Just offered a job that requires lots of travel
#76
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: Anywhere I need to be.
Programs: OW Emerald, *A Gold, NEXUS, GE, ABTC/APEC, South Korea SES, eIACS, PP, Hyatt Diamond
Posts: 16,046
people please help me on that: There is one thing I really really hate about travelling, and it is the hotel chains.
In my opinion, there is a market gap in the hotel business:
1) there are five star hotels, each designed through and through by an architect, each tailored to the location, the culture, each hotel something special and therefore something to enjoy.
2) but in 4-Star hotel chains, they are all just... dull. the same thing all over again and all over again and all over again. neutral boring stuff.
I would think that there must be a chain where you can collect points, but still get a very special impression and design in every different location! Something to look forward to, something to remember! Why not? Does anyone know a chain like that?
In my opinion, there is a market gap in the hotel business:
1) there are five star hotels, each designed through and through by an architect, each tailored to the location, the culture, each hotel something special and therefore something to enjoy.
2) but in 4-Star hotel chains, they are all just... dull. the same thing all over again and all over again and all over again. neutral boring stuff.
I would think that there must be a chain where you can collect points, but still get a very special impression and design in every different location! Something to look forward to, something to remember! Why not? Does anyone know a chain like that?
My employer's policy is cheapest hotel in the city on your preferred chain.
Most of the time they are 3/4*.
(Although one time I had to stay at an airport location, and transport was provided on the subway.)
#77
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: YYZ/NYC/CDG/NRT
Posts: 171
Just my input, but I hated traveling for work. It's one thing to travel with friends and family since that's always fun, but when I was traveling for work I couldn't quit fast enough and start a new career.
It was international travel, mostly through Asia and Europe - so you might have a different perspective if you're doing domestic and you COULD be home in 2-3 hours if you needed to.
It was international travel, mostly through Asia and Europe - so you might have a different perspective if you're doing domestic and you COULD be home in 2-3 hours if you needed to.
#78
Join Date: Feb 2011
Posts: 5,797
Just my input, but I hated traveling for work. It's one thing to travel with friends and family since that's always fun, but when I was traveling for work I couldn't quit fast enough and start a new career.
It was international travel, mostly through Asia and Europe - so you might have a different perspective if you're doing domestic and you COULD be home in 2-3 hours if you needed to.
It was international travel, mostly through Asia and Europe - so you might have a different perspective if you're doing domestic and you COULD be home in 2-3 hours if you needed to.
Now, i do international mid haul about once a month and find it a much better balance.
#79
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: YYZ/NYC/CDG/NRT
Posts: 171
I did the opposite... regular 1-2 hour hops and i HATED it after a while. I got so bored of getting up at 4am to go to the airport to catch a flight to some pointless airport i didnt want to go to.
Now, i do international mid haul about once a month and find it a much better balance.
Now, i do international mid haul about once a month and find it a much better balance.
It gets better if your partner is on the same travel schedule as you, any chance you can pitch that you're a team?
#80
Join Date: Jul 2004
Programs: CO Plat, *A Gold (all peacefully retired)
Posts: 623
I'd definitely take the 20% travel job over anything else. I spent 8 years bumping around the world, with the occasion to actually sight-see anything maybe 3 or 4 times. Often that was due to a lucky local holiday where I had to extend beyond for whatever reason (meeting on Tues, Weds local holiday, Thurs more meetings).
Like was posted on the first page, the man never saw the Eiffel Tower except from an airport taxi. That's how I felt.
One observation about saving money via per diems, it really depends on where you are. My company paid $45 per day for all incidentals and food. There was not much to do after a long day, except hang out at the hotel bar...at $10 for a drink. That plus meals definitely put me in the red most trips.
If I was trying to take money home by eating on the cheap, I'd pick up dinner at Burger King. And then I gained 20 pounds in doing so.
Like was posted on the first page, the man never saw the Eiffel Tower except from an airport taxi. That's how I felt.
One observation about saving money via per diems, it really depends on where you are. My company paid $45 per day for all incidentals and food. There was not much to do after a long day, except hang out at the hotel bar...at $10 for a drink. That plus meals definitely put me in the red most trips.
If I was trying to take money home by eating on the cheap, I'd pick up dinner at Burger King. And then I gained 20 pounds in doing so.
#81
Suspended
Join Date: Jun 2009
Posts: 3,098
I love the lifestyle.
Pros:
No office BS to deal with (or at least much less)
On your own, making your own timetable usually
Getting extra time to kill in nice places.
More airmiles than you know what to do with..F class, lounges, hotel upgrades..
It's not 9-5..but I like that. It may be a con for you.
Cons:
Hotels can be sucky sometimes
Traveling frustrations like weather and delays
It can be tough on the body.
Missing home
Pros:
No office BS to deal with (or at least much less)
On your own, making your own timetable usually
Getting extra time to kill in nice places.
More airmiles than you know what to do with..F class, lounges, hotel upgrades..
It's not 9-5..but I like that. It may be a con for you.
Cons:
Hotels can be sucky sometimes
Traveling frustrations like weather and delays
It can be tough on the body.
Missing home