In an age when bottled liquids are all that's needed to strike fear into the hearts of seasoned road warriors, consultants have continued to buckle up and journey whenever their clients deem it necessary. Once again, you shared with us your hard-earned wisdom about life on the road.
To this day, Kristin Anderson, a manager at Kurt Salmon Associates, swears that she was haunted during a trip to Richmond, VA. After dinner with colleagues one night, she returned to her room at The Jefferson Hotel and went to bed. When she clicked off the bedside lamp, she noticed that the bathroom light was still on. This would not have been an odd occurrence had she not distinctly recalled turning it off only moments earlier.
| During an average year, how many nights do you spend away from home due to work?  Click chart to enlarge |
Anderson got out of bed and walked to the bathroom. She turned off the light and returned to bed. Suddenly, the bathroom was ablaze once more. Confused, she followed the glow as she had done before. This time, when she got to the bathroom, she grabbed some bath towels before turning off the light. She then closed the door and used the towels to seal the crack beneath the door. If the light was going to turn itself on again, she reasoned, at least she wouldn't be able to tell. "Because if I had been able to," she admitted, "I would've flipped!"
In the morning, the bathroom light was off and Anderson may have not thought much more about her bedtime dilemma had she not related the experience to a colleague on the hotel shuttle. It was then that the shuttle driver, upon hearing Anderson's story, confessed: "There are a few rooms on the fourth floor where there have been incidents reported." Anderson had been staying on that very floor.
While tales of haunted hotels are most rare, we should mention that the tale of the mysterious fourth floor is but one of numerous amusing anecdotes you shared with us as we conducted Consulting Magazine's Best Places to Stay Survey, 2006.
What else did we learn? Well, we once again all but confirmed the notion that consultants are the business world's best-traveled professionals.
About 41 percent of consultants who filled out our survey this year admitted to spending 101 to 125 nights away from home in an average year; a surprising 20 percent spend more than 125 nights away.
| When I travel due to a client engagement, my hotel reservations are most often booked by  Click chart to enlarge |
The Mileage Brokers
Given the time you spend on the road, we found it fitting that when asked what aspect of your firm's travel policy you enjoy the most, well over half of you answered plainly: "flexibility" or "choice." In fact, 77 percent of you admitted that you avoid travel coordinators and make your travel arrangements yourself or have your assistants take care of them. Furthermore, when asked what aspect of your firm's travel policy you would rather do without, 20 percent of you said that you would like to nix your travel agent.
Molly Rodriguez, a senior consultant at BT Consulting, offers her explanation: "I think that a lot of us use AMEX travel, and I don't know why they don't always get us the cheapest rate. I mean, Google it, guys! I pretty much just pick what I want and then have AMEX book it. AMEX really needs to do a little bit more work. I think that it would just be cheaper to let consultants book their own travel. It's ineffective outsourcing, really."
Another downside to using a travel agency is the added risk that comes from adding another link in the chain. "Sometimes you're supposed to be put on the 9:00 a.m. flight, and then you arrive at the airport and it's a 9:00 p.m. flight," says Anderson.
Many firms encourage their consultants to choose from a preapproved list of different hotels, airlines, and car rental companies. However, 66 percent of you reported that your choice of hotel is most influenced by your own needs and preferences as opposed to those of your firm or your client. But even so, it seems that your choice is skewed toward the vendors who offer you rewards.
| During an average month, how many work-related airplane flights do you take?  Click chart to enlarge |
The survey data showed how consultants have a weakness for points, miles, and any other loyalty incentive. A remarkable 79 percent of consultants polled prefer flying with a carrier they have frequent-flyer miles with. About 65 percent of you admitted that hotel membership programs strongly influence where you stay.
Anand Raghuraman, a partner at Kurt Salmon Associates, explains, "When you're away for work, it's nice that one of the fringe benefits is that you can actually go away for personal vacation for free between your collection of miles and hotel points."
But when on extended stays of 30 days or more, loyalty programs and even price incentives take a backseat to the quality of accommodations as factors that influence your extended-stay options. Apparently, when it comes to extended stays, escape-weekend perks are no replacement for the heavenly bed.
The Descriminating Traveler
So, if you could spare all the cash and points in the world, where would you rather stay? As in the past, the Ritz-Carlton, the Four Seasons, and Westin were ranked in the top three favorites. The Park Hyatt was bumped down six spots from fourth place in 2005 to tenth place this year. Meanwhile, JW Marriott replaced W Hotels at the number five spot.
| About how many frequent-flyer miles do you log annually?  Click chart to enlarge |
But some other, slightly less opulent hotels also satisfied many of you — luggage service or not. Back in 2004, you let us know that it was the always affordable Hampton Inn, and not the Ritz or the Four Seasons, that became first to offer free high-speed Internet in every room. Moreover, the vast majority of you (88 percent) said that high-speed Internet access is now essential. It seems that you hate wasting time. In fact, nearly half (47 percent) felt that no-wait check-in and check-out is paramount, while 42 percent of those we surveyed made it clear that doing laps in a pool is not a mission-critical part of their on-the-road itinerary. By and large, you also don't care much for in-room computers, shoeshine, or concierge service.
| Preferences Over the Years  Click chart to enlarge |
In Retrospect
How do this year's findings compare to those of years past? In most cases, your tastes haven't changed very much, but we did find some trends worth noting. Since 2003, 17 percent more consultants consider fitness centers in hotels to be "very important." Thirty-four percent more consultants feel that in-room high-speed Internet is crucial. Probably as a result, 20 percent fewer consultants prefer having two phone lines in their rooms. Interestingly, despite the increase in Internet interest, 41 percent of consultants (8 percent more than in 2003) still like getting a newspaper delivered to their door daily.
Luis Gaona, a telecommunications consultant, says that he prefers receiving the morning newspapers because although he has several Internet news subscription services, it enables him to stay updated with the local news of wherever he happens to be. "That way, when I arrive at meetings, I'll have something to discuss with the people I'm meeting with."
The Flip Side
It's great to know what the best seats on a plane are. It's phenomenal when the concierge remembers your name. But at the end of the day, traveling ain't easy, and few of you can deny the magnetic pull of your own bed or the joy of opening up your own plus-sized fridge.
Rodriguez confesses, "You know you've flown American too many times when you know that it costs $3.50 for the horrible cheese and crackers they sell. But every time they come around with them, you know you're not going to avoid buying them because you'll be going straight to a meeting when you land, and this may be your only meal of the day."
Raghuraman knows that it's time to stay put when he starts "expecting a mint on my pillow at home." And we can imagine Kristin Anderson sighing in relief when the bathroom light stays off at home.
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