub: Absolutely. Time and comfort are always a priority, which is why I most frequently hear about the need for instant, hassle-free check-in and a stable Wi-Fi connection, which is a necessity in today's business world. Regular business travelers seek quiet and conditions that allow for effective rest and focus before an important meeting.

Logistics are also highly valued. The property's location, close to the meeting point, and the high-quality breakfasts are crucial, ensuring a good start to a busy day. Furthermore, the issue of flexibility often comes up in discussions: business clients require assurances that changes to plans or cancellations will be handled smoothly and without unnecessary formalities. The entire process is completed by the payment process – for both the traveler and the administration, it's crucial that the booking process is simple, quick, and doesn't generate a mountain of paperwork.

Paulina: Let's try to reverse this perspective: what do hotels typically promote as their main advantage, and what actually turns out to be secondary for a business guest?

Jakub: That's a very pertinent question. Hotels often place a huge emphasis on extensive wellness areas, sophisticated design, and the broadly defined "wow factor." While these are elements that build prestige, a business guest has completely different priorities. They will primarily appreciate functionality that facilitates their professional tasks.

For a traveling employee, an ergonomic desk, adequate lighting at the workspace, and - something that can still be a challenge - an intuitive arrangement of electrical outlets, including those by the bed, are crucial. In business, efficient and focused service is key, not extraneous services that a busy schedule simply leaves no time for. While hotels promote luxurious spas, traveling employees seek assurances that their room will be an optimally equipped office and a place for regeneration all in one. It's this simplicity and usability that truly constitute luxury for them.

Paulina: In your opinion, what elements of a stay have the greatest impact on a business traveler's assessment of a hotel?

Jakub: The key is always an optimal value for money. Early check-in, late check-out, and secure luggage storage are all conveniences that directly translate into the convenience of planning your workday while traveling, sometimes hundreds of miles from home.

Access to a professional conference room and parking are also important, as are recently installed electric car charging stations. We can't forget about the human factor either. The staff's courtesy and willingness to help in unusual situations are the foundation of trust. Finally, there are the details that complete the entire experience: a diverse menu in the hotel restaurant (e.g., gluten-free dishes), excellent coffee in the morning, and a guaranteed quiet time. While these may seem like small details, they're what make employees return from a business trip satisfied.

Paulina: If you had to pinpoint the things that frustrate business travelers most when staying at a hotel, what would be at the top of the list?

Jakub: The biggest enemy of a traveling professional is time, specifically anything that takes longer than it should. Downtime creates the greatest frustration: a prolonged check-in process or having to wait for a room to be ready. Equally problematic is weak or unstable Wi-Fi, which in today's world paralyzes work. Added to this is the lack of responsiveness from staff – when a problem arises, a business guest needs an immediate solution, not uncertainty. A business traveler works to a tight schedule and simply can't afford to waste energy on hotel organizational errors. For them, every minute lost to bureaucracy or technical failure is a real cost and unnecessary stress.

Paulina: It's true, time is a precious commodity these days. And tell me, what do companies often underestimate when choosing hotels for their employees?

Jakub: The most common mistake is focusing solely on the unit price of accommodation, while ignoring traveler comfort. We must remember that a sleep-deprived and tired employee drastically reduces productivity during key business meetings. What looks like savings on paper often generates hidden costs in reality. For example, choosing a cheaper hotel on the outskirts requires long and expensive taxi journeys. Lower standards or poor guest reviews, on the other hand, lead to employee frustration and subsequent complaints. We often forget that the cheapest offers are the most restrictive: lack of changes, cancellation options, or additional paid breakfasts ultimately result in the company paying more. That's why a holistic view of travel is so important, allowing us to anticipate these scenarios. True optimization in this area is a balance between price and practical utility.

Paulina: A Travel Manager looks at the company's budget and policies, while an employee looks at their convenience. How do you reconcile these two worlds?

Jakub: This is a natural tension that must be consciously balanced. The key to success is a clear travel policy that not only exists on paper but, above all, works in practice. A perfect example is the issue of price caps. Fixing the same amount for accommodation in Warsaw and a smaller city is a mistake that leads to frustration (the situation is similar abroad). The solution to this problem is the ability to add regions to the travel policy, available on the worktrips.com platform. This allows for the flexible setting of separate limits for different locations. Furthermore, at WorkTrips, we can not only implement such a travel policy into the online system but also help companies tailor it to their actual needs. We base this on statistics, years of experience, and unique contacts with accommodations around the world, which translates into very attractive rates for our clients.

Getting back to the point, ultimately, both sides – managers and travelers – share one goal: business travel processes must be simple and fast. That's why most companies value automation so highly. This is precisely the direction WorkTrips is taking, offering an intuitive online tool that makes business travel simply "happen," effortlessly.

Paulina: How has hotels' approach to business guests changed over recent years?

Jakub: We're seeing a very positive trend. Hotels – not only in top destinations like Warsaw or Krakow, but also in smaller towns – are increasingly opening up to the corporate sector. Offering professional spaces for client meetings, modern training rooms, and facilities for conferences and corporate events is becoming standard. Accommodation facilities are increasingly understanding that a business guest means much more than just "booking a room." It's the beginning of a whole chain of events that begins with the planning and ends with the employee's safe return home and settlement of expenses. Hotels are therefore striving for comprehensiveness – they want to be partners who provide a complete experience, not just a bed and breakfast. This shift in perspective makes business travel not only simpler but also more effective from the perspective of building business relationships.

Paulina: What was the most surprising request or expectation from a business guest you've ever meet?

Jakub: We've had requests for a very specific type of pillow, requests for absolute silence, and even a complete rearrangement of the room to create the perfect backdrop for a professional video conference. We've also had requests for a favorite yogurt or fresh rolls for breakfast, and even for toothpaste that a traveler forgot. 🙂

At WorkTrips, we offer a dedicated VIP Concierge service that goes far beyond standard flight or hotel bookings. Our mission is to make the impossible possible. We offer customized services—from arranging private jets and air taxis to assisting with fast airport check-in. WorkTrips agents double-check every reservation and are available 24/7, 365 days a year. Whether a guest needs a table at a busy restaurant, flowers in their room, or a car ride to the airport, we can handle it.

Paulina: Jakub, thank you so much for the interview and for sharing your experience so openly. This insider's perspective demonstrates how important it is to understand the real needs of business travelers and how crucial a well-chosen hotel is to the overall travel experience. This is a valuable perspective for anyone managing corporate travel.

Jakub: Thank you as well for the invitation and the opportunity to share my perspective.