Virtually every major UK city can now offer the business traveller a range of serviced apartments as a serious alternative to hotel accommodation. In the last four years the Association of Serviced Apartment Providers (ASAP) has seen its membership double, and its 30 members now collectively represent some 5,000 properties.
The Institute of Travel and Meetings is similarly reporting an increase in demand for serviced apartments among their 500-strong buyer membership. Chief Executive Paul Tilstone says, “Our research confirms that 48 percent of our members report that demand for this product has been increasing, and 57 percent of buyers confirmed that they were using serviced apartments to reduce costs and provide alternatives to traditional hotel content for short term stays of five days or fewer.”
Serviced apartments provide the business traveller with a fully furnished, self-contained flat, including separate areas to cook, sleep, work and eat. David Smith, Chairman of the ASAP, describes serviced apartments as offering “a more complete ‘home-from-home’ experience, where you can properly relax and enjoy more privacy.”
Certainly, one key benefit to apartment living is the extra space offered: on average 30 percent more than a comparable standard of hotel room. Larger apartments offer the space to hold meetings in a lounge or dining area – removing the expense of hiring a separate meeting room – while the largest can be shared by several colleagues who are working together, improving efficiency and further cutting costs.
Ranging from simple studios to four bedroom apartments and penthouse suites, there is a wide variety in the apartments available. Top of the range developments may offer roof terraces or access to a swimming pool or gym – but without the extras such as minibars, restaurant bills and room service, so hated by expense managers throughout the world, serviced apartments still offer transparency and value.
This is a young industry, so the vast majority of developments are modern with contemporary, stylish interiors complete with mood lighting and the latest in-room technology. Naturally, different venues offer different levels of service and amenities, so exploring one’s options – and the conditions of stay and any deposit required – is important. Booking lead time and availability also vary significantly: standard apartments are available for a single night, while top of the range suites may demand a minimum stay of a week. The rate cost of a stay, which can last for several months, generally decreases as the duration increases: for stays of 28 days or more the VAT element reduces to only 3.5 percent.
Just like hotels, careful research pays dividends, and a charter and code of conduct like those the ASAP’s members commit to offers a consistent guarantee.
www.theasap.org.uk
