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Serviced Apartments – Giving a Whole New Meaning to Corporate Living

Guest post by: Philip Mercado

Article Overview: With the changing needs of business travellers, serviced apartments give a whole new meaning to corporate living by providing guests with the best of both worlds – impeccable hotel-like service with the touch and feel of home.

Serviced Apartments – Giving a Whole New Meaning to Corporate Living

In days gone by, corporate housing conjured up images of bland, unsophisticated and generic accommodation which, whilst offering a place for the business traveller to shower and sleep, offered none of the services or luxuries of hotel accommodation. For many years, corporate accommodation was viewed as a poor second best to be avoided where possible, but all that has changed since the first serviced apartments were conceptualized in the United States decades ago. What began as basic lodging services for medium to long staying business travellers has become a worldwide industry offering unparalleled comfort and amenities for corporate travellers and expats.

From Generic to Chic

By focussing on aesthetics and style, serviced apartment operators are actively responding to the sophisticated needs and tastes of the new breed of business traveller. As Tracey Stephenson, co-founder of the serviced apartments company Staying Cool, said, “There is going to be a raising of the bar in design and comfort, it will be the end of corporate bland.” Details are now a top priority in corporate housing. From furniture to fittings, serviced apartments now combine style and functionality to meet and exceed the services previously only offered by luxury hotels.

Technology

Technology is another area in which serviced apartments are raising the bar to meet the needs of today's corporate traveller. High-speed internet connections, telephony and wi-fi enabled rooms are top priorities for business travellers and, as such, these have become staple features of corporate accommodation. Moreover, most serviced apartments are now equipped with cutting edge household appliances, and state-of-the-art entertainment, heating and lighting systems to better suit the needs and expectations of corporate guests.

A Home from Home Experience



A common complaint for expatriates staying in hotels for long periods is the lifestyle limitations of such accommodation. A hotel room does not afford business travellers the freedom or privacy to enjoy a home from home experience. A home environment is especially important as more and more business travellers travel with their families or partners in tow. Serviced apartments offer private and intimate accommodation, which enables business travellers to enjoy a home from home experience by engaging in day to day activities such as cooking and having their family to stay with them.

Corporate Living – The Best of Both Worlds

Like hotels, serviced apartments offer impeccable customer services. On site concierge, translators, 24-hour security services, and yes, even housekeeping are staples of today's serviced apartments. With the diverse sensibilities of so many business travellers, serviced apartment operators and letting agents are making sure that the every need of their guests are satisfied. As such, serviced apartments provide the first-class service of hotels with the look, feel and comfort of a home.

Corporate living is not limited to space and lodgings - it has become a lifestyle. For many business travellers, their experience as an expatriate in a new city is one of the most exciting times of their lives. Unlike hotels, serviced apartments provide the privacy, mobility, and freedom to enjoy and experience corporate and expat living at its finest.

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Article Tags: apartment, corporate housing, rental apartment



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