Contract Staying Away: Hotel Tips

[Paddy]

I vary depending upon where I'm working, who's paying, the town and length of contract.

- at the moment for the 3 days in Münster I'm primarily using Ibis and Mercure although this week I'm in the Trip (a Spanish chain.) I have tried a couple of others but they had tiled floors. What I look for is reasonably close to the center of the town so I can easily get to shops and food places. I'm not too bothered with a hotel restaurant but I do want a carpark, television, shower (not bath.) Wi-fi is okay but if they have T-Mobile hotspot then I have a flatrate for that, if not I have my UMTS stick. I try not to get conference or tourist hotels as they can be loud in the evening
- For the 2 days in Köln its once again Ibis or Mercure or Holiday Inns. As I have platinum cards for both chains and a business acount with Accor I get priority booking and upgrades

- If someone else is paying, normally when working abroad, then I'll go Marriott or Hilton or Sheraton, something a little better anyway plus I'll hit the bar

- Last year when contracting in Bonn I tried a lot of smaller hotels but when there is no parking or your room is on the top floor and there is no lift then it kind of puts you off. Plus I don't like those huge key fobs they give you

- Long term contracts such as the one I had in Stuttgart or Munich then I'll get either a second apartment or stay in an 'apart-hotel'

- I did do a long contract in Siegerland where I stayed in small guesthouses/inns as there was nothing else. The first one had excellent food and was over the road from where I was working. Occasionally I stayed in a rather posh one which was run by a TV cook and had all this wellness stuff going on and the last one was up in the hills with a great view, great food and they gave me a bottle of champers for Christmas for being a good guest. The trouble was, they were out in the country and you tend to get treated better than the smaller ones in towns and cities

I also have my little selection of stuff which I carry with me:

- a travel iron. They're pretty crap but okay for the emergency
- my ebook, a real lifesaver
- a Leatherman and a knife and fork kit
- a widescreen HD Dolby laptop
- snacks
- painkillers and antiseptic cream
- blow-up sheep
- 1 pair of pants and socks over the normal baggage
- emergency deo and toothpaste

Hotel rooms on the continent tend to be nice a warm where as in the UK I frequently come across cold rooms even in expensive hotels. I carry a small fan heater in my kit.

Another handy item is a TV USB stick and a long coax cable so that in desperation I can connect the coax cable to the Hotel antenna system.

3G USB stick plus with a long USB cable (5 meters) so that the stick can be near the window for a better signal.

A mini Maglite or similar torch, you never know when the lights fail or there is an emergency. I carry one around my neck.

Good working showers in the UK are few and far between therefore, I check the shower, hot water and other faculties before I unpack just in case I need to change rooms.

I wash my shirts etc as I go, it does not take long to wash them and drip dry in the bathroom, they are always dry by the morning even if I have to switch the fan heater on. That way you start the week-end without any dirty baggage and you are all ready for Monday.

Another useful item is some strong food containers with clips, some evening I do not feel like eating dinner so that is the most hygienic way of keeping a snack for the evening.

If travelling by air, a set of good strong suitcases with padlock and cable so that you padlock you case to the radiator in the hotel or chair in the airport.

A pair a black suspenders for the blow-up sheep.

[Brussels Slumdog]

Client Co has deals too

whs

In Holland it’s best to use Amsterdam Hotels

I have used this site for my 6 months contract in the Netherlands and would recommend it to others wishing to work in the Netherlands.

Don't forget that Client Co if its one of the largest employers in town also has corporate rates. The Appartment hotel where I am currently staying for 3-4 nights gave me the client Co rate after noticing my security badge, which is about the name as advertised if available on the above site.

So I compare prices with hotels NL and Client Co price.

[Going Strong]

Just moved into Basingstoke last week and was having the same issues.

Find out whats near you office for conveinence and then figure out the rest of your team stay or go out.

Look at you budget and see if you fancy living the luxury life or happy to go cheap.. If the latter then you have two choice

1. cheap B&B
2. shared house/flat

I managed to find an apartment with a give in town oppisite the train station and in the middle of festival place for £750pcm for two bedrooms so £375 it is then and i am quite happy with location, price etc

PS. stay away from the Old Rectorary (awful and miles away from town)

hope this helps..

Vish

[darmstadt]

To turn the volume down on your laptop, especially with external loudspeakers, when watching 'adult enterntainment' websites

[Troll]

Might be a tad late but I have been in student quarters for the last couple of weeks - when the scruffy oinks go home to Mater & Pater for the summer the rooms are rented out - got a new build city centre flat complex with own en-suite , shared kitchen for £70 @week.

[alreadypacked]

Might be a tad late but I have been in student quarters for the last couple of weeks - when the scruffy oinks go home to Mater & Pater for the summer the rooms are rented out - got a new build city centre flat complex with own en-suite , shared kitchen for £70 @week.

Where are you these days Troll? I thought they kept you on some MOD site in Swindon

[Troll]

Where are you these days Troll? I thought they kept you on some MOD site in Swindon

Nope - in Bristol these days
Lots of strange people in Bristol including what appears to be a sizeable chunk of the population of Ethiopia & Somalia

Thoughts on Bristol

The M32 is great for getting back to civilisation at the weekend
People do seem to like to beep their car horn at the slightest provocation - reminds me of my time in Egypt
Bristol wimmin seem to be squat and large boobed & it's odds on, that anyone remotely attractive is not a native of Bristol

Counting the days 'till the contract ends

[alreadypacked]

Nope - in Bristol these days
Lots of strange people in Bristol including what appears to be a sizeable chunk of the population of Ethiopia & Somalia

Thoughts on Bristol

The M32 is great for getting back to civilisation at the weekend
People do seem to like to beep their car horn at the slightest provocation - reminds me of my time in Egypt
Bristol wimmin seem to be squat and large boobed & it's odds on, that anyone remotely attractive is not a native of Bristol

Counting the days 'till the contract ends

I was looking at a role in Bristol, I think they may have offered it, but after I took this role. I never realised how lucky I am

Still with the MOD? or at least high levels of security

[Aman]

I used the local council's "book a bed ahead" service when i had a contract in B'stoke.
I must have stayed in ten different B&Bs, because I didn't book ahead or they didn't want me back because I was on shifts and they wanted their home during the day. Some were pretty grim including one that took in homeless people. I ended up lodging with an elderly couple and their daughter, didn;t get a front door key so when I was late and they were asleep ended up getting a hotel anyway.

On contracts since that one I've generally used hotels. I won't take on shift work away from home, unless the rate would comfortably cover a hotel I could sleep during the day in. I'd rather not work shifts i the first place though.

There was a decent 'IT pub' in Chineham, which was pretty good for networking. I secured a later role from a chance meeting in there.

[Drewster]

Don't stay in what looks like a Quaint house/cottage with converted stables/barns.....

Which turns out to be an modern "estate" house with painted "Georgian" Beams and a bed in the Garage!!

Also check that the "Airfield" marked on Google Maps is just an Airfield not a fullblown NATO Barracks/Airbase that means you'll get thousands of sweaty squaddies and similar oiks in every pub, restaurant and even bloody chippy for miles.

Plus when the Landlady tells you they always prefer Locally sourced products - check that means something like "local farms and butchers" rather than "the local Tesco"....
I kid you not!! Tesco brand - Cereals, Jams, Yoghurts, Bread, Milk, Fatty Bacon and Tulip Sausage.

They also had the nerve to sell "Home Made Jam" for £4+ next to the breakfast table!!