If you need the extra room of an apartment but still want to be looked after, an aparthotel could be for you, says Jenny Southan

It’s a good thing my husband wasn’t naked because when we got up, we found the maid had let herself in and was cooking us breakfast,” a friend of mine told me on returning from one of La Reserve’s high-end serviced apartments in Paris.

It’s not often you get this level of attention, but it highlights the trend for hybrid apartment-hotel experiences – at La Reserve, which opened last year, you get all the space and freedom of a pied-à-terre but with five-star support in the form of a concierge, the option to book massages, and a housekeeper to clean, cook and run errands for you.

Business travellers often look for consistency and predictability in terms of where they will be staying but when booking for longer periods of time, a hotel room might be too small or inflexible, which is why serviced apartments are a good choice – they come with fully equipped kitchens and living rooms for relaxing or holding meetings. However, sometimes the “serviced” aspect isn’t much more than weekly housekeeping and a helpline if your hot water stops working.

Bridging the gap between hotels and self-catering, a number of brands now offer “aparthotels”, buildings containing a number of purpose-built studios and one- to three-bedroom units.

According to a survey conducted at last year’s Serviced Apartment Summit, they will likely have a 24-hour reception with in-room phones connected to the front desk, minimum once-weekly cleaning, a restaurant or kiosk for food and drink, common areas such as a gym or courtyard, laundry rooms (or washing machines in the units), more space than a standard hotel room, kitchens and no minimum stay requirements.

They also frequently come with free wifi and, if they are a sub-brand of an existing hotel group, will offer loyalty points – for example, Marriott International has extended-stay brand Residence Inn, while Starwood has Element by Westin, with one opening in London in 2017. Here is a round-up of brands to consider.

ADAGIO

A joint venture between Accorhotels and Pierre and Vacances Center Parcs, Adagio has about 100 aparthotel properties around the world, with two in the UK – one in Liverpool (click here to read a review) and another opening in Birmingham this August. It is also launching London apartments in Whitechapel (in 2016) and Stratford (2018), as well as in Edinburgh in two years’ time.

About half of its units are under its economy Adagio Access brand, while the other are “upper midscale” Adagio Aparthotels. There is also one Adagio Premium property in Doha and another in Dubai, connected to the Novotel, with which it shares facilities and services such in-room dining.

The average size of a studio is 26 sqm, or 36-40 sqm for a one-bedroom unit. Access guests can get a buffet breakfast and daily housekeeping at a fee, while Aparthotel guests have it included. Some properties have gyms. Guests can earn points with Le Club Accorhotels. adagio-city.com

STAYBRIDGE SUITES

John Wagner, director of Staybridge Suites’ hotel management company, Cycas Hospitality, says the advantage of staying in one of its aparthotels is the freedom to socialise so you won’t feel so isolated.

“Guests often bring their work down to the lounge, or chill out in the den and watch a film,” he says. “They can also mingle over free drinks and snacks at our Manager’s Social every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. Breakfast is up to you – prepare your own or join the free service.”

Being part of Intercontinental Hotels Group also means travellers can earn IHG Rewards Club loyalty points. There is no minimum length of stay.

There are two Staybridge Suites properties in London – in Vauxhall (subscribers can read a review here) and Stratford – as well as locations in Birmingham and Liverpool.

Next year, the brand will arrive in Manchester. In Europe, it is working on projects in Amsterdam, Frankfurt, Istanbul, Geneva, Gibraltar, Milan and Sofia. ihg.com/staybridge


CITADINES APART’HOTEL

Part of the world’s biggest international serviced apartment owner-operator, the Ascott Limited, Citadines has dozens of properties all over the globe, including five in London and 16 in Paris.

Upcoming openings range from Nanjing, Jeddah and Manila this year, to Chennai at the beginning of next year, and Ahmedabad and Hyderabad in 2017.

I reviewed the 187-unit Trafalgar Square property a few years ago, and said: “Citadines is ideally suited to corporate guests. My Studio Premier room was about 25 sqm, which was a decent size for a short-term stay but for anything longer than a week I would have wanted to be in a one-bedroom apartment.” There is a 24-hour reception, and breakfast and daily cleaning at a fee. citadines.com

STAYCITY

Staycity has serviced apartments in Heathrow, Birmingham, Manchester, Liverpool, Edinburgh, Dublin and Paris, as well as two aparthotels in London, with openings coming up in Lyon (October), Birmingham (November), Covent Garden (next spring), Marseilles (next summer) and York (the end of next year). Its Heathrow property will also be expanded in January.

The 93-unit Greenwich Deptford Bridge Station (pictured left) opened in May last year and is 15 minutes from Canary Wharf on the DLR. A 68-unit aparthotel followed soon afterwards on Greenwich High Road.

These properties feature more compact studios (most are 17-18 sqm) with free wifi, 24-hour receptions, luggage stores, laundry rooms and, in the case of Deptford, a modest gym.

In November it began offering paid-for add-ons such as late check-out, taxi transfers, toiletries, secure car parking and more frequent cleaning (housekeeping is weekly, or daily in the larger Executive Studios).

I tried out an Executive Studio in Deptford Bridge – it had grey and white modern décor, a simple kitchenette, an iron/ironing board, air conditioning and flatscreen TV, plus a bathroom with a walk-in shower. staycity.com

ROOMZZZ

Roomzzz has a presence in Manchester, Leeds, Chester, Nottingham and Newcastle and will be coming to Liverpool and London’s Stratford later this year. York and Harrogate are also on the horizon.

Entry-level Smart Studios have HD TVs, fully-fitted kitchens and memory foam beds, while all guests can help themselves to a hot drink, pastry and piece of fruit for breakfast in the lobby.

There are communal laundry facilities, cheap day passes for nearby gyms, and reception stocks last-minute essentials such as toiletries and snacks. Interior design is trendy and sleek. roomzzz.com


SUPERCITY

Boutique provider Supercity has three aparthotels in London – the Rosebery in Clerkenwell (reviewed on businesstraveller.com/tried-and-tested), and Templeton Place and Nevern Place in Earls Court. A new property will open on Chancery Lane next year.

Each has a reception and weekly maid service, while the Rosebery also offers a gym, an eatery serving breakfast and lunch, and use of local Zipcars. Studios (29-30 sqm) come with an open-plan bedroom/living room/kitchen, plus a bathroom. The more expensive Premier Studios are 34-38 sqm, while one- and two-bedroom Suites are 36-45 sqm. supercityuk.com

CAPRI BY FRASER

Frasers Hospitality launched Capri by Fraser – an “intelligent, tech-forward and intuitive hotel residence brand” – in 2012 with a flagship property in Singapore’s Changi Business Park.

It also has apartments in Ho Chi Minh City, Kuala Lumpur, Brisbane and Barcelona, with Frankfurt, Geneva, Jakarta and Tianjin opening this year, and Shenzhen, Abuja, Jakarta (again), Berlin, Dubai, Doha and Shanghai next year.

The high-end Singapore property has 313 studios (32-70 sqm) with kitchenettes, Smart LED TVs, Herman Miller chairs, iPod docks and Malin and Goetz toiletries. There is also a 24-hour gym, an outdoor pool, and laundry rooms on every floor.

The Kuala Lumpur aparthotel has a glitzy rooftop bar. capribyfraser.com


JUMEIRAH LIVING

Located on London’s Park Lane, the Grosvenor House Apartments by Jumeirah Living opened in 2012 and offers 130 units ranging from 34 sqm studios to 448 sqm penthouses.

There is a ground-floor reception, a 24-hour concierge, a lobby lounge with round-the-clock dining, room service, a gym and valet parking.

A hamper of essentials is provided, and personalised shopping can be arranged. The average length of stay is two weeks but shorter stays are possible too. Housekeeping is daily, and apartments have cutting-edge kitchens, luxurious furnishings, and high-tech video entry systems.

In Dubai, the Jumeirah Living World Trade Centre Residences has a rooftop pool, meeting rooms and business centre. jumeirah.com


BEYONDER

Following their recent merger, SACO (the Serviced Apartment Company) and US global asset management firm Oaktree Capital Management have announced their new £60 million hospitality brand, Beyonder.

No properties have opened yet but ten sites have been secured, with openings to take place in 2016 and 2017, including one in the City of London, two in Edinburgh, two in Dublin, two in Aberdeen and one in Amsterdam.

Jo Redman, marketing director for SACO, says: “They will be purpose-built with buzzy lobbies. Cleverly designed spaces – 30-35 sqm on average – [will have] kitchens, an area to watch TV or work, a comfortable bed and a bathroom. There will be a strong brand feel.”

In January, Business Traveller had a tour of a prototype apartment and reported: “There will be three categories – Cool, Really Cool, and Really Cool Big Spaces. While open plan, the unit makes good use of space with a passageway keeping the bedroom and living room/kitchen separate. The design is fresh and modern, and facilities include 42-inch LG flatscreen TVs, a work-cum-dining table and free wifi, calls and movies.” beyondergroup.com

PROPERTY PORTFOLIOS

 

An alternative if you are looking for an apartment with concierge services is One Fine Stay (onefinestay.com). Think of it as Airbnb but for luxury private residences with hotel-style support and amenities. It has a presence in London, New York, Los Angeles and Paris, with prices ranging from £200 to £3,000 a night.

I stayed in a modernist two-bedroom apartment in London’s Primrose Hill. A member of staff greeted me and explained how things worked. (You never see or speak to the owners.)

There was free wifi, and guests are loaned an iPhone for free data and local calls, a 24-hour helpline and an app with information on the area – all brand standards, as is regular cleaning. Bathrooms were stocked with White Company products.

The stylish, light-filled property had two-floors, an outdoor terrace, an open-plan kitchen, a living room with surround-sound and a study. The price was steep, at £945 per night, but with two bedrooms and space for conducting meetings, it could be a good option if you or are travelling with a colleague.

Meanwhile, Oasis Collections (oasiscollections.com) offers a portfolio of luxury apartments, villas and penthouses from US$900 a week in cities such as Miami, Bogota, Rio de Janeiro and Buenos Aires. Chief executive Parker Stanberry says properties tend to be second homes or investments, and are available for three nights or more.

A member of staff will greet you and there is the option of a stocked fridge and temporary membership of nearby yoga studios and private members’ clubs. Oasis will soon have a presence in London, Paris, Barcelona, New York and LA.