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Anyone else notice that Post-Covid Business Travel is a huge PITA
Posted on 6/7/22 at 8:21 am
Posted on 6/7/22 at 8:21 am
Anyone else having major issues with business travel?
Been having to go to Minneapolis a lot lately. Not sure if this is exclusive to Minneapolis or not - been to Chicago and Baton Rouge recently and didn't notice it being this bad.
I know that downtown Minneapolis has turned into a ghost town, with a lot of empty storefronts and restaurants with reduced hours (if they are open at all). Target's big HQ is still empty with primarily remote work - and I think that's the major office user here.
My team and I have had major issues finding downtown hotels that feature restaurants inside of them that are actually open (Westin, Hilton, and Marriott are really all they have now).
Rental cars are really scarce if you don't book them 2-3 weeks out. And Ubers are often 20-30 minutes away even in the middle of a major city.
Everything seems more difficult now, and very hard to schedule/book. We have had to move a lot of our 8AM meetings back to 8:30 because it's difficult to predict when people can get to work if they are reliant on taxis or ride shares.
Been having to go to Minneapolis a lot lately. Not sure if this is exclusive to Minneapolis or not - been to Chicago and Baton Rouge recently and didn't notice it being this bad.
I know that downtown Minneapolis has turned into a ghost town, with a lot of empty storefronts and restaurants with reduced hours (if they are open at all). Target's big HQ is still empty with primarily remote work - and I think that's the major office user here.
My team and I have had major issues finding downtown hotels that feature restaurants inside of them that are actually open (Westin, Hilton, and Marriott are really all they have now).
Rental cars are really scarce if you don't book them 2-3 weeks out. And Ubers are often 20-30 minutes away even in the middle of a major city.
Everything seems more difficult now, and very hard to schedule/book. We have had to move a lot of our 8AM meetings back to 8:30 because it's difficult to predict when people can get to work if they are reliant on taxis or ride shares.
This post was edited on 6/7/22 at 8:26 am
7
Posted on 6/7/22 at 8:33 am to dewster
Not explicitly, although the hilton's website on my upcoming SF trip says the skybar and restaurant are both closed. Like you say. Not sure if they just never updated the website from covid days, gonna be pissed if there's no bar.
Posted on 6/7/22 at 8:46 am to dewster
yes.
It was absolutely awful the first year back. Hard to find flights, hotels on skeleton staff, favorite restaurants closed in far away cities. It kind of took the fun out of travel.
Then it got better.
Now it's getting worse as prices for everything including rental cars and air fare go way up.
It was absolutely awful the first year back. Hard to find flights, hotels on skeleton staff, favorite restaurants closed in far away cities. It kind of took the fun out of travel.
Then it got better.
Now it's getting worse as prices for everything including rental cars and air fare go way up.
Posted on 6/7/22 at 8:52 am to j1897
quote:
Not sure if they just never updated the website from covid days, gonna be pissed if there's no bar.
I can't stress how important convenient access to food and drinks are important to me - especially on travel days like Monday nights when I'm up at 4AM.
Posted on 6/7/22 at 8:57 am to tadman
quote:
Now it's getting worse as prices for everything including rental cars and air fare go way up.
If you can get a rental car at all. I think the companies we go through sold off their fleets in 2020, and they are just not getting new cars fast enough now.
It's to the point where I'd rather stay at a suburban hotel and rent a car to get to chain restaurants that I know will be open. But getting a rental car is touch and go lately.
Posted on 6/7/22 at 9:04 am to dewster
Nope, traveling about every other week for work and haven't had a single issue, outside of flight costs being ridiculous...
Of course, I don't eat in hotels, so don't know about that side of the equation.
Of course, I don't eat in hotels, so don't know about that side of the equation.
Posted on 6/7/22 at 9:15 am to dewster
quote:
I can't stress how important convenient access to food and drinks are important to me - especially on travel days like Monday nights when I'm up at 4AM.
I get that, but are you saying that you can't find a hotel with at least a snack bar inside or a restaurant under a block away open? I have a hard time believing that? Now, I understand it may be your 2nd or 3rd choice when in the past it wasn't an issue at all.
But yeah, I don't see how these big cities aren't crying for a change they have to be getting killed on rents, taxable sales, sales tax income, and traffic in general. At some point, the loss of tax revenue is going to be a gigantic kick in the nuts for them to deal with the loss of revenue.
Posted on 6/7/22 at 9:23 am to dewster
In Denver every week for work and, outside of all the drug addicts, downtown is a ghost town. People who are in the office leave as soon as it hits 5:00
Posted on 6/7/22 at 9:47 am to dewster
With the world being so remote (increased costs to travel, rent a car, gas, etc) I am surprised more business havent cut more of their travel expenses to be quite honest.
Posted on 6/7/22 at 10:00 am to baldona
quote:
I get that, but are you saying that you can't find a hotel with at least a snack bar inside or a restaurant under a block away open? I have a hard time believing that? Now, I understand it may be your 2nd or 3rd choice when in the past it wasn't an issue at all.
100% that's what I'm saying, at least for this part of downtown Minneapolis for breakfast and dinner. Not an issue if the restaurant in the hotel is open. But lately I noticed that I can't depend on that happening.
Westin and Marriott are far more reliable in that respect than Courtyard or the Autograph hotels.
quote:
But yeah, I don't see how these big cities aren't crying for a change they have to be getting killed on rents, taxable sales, sales tax income, and traffic in general. At some point, the loss of tax revenue is going to be a gigantic kick in the nuts for them to deal with the loss of revenue.
I've only had to travel to 3 cities this year (Grand Rapids, Baton Rouge, and Minneapolis), and I go to our office in Chicago sometimes. Everything seems to be down, but the "ghost town" feeling is particularly acute in Minneapolis.
This post was edited on 6/7/22 at 10:10 am
Posted on 6/7/22 at 10:49 am to dewster
I’m on the jet bridge right now on a business flight. I never rent cars so I can’t speak to that experience, but flying has maybe been easier than before COVID. Or maybe I’m just in a better mood not having to wear a mask anymore.
Posted on 6/7/22 at 11:05 am to dewster
Flight changes/cancelation and rental cars have been the worst part so far 
Posted on 6/8/22 at 9:21 am to dewster
quote:
If you can get a rental car at all. ...
It's to the point where I'd rather stay at a suburban hotel and rent a car to get to chain restaurants
Yep, run into that problem quite a few times. Uber and Lyft driver shortages, too.
I'm on the road a lot and I always try to stay downtown and find a good independent restaurant, it makes the grind a little less obvious. But it's been hard lately, and some of my favorite spots are kaput.
Pacific Dining Car in LA is closed permanently, where else could you get a great steak at 4am in LA?
Localino in Atlanta reogranized, and thank God reopened.
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