In support of the current “Country Means Business” promotion, Road Warriorette will be featuring a weekly sponsored post on behalf of Country Inns & Suites and has been compensated by Country Inns & Suites for her contribution.

Loads of business travel can cause you to feel uprooted.  Rarely do you find yourself at home, and sometimes you miss the sense of belonging and comfort that home provides. Even though you are only in your hotel room a short time, you can do a few quick things to make your home away from home feel more comfortable. The next time you are away, try to make your current hotel room, wherever it may be, feel more like home. You may be surprised how much it can help!

Unpack a little. I’m not saying spread your stuff all over the room, especially if you’re only there to sleep for a few hours before moving on. But having your own things around you can be comforting. So go ahead and put your toiletries on the bathroom counter, set out your laptop on the desk, and hang up your coat. For my first year of business travel, I carried a photo collage of my husband and dogs with me, and glancing over at that made me happy.

Listen to your favorite music. I have an iPhone app for my favorite radio station at home, and when traveling I listen to it every morning while I get ready. It connects me, and keeps me in my normal routine. Other times I will just listen to my current favorite album (right now: Brothers by The Black Keys).  Music can have a powerful effect on your mood, so try it next time you feel a bit blue.

Stick to your normal routine. Every night, I do my normal bedtime routine, using my familiar products from home. Then before bed I read for a few minutes before turning on my White Noise app and going to sleep. What is your nighttime routine? Stick to it, and you will feel more comfortable.

Stay connected. Call your significant other, kids, family members, or friends. Just because you’re on the road doesn’t mean you have to cut off all contact! I have pictures as the screensaver on my computer, so I’m constantly seeing a rotating gallery when not using it. Skype conversations are great because you get to actually see the people you are talking to.

Book a nice hotel. This may sound obvious, but if you are in a terrible hotel it will not make you feel at home. I don’t mean you need to only stay in five star or very fancy hotels—far from it. Some hotel chains are more welcoming than others! One of the things I loved about my Country Inns & Suites visit was the homey lobby area with a fireplace, which created a great inviting feel! And with a chain, you know that you will always have a certain level of experience regardless of where it is. When I stay in a hotel with a cozy bed and aesthetically pleasing surroundings I feel more comfortable, a little bit pampered, and more at home.

One last thing I do—I always have a small bag of my favorite teas with me. It’s a little thing, but enjoying the same tea I do when I’m not traveling makes me feel like I am home away from home.  And that is a nice feeling for a perpetual traveler!

Travel writer Addie Hall developed this post on behalf of Country Inns & Suites and has been compensated for her contribution.

Whether you’re driving or flying to your destination, less is more when it comes to business travel. But even though it’s best to travel lightly, representing your company also requires that you dress professionally. In order to do this, you need the right tools.

Choose the Right Bag For the Job

If you will be taking a briefcase, be sure to either keep it with you or pack it safely within a larger bag. While multipurpose bags that hold both a computer and clothes are efficient, you may not want to drag a battered travel bag into a business meeting. And remember, if you’re flying you’ll need your laptop easily accessible at security checkpoints.

For shorter trips (1-3 nights)

If you’re only staying a few nights, you can usually get away with a smaller bag that can accommodate your office supplies as well as your clothes. Look for “weekender” or “overnighter” bags that have separate compartments for clothing and personal items. The Samsonite Wheeled Overnighter features a deep compartment for garments as well as folder pockets and a removable laptop sleeve.

For longer trips (a week or more)

If you plan on taking a week’s worth of clothes, you’ll need a bag in the range of 24-26 inches. Luggage made from ballistic nylon is a good choice because it is both lightweight and durable. Choosing a bag with four wheels—sometimes called “spinners”—such as the International Traveller London Range 24” makes it easier to get through tight spaces and change directions smoothly.

Travel-friendly Clothing

By choosing clothes in the same color family, you’ll be able to pack fewer shoes and accessories. Depending on the type of business you’re in, you’ll probably need one or two dark suits, a shirt or blouse for each day and a pair of casual pants, along with your basic underwear and socks. Many clothing retailers offer wrinkle-free travel clothing that is appropriate for business, such as Jos. A. Bank’s traveler shirts and pants for men and Brooks Brothers’ wrinkle-free shirts  for women. And women, be sure to pack extra pantyhose! Traveling wreaks havoc on your legwear.

Downsize Your Beauty Routine

When you’re visiting clients or attending business meetings, it’s generally not the best time to deviate from your normal routine. Take along your favorite toiletries such as shampoo, conditioner, face cleanser and lotion to ensure that there are no surprises from trying new products. Purchase smaller versions of your favorites from retailers such as 3floz.com (named for the TSA regulation of no more than 3.4 fluid ounces of liquid in each bottle in your carry-on) or fill reusable travel-sized bottles from your larger containers at home.

Addie Hall is a former magazine feature writer who got her start traveling the back roads of the South in search of good stories. She now works in corporate marketing in Birmingham, Ala., where the airport TSA agents know her by name.

Road Warriorette will be featuring a weekly sponsored post on behalf of Country Inns & Suites and has been compensated by Country Inns & Suites for her contribution.

Happy Thursday all! As you may have been following along during the last month, our good friend Road Warriorette has been sharing business travel advice on everything from being productive to mobile office tips to hotel etiquette. This week, she shares her “best of” list for business travelers – both the first-timers and the seasoned pros. And after you’re finished reading, please join the conversation by sharing your favorite business travel tip! – Emily

Clothes:

• Try to build your travel wardrobe around a single color. If all of your clothes match with black pants (or brown), it is that much easier to pack. It is also much easier to get dressed in the morning! And you will need to bring fewer pairs of shoes.
• Flat, slip-on shoes are best for day of travel. They allow you to move quickly through the airport, go easily through security, and be comfortable on the plane.
• Bring a scarf or pashmina for the plane–use it as a blanket, pillow, or whatever you need.
• If you can at all avoid it, don’t bring anything that wrinkles or that you have to iron. There are plenty of stylish clothes available that don’t require ironing!

For the plane:

• Don’t throw your bag in an overhead bin that is way in front of your seat if you can at all help it. It’s rude to the people sitting below that bin.
• If it’s a long flight, bring an eye mask and earplugs or noise-canceling headphones.
• Make sure you have something to entertain you on the plane—don’t anticipate working the entire time unless you know that you will!
• Bring snacks. Nuts, granola bars, and veggies all travel well and satisfy hunger.

Packing:

• I bring my own shampoo/conditioner; since I travel so much, my hair acts crazy if I continually use the products the hotel puts out. I fill up travel bottles from my full-size products, but great sources of travel sizes are Sephora and 3floz.com.
• Eagle Creek packing cubes are so helpful for the small items (underwear, socks, hose, etc); they will help you save a ton of space.
• I have three small bags for my toiletries–one for liquids (that gets taken out at security), one for non-liquids (toothbrush, deodorant, etc), and one for make-up. This allows me to fit them in my suitcase wherever they will go instead of taking up a lot of room
• Don’t bring full size (or even travel size!) beauty products. Use spare contact lens cases for small amounts of liquids, such as face soap, moisturizer, eye makeup remover, etc.

General Tips

• Emergen-C! I take it every day when I travel, sometimes twice.
• I use my White Noise iPhone app a lot in hotels; especially when the walls are thin, there is a highway outside nearby, or the air-conditioning unit is super loud.

Now is your chance! Share some of the knowledge you have amassed in your years of business travel. What is your best business travel tip for a newbie? What does business, and business travel, mean to you?

Having an exercise bike in the house or a health club nearby can be a great motivator to keep up with exercise, but time on the road can make it easy to let the workouts slide. For those times you’re away from a weekly routine, we’ve brought together some great tips for how to get your heart rate going – some that can even be done in your hotel room.

Exercising In Your Room

Staying in shape on the road doesn’t mean you have to lug around heavy equipment in your luggage (imagine that!). Through some basic exercises, you can do the necessary work to help you stay in shape without actually using any equipment at all. Simple standbys like push-ups are great for your body, and for a higher-level workout, you can alternate with staggered push-ups by using a phone book or other prop in your room. For info on other no-equipment exercises, check out this article from About.Com.

Yoga For Travelers

If you’ve ever participated in a Yoga class before, you no doubt understand some of its unique benefits. Yoga is a simple and effective way to keep your body in tune, but it’s also a wonderful way to relax, especially if you are starting to feel stressed out. iYogaLife has setup a convenient and easy-to-use slideshow that demonstrates some great poses for travelers that you can even do in the airport!

Exercising At Country Inns and Suites

The best way to stay in shape while traveling is to make sure your hotel is equipped with a fitness center. Many Country Inns and Suites destinations offer fitness facilities and a selection of our properties feature indoor or outdoor pools. Use our destination tool to discover if your hotel has a fitness center.

Travel writer Beth D’Addono developed this post on behalf of Country Inns & Suites and has been compensated for her contribution.

Healthy eating on the road can be an important part of your commitment to healthy habits.

Staying in shape and eating right is hard enough when you’re home. Add in the road warrior’s diet of client entertaining, airport fast food and snacking on the run, and you can be in trouble. But with a little forethought, mindful eating while you travel can support your commitment to healthy habits.

• Start your day right. A breakfast high in protein and healthy complex carbs will give you needed energy and derail your urge to snack. The Country Inns & Suites by Carlson^SM Be Our Guest breakfast offers a rotating menu of hot meal options, including eggs and breakfast burritos, served alongside oatmeal, fresh fruit and build-your-own breakfast parfaits.
• Light snacks. Keep easy-to-pack healthy snacks with you at all times. This can include dried fruits, nuts, seeds, trail mix, protein bars and protein powder that mixes easily into skim milk for a quick pick me up.
• Think lean protein and veg. Your regular routine is interrupted, so give your body a break by choosing easy-to-digest foods that still fill you up. Non-cream based soups are always a good idea, from hearty bean or lentil to miso or chicken. A meal of lean protein like chicken, turkey and fish, along with vegetables and a salad, works great for lunch or dinner.
• Stay hydrated. Drinking lots of water not only counteracts the effects of flying, it keeps you feeling full and balanced.
• Lunch is big. If you can, make lunch your biggest meal of the day, when you are the most active. Your metabolism will do the rest.
• Your car is not a calorie- and fat-free zone. Sometimes dashboard dining can’t be helped—but remember that every mouthful counts. Stop at farmers markets or grocery stores when possible for fruit and portioned healthy snacks. If you must use the drive-through, the broiled chicken sandwich is almost always better than the double cheeseburger. And don’t supersize—skip the fries and soda.
• Choose entrées wisely. When entertaining clients at a swanky restaurant, skip the bread and fried food in favor of a vegetarian option or an entrée salad. Many restaurants offer tapas-style or small-plate menu items. Ordering two appetizers or a salad and an app is a good way to go. And for dessert, remember that a few bites of dark chocolate are good for you!
• Work it out. Take the time to visit the complimentary fitness center at your Country Inns & Suites hotel. You don’t need an hour to make your efforts count. Fitness experts are pushing for shorter, higher-intensity workouts to help you jump-start your metabolism and stay in shape.

By tweaking just a few of your regular habits, your time on the road can actually be good for your health!

Hi everyone,

If you’re like me, you’ve become increasingly dependent on your mobile devices.  Technology is a wonderful thing, but it often means you’re working places other than your office. And for those times you’re not near the comforts of your cubicle—riding in a cab, standing in line at airport security, waiting to go into a meeting—mobile options need to be easy and fast. Here are a few tips I’ve found to help you keep things moving:

Sync your devices

Most of your mobile devices can be synced to each other. For instance, there are easy ways to read your email on your mobile phone, which helps a lot when using one over the other. Learn more about how to sync devices from About.com.

Know your work style

Are you better at working in short bursts or when you have a few hours to dedicate? Knowing your work style can help you make better use of the time you spend completing tasks. Take this fun workstyle quiz from Monster.com to see how you work best.

Double-check everything
Mobile working can be hectic; you’re always on a deadline and the work is never done. Double-check those emails for typos and grammar, make sure you attach documents, and keep your calendar organized.

What’s your most valuable tool on the road? A full cell phone battery? Comfortable shoes? I’m going to guess that somewhere on that list is time. Between flight departures and hotel check-ins, your schedule needs careful planning to ensure you’re getting things done (and that you don’t push yourself too hard!) We can’t make more time for you, but we have a few tips on being more productive while finding a little time for yourself while on the road:

On an Airplane

Working on a plane means thinking ahead, but more importantly, it means you’ve got to get your mind set on the task at hand. Learn how on Gizmodo.com: http://gizmo.do/h0kpui

Stuck in an Airport

Delayed flights are a downer for a business traveler, but a small power strip in your carry-on can keep you moving during unplanned layovers. More at eHow: http://bit.ly/hdE88m

Changing Your Reservations

When life does throw you a curve ball, we understand that even the best-laid plans can change last-minute. Reach out to any Country Inns & Suites hotel with a travel change by accessing your reservation at http://bit.ly/fzSlj0.

As fun as it can be to get out and see the Country, it’s easy to lose a little connection with home. Fortunately, the web has you covered with some great services and applications that make it easier for you to keep in touch. We’ve picked the best of the best to consider the next time you’re away from a familiar zip code.

Skype

Skype is useful tool for face-to-face time with loved ones, as the primary feature is video-based chat. Phone calls are great, but they can mean so much more when you can actually see the other person. There’s also an option to download a mobile application for quick connections on the go. Sounds like the cab ride from the airport just got a whole lot more enjoyable.

Path
For fans of Facebook, Path is a personal network that invites you to set up a personal network of up to 50 people, giving you greater comfort in sharing your travel details. Path offers features like status updates, photo and video sharing, and with a smaller reach, you can share with people who mean the most to you.

TextPlus
TextPlus is a group chat option for users of the popular Apple devices, like the iPhone, iPod Touch or iPad; send group messages and share pictures without having to manually enter individual name. The service is available over Wi-Fi, or 3G from locations within the U.S. and Canada.

Country Inns & Suites Free High-Speed Internet
Of course, when you’re looking for ways to stay connected, remember that we’re focused on re-creating the experience you’re used to at home. Enjoy free, high-speed Internet access at our more than 500 locations across the U.S. and Canada.

Eat better, exercise more, be more organized—January means New Year’s resolutions, and a fresh start for many of us. Being on the road, however, presents its own unique set of challenges; tight schedules and unfamiliar routines can make it hard to stick to a healthier diet or a plan for better personal fitness. These links will give you a few ideas so your resolutions take a front seat to your travel plans.

Eat Healthy
Packing (or buying) your own snacks at home and eating lean meats during airport layovers will help you stay energized while on the road. Check out more ideas from USA Today: http://bit.ly/fdq97j

Get Fit
Not enough time in the morning to find a gym on the road? No problem—check out this 20-minute in-room workout routine by Road & Travel Magazine: http://bit.ly/evCUue

Stay Organized
Looking for a more organized work life on the road? GigaOM recommends starting by working off your priority list, not your email inbox. More here: http://bit.ly/f5BupP

Country Inns & Suites Be Our Guest Breakfast
Did you know we offer a hot breakfast every morning with rotating entrees like omelets or eggs benedict, and yogurt parfaits? Find your favorites from home: http://countryinns.com/breakfast.

Join us for our first installment of #biztriptip, a Twitter chat that we’re hosting on business travel topics this month, just in time for our Country Means Business promotion. Throughout January, we’ll share great tips for creating relaxing, productive business trips, and all you need to do is follow the #biztriptip hashtag on Twitter to join the conversation.

Our first one-hour chat will occur at 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT on Wednesday, Jan. 12, and we’ll discuss the best tips for staying productive while on the road. Sometimes travel feels like work, but then again, things don’t stop at the office. What are the best ways to get your work finished and make sure have a little “me time?”

We welcome veteran business travelers, first-time business travelers, and anyone interested in general travel topics. You know that Country Means Business; now it’s time to show us how you do business.

Twitter Chat Tip: Tweetchat (http://www.Tweetchat.com) is a great site to use for Twitter chats. Following the hashtag is easy and the website filters out other messages so you can focus just on the conversation.