Battle of the beds:
serviced apartments vs hotels
Travelers face many choices when they take a trip, and one of them is what kind of accommodations to book. Gone are the days when a hotel was the only option. These days, business and leisure travelers on an extended trip can choose to stay in a serviced apartment instead of a hotel.
The difference between more ‘traditional’ accommodations, such as hotels, is that serviced apartments provide more of a ‘home away from home’ feeling. The guest is provided with a self-contained apartment-style environment to stay in where serviced-apartment facilities replace restaurant, bar and laundry services and the guest has the space to live in a comfortable personal space.
There are some desirable similarities with hotel equivalents though: serviced apartments also have the added benefit of the hotel-like environment that’s often enjoyed by guests – and various perks and discounts are often available for stays of 30 days or more.
A service apartment is an all-around outfitted loft and is accessible for transient or long-haul stays, and gives enhancements to utilise every day.
With serviced accommodation becoming a preferred choice over hotels, some people are still unsure of why serviced accommodation is actually the better choice.
To make things clear, serviced accommodation is a whole apartment that’s fully furnished whilst a hotel is usually just a bedroom and a small bathroom. This means in serviced accommodation, you have a kitchen and the option to cook meals for yourself, which you don’t have in a hotel room. Also, generally serviced accommodation comes with more room as you get a whole apartment rather than just a room. Finally, serviced accommodation is more of a home away from home than a hotel room, which is great for family trips or just long trips away.
So, why should I choose serviced accommodation?
Space
Staying in a serviced apartment gives you the room to work, cook, relax and sleep and on average you can expect to enjoy 30% more space than an equivalent standard of hotel. A typical one bedroom service apartment is around twice the size of the average hotel room.
Location, Location, Location!
Serviced apartments are situated in great locations. They can be found in every major city throughout the world. Located in the heart of many tourist destinations as well as important business districts enables serviced apartments to meet the needs of various consumer groups!
Flexibility
You are free to come and go as you wish, enabling you to do things to meet your own schedule. The availability of the facilities in the apartment mean you can cook whenever you wish, work whenever you need to work, and there’s the added space to entertain guests or hold business meetings all within your own private space and at times that suit. You can often find apartments with several bathrooms and bedrooms which branch off from one central living area, this can work well for families, colleagues or groups travelling together.
Productivity
Another benefit you may not have thought of before is the productivity that serviced accommodation can allow. In regards to corporate stays, staying in a small hotel room with just a bed and maybe a small desk can get depressing and it can block your brain and creativity. Whereas, with serviced accommodation you have plenty of space to work as well as the ability to move around and take breaks.
Facilities
Ever been in a hotel where you can only get a WiFi connection down in the restaurant or the lobby and then once you get up to your room you end up rinsing all your data? Staying in serviced accommodation means you will get free WiFi all throughout the apartment. Serviced accommodation also comes with other facilities such as a washer dryer and an iron with ironing board.
Comfort
Serviced accommodation is known as being a home away from home. It provides more comfort as it has a living room where you settle down in front of the TV and a bedroom where you can enjoy a peaceful night’s sleep.
Privacy
Finally, you will benefit from more privacy in any serviced apartment compared to a hotel. This is because serviced accommodation doesn’t have any on-site staff.
There you have it… the reasons most people prefer to go to a serviced apartment over a hotel. If you’d prefer to have more space and comfort, then it might be time that you forget the hotel bookings and start enjoying the freedom of serviced accommodation!
