6 Reasons Why Serviced Apartments are Such a Great Option for Business
If your job requires you to travel, you’ve probably stayed in more than your fair share of hotels. However, you don’t necessarily have to stay in one. There are many other options, and some of them are far better than what a hotel may offer. It is worth your while to investigate these options because the right accommodations will make the trip that much easier for you.
One of these options is serviced apartments and they’re becoming increasingly popular with the business crowd. Here are six reasons why serviced apartments are such a great option for business travelers.
- You Can Find Locations Anywhere You Want to Be
Hotels are often located in commercial districts or near the airport. While this may seem convenient if you need somewhere to crash after you land, this may put you far from your clients.
On the other hand, serviced apartments are available in residential neighbourhoods and hot spots in many cities and all over the world. Being in a central location means that you won’t have to fight to get out of the city center and find your way to your clients. Not only does this reduce stress and the risk of being late to important meetings, but it also saves you time. Then you have more time to prepare for your meetings.
- You Can Stay as Long as You’d Like
You can stay in a serviced apartment for 3 days or 3 weeks. You’ll enjoy the same amenities either way. Furthermore, you’ll enjoy a more homelike environment that makes it easier to stay for several weeks far from home.
For example, a rented studio apartment is a third larger than the average small hotel room. Executive studio apartments are even bigger. Another benefit of serviced apartments is that you have more flexibility over when you come and go. You don’t have to clear out by 10 AM on your final day, and there’s no penalty for arriving near midnight from your long-distance flight.
- It Offers Better Amenities
A hotel room will provide a bed, desk, and bathroom. A serviced apartment can be compared to a luxury hotel room, though it often has better amenities than the upscale hotel room.
For example, serviced apartments typically have full kitchen and laundry facilities. This is hard to find in an affordable hotel room. You have much more space in an apartment, too. You’ll also have more privacy.
You won’t have to worry about being woken up by hotel guests leaving early in the morning or someone in the other room throwing a party. This makes it easier to relax at the end of a busy day.
Having better amenities also means that you can do more with the room. Having a kitchen allows you to both make your own meals and have them cooked for guests on the spot. A better more comfortable room also gives you more options for entertainment. No one likes being stuck in a hotel room that feels incomplete. But crashing back at your serviced apartment is always an option if you don’t feel like going out. Being able to entertain or have serious meetings back at the apartment is another great perk.
- It Can Keep People Connected
You can find serviced apartments ranging from studios to three-bedroom apartments. This may allow you to have two or three team members share an apartment instead of booking separate hotel rooms. Now they can engage with each other at the start and end of each day, maintaining lines of communication.
This can make the logistics much easier if you need to regroup. It also gives your team members the chance to work in their separate corners if they need to. Getting everyone together for briefings or before an event will be much easier if you all have serviced apartments close to each other and use one as your HQ.
- It Is Safer
While you will have someone come to clean the apartment every once in a while with a serviced apartment, it won’t be as intrusive as in a hotel. There won’t be lots of employees with access to space like with a regular room. This reduces the risk of theft or assault. Nor do you have to worry about business laptops or corporate IDs being stolen while someone is working out in the gym or doing laundry.
Yet serviced apartments have some of the same services as hotels. This includes a 24-hour reception and a concierge. Do your research, and you may find one that lets you take advantage of ironing or other errand services, too.
- It May Be Cheaper than a Hotel
A serviced apartment is often cheaper than hotels when you’re staying for several weeks at a time. If you initially book it for several weeks, they’ll typically lower the cost per night.
A serviced apartment can save you money in other ways, too. For example, food is often one of the largest budget items when planning a business trip and the amount of money you’ll be able to save on food alone will be largely worth it. Your employees can also do laundry in-house instead of paying the hotel for dry cleaning. They can take advantage of entertainment options like DVD players and smart TVs and they won’t be billed for every movie they watch.
Conclusion
Serviced apartments should be a top choice for business travelers. They should definitely be considered if you are looking for a more affordable, comfortable, and convenient alternative to hotels.
(Source >> https://scholarlyoa.com/serviced-apartments-are-great-option-for-business/)
Staycation
A staycation is exactly what it sounds like; a vacation where you stay at or around your home. Many people choose to stay overnight in their own homes during a staycation. Others specifically stay overnight at a hotel to get away from home, but still stay within close driving distance. In the US, the staycation came about between 2007 and 2010, when the economy took a significant downturn and many people were spending less money.
Why Staycation?
- Save Money – A staycation can save a family hundreds of dollars. For the most part, travel is minimal, so expenses such as gas for the car, or airplane tickets, are mostly non-existent.
- Bring Revenue to the Local Economy – Local shops, restaurants and hotels reap the benefits of their citizens visiting them rather than traveling out of town.
- No Need to Take Time off from Work – A staycation can often be done over a weekend, as travel is minimal. Many parents can affordably go away for Saturday and Sunday with only the expense of a hotel room and babysitter.
- Easier to Plan – Since most people know the area in which they live, planning a staycation can be a great deal less stress and take a lot less time than a vacation that is far away. Which hotels are clean and safe, which restaurants are reasonably priced and so forth, are either already known or easily researched when you live in the area you are staycationing in.
- More Time to Actually Relax – Many vacations require a great deal of traveling, whether it be by car of plane. During a staycation, that time is basically cut down to zero, leaving people more time to actually relax during their time off.
In addition to saving money and reducing planning stress, staycations are a great way to unwind. If planned and done properly, a staycation can leave you feeling just as rejuvenated and refreshed as a normal vacation.
How To Staycation – Get the most out of your vacation:
- Turn off your electronic devices. – Of course most of us will need to check our phones periodically, as we would do on any vacation, but checking email, Facebook and such should be kept to a minimum. Remember you are trying to unwind and not think about work and your daily life. A great way to do this is to spend some time disconnected from your everyday life.
- Pack light – Since many staycations are kept short, there is little need to pack too many things. It is often reported that people who have fewer possessions feel freer and less stressed, so try it while on your staycation. Only bring the necessities, and remember if you absolutely need something you forgot, you are still close to home!
- Plan, but don’t over-plan – Don’t overwhelm yourself with an itinerary. Choose a few local places to visit, or maybe even a spa day. But keep some time open to do what you feel in the moment. Whether that be taking a nap, or reading a book, time to just be can be extremely rewarding.
If you decide to stay at home or get a hotel during your staycation, there are many different options for what to do in your own town during the day.
Staycation Ideas:
- Go to a local festival or free concert. Many cities and towns have events going on every weekend, so check online for them. Often they are free and don’t require time constraints; you can stay for as long or as short a time as you like.
- Rent bikes and go for a ride. If you have a river, canal or beach near you, there are often places to rent bikes and tour the area (that is if you don’t already have your own). If you enjoy being active, this can be a great way to sight see in your own town and burn some calories.
- Take a nap. With the stress of most people’s lives, naps are a rarity. If you like them take advantage and get one or two in while you can.
- Go to the drive in theater. Maybe your town has a drive in and you’ve never been. This can be the perfect time to try something new, and check out a good movie.
- Go shopping. This may seem like a funny idea, but if you are parents and try to shop with kids, you know how hard it can be. Book a sitter and a hotel near a mall or local outlet and spend time specifically to shop. Maybe you need some new summer shorts or prefer to look for antiques. Whatever you choose to buy, taking a day or two just to shop can be relaxing in itself.
- Go to the beach or pool. In the summer this is a great way to relax, get some sun and even read. Many people live near the ocean or a lake where they can take advantage of the beach for free. If you don’t, try finding a local pool that you can visit. They are often low cost and you won’t have to travel far.
- Read a book. If you are an avid reader and find it hard to fit it in during the week, this is a good time to catch up. Bring something that has good reviews, maybe even two!
- Visit the local zoo. Especially for a family staycation, the zoo is a great place to spend an afternoon that is affordable, fun and educational.
- Play sports. Go bowling, play tennis or any other sport your family enjoys.
Visit a museum or see a show. Depending on what your family likes and whether you have kids, try to pick something that everyone will enjoy.
Staycations are a great way to not only save money, but also discover new places in your own town. Ask your friends for local recommendations and search the web. Many people are surprised by the hidden places right in their own home towns.
5 Tips To Help You Afford Your Dream Vacation.
Deep inside us is an adventure bug. No matter how hard we try to suppress it, it always comes out eventually. Human beings are seekers and collectors of good memories. Only thing that holds us back is often our finances. But believe it or not, you do not have to be rich to travel. And you do not have to start big the first time. Start locally, get your resources in check and eventually be able to afford that dream vacation you have always wanted.
Here’s how to:
- Savings
Everything requires careful planning first. Research about your dream location. Once you determine how much you need, break down how much to save per pay cheque to help you reach your goal. Just like you create a monthly budget for your household needs, you need a budget for your vacation. But don’t wait until two months beforehand to figure the costs—it’s unlikely you’ll be able to save up enough in time
- Keep an eye on travel deals and discounts
There are travel companies that offer travel deals every now and then. This is an opportunity you can’t afford to pass out on. Take advantage of sales, discounts and deals. Who wouldn’t want to travel for free or for less?
- Go in groups
If some of your other family members or friends are planning trips, think about making it a joint effort. Group rates for hotels, flights, and attractions are common, often netting a significant discount.
- Start with shorter trips first
Think road trips and staycations. You don’t always need to jet off to some fancy island overseas to get the experience you crave. Shorter travel blocks offer the same benefits as longer vacations, and they can cost much less. Plenty of shorter trips can help you recharge, explore different areas, and experience something new – even if it’s within your home state. As an added bonus, planning shorter, closer-to-home trips means you can drive instead of fly, saving the money you would have spent on airfare.
- Travel during off-seasons
Traveling during the peak months or during holiday breaks means paying more for airfare, gas, and accommodations. In general, some of the best times to travel are early in the year and before the festive seasons. As an added bonus, you can benefit from less crowded attractions and have a less stressful overall experience. And it also cheaper.
Everybody needs vacation. You need to be able to step back from the stresses of life and the worries of work to enjoy time with family and friends. Your physical and mental health can suffer if you don’t—not to mention your productivity at your job!
