Serviced Apartments: Everything You Need to Know

By: ROS Team

Being a traveler often means comfort gets compromised. Most travelers consider it a blessing to find hotel accommodations that make you feel like you’re at home.

Hotels used to be the most luxurious option for lodging. Now there are a variety of other options as well. A serviced apartment is one such alternative to consider when seeking accommodations while visiting a new city. There are key differences between traditional hotels and serviced apartments that you’ll want to know so you can make an informed decision the next time you travel.

What is a Serviced Apartment?

A serviced apartment is a furnished apartment that’s available to travelers for a short or long term stay. They also offer a wide range of services and amenities much like a traditional hotel.

The key feature of a serviced apartment is its home-like environment. Think of a serviced apartment as a hotel room with extra space and more privacy. Serviced apartments have been around for a long time, but they’ve only recently gained popularity. They are especially popular among business travelers.

Serviced apartments usually come equipped with all the comforts of home: a kitchen, in-unit laundry room, meeting rooms, onsite restaurant, fitness center, and any other service you may think of in a hotel.  They’re also more economical than most hotel rooms.

You may not be able to tell the price difference during a short-term stay, but should you choose a serviced apartment for an extended stay you’ll find that they are significantly cheaper, especially for group travel or families.

A few fun details about serviced apartments:

• They are located in a dedicated building similar to hotels with a 24-hour reception desk and are sometimes referred to as an aparthotel.
• They will more than likely offer additional services to their guests such as a gym and communal lounge.
• Fully-furnished apartments are also referred to as corporate housing and are designed for business travelers who may have a longer stay than guests traveling for pleasure.

Key Features of Serviced Apartments

Most serviced apartments offer similar amenities as hotels like:

• A fully equipped kitchen
• One or more bedrooms
• Bed linen and towels
• Bathroom
• A separate living area
• TV, Wi-Fi
• Housekeeping service
• Cleaning tools and detergent
• Iron and ironing board

What Makes a Service Apartment So Appealing?

Serviced apartments offer a different experience when traveling.  Booking and changing your accommodation is much easier than at hotels and you get more for your money.

Serviced apartments offer guests the kind of privacy you would prefer in your own home—you can cook and have dinner with your family, finish work assignments in the living room, washcloths, and binge-watch your favorite Netflix without ever leaving the room.

Some other advantages of staying in a serviced apartment include:

• More spacious accommodations compared to traditional hotel rooms.
• Significantly reduced rates, especially for long-term stays.
• Access to apartment-like amenities with a hotel feel.

Serviced Apartments vs. Studio Apartments

Serviced apartments are often confused with studio apartments, especially when someone is looking for a place to stay long-term. To be clear, serviced apartments are more spacious than studio apartments because they have more rooms, larger bathrooms, and a kitchen. On the contrary, studio apartments have only one room and the kitchen is often combined with the living room.

Compared to studio apartments, serviced apartments tend to be more luxurious and are fully furnished. They also usually come equipped with smart and digital devices. In fact, there is not as much space to include much more than basic features in a studio apartment.

You’ll definitely see the difference when looking at the price–since there are fewer luxuries and less space, the cost of renting a studio is considerably lower than the cost of a serviced apartment.

Final Thoughts:

There are added benefits in renting serviced apartments as opposed to renting a traditional hotel room. You are likely to have a better experience because it offers more space, added luxury, and many of the comforts of home. Serviced apartments are also especially nice when traveling with family or friends for an extended period of time or for work.