Travel + Leisure magazine offers recommendations and tips about all things travel-related. From hotels to restaurants to clothes and car services, this magazine can help you approach your business trips from a more pleasurable angle.

We all do different things to pass the time while traveling. I have a set of magazines to which I subscribe specifically to take with me on my trips. They go from my mailbox to my briefcase so they are at my fingertips when I take my seat on a plane or train. Travel + Leisure magazine is one of the four I read each month during my travels because it keeps me apprised of business travel resources available to me.

Although the cover of Travel + Leisure seems to cater more to the vacationer, have a closer look inside. Each month that I read it, I find a resource I would likely use, and have actually planned accommodations based on the recommendations provided. For example, during a business trip to Philadelphia, I stayed at The Sofitel which was mentioned in a listing of hotels in the magazine. It turned out to be a terrific hotel and one that I have since reviewed. See “Related Links” below.

Travel + Leisure also caters to all budgets. Its articles and features are not a monthly compilation of trips accessible only to the wealthy. In fact, recently the magazine has featured some refreshing articles about the average traveler and realistic observations and concerns we all face. Recent articles include etiquette while traveling, air rage (we’ve all felt it, even if we don’t express it), and the best ways to save money and improve travel experiences. This kind of information is far more useful than articles about the best serving of caviar at a five-star hotel that is not in the average business traveler’s budget.

Although there are many articles about the indulgences we all crave on any trip, the editors manage to reach the average traveler, whether it be for business, pleasure, or a mixture of both. Each issue has subject headings throughout making it easy to sift through quickly. These include “best deals”, “insider” views on things like hotel news and food, “strategies” which feature hotel and airline deals, and many others. In last month’s issue (January 2009), there was a report on the power and state of the dollar domestically and abroad. Based on averages, an end of the evening pre-dinner martini with colleagues in Paris would set you back over $30.00 each. Whereas in New Orleans, Seattle, and L.A., the averages are about $9, $10, and $13 respectively. Hong Kong, $14. London, about $21.

While flipping the pages of my monthly issue, I often find myself making notes about the editor's recommendations so that I can employ them on my next business trip. It helps me gather ideas about meeting locations and venues that are not the usual cookie-cutter options like “Chicago” or “New York”. Fresh ideas help to avoid the wedding invitation feeling of “chicken” or “fish” when trying to find locations and accommodations that offer a better lifestyle on the road and for hosting colleagues.

In many issues there is a feature conveying the best deals researched, and interesting tips offered in post card or booklet form so you can remove it and keep the advice tucked away neatly. My favorite feature of this sort was a booklet on the "do’s and don’ts" of certain cultures, and a tipping guide for different countries. These sorts of resources are handy for international business travelers.

Besides gathering information about potential accommodations and recommendations for a business trip, I like to use this magazine as a way to indulge that common day dream that most business travelers experience en route to their destination. That is, wishing you were really headed somewhere else, anywhere else, and not for work. Travel + Leisure does a terrific job of combining the useful information that the business traveler can benefit from, with wonderful articles about far away pleasurable trips too. If you’d like to plan a unique trip to the small bistros of Provence, see the November 2008 issue. Also, the January 2009 issue features 500 of the world’s best hotels. This sort of information is helpful if you have the opportunity to turn a trip into a long weekend.

Again, I highly recommend the habit of subscribing to a magazine like this for the frequent business traveler. The savings realized as opposed to paying the cover price is worth it and it is a resource you can use and enjoy monthly. For your convenience, you can subscribe by clicking on the Travel + Leisure link below for a subscription through Amazon.com.