If you travel for work, you know the difference between a great trip and a chaotic one often comes down to where you stay, where you meet, and where you grab that mid-afternoon coffee.
After nearly two decades of meeting allocators, hosting events, and building relationships across the country, our team at Dakota has learned one thing: the right environment makes every meeting better.
In this article, we’re reviewing the top 10 platforms for finding hotels, restaurants, and coffee shop platforms that every business traveler should know about. By the end of this, you’ll have a better understanding of platforms to plan your trip.
1. Business Travel
Business Travel offers detailed city guides built specifically for corporate travelers. Each guide highlights hotels, dining, and experiences that cater to executives on the go, often pinpointing neighborhoods close to major business districts and convention centers. The guides are easy to scan, with quick “where to stay” and “where to meet” sections perfect for last-minute planning.
Best for: Destination-specific insights for business-focused trips.
2. Travelperk
TravelPerk is a fast-growing business travel management platform, and for good reason. It offers integrated booking for flights, hotels, and transportation in one dashboard. You can manage team itineraries, automate expense reports, and adjust bookings in real time. It’s the go-to for companies looking to streamline travel logistics without losing flexibility.
Best for: Managing itineraries, expenses, and bookings in one place.
3. Dakota Recommends Inside Dakota Marketplace
Dakota Recommends is built for business travelers – not just tourists. Featuring over 950 handpicked restaurants, hotels, coffee shops, and event spaces across 25 U.S. cities, plus London, Paris, and beyond, it’s a go-to resource for professionals who travel to meet allocators, host events, and build relationships.
Every spot is vetted by the same team behind Dakota Marketplace, trusted by thousands of investment firms. No crowdsourcing: just clean, classy, and convenient places that make meetings run smoother and trips more productive.
Each city guide is organized by purpose, from coffee meetings and client dinners to post-conference cocktails and team events to make it is easy to plan your day in minutes.
Whether you’re traveling solo or coordinating for your whole team, Dakota Recommends helps you book smarter, not harder. It’s a living, breathing guide that keeps evolving with each new city, each new hotspot, and each new trip our team takes.
Check out our Dakota City Guide: Philadelphia Edition here.
Best for: Professionals who travel to meet allocators, host events, and build relationships.
4. TripAdvisor
TripAdvisor remains a staple for hotel reviews and travel experiences. Its biggest strength is its scale. You’ll find reviews and photos for virtually every hotel, restaurant, and meeting venue in the world. If you’re heading somewhere new, it’s a reliable way to get a feel for service quality and amenities before booking.
Best for: Comparing hotels, venues, and restaurants before longer business trips.
5. Yelp
Yelp is still one of the quickest tools for finding something nearby when you’re on the move. Whether you need a quiet café to prep before a meeting or a solid lunch spot within walking distance of your client’s office, Yelp’s filters by location, vibe, and cuisine make it easy to decide fast.
Best for: Quick local searches and reliable coffee or lunch options between meetings.
6. Maiden Voyage
Maiden Voyage curates global city guides designed for professional travelers. It’s trusted by major corporations and business travel programs, providing practical advice on where to stay, meet, and unwind, all while staying close to major business hubs.
Best for: Global travelers seeking professional, safety-conscious city insights.
7. Foursquare City Guide
Foursqaure continues to be a hidden gem for discovering local favorites. It draws on check-ins and real reviews from locals to highlight authentic, lesser-known venues like boutique coffee shops to quiet lunch spots that won’t show up on the usual tourist lists.
If you prefer local gems over mainstream picks, Foursquare is worth a look. It uses data from check-ins and local reviews to highlight authentic, lesser-known coffee shops and restaurants.
Best for: Discovering hidden gems and off-the-beaten-path cafés in major cities.
8. Time Out
Time Out offers curated city guides created by local editors who know the pulse of each destination. It’s a great resource for professionals who want a touch of culture on their trips, or for finding restaurants that can double as impressive client dinner spots.
Best for: Finding culturally relevant, professional venues in global cities.
9. Business Destinations
Business Destinations blends travel journalism with business insight, offering profiles of world-class cities, luxury hotels, and high-end conference venues. It’s where business travelers go for inspiration whether planning an offsite, attending a global conference, or hosting clients abroad.
Best for: Discovering luxury business travel trends and international venue inspiration.
10. Google Travel
Google Travel has quietly become one of the most powerful all-in-one tools for business travelers. Beyond directions, it organizes hotels, flights, and attractions in one place. The integration with Google Maps means you can instantly see what’s nearby, read reviews, and even track popular times to avoid crowds.
Best for: Fast local discovery and route planning between meetings.
About Dakota Recommends
Dakota Recommends isn’t just a list, it’s a toolkit for business travelers. These are the places
that have helped us at Dakota deliver successful meetings, memorable events, and efficient
trips time and time again.
When you’re traveling for work, trust the spots we’ve already vetted. You’ll find them all
in Dakota Marketplace, organized by metro area, ready to support your goals on the road.
We’ve also incorporated “Dakota Must Trys” under each place listed!
Whether you’re planning your next trip or refining your meeting strategy, book a demo of Dakota Marketplace to explore the people and places that keep our team coming back.
To explore more with Dakota Recommends, book a demo here.
