It never ceases to amaze me just how far behind we are with the rest of the world, especially the New World, in so many ways. Take serviced apartments for example. This is a sector which is starting to grow fast in the UK but it is years behind other countries worldwide.

1. The Growing
Attractions of
Serviced Apartments
It never ceases to amaze me just how far behind we are with the rest of
the world, especially the New World, in so many ways. Take serviced
apartments for example. This is a sector which is starting to grow fast in
the UK but it is years behind other countries worldwide.
Just look at the benefits serviced apartments have to offer.
1. Much more space than a hotel room. Typically 2 to 3 times.
2. Self contained accommodation so more privacy.
3. Cheaper than hotels especially taking into account the extra
space.
4. Many providers offer free unlimited Broadband and Sky TV.
5. Many offer free evening and weekend telephone calls to 01, 02,
03, 0800, 0845 and 0870 numbers for up to an hour per call.
6. A maid service, at least weekly, for the duration of your stay. A
daily service is provided at extra cost.
7. Fresh linen provided at least weekly.
8. Many offer free parking including private gated parking.
9. A more relaxing and comfortable stay than in a hotel.
10.Many are based in City centres located close to restaurants, bars,
shops and train/bus stations.
11.Ideal for business travellers staying for a few days or even several
weeks. Particularly useful for the frequent traveller who regularly
visits the same area for business or leisure.
12.A home from home.
13.A private study may be included.
14.No extra charge if more than 1 guest is staying in the apartment.
The cost is per apartment not per person. This can reduce the
cost per person to a fraction of what a hotel would otherwise
charge.
15.Flexibility to either eat out or self-cater in the fully-equipped
kitchen provided.
Are there any disadvantages? Well of course. Serviced apartments
aren’t for everyone. What are some of the disadvantages?

2. 1. There is no room service.
2. There is no restaurant.
3. There is no bar.
4. No daily maid service unless you pay an extra daily charge.
Serviced apartments are not for everyone but neither are hotels. It
really depends on what you are looking for. If cost is no object and you
want everything on tap then maybe a hotel is a better choice for you. If
you are staying away for one night only again a hotel may be a better
choice. On the other hand if you really appreciate the privacy and
spaciousness of your own accommodation and you are staying away for
a longer period of a few days or several weeks you might just prefer to
book into a serviced apartment instead.
If you prefer to stay in a serviced apartment then the next question is
how do you find a good one? Well, whenever I research products or
services on the Internet I like to check the reviews. Particularly good
sources for reviews are Google directory listings, Laterooms and
Tripadvisor. Alternatively, you may use any one of a number of
nationwide accommodation websites such as GBstay. Equally useful are
local City or Town guides such as my local one MK Web’s
Accommodation Guide. Of course word of mouth recommendations are
probably the best source of all.
Personally I don’t set too much store by a website’s own marketing
blurb. It’s all too easy to claim that your serviced apartment’s service is
the best thing since sliced bread. It’s far better to hear it straight from
the horse’s mouth i.e. the guest. Having said that, a website containing
lots of high quality photographs of the rooms and the external location
and which lists all of the services provided in a clear and informative
manner will always give it a head start over other websites. If
testimonials are given they should always give the person’s name and
preferably the place where they live e.g. town, village or city.
The benefits of serviced apartments are so great that hotels are
becoming increasingly worried about the competition. So much so that
major hotel chains such as Marriott and Hilton have started opening up
serviced apartment blocks to meet the demand and reduce the loss of
business to their competitors. This is no bad thing because competition

3. is healthy. It means everyone has to increase standards and give better
value for money. This is particularly important during the current
recession.
We may not provide a bible in our serviced apartments but we do offer
the option of hiring a Wii console! So if you’re looking for somewhere to
stay which is relaxing, spacious, luxurious, private, refreshingly different
and far better value for money than a hotel, look no further than a
serviced apartment to meet your accommodation needs.
Address: Short Stay MK
1 The Willows, Mill Farm Courtyard, Stratford Road
Beachampton, Milton Keynes MK19 6DS
Contact Person: Tony Byrne
Contact No: 0845 683 8408
Web: http://www.shortstay-mk.co.uk