Tag: Workforce Travel

The Business Traveller’s Guide to Barcelona

In Barca on Business? Here’s How to Squeeze in the Best of the City in Your Spare Hours…   Want to see a little more of this incredible city than in the inside of a conference hall, some main drag tourist tat and your hotel bar? Well you’re in luck. We’ve pulled together the very best, off-the-beaten-track highlights to help you make your spare time in the city as great as it can be.   Getting there from the airport This year’s Alimentaria is taking place at the Fira Barcelona Gran Via Conference Centre (or just, the Gran Via Venue). From the airport, the easiest route is to take the Aerobus shuttle direct from either Terminal 1 (T1 Bus) or 2 (T2 Bus) to Plaça Espanya. From there, hop on the FGC train direct to the venue, getting off at the stop market Fira/Europa.   Getting Around Barcelona Before you can figure out how to cram in as much as possible into your free hours, you do, of course, need to know how to get from A to B. The Gran Via Venue is a little way out of the main city, but as explained above, is easily reached by FGC train from Plaça Espanya. From Espanya, you can also jump on the Metro to just about any corner of the city, or catch the bus to the airport. Cabs are also surprisingly reasonable. A 15 minute drive in a registered taxi (yellow and black, a green light on the roof when they’re free) should only set you back about 10 euros. Uber was banned in Spain last year, although alternatives like Cabify are still an option. Lastly, if you have the opportunity: walk. Barcelona’s not actually that big but it is beautiful. Strolling through medieval streets and stopping for a gander at a Gaudi is definitely the best way to take it all in. La Sagrada Familia Local Eateries and Bar Hotspots The Cava! The Butifarra! The Suquet de Peix! With its distinctive flavours and its world-famous tapas and wine, Barcelona has long been one of Europe’s most exciting culinary destinations. After all, this is the city that produced two of the best chefs in the world today, brothers Ferran and Albert Adrià, as well as legendary luminaries like Jordi Cruz and master baker Cristian Escribà. But as a popular weekend holiday destination, there are, unsurprisingly, plenty of duds thrown into the mix. It’s not always easy for a new arrival to pick out the real gems from the tourist trail travesties. So just where are all fabulous hidden secrets of the great Catalonian capital? Well, it’s time to ramble away from La Rambla and the central stag party brigade. Because in the more sophisticated corners of the city, there are some seriously memorable feasts on offer.   For a top Michelin-starred experience…Fermí Puig, Balmes 175, 08006, Barcelona Chef Fermí Puig is often credited as the guy who put Barcelona back on the fine-dining map, having launched Drolma way back in the day, but it’s his eponymously-named venture that is really reinvigorating the most classic Catalan cuisine. There are private dining rooms available for meetings and other functions, too.   For an Exquisite Spanish Setting-ABaC Restaurant and Hotel, Avinguda del Tibidabo The second-youngest chef ever to be awarded a Michelin star (he now has four), Jordi Cruz heads up the frankly phenomenal kitchen over at ABaC Restaurant and Hotel. Having been awarded the coveted Best Restaurant in Catalonia prize by the Catalan Academy of Gastronomy back in 2011, it’s held its reputation as one of the best places to eat in the whole region. The food is, of course, exquisite (think Liquid Parmesan Gnocchi in Bergamot Butter with Nuts, Lemongrass and Truffle Mushroom Infusion), with two tasting menus and plenty of a la carte options to choose from. Plus, the wine list is seriously extensive, with over 1000 on offer.   If you’re stuck in the Centre-Passeig Marítim Barceloneta, 1, 08003 Barcelona, Spain Barcelona is blessed with a lively and elegant beachfront, with plenty of restaurants and bars sprawling right out onto the sand. But if you’re looking for something a bit more upmarket, one option truly stands out: Barraca. Set up by Xavier Pellicer of ABaC and Celoni fame, Barraca is a place that oozes both style and substance. Less expensive and more laid back than other high-end eateries in the city, it nonetheless serves up some of the best (and sustainable) seafood and fresh takes on local delicacies in the region. In particular, make sure you have plenty of space to sample Pelicer’s delicious take on Bombas, a Barcelona favourite made from potato stuffed with (usually) pork, deep fried and served up with a spicy tomato sauce.   For something really unique…Los Toreros, Calle de Xuclà, 3, 08001 Barcelona The area along the main tourist drag might be largely uninspired, food-wise, but there are some solid staples tucked away nearby should you need a trusty bolthole. Among the most authentic and un-fussy is Los Toreros, a traditional (and inexpensive) little place with a fantastic atmosphere and top tapas, including classics like chocos (fried cuttlefish), Pimientos de Padrón (spicy green peppers in olive oil and salt) and fabulous calamari straight from Boqueria Market. For local hospitality….Restaurante Pakta, Carrer de Lleida, 5, 08004 Barcelona Kicking yourself that you never had a chance to eat at El Bulli? Ferran Adrià might have (allegedly) hung up his apron for a little while, but his formidably talented younger brother Albert has taken up the reins with a string of incredible restaurants across Barcelona, each with their own unique spin. Most notable of these is Michelin-starred Nikkei restaurant, Pakta. As unlikely a combination as it might sound, the 33-course Peruvian-Japanese fusion taster menu is a thing of beauty. Barcelona might do fine dining to impeccable effect, but the real joy of a meal out in the city is mixing great food with famous Catalonian hospitality. The culture here is all about the nightlife – you eat..

The Business Traveller’s Guide to Berlin

What to do at Berlin’s #appsworld Since opening its doors to the world since the fall of the wall, Berlin has become a bustling, cosmopolitan and hugely popular destination for business and leisure travellers alike. It’s no coincidence that a city with such historical and cultural significance should become a key exhibition hub for industries to showcase their innovations. Few cities in the world have the unique mix of the old and the new with such a vast amount of iconic landmarks and things to do and see if your schedule allows you the time. Apps World (April 20th-21st) is next up on the events calendar.   Apps World, Berlin CityCube Berlin, Messedamm, 26, 14055 Berlin    How to get there… From Berlin Schönefeld Airport, it will take you about an hour to get to the venue. Hop on the RB14 Towards Nauen Bahnhof, change at Berlin-Lichtenberg for the S5 to Messe Süd. If you’re flying into Berlin Tegel Airport jump on the 109 towards S+U Zoologischer Garten, in 10 minutes you’ll be at Berlin Charlottenburg. From here, get the S5 towards Spandau Banhof, and alight at Messe Süd. Getting around Berlin Berlin is a relatively small city, with great public transport that runs like clockwork. There’s the U-Bahn (underground/subway) and the S-Bahn (above ground train) at times you might switch between the two to get where you’re going. Oh and it runs 24 hours, so no excuses for not exploring the city! And remember: STAMP YOUR TICKETS. At each station, there’s a box that you should time-stamp your ticket at before boarding any public transport. Plain clothes ticket officers may pop up and they will fine you. The nearest station to Apps World is Messe Süd, on the S9 (which the Flughafen Berlin Schönefeld is on too, albeit on the other end) and S75. These are great lines to be on, and can whizz you from West to East in no time. Here’s a handy tube map. You can, of course, use Uber whilst in Berlin. Or download the handily named Taxi App, which works in the same way but also allows you to pay in cash (especially good if you’ve got some extra Euros to use).                                                                                                    Berlin in the Distance                                                                                        Fernsehturm Local Eateries and Bar Hotspots House of Small Wonder (Johannisstraße 20, 10117 Berlin, Germany) Climb the twisting staircase through jungle plants and odd paraphernalia. It’s not the biggest café, so make sure to arrive with plenty of time. Foodwise, their Okinawan Taco Rice is delicious and they serve their coffee with a smile.   House of Small Wonder Dr. Pong (Eberswalder Str. 21, 10437 Berlin, Germany) No trip to Berlin would be complete without a trip to the local’s local Dr. Pong. It’s gained a bit of a reputation in recent years with travelers, but the core essence remains the same: beer, and a whole lot of group pong action.   Any bar near Sonnenalle It’s totally worth taking a little trip to Neukölln of an evening. Take a little walk and peek behind any number of doors and you’ll probably find a dimly lit bar serving beer and 2 Prosecco. If locals are to be believed, Neukölln is the new Kreuzberg, and it’s packed to the brim with bars and restaurants.   EAT: Ban Ban Kitchen (Schillerpromenade 32, 12049 Berlin, Germany) Korean Soul Food is totally a thing in Berlin. They’ve got two locations, so whether you’re looking for a quick snack or ready for a proper meal, they’ve got you covered. And simply put, they have the best darn Kimchi Fries ever (yes, they’re a thing!).   THEN DRINK: Das Gift (Donaustraße 119, 12043 Berlin, Germany) This has to be the only Scottish bar in Berlin, and it’s owned by Mogwai keyboardist Barry Burns. It’s a dive bar, in the best possible way and one of the only places in around that knows (and appreciates) what cider is! Klunkerkranich (Karl-Marx-Straße 66, 12043 Berlin, Germany) This shopping centre on Karl-Marx-Allee might look like every other mall around. But hop in the elevator and head to the top of the car-park, and you’ll be rewarded with great views of Berlin, a welcoming beer-garden and an ice-cold Fritz Kola.                                                                                                                                                                                                                    View from the Klunkerkranich                                                                                                          Brandenburg Gate Evening Entertainment  Let’s Go Gaming: IRL or VR? Want to actually get hands on? It’s Berlin International Games Week, April 18th-24th. Head to the achingly cool Urban Spree (Revaler Str. 99, 10245 Berlin, Germany), which is 1700sqm dedicated to art and DIY ideas and just..

Roomex Launches New 2016 Booking Engine at London Business Travel Show

Roomex, the online hotel booking platform for business travel, is launching a brand new hotel booking engine on Wednesday at the London Business Travel Show 2016. Roomex offers corporate rates at over 550,000 hotels worldwide and has saved its clients on average 21% against BAR in the last 12 months. The new booking platform will build on developments in 2015 and result in an even faster and easier booking process. There are 4 Key Pillars to the Roomex platform: Cost Savings Time Savings Live Reporting Policy and Control Roomex has enjoyed rapid growth throughout the UK and Ireland over the last 3 years and now boasts an incredible client list. The overriding principal behind the platform is to make the corporate hotel booking process easier for everyone in the business, from the booker to the traveller, to accounts, to the CFO, HR and Procurement. Roomex does this through an extremely straightforward booking flow and even the sign-up is simple – No Costs, No Contract, No Fees.

Should you negotiate a fixed price with hotels?

Many of our customers travel regularly to the same locations and indeed to the same hotels and therefore will have entrusted Roomex to ensure that they get the best possible rate each time they visit. This raises the question as to whether Roomex should negotiate a fixed rate at a hotel for you? And the answer yes, sometimes. Firstly, a client typically has to have at least 100 room nights per annum at a hotel to get a negotiated rate. By agreeing a fixed price at a hotel you can guarantee that you will have access to that rate all year round and there will be no surprises. Often business rates are negotiated to include breakfast, Wi-Fi and sometimes even dinner. When the hotel is busy then this rate will be a guarantee against rising prices. Whilst every hotel revenue manager amends prices to ensure the highest possible occupancy and rate, there will inevitably be times when the hotel is not busy and prices start falling, sometimes below the negotiated rate. The key here is having the data to measure the strength of your negotiated rates against the fluctuating rates of the hotel. Our live price-checking software within the Roomex for Business platform provides this on an ongoing basis. We are measuring and tracking two things firstly, the actual saving, and secondly, the strength of your negotiated rates, tracked over time. Best practice is therefore to have negotiated rates for those hotels where you will have a significant number of room nights, but we must always measure and track the strength of these over time. A very successful alternative often is to have a fluctuating rate with a fixed discount off the Best Available Rate and even though the rate will vary, the average can be significantly better over time!

Hotel booking for business travel Why travel is essential to success

Recent rises and falls in business sentiment have been reflected in the amount of business related travel being carried out by company executives. As the recession bit, and costs were cut, approval for business related travel was slashed across all industries but recent reports suggest this reactionary policy was a mistake. The US Travel Association’s 2013 Travel Effect report detailed statistical modelling carried out over 18 years and 14 industries which indicates that for every dollar spent on business travel, US companies have experienced a $9.50 return in terms of revenue. Oxford Economics reports that companies that held firm and continued to travel during the recession are now reaping the rewards as they are better positioned to avail of an uptake in the clients fortunes. All indicators are that business travel is bouncing back after a difficult couple of years. Roomex has just completed its half year review and the numbers are very encouraging, some of the key findings: Corporate hotel bookings through Roomex for Business are up by over 50% over the same period last year International travel has increased by 23% Availability in key locations remains an issue as occupancy rates are often above 90% Business travellers are on the road more often with each of our top corporate clients having booked more room nights this year than in the same period last year. Roomex has successfully managed to control the cost of this increased travel even though room rates have increased throughout Ireland, UK and Europe. Business executives instinctively know the importance of their face-to-face meetings with almost two-thirds stating that increasing business travel expenditure would have a positive impact on company revenue and profitability. They also believe that 40% of existing customers would eventually be lost without in-person meetings. As companies do begin to travel more again it is often under the control of more restrictive travel policies. Roomex for Business is founded on saving time and money for its corporate clients. Critically, we have managed to return an average saving of 24% to our clients in the first half of 2014 and this comes at no cost to the customer. A clear message from our customer base is that they want more control over their travel management programme. Our strong contracting, unique technology and excellent support have all come together to see our customer list expand rapidly. Such is our confidence in our ability to deliver for our customers that we have a no contract policy in place. Our client retention rate of 100% this year underlines our ability to deliver on our promises. No Cost. No Contract. No Catch. If your company is making regular hotel bookings for business related travel why not talk to us about how we can assist you in this process.

Corporate Travel Online Adoption Surges to 98%

Roomex is Ireland’s fastest growing corporate hotel booking agency. Its online Roomex for Business platform now manages hotel bookings for over 100 Irish Businesses and Organisations, including Dairygold, Kepak, Musgrave Group, Sisk Group, Topaz and many more. Jack Donaghy, CEO of Roomex, Our clients are much happier managing their hotel bookings through our online self-booking tool. Not only are they saving on fees and availing of corporate discounts, but they can also easily access all of their own negotiated rates as well as other online rates, all on the one platform. The fact that they have one credit line and their own cost-code integration in the booking process is a massive time-saver. Furthermore, senior management have full control, live visibility and all necessary management information. Our clients are saving significantly on time and money, hence the massive uptake in the last 18 months. Asked about the next step, Donaghy continues This has been an incredible year with literally hundreds of Ireland’s biggest and best companies now booking their hotels for business through our platform. We have 98% online adoption and an incredible support team there to help our clients at all times. Our aim is to continue to deliver the best possible product and service to the Irish market and simultaneously move into other markets.

Irish Business Travel up 29% in 2014

Irish Business travel is increasing rapidly, as illustrated by new figures released today by the Dublin based Corporate Online Hotel Booking Agency, Roomex. Jack Donaghy, CEO of Roomex, says Corporate Travel is up by almost a third and travellers are reaching far beyond the traditional UK and European destinations, with significantly more travel to North and South America, Africa and The Middle East. Having said that the majority of corporate travel remains within Ireland and the UK where some very interesting trends in hotel rates appearing: Dublin City corporate hotel rates up by 26% year on year Dublin Airport corporate rates up by 17% year on year Dublin West corporate rates up by less than 5% and on average 49% lower than Dublin City Outside Dublin Cork, Limerick, Galway, rates up by less than 5% and on average 28% lower than Dublin UK London most popular City outside of Ireland for Irish Corporates, rates up 15%… Avoid staying SUN-WED if you can in London to save on average 33%! Irish Corporates saved on average 23% in 2014 by booking through the Roomex for Business platform. Roomex is an Irish owned corporate hotel booking agency, managing hotel bookings for over 100 Irish Businesses and Organisations, including Dairygold, Kepak, Musgrave Group, Sisk Group, Topaz and many more.

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