The flexibility of terms with regard to the duration of the stay makes serviced apartments attractive for both companies and private bookings. In most cases, the requirement to stay a minimum of one week is no longer applicable and terms are becoming more and more flexible to compete with hotels.
Serviced apartments are self-contained units, down to wall mountings and fittings. The advantage of space in a serviced apartment compared to a standard hotel room is paramount. Particularly for those working away from home on a project basis or short-term assignment, the addition of a kitchen and a living space to the bedroom is a significant benefit, offering room to both relax and work as required. More space also means room for a few more personal items, creating a more homely feeling.
Renting a two or three-bedroom apartment provides more space for a group or family than a hotel room, giving more freedom to those parents who have to tiptoe around a hotel room every evening so as not to disturb their sleeping children.
In addition, if family, friends or a colleague comes for a visit there is usually a sofa bed to accommodate then at no extra charge, a service for which hotel guests will most certainly find themselves incurring additional charges.
Fully equipped kitchens are a standard element of serviced apartments, and the option to self-cater plays an important role in attracting guests. This has an even bigger appeal when you factor in specific dietary requirements or a family with small children in temporary accommodation looking for a more permanent abode. In such circumstances eating out every night in a restaurant in unlikely to be the optimal dining solution, particularly if there are few healthy options available on the kid’s menu.
Furthermore, the lone worker may tire quickly of eating out alone night after night for weeks on end in a busy restaurant, ordering from the same menu repetitively. Clearly, having your own kitchen facilities provides guests with choices. There are, of course, also the smaller benefits to consider:
- coffee and tea are on hand without having to call room service or go down to the hotel bar
- the facilities are on hand to entertain business visitors or family and friends popping by
- no rush down to the restaurant for meal serving times, or late night search for an open restaurant when working hours are long
Serviced apartments also include laundry facilities, high on the list of convenient facilities for any traveller. A housekeeping service usually cleans the accommodation at least weekly, and the apartment comes stocked with towels, bed linen and kitchen linen.
Serviced apartments tend to be located in city centres and popular areas, convenient for transport networks and entertainment amenities, exactly what many tourists and expatriates are looking for, albeit for different reasons. A serviced apartment also provides the resident with direct mail address, convenient on both personal and business levels.
Additional services may be available, depending on the apartment you have chosen. Some complexes offer meet and greet services, travel bookings, airport parking, foreign exchange facilities or a restaurant booking service.
From the business viewpoint, serviced apartments go further in answering the call for more Corporate Social Responsibility than hotels do. It is no longer acceptable to confine employees to a hotel room for weeks or months at a time.
To add to the advantages for the corporate sector, serviced apartments are also more cost effective than hotel rates for longer stays, in some cases saving more than a third of the cost of a hotel. Additionally, business travellers keep their incidental expenses low. Of course, the same is also true for holidaymakers, as catering and laundry costs are lower than they would be for a traditional hotel stay.
Without a doubt, serviced apartments offer more freedom, space, choice and flexibility to the demanding business and leisure travellers of today, and there are considerable financial cost savings to boot.
