What is a Serviced Apartment?

Business travellers' needs have evolved significantly in recent years, notably due to the rise of remote and hybrid work setups. Travel managers face the constant challenge of securing comfortable and cost-effective accommodation for their employees. While hotels are often top of mind, serviced apartments have become a compelling alternative.

But what distinguishes a serviced apartment from a hotel, and why should it be on your radar? This blog will unpack the core features and benefits of serviced apartments, how they differ from typical accommodation, and tips on finding vetted corporate travel housing for your employees.

What Does a Serviced Apartment Mean?

Choosing the right accommodation for staff can significantly impact their comfort and productivity, especially during lengthy business trips. Knowing what serviced apartments are and what they offer can help you make the best arrangements for your team.

Definition of Serviced Apartments 

So, what does a serviced apartment mean? A serviced apartment bridges the gap between hotels and traditional rentals, offering business travellers the best of both worlds. These self-contained living spaces provide the familiar comforts of home — a place to work, cook, and relax — while offering the flexibility of nightly bookings to accommodate varying trip durations.

A standard serviced apartment usually includes one or more bedrooms, a fully equipped kitchen, a comfortable living area, and at least one bathroom. While these apartments are adequately self-sufficient, they may also come with additional amenities such as concierge services, on-site restaurants, and fitness facilities. Whether it's an extended business trip or a full relocation, serviced apartments offer a comfortable and convenient accommodation solution for every type of traveller.

Key Features of Serviced Apartments

Serviced apartments offer a unique blend of home-like comfort and hotel-like convenience. Here’s what sets them apart from other accommodations:

• Fully-fitted kitchen: A complete kitchen allows guests to prepare their own meals, offering a cost-effective and healthy alternative to dining out.
• Dedicated living space: Having a separate living area provides travellers with room to relax, work, or entertain, unlike the confines of a single hotel room.
• Regular housekeeping: Standard housekeeping services, usually provided on a weekly basis, ensure a clean and comfortable environment.
• Laundry facilities: In-unit or on-site laundry facilities offer added convenience — a must-have for longer stays.
• Internet access: For business travellers, having stable Wi-Fi access is essential for productivity’s sake.
• Complimentary amenities: While facilities may vary, numerous serviced apartments offer amenities often found in hotels, such as 24-hour reception, swimming pools, and communal areas.

What is the Difference Between a Hotel and a Serviced Apartment?

Serviced apartments are gaining popularity — and for good reason. Explore why business travellers are slowly leaving hotels behind and choosing serviced apartments for extended travel.

Serviced Apartments vs. Hotels

Torn between a traditional hotel and a serviced apartment? To better understand the differences between these accommodation types, consider these features:

Advantages of Serviced Apartments for Long Stays

For assignments that stretch beyond 7 nights, serviced apartments are a compelling alternative to conventional accommodation. Here's why they are often the preferred choice:

• Cost-effective: Especially for extended travel, serviced apartments can be significantly more budget-friendly than hotels, offering better value for money with more space and amenities. The ability to cook your own meals also reduces dining expenses.
• Home-like comfort: Serviced apartments provide a sense of normalcy and comfort that hotels often lack. Employees can relax and maintain their routines, while maintaining (or even enhancing) work quality.
• Flexibility and independence: The self-catering nature of serviced apartments gives employees the freedom to manage their own schedules and meals.
• Improved productivity: A comfortable and spacious environment can significantly impact employee productivity. Having a good balance of work and leisure time can lead to improved performance.
• Ideal for relocation: For employees relocating to a new city, serviced apartments can serve as temporary homes while they search for permanent housing, providing a comfortable base that allows them to settle in gradually.

How to Find a Reliable Serviced Apartment Provider

The secret to securing seamless business travel accommodations —  finding the ideal serviced apartment provider. This strategic partnership simplifies the entire process, ensuring your employees enjoy comfortable and productive stays.

Tips for Finding Trustworthy Serviced Apartment Providers

How can you ensure you're partnering with a trustworthy provider? Below, we’ve listed key strategies for finding reliable serviced apartment providers and maximising your booking experience.

1. Check Reviews and Testimonials

Reviews and testimonials from other business travellers or companies give you firsthand accounts into the provider's service quality, responsiveness, and the authentic condition of their apartments.

2. Verify Accreditation and Affiliations

See if the provider is affiliated with reputable industry associations or has any relevant accreditations. This can indicate a commitment to professional standards and best practices.

3. Assess the Booking Process

The booking process should be streamlined and transparent to prevent any problems down the line. Additionally, credible providers are more reliable — offering clear communication, easy booking procedures, and flexible cancellation policies.

4. Ensure Proactive Customer Support

Excellent customer support is essential, especially when dealing with unforeseen issues. Test their responsiveness by asking questions or requesting information. A prompt and helpful response is a good sign.

5. Find Detailed Property Information

When it comes to accessing property data, the more comprehensive the better. This is a key indicator of a reliable accommodation provider. You should be able to find photos, floor plans, amenities, and even virtual tours of the unit.

Importance of Using a Platform like AltoVita for Vetted Options

Platforms like AltoVita simplify the process of finding reliable serviced apartments. They curate a network of pre-vetted providers, ensuring quality and consistency. For leading consulting company PwC, integrating AltoVita’s centralised corporate accommodation platform resulted in nearly 30% of cost savings. 

How Much Does a Serviced Apartment Cost?

Controlling business travel costs is a top priority for companies. Serviced apartments offer a cost-effective alternative to traditional hotels, but understanding pricing variations is essential.

Factors Influencing Cost

To help you find the best value for money, here are some key factors that impact the cost of serviced apartments:

• Location: Serviced apartments in prime city center locations or popular business districts typically command higher prices.
• Size and amenities: Larger apartments with more amenities (e.g., in-unit laundry, balcony, gym access) will generally cost more.
• Length of stay: Longer stays often qualify for discounted rates. Many providers offer weekly or monthly rates that are lower than daily rates.
• Seasonality: Prices may fluctuate depending on the time of year and local events. Peak seasons often see higher prices.

Average Hotel Costs for Long-Term Travellers

Hotels often charge premium rates for extended stays, and the costs can quickly add up. For instance, popular cities like London recorded an average price of £158 per night at hotels in 2024. For a month-long stay, this could translate to nearly £5000 in accommodation fees alone. Serviced apartments often provide a more cost-effective alternative for trips of this duration, with possible discounts for longer trips.

Budget-Friendly Options for Various Needs

There are countless affordable serviced apartments available to meet the varied needs of business travellers, accommodating both short-term weekend conferences and extended team getaways. For budget-conscious solo travellers, consider smaller accommodations like studio units. Be sure to negotiate monthly rates with providers for extended stays. Other ways to yield significant savings include apartment-sharing, where teams can reside in larger apartments together, fostering team cohesion. These flexible options allow companies to tailor their accommodation strategy to specific employee itineraries and budgets.

Discover Serviced Apartments with AltoVita

Efficiently managing business travel accommodations is a tall order, but AltoVita makes it a stress-free process, giving you full control over your team's stays worldwide.

AltoVita’s Offerings

AltoVita’s platform offers a suite of features designed to address the unique challenges of large-scale accommodation bookings for extended stays (+7 nights), ensuring compliance with company policies and providing access to real-time data. With our user-friendly self-serve booking tool, users can instantly search and request to book quality corporate accommodation, eliminating the need for time-consuming onboarding. From intuitive booking management to flexible data editing, we streamline every step. Learn how you can create a tailored booking experience, meet specific traveller needs, and enhance the overall guest experience for your employees.

Find Reliable, Cost-Effective Serviced Apartments with AltoVita

By leveraging integrations with leading property management software, our curated platform delivers a flexible, efficient, and secure solution for extended stays. AltoVita simplifies corporate accommodation by connecting you to a vast, vetted network of serviced apartments globally.

To get started, explore our extensive inventory and optimise your business travel planning today with AltoVita's streamlined, technology-driven Group Bookings tool.