Apartment hotel
Encyclopedia
An Apartment Hotel is a serviced apartment complex that uses a hotel
-style booking system. It is similar to renting an apartment, but with no fixed contracts and occupants can 'check-out' whenever they wish.
The standard zoning definition in the United States is:
"Apartment hotel means a building designed for or containing both apartments and individual guestrooms or rental units, under resident supervision, and which maintains an inner lobby through which all tenants must pass to gain access to apartments, rooms or units."
Apartment hotels are flexible types of accommodation; instead of the rigid format of a hotel room, an apartment hotel complex usually offers a complete fully fitted apartment. These complexes are usually custom built, and similar to a hotel complex containing a varied amount of apartments. The length of stay in these apartment hotels is varied with anywhere from a few days to months or even years. The people that stay in apartment hotels use them as a home away from home, therefore they are usually fitted with everything the average home would require.
Extended-stay hotels typically have self-serve laundry facilities and offer discounts for extended stays, beginning at 5 or 7 days. They also have guestrooms (or "suites") with kitchens. The kitchens include at a minimum usually: a sink, a refrigerator (usually full size), a microwave oven, and a stovetop. Some kitchens also have dishwashers and conventional ovens.
Extended stay hotels are popular with business travelers on extended assignments, families in the midst of a relocation, and anyone else in need of temporary housing. Extended stay hotels are also used by travelers who appreciate the larger space a typical suite provides.
Residence Inn is credited with popularizing the "extended stay" concept. The chain was launched in 1975 in Wichita, Kansas by Jack DeBoer, and acquired by Marriott Corporation in 1987. As of April 2005, there were over 450 Residence Inn hotels in the United States, Canada and Mexico. Jack DeBoer has jumped back in the Extended Stay market developing a concept called Value Place.
Other upscale brands of extended-stay hotels, such as Staybridge Suites
which is part of the InterContinental Hotels Group
, have made this segment of the lodging industry one of the fastest-growing.
One of today's most popular long term lodging brands came from the merger of Extended Stay America and Homestead Hotels. Both these chains were already well established when they combined in 2004 to become Extended Stay Hotels
with over 670 owned and operated properties nationwide.
Another worldwide hotel chain, Choice Hotels International, franchisor for name brands such as Comfort Inn, Comfort Suites, Sleep Inn and Quality Inn, entered the extended stay market with their MainStay Suites brand. They proceeded to acquire the Suburban Extended Stay hotel chain in 2005, making them a sizeable extended stay system with over 150 hotels open and under development.
In the United States, a popular low-budget extended stay chain is Intown Suites
. The chain, which was founded in 1988, now has nearly 140 locations in 21 states, and is distinguished for offering weekly rates much lower than many other chain lodging companies in North America.
Since 1999, Motel 6
, the popular U.S. budget lodging chain (owned by Accor Hotels) operates Studio 6, a chain of extended stay hotels that offer weekly rates and more amenities than the standard Motel 6 properties. Studio 6 provides a kitchen area in all its rooms, and allows pets. Studio 6 locations are in 18 U.S. states and Canada.
The extended stay concept is steadily spreading throughout Europe due to the increase in the number of travelers and business people visiting every year. The concept was organized by Belgium Housing and the chain of hotels covers 42 countries of Europe including all the major cities of the continent.
Hotel
A hotel is an establishment that provides paid lodging on a short-term basis. The provision of basic accommodation, in times past, consisting only of a room with a bed, a cupboard, a small table and a washstand has largely been replaced by rooms with modern facilities, including en-suite bathrooms...
-style booking system. It is similar to renting an apartment, but with no fixed contracts and occupants can 'check-out' whenever they wish.
The standard zoning definition in the United States is:
"Apartment hotel means a building designed for or containing both apartments and individual guestrooms or rental units, under resident supervision, and which maintains an inner lobby through which all tenants must pass to gain access to apartments, rooms or units."
Apartment hotels are flexible types of accommodation; instead of the rigid format of a hotel room, an apartment hotel complex usually offers a complete fully fitted apartment. These complexes are usually custom built, and similar to a hotel complex containing a varied amount of apartments. The length of stay in these apartment hotels is varied with anywhere from a few days to months or even years. The people that stay in apartment hotels use them as a home away from home, therefore they are usually fitted with everything the average home would require.
Origins
Apartment hotels were first created in holiday destinations as accommodation for families that needed to 'live' in an apartment rather than 'stay' as they would in a hotel. The apartments would provide a 'holiday home' but generally be serviced. Later on these apartments evolved to be complete homes, allowing occupants to do everything they would at home, such as cleaning, washing and cooking.Services and facilities
Essentially the apartment hotel combines the flexibility of apartment living with the service of a hotel. Many of the apartments take advantage of prime locations with panoramic views of cities seen through wall to ceiling windows. Suites usually include high quality finishes, broadband connection & interactive TV, servicing and integrated kitchen and bathroom. High quality leather sofas in the living area and king size beds bring the hotel experience to a whole new level. Those are the luxuries, they also come with the basics: satellite or cable TV, washer, dryer, dishwasher, cooker, oven, fridge, freezer, sink, shower, bath, wardrobes, all the furnishings to be expected in a luxury home. Self contained apartments usually provide kitchen facilities that travel residents are able to cook foods at their convenience .Extended stay hotels
Extended stay hotels are a type of lodging with features unavailable at standard hotels. These features are intended to provide more home-like amenities. There are currently 27 extended stay chains in North America with at least 7 hotels, representing over 2,000 properties. There is substantial variation among extended stay hotels with respect to quality and the amenities that are available. Some of the economy chains attract clientele who use the hotels as semi-permanent lodging.Extended-stay hotels typically have self-serve laundry facilities and offer discounts for extended stays, beginning at 5 or 7 days. They also have guestrooms (or "suites") with kitchens. The kitchens include at a minimum usually: a sink, a refrigerator (usually full size), a microwave oven, and a stovetop. Some kitchens also have dishwashers and conventional ovens.
Extended stay hotels are popular with business travelers on extended assignments, families in the midst of a relocation, and anyone else in need of temporary housing. Extended stay hotels are also used by travelers who appreciate the larger space a typical suite provides.
Residence Inn is credited with popularizing the "extended stay" concept. The chain was launched in 1975 in Wichita, Kansas by Jack DeBoer, and acquired by Marriott Corporation in 1987. As of April 2005, there were over 450 Residence Inn hotels in the United States, Canada and Mexico. Jack DeBoer has jumped back in the Extended Stay market developing a concept called Value Place.
Other upscale brands of extended-stay hotels, such as Staybridge Suites
Staybridge Suites
Staybridge Suites is an all-suite, residential-style brand of hotels within the InterContinental Hotels Group . The brand targets extended-stay and corporate travelers. There are more than 180 Staybridge Suites hotels open in the United States, Britain, Canada, Mexico and Latin America...
which is part of the InterContinental Hotels Group
InterContinental Hotels Group
InterContinental Hotels Group plc is a global hotels company headquartered in Denham, United Kingdom. It is the largest hotels company in the world measured by rooms , and has over 4,500 hotels across over 100 countries...
, have made this segment of the lodging industry one of the fastest-growing.
One of today's most popular long term lodging brands came from the merger of Extended Stay America and Homestead Hotels. Both these chains were already well established when they combined in 2004 to become Extended Stay Hotels
Extended Stay Hotels
Extended Stay Hotels is a privately owned hotel brand that operates in the extended stay hotel market. The company is headquartered in Spartanburg, South Carolina....
with over 670 owned and operated properties nationwide.
Another worldwide hotel chain, Choice Hotels International, franchisor for name brands such as Comfort Inn, Comfort Suites, Sleep Inn and Quality Inn, entered the extended stay market with their MainStay Suites brand. They proceeded to acquire the Suburban Extended Stay hotel chain in 2005, making them a sizeable extended stay system with over 150 hotels open and under development.
In the United States, a popular low-budget extended stay chain is Intown Suites
InTown Suites
Intown Suites is a chain of extended stay facilities in the United States, headquartered in unincorporated Cobb County, Georgia. The chain caters to traveling workers and guests in transition between homes or apartments. The suites are also suited to individuals and families that experience loss of...
. The chain, which was founded in 1988, now has nearly 140 locations in 21 states, and is distinguished for offering weekly rates much lower than many other chain lodging companies in North America.
Since 1999, Motel 6
Motel 6
Motel 6 is a major chain of budget motels with more than 1,000 locations in the United States and Canada, and is the largest owned and operated hotel chain in North America. It is owned and operated by Accor Hotels.-History:...
, the popular U.S. budget lodging chain (owned by Accor Hotels) operates Studio 6, a chain of extended stay hotels that offer weekly rates and more amenities than the standard Motel 6 properties. Studio 6 provides a kitchen area in all its rooms, and allows pets. Studio 6 locations are in 18 U.S. states and Canada.
The extended stay concept is steadily spreading throughout Europe due to the increase in the number of travelers and business people visiting every year. The concept was organized by Belgium Housing and the chain of hotels covers 42 countries of Europe including all the major cities of the continent.
See also
- Serviced apartmentServiced apartmentA 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...
- Single Room OccupancySingle Room OccupancyA single room occupancy is a multiple-tenant building that houses one or two people in individual rooms , or to the single room dwelling itself...
- Studio apartmentStudio apartmentA studio apartment, also known as a studio flat , efficiency apartment or bachelor/bachelorette style apartment, is a small apartment which combines living room, bedroom, and kitchen or kitchenette into a single room...
- Hugo HotelHugo HotelThe Hugo Hotel is an abandoned tenement building designed by Theo W. Lenzen located at 200-214 Sixth Street, in San Francisco's South of Market district...