Important things to remember when staying at a serviced apartment

Serviced apartments are growing in popularity as a choice for accommodations when traveling to a different country. There are so many benefits to staying in a serviced apartment that people are beginning to realize that it is the sensible option especially for corporate travelers, budget travelers and people who travel in a large party. It is a great alternative to a hotel stay.

It must be stressed, however, that staying in a serviced apartment is still a different experience from staying in a hotel in many different ways and people who stay in a serviced apartment for the first time may make certain assumptions and think that it will be a totally similar experience from staying in a hotel. 

Here are some things you should remember when you’re staying at a serviced apartment:

• Don’t expect room service when staying in a serviced apartment. This may sound silly but many first time guests think that room service is part of the “services” offered in a serviced apartment. Although serviced apartments may not offer room service, it does offer something better – you are free to cook your own meals and stock up on groceries. Doing this even brings you an added benefit, eating in means you get to save a lot of money on food.

• Although linens and towels are provided for you, don’t expect a turnover service that is done every day. Each serviced apartment company will have different schedules for cleaning. You’ll have to check with the manager and ask how often the apartment will be cleaned.

• A hotel has a lot of guests so you can expect to see a lot of people coming and going. A serviced apartment is significantly more private so it may take some adjustment to the more private and quieter environment. On the other hand, since you won’t need to contend with strangers and you’re the type who really values your privacy then you’ll appreciate the relative peace and quiet of a serviced apartment.

• Expect to have a huge space available to you. You are basically renting an apartment so the floor area is going to be large. It’s a huge improvement over the oftentimes claustrophobic space of a hotel room. 

• There are serviced apartments that do not have guards or doormen. This should be expected. Although there are some apartments where a guard or doorman is employed, other don’t have one because the serviced apartment is part of a residential block.