Hotel, hotel apartments or serviced accommodation – which one should you choose?
Dubai: Have you just moved from China to the UAE, and are looking for temporary accommodation options before settling comfortably in an area that suits you most? Or are you simply visiting the UAE on a short trip, and looking for a place to stay for a few weeks or months? If so, there are different short-term accommodation options that you can consider.
The choice you make will depend on your preferences in terms of budget, facilities, the space you need and the duration of your stay. Gulf News spoke with industry experts to find out exactly what you need to know before you make a choice that works best for you.
1. Regular hotels
When visiting a new country, one of the most popular options for visitors is to book a regular hotel room. You can normally get an idea about the level of service you will receive depending on the hotel’s star rating, with one being the lowest and five being the highest. However, here are some factors that you might want to keep in mind when picking this option for your stay.
Facilities and space
The amenities you will find in a hotel room include a bed, a working desk, a wardrobe, a bathroom with shower, a sofa, a mini bar (with tea, coffee, water, a kettle, snacks, and a fridge) and a TV. Normally, you would also have room service, laundry service, complimentary Wi-Fi connection and a 24-hour front desk.
However, the number of amenities you have – and their quality – depends on the star-rating of the hotel. For instance, a five-star hotel often provides a swimming pool, gym, spa center, and meeting room.
On the other hand, facilities like a kitchen are rare in hotel rooms. While some hotels may have kitchenettes, you would get limited kitchenware that would fulfil simple needs, like heating food in the microwave.
Also, compared to the other two options listed below, you would have lesser space in a hotel room, unless you are booking a suite, which would then offer you the option to have additional bedrooms.
Housekeeping
Room cleaning is conducted every day in regular hotels. Toiletries and minibar items are replaced daily, too.
Duration of stay and price
How long does the average traveler stay in a hotel room? According to the experts who spoke with Gulf News, the average duration of stay at hotels can range from three to five days for business travellers, to around 10 days for regular visitors. When it comes to hotels by the sea or beach, people tend to stay for a longer duration, as they usually spend their longer vacations there.
This is also reflective in booking platforms, according to industry experts. When booking for a longer duration, many hotel websites do not allow applicants to book a room for longer than a month, according to Ann Castillo, Cluster Assistant Director of Sales – Delta Hotels by Marriott Jumeirah Beach, Dubai. In such cases, if you do wish to extend your stay beyond one month, you will have to extend your booking later.
When it comes to cost, in general, regular hotels are more expensive compared to the other two options listed below. So, if you plan to stay for more than two weeks, this option might be expensive.
When is it a good choice?
For travellers who prefer the convenience, staying at a hotel would still make sense, according to Castillo.
“If you are always on the go with a very hectic schedule, and you need extra convenience of having ready-made meals, and a room that is cleaned daily, booking a hotel room would be a good option. While this may be costly if your duration of stay is for weeks or months, the convenience is unbeatable,” she said.
However, you can also alternatively use credible online travel websites and travel agencies to make a booking.
If you are always on the go with a very hectic schedule, and you need extra convenience of having ready-made meals, and a room that is cleaned daily, booking a hotel room would be a good option. While this may be costly if your duration of stay is for weeks or months, the convenience is unbeatable.
2. Hotel apartments
Hotel apartments carry the characteristics of a hotel, mentioned above, as well as that of an apartment. This is another option you can consider for your short-term stay, keeping in mind some of the factors mentioned below.
Facilities and space
Hotel apartments include most of the facilities you find in regular hotels, except for room service and laundry service. The reason is that a fully-equipped kitchen, as well as a washing machine and at times even a dryer, are provided in hotel apartments.
Hotel apartments are also a lot more spacious compared to hotel rooms. Just like residential apartments, you can book a studio apartment, or one which has one, two, three or more bedrooms. You also get a kitchen space, with basic kitchenware provided, like a stove, oven, microwave, fridge, as well as pots, pans and cutlery.
Housekeeping
Room cleaning in hotel apartments is not normally done every day, but you can expect it to be conducted twice a week, depending on the hotel apartment’s policies. You can enquire about the frequency of housekeeping, and also pay for additional cleaning services, if needed. But your toiletries and minibar items are replaced every day.
Duration of stay and price
Hotel apartments usually do not have a cap on the duration of stay - you may book a hotel apartment for months in one go.
When it comes to price, while normally hotel apartments are cheaper than hotels, this may not always be the case. A hotel apartment might be more expensive than a regular hotel, depending on the facilities that are being offered. But one aspect that would help you save money is that you can prepare your own meals and do your own laundry.
When is it a good choice?
“If you would like to cut cost, and if your duration of stay is over two or three weeks, I would advise choosing hotel apartments, especially if you are traveling with family members and require more rooms. Hotel apartments feel more like home, but you should keep in mind that you may need to do certain chores such as laundry,” Castillo said.
Hang Fang Lou, Managing Partner of real estate management company Signature Homes, said that hotel apartments offer a good middle ground for travelers – with some facilities that are similar to hotels and some aspects that make it feel more homely.
“Hotel apartments are, without a doubt, good options for people who prefer to cook their own food, even during a short stay. They are also good options for families, because of the bigger space, in general. Like regular hotels, complimentary Wi-Fi connection can be provided in hotel apartments, but it is not always the case,” Lou said.
“It is advisable to choose hotel apartments if your duration of stay is for a few weeks or months, because in this case, hotel apartments tend to be cheaper compared to regular hotels,” she added.
Hotel apartments are, without a doubt, good options for people who prefer to cook their own food, even during a short stay. They are also good options for families, because of the bigger space, in general. Like regular hotels, complimentary Wi-Fi connection can be provided in hotel apartments, but it is not always the case.
Where to look for options
If you do choose to book a hotel apartment through a short-term home stay website, make sure you use one that is credible, as you might need to deal with landlords or other middlemen.
A top tip shared by Lou had to do with the ‘free cancellation’ option, which is provided by some websites.
She said: “Sometimes the websites may charge you in dollars, and when you cancel, they will return the money to you in Chinese Yuan. This way, depending on the exchange rate at the time, they are able to gain benefits, and you can lose money. You should always pay in Chinese Yuan if your bank account is in Chinese Yuan.”
3. Serviced apartments
Sometimes property management companies also manage regular apartments and turn them into fully-furnished serviced apartments, for short-term rentals. The difference between serviced apartments and hotel apartments is that serviced apartments are not usually managed by hotel groups using hotel industry standards. Here is a breakdown of the pros and cons of this option.
Facilities and space
Serviced apartments have the same number of room options as regular apartments and hotel apartments, from studio apartments to one, two, three or four bedroom apartments. They are fully furnished, so guests can move in and instantly enjoy all the facilities a home has, like a functional kitchen, a living room with TV, Wi-Fi connection, water and electricity and furnished bedrooms.
Because serviced apartments are normally taken from different home owners, who would have different interior décor styles, this option feels a lot more homely. They are also often managed by building management teams when it comes to security, maintenance, cleaning, and other service-related matters. An added specialty about serviced apartments is that they are often equipped with a gym and a swimming pool.
Housekeeping
Serviced apartments usually offer cleaning services, typically twice a week. You can also request for additional cleaning services from the building’s management team.
Duration of stay and price
Serviced apartments usually do not have a cap on duration of stay when you are making a booking. The cost of utility bills are usually factored into the cost of the apartment, and you need to normally make a payment in advance.
When is it a good choice?
“If you are looking for a place to stay for a few months, but for less than a year, and you would like to stay in a place that feels the closest to a home, for example, a place in residential buildings, instead of hotel or hotel apartment buildings, you may consider serviced apartments,” Lou suggested.
However, she advised people to book serviced apartments through professional property management companies, instead of directly from a landlord or agent, as they may not provide services as professionally as registered property management companies.
