What Canadian business travellers need in a hotel

Last updated August 2025

Being a business traveller can be a great experience, but is not always simple. From the potential for experiencing multiple time zones and languages, to braving harsh weather and being away from home, having a suitable hotel can significantly impact the success of a business trip.

In this article, we identify key considerations that will help Canadian business travellers get the most from their hotel experience. This includes important amenities like security, productive workspaces, wellness facilities, and a range of accommodation types to help travel managers find the best combination for their team – whether it’s a resort hotel for a Calgary client meeting, a long-stay option in Vancouver, or aparthotels abroad with reliable Wi-Fi.

What sets a hotel apart for business travellers?

Infographic titled "What business travellers need in a hotel" with eight needs listed, including internet, convenience, dining, workspaces, supporting wellness, responsive services, sustainability and safety.

In addition to the typical demands of leisure travel, business travellers often work under tight deadlines and packed schedules, making flexibility and convenience the highest priority. This ensures that the most can be made of short trips and that crossing provinces for client meetings or conferences is as easy as possible.

The nature of business travel is also shifting as more people embrace hybrid working, causing a rise in ‘business transient’ travel. These short, individual trips are not focused on luxury and instead prioritize convenience, reliability and function.

Regardless of the trip’s length or the number of stops along the way, travel managers will want to balance the comfort and wellbeing of their travellers alongside practical and business considerations when deciding which accommodation option is best suited.

Reliable, high-speed internet access

For modern business travellers, consistent and high-speed internet access is an absolute necessity. From managing projects across time zones to attending meetings or catching up with friends and family while away, full connectivity is one of the highest priorities for business travellers.

Ease of connection is also important to avoid dealing with complicated login processes, time limits or fees for Wi-Fi access. Whether it is a luxury resort or a hostel, set your travellers up for a successful trip with complimentary, high-speed internet access.

Workspaces

Dynamic working spaces

Many modern hotels are responding to the needs of business travellers by providing a range of workspaces, from a desk in the room to coworking lounges, cafes and communal areas. Choosing hotels that offer these facilities will provide opportunities to find a change of scenery for different tasks, helping to improve focus and maintain productivity throughout the day.

Business centres

The idea may seem outdated in a digital-first environment, but a well-equipped business centre can be invaluable, especially when plans change and time is tight.

Choosing accommodation that includes access to printing facilities, private spaces and presentation-ready meeting rooms gives your team the flexibility to host last-minute client meetings, regroup or hold training sessions within the hotel.

Prioritizing safety

The travel manager’s duty of care should extend to their team’s accommodation and their sense of safety and security getting to and from it, especially when travelling alone or at night.

Business-friendly hotels should have well-lit entrances, on-site parking and keycard-only access at a minimum. Secure baggage storage is another helpful feature, particularly in transit-heavy cities like Toronto or Vancouver, where guests may have gaps between checkout and flights.

Dining options

As a travel manager, the last thing you want is for your team to have to trek out in icy conditions to find somewhere for dinner after a long or delayed flight.

Hotels that offer a range of on-site restaurants, healthy grab-and-go breakfast options, and 24-hour room service will help minimize stress and ensure your team stays fuelled between meetings and long travel days.

Responsive services

Concierge service

Concierge services can be a lifeline when landing in an unfamiliar city. From making recommendations to arranging reservations, the local knowledge of a concierge is a great time saver for business travellers, especially when plans change unexpectedly.

These services are especially valuable in bilingual cities like Montréal, where additional support navigating both French and English could be useful.

Chauffeur service

In cities like Ottawa or Edmonton, weather can often disrupt travel plans. In these cases, having a chauffeur service or airport transfers will be a major asset.

Pre-booked transport provides peace of mind, ensuring punctuality and avoiding the challenges of navigating unfamiliar transit systems. Knowing that the hotel provides these services will help you to provide your travellers with a sense of safety when travelling alone or at night without the need to rent a car.

Supporting wellness

When booking corporate travel, an increasing priority to consider is whether the hotel is going the extra mile to support the physical and mental wellbeing of their business guests.

Facilities to stay healthy while travelling for work should include access to a gym, yoga space or spa. Even if these are modest spaces, wellness amenities can help travellers to maintain their routines, keep fit and decompress.

Sustainability

If sustainability approaches are considered across your business, they should increasingly be reflected in travel policies and accommodation choices.

Look out for hotels that emphasize their own initiatives, including efforts to improve energy efficiency and reduce single-use plastics. Choosing these hotels not only helps the planet but also reinforces your company’s commitment to responsible travel.

Convenience

24-hour assistance

Business travel rarely follows a 9-to-5 schedule, especially when travelling between time zones and dealing with flight delays, which makes access to a 24-hour front desk key.

Knowing there is assistance available whenever it is needed will help to ensure your travellers feel they are supported and that they can check-in and get to their rooms as quickly as possible after arrival, regardless of the time.

Strategic locations

Access to public transit, proximity to airports, or being within walking distance from the financial district can all make or break a business trip, but the ideal hotel will always vary depending on the trip’s itinerary, and making the wrong choice could negatively impact the entire trip.

Providing travellers with the flexibility to choose accommodations that suit their plans ensures smoother logistics and less travel fatigue.

Style and design

A well-designed and stylish hotel can significantly contribute to a more pleasant stay, improved wellbeing and better productivity.

Business travellers typically appreciate hotels that combine style with function e.g. ergonomic furniture, quiet rooms, natural lighting, and inviting shared spaces. This combination will encourage productive work, while also helping them to feel comfortable and relaxed in their downtime.

Choosing the right hotel type for business trips

Icons and text listing types of accommodations: Resort hotels, Aparthotels, Hostels, Extended stay hotels. Image of a key on a cushioned bench.

Choosing the right accommodation for business travel will vary depending on the factors of your trip including the duration, location and number of people.

There is no one-size-fits-all solution, which means travel managers will need to tailor plans, within the limits of existing travel policies, to support the different needs of individuals. While some travellers may be on an extended stay and need a kitchen and laundry service, others may prioritize location and ease of use.

A modern travel management system like TravelPerk can help to customize travel plans to suit different employees' specific needs at scale.

Here’s a breakdown of the most common types of business accommodations professionals rely on:

Resort hotels: For conferences

Resort hotels are ideal for company retreats, training sessions, and large-scale networking events. These properties typically include:

Expansive meeting and event facilities

Onsite wellness services and recreation options

Spaces for team-building activities

Opportunities for bleisure (business + leisure) travel extensions

Aparthotels: Long-term stays

In big cities, aparthotels are popular options for travellers who need a long-term base that balances privacy with the facilities and services provided by a hotel, such as a front desk and meeting rooms.

For workers on multi-week projects or placements, aparthotels provide a practical and cost-effective solution.

Hostels: For individuals and freelancers

While they might not be your first thought, modern hostels are a smart pick when flexibility and affordability are the priority.

Popular with freelancers, digital nomads and small startups, hostels provide a surprising amount of business-related options including:

Private or semi-private rooms

Shared coworking spaces

Fast, reliable internet

Extended stay hotels

Often located in the business district of cities, extended stay hotels are ideal for employees on secondments, consulting contracts, or on rotation between provinces due to larger rooms and apartment-style features.

Discounts and reductions in nightly rates can make extended stay hotels more affordable than standard hotels due to the long-term nature of bookings.

Managing business travel across Canada and abroad

Woman with curly hair placing an orange suitcase into a car trunk, smiling. Indoor setting with wooden ceiling visible.

Managing business travel across Canada can become complicated due to different time zones, bilingual regions and the sheer size of the country, and the same is true when booking busy business trips for your teams overseas.

TravelPerk streamlines the entire business travel booking process, from selecting hotels with the right amenities to ensuring compliance with travel policies. Key features and considerations are clearly highlighted, making it simple to match accommodations with your travellers’ specific needs.

To see how TravelPerk can help your business travellers find the best hotels for their stay, book a demo session today.

What do business travellers need in a hotel?