From holiday mode to business mode, autumn’s set to be another busy period for business travel. With spa revenue up 58.6% across its portfolio, hotel management group Michels & Taylor shares how business travellers can make better use of hotel wellness facilities this autumn.
While business trips bring exciting opportunities to meet, collaborate and discover new places, they can also make it harder to maintain the routines that help us feel our best. Changes to schedules, unfamiliar surroundings and busy diaries can all have an impact on sleep, energy levels and overall wellbeing.
Ahead of the autumn travel season, the experts at Michels & Taylor have shared their top tips to help business travellers feel refreshed, prepared and ready for what lies ahead on their trip.
Wellness is now a commercial driver, not an amenity
The advice comes as Michels & Taylor reports significant growth in demand for hotel wellness facilities. Spa and leisure revenue has increased by 44.3% across the group, with spa revenue alone growing by 58.6% year on year.
“Across the portfolio, wellness is increasingly becoming a key commercial driver rather than simply an additional hotel amenity. Demand is shifting towards spa days, breaks, experience-led treatments, thermal therapies, relaxation and recovery”, said Marc Wood, Wellness Director at Michels & Taylor. “The focus for M&T is to ensure each spa remains relevant, commercially productive and fully integrated into the wider hotel total revenue strategy”.
Expert tips for healthier business travel
Business travel doesn’t have to come at the expense of your wellbeing, 18% of business travellers experienced health issues such as anxiety in 2024, however, over half of business travellers say a change of scenery has a positive impact on their mental wellbeing. Michels & Taylor have listed their top tips on how to have a healthier business trip.
“The tricky part isn’t usually the travel itself. It’s the early starts, packed diaries, unfamiliar surroundings and the feeling that you need to be switched on all day. Before long, sleep slips, workouts are missed and meals become whatever you can grab between meetings” said Marc Wood, Welness Director at Michels & Taylor.
“After welcoming business travellers for years, we’ve learnt that staying well on the road isn’t about sticking to routine. It’s about making a few small choices that help you feel more like yourself while you’re away” Marc continued.
Here are some expert tips to help you prepare before you travel, stay energised during your trip and head home feeling refreshed.
- Plan ahead
You wouldn’t turn up to an important meeting without preparing, so treat your wellbeing the same way. Before you travel, take a look at what your hotel has to offer. If you know there’s a gym, pool or spa, it’s much easier to plan ahead when you’ll use it. Even setting aside 30 minutes before breakfast or after your meetings can make a real difference.
- Don’t try to do everything
Business trips have a habit of filling every spare minute. Meetings run over, emails continue to come in, and networking events can quickly turn into late nights.
Before you leave, take time to align with your manager on what matters most during the trip. Agreeing priorities in advance can help reduce pressure, create clearer boundaries and keep your focus on the tasks that will have the biggest impact.
Making time to recharge, whether that means stepping out for a coffee, going for a walk or taking a moment for a wellness break, can help you stay focused, make better decisions and get more from your time away.
Here’s an email template you can use to clarify priorities with your manager, ahead of your trip:
“Hi [manager’s name], before I travel to [destination], I wanted to share my schedule. I’ll be fully focused on meetings between [time] and [time], and I’m planning to leave some time later in the day to prepare for tomorrow and recharge. Let me know if there are any priorities you’d like me to focus on while I’m away”.
- Start your day with some movement
A quick gym session, a swim or even a walk before your first meeting can help clear your head and set you up for the day ahead.
The best routine is the one you’ll stick to. If swimming helps you unwind at home, look for a hotel with a pool. If you enjoy walking, explore the local area before breakfast. Business travel doesn’t have to mean putting your usual habits on hold.
- Give yourself permission to switch off
When you’ve finished a day of meetings, it’s tempting to open your laptop and tackle the emails you’ve missed, but sometimes the best thing you can do is step away for a while. That short break can help you reset and leave you feeling more focused the next morning.
- Make sleep and comfort a priority
Getting a good night’s sleep away from home is not always easy. New surroundings, unfamiliar noises and disrupted routines can make it harder to switch off, particularly for business travellers balancing meetings, deadlines and time away from their usual environment.
Bringing home comforts such as a book you’re currently reading, a favourite herbal tea or even a familiar pillowcase can help recreate elements of a normal bedtime routine and make a hotel room feel more like home. In fact, 79% of travellers say familiar menu items provide a sense of comfort, even when they are miles away from home.
“We know business trips can be busy, and it’s easy to put yourself last when you’ve got a full schedule. That’s why we encourage guests to take a little time for themselves, even if it’s just half an hour to unwind. A swim, a visit to the sauna or simply slowing down for a while can help you feel refreshed and ready for what’s next” said Marc Wood, Wellness Director, at Michels & Taylor.
Credits: https://michelsandtaylor.com/