What is Serviced Apartment?

A serviced apartment is a type of furnished apartment available for short-term or long-term stays, which provides amenities for daily use.

Serviced apartments can be less expensive than equivalent hotel rooms. Since the beginning of the boom in cheap international travel and the corresponding increase in the level of sophistication of international travelers, interest in serviced apartments has risen at the expense of the use of hotels for short stays.


 Why service apartments?

This is like a hotel, but a home. Absolutely, that is the new concept that is sold by hotels, today. It is called the service apartment. The room has a homely look and is propped with everything a home would need. From television & music and home appliance to kitchen needs, bathroom and toilet accessories. It’s like your home, although you are miles away from it.
The benefits of serviced apartments may include more space and privacy, convenience when traveling with a family, and the cost savings associated with cooking one's own meals in the apartment.

This is a new concept in India but the western countries have already welcomed it. Five Star Hotels brought this style to clients who would stay for a long period. They realised in the beginning clients loved the luxurious service but after a month they longed for their home. Thus a serviced apartment would offer most of the aspects of your home. Making you feel at ease, as though you were at home.

Reason why service apartments were brought into being. You cook and eat and live the style you want. You are even provided with a maid/manservant who will get you groceries or any other requirement. Making it just the way it would be at home.

Nowadays Indian immigrants coming to India to settle opt for this type of apartments. As they hunt for a new house they accommodate themselves in comfort in a service apartment.

 A service apartment generally provides you with an AC furnished flat, equipped kitchen, TV, fridge, washing machine, landline, internet, power back-up, fire safety & security and some even provide you with a locker. However before booking the apartment always make sure what is inclusive and what is exclusive. For instance who will pay the electricity, maintenance. Hence make sure what are you paying for. The cost of a service apartment too is as attractive as the concept. It can vary. All the amenities including a swimming pool, gymkhana, a garden or even more.

Types of Serviced apartment



There are mainly two types of Serviced apartment. The first type is more like a hotel compact studio apartments with a small kitchen attached to the room,  pullout beds which make living room and bedroom
The second is more like a houses or a regular apartment complex converted to serviced apartment which are much more spacious and regular home like environment with hotel like service and these are not usually in commercial locations.

What both these types have in common is that the units are all fully furnished and equipped and the guests will enter a home away from home, with cooking facilities and all modern conveniences such as television, DVD, internet access etc. Some are equipped even have luxury features such as European-style gourmet kitchens, generous closet space, full-sized washer and dryer, ceramic tiled bathrooms, oversized tubs, and high-tech wiring/networking capabilities. Having a kitchen means that the client can opt for eating in instead of out, hence making an instant saving. Other benefits of a serviced apartment include, added space to both work and play, more privacy and more comfort.



History of serviced apartment

The serviced apartment concept was created in the United States, and the influence of America on the global serviced apartment market remains huge. About 85% of the  world's stock of serviced apartments is still located there.

In the UK one of the first companies to offer corporate housing was The Apartment Service with their Roomspace Serviced Apartments and Executive Roomspace brands.

In Australia Meriton Serviced Apartments leads the way with over 2,000 apartments self owned and operated.


According to the 2008-09 industry report of The Apartment Service Worldwide, the annual size of the service apartments sector, all over the globe, is USD 1,850 Crore  The report further states that in some of the big Indian cities, the real estate prices have increased by 40% since 2007! Since the hotels in these cities do not meet the short term housing requirement of many, serviced apartments have mushroomed in several cities.

While looking for serviced apartments please consider the following points:

1. Many people contact real estate agents offline to search for agood service apartment. This, however, will not ensure that you get the best prices. Instead look for a website that offers online reservation of such accommodation.

2. Check the website carefully for the housing amenities being offered and whether they are equipped with the kind of conveniences you desire, for example, an LCD TV and 24-hour electricity back up.

3.  It is recommended not to select serviced apartments in suburbs since the transportation facilities in these areas are usually bad. Staying at a central location can save you a lot of time as well as money.

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