There’s a new trend in the traveling community. Where hotels were once dominant in terms of how people planned to make a “home base” for their journeys to places far from home, they’re now taking a backseat to “serviced accommodations”.
Unless you’ve booked one, you probably don’t even know what serviced accommodation is. Well, it’s an apartment that you book just like a hotel.
So, what makes it so much better? Isn’t it just a slightly bigger hotel room?
Fortunately, there actually are some major differences that are fueling their rise as the dominant accommodation in Bristol.
We’re going to go over those differences, and maybe you’ll be the next traveler to switch over from traditional hotels this holiday season.
1: More Room
Obviously, a full apartment is bigger than a hotel room. So, we’ll start with that. While a hotel room is usually only a room with a bed and a closet-sized bathroom attached to it in the corner, a serviced apartment is a full apartment with separate, private rooms you can actually enjoy being in.
The lack of space in a hotel might not bother you if you’re traveling alone, but when you have your family with you, it’s incredibly noticeable.
2: Features
If you’ve booked a hotel before, you know what you get; a TV, microwave, and a stand-in shower. If you’re lucky, you might get a mini-fridge that you’re charged $10 for a bottle of water.
It’s totally different in a serviced apartment. The full-sized kitchen has everything you’d expect from an at-home kitchen. You get a stove, microwave, refrigerator –which isn’t stocked with overpriced nonsense-, a dishwasher, and everything else you might need during your stay. The bathroom has a full bath, toilet, vanity, etc. Bedrooms are private rooms with all the things you’d find in your at-home bedroom. Finally, the living room isn’t a bed with a little TV across from it. It’s fully furnished with proper entertainment equipment, sofas, chairs, etc.
If it’s something a normal person has in their house, you get it in a serviced apartment.
3: Privacy
If you and the family are staying in a hotel, you don’t get any privacy. You can hear everything going on in the bathroom, and even if there are enough beds to have an appropriate sleeping situation, they’re all just lined up next to each other. This can create problems for parents for obvious reasons, and it can simply be annoying.
In a serviced apartment, you can just go to your designated room, shut the door, and tune everyone else out.
4: Exemplary cleanliness
The cleanliness of serviced apartments often surpasses that of hotels due to several key factors. First, serviced apartments typically have fewer guests compared to hotels, allowing for more focused and thorough cleaning. Second, owners of serviced apartments often hire professional cleaning services dedicated exclusively to their property.
They usually have the capability to handle all tasks, from apartment window cleaning and carpet restoration to floor tidying, mopping common areas, and clearing the gutters of debris. Moreover, serviced apartments provide a home-like setting, encouraging guests to be more mindful of their surroundings. This helps maintain cleanliness and tidiness throughout their stay.
5: Optional Services
Hotel fees are flat because you pretty much have to accept the services that come along with the establishment’s deal. The wages of housekeepers are tacked on, your secured parking is a must, towels and other things have to be accounted for and are included in the bill, etc. This drives up prices for no reason if you aren’t using those things.
With serviced accommodations, you can get those things, but you can also opt not to have them. If you don’t mind parking on the street, you don’t need to pay for a designated parking spot. If you don’t want cleaning services, you don’t have to have them or pay for them. There’s a lot more flexibility for you to work with.
Try it for Yourself
Serviced apartments are somewhat new. So, you might not have tried one yet. If you haven’t, we highly recommend that you do, though. They can truly enhance the traveling experience.