To properly address the question of whether or not serviced apartments do indeed offer more value, we have to take a look at exactly what serviced apartments offer, particularly with the other different types of accommodation alternatives. Bear in mind that if you do go for a serviced apartment, your potential landlord may decide to do a tenant screening and background check on you using resources like https://www.american-apartment-owners-association.org/tenant-screening/ to make sure that you are a safe bet as they are furnishing it themselves and they want someone with a reputable standing.
What is a serviced apartment?
Perhaps the most recognised version of what a serviced apartment is would be an actual apartment located within an apartment building, available for rent as if it were a room in a hotel or any other type of accommodation option. The only difference between a serviced apartment and any other type of accommodation would then be the fact that, as its name suggests, it is fully serviced. That means you have access to everything you’d typically furnish your own apartment with were it your very own living space, such as furniture and upholstery, basic gadgets such as a television, kitchen utensils, appliances, cutlery, crockery, etc.
The mention of kitchen utensils quite correctly suggests that it would have a kitchen unit, but there are different types of serviced apartments, a variation of which is a studio type apartment. That’s where the kitchen unit is indeed referred to as a “unit” or a kitchen area. Either way, the kitchen would clearly be distinguishable as part of your serviced apartment.
Since three are indeed different variations and options of serviced apartments, some locations convert entire domestic buildings into what is effectively an apartment block. If you were to seek out lodging in a serviced apartment in a neighbourhood such as Clifton, Bristol for instance, your apartment unit would be housed in an actual house.
You probably couldn’t make out that it was a building housing serviced apartments if you were just driving by and didn’t have any further information about a serviced apartment located in the likes of Clifton.
There’s more to it though, because generally speaking those serviced apartments situated within a traditional apartment building, perhaps deep in the city, usually just make sure to offer the basics of what apartment living provides. The Clifton equivalent of that on the other hand would be listed more under the luxury serviced apartments sub-category – emphasis on “luxury.”
An affordable taste of upmarket life
This is where the question of the value offered by serviced apartments comes to the fore, because you realise that you do indeed get more value. The value contained in a serviced apartment is tangible, which means you know exactly what it is you’re paying for.
This applies even if it’s listed as a luxury apartment (to know more, check rent.com), with the luxurious elements translating into the value you can actually feel, like a bigger unit, more space, a bigger and better bed, etc.
In comparison to any other form of accommodation, nothing beats serviced apartments, because you can pretty much come up with the concept of a serviced apartment by putting together what a traditional hotel offers, a guest house or B&B, and perhaps even a bed (or rather a private room) at a backpackers’ or hostel.
There is value in being able to access all the amenities of home within a luxury serviced apartment after all!