Serviced Apartments vs AirBnB

We often get asked what’s the difference between a serviced apartment and AirBnB. As more and more people are deciding to rent out spare rooms, holiday homes etc, AirBnB has grown globally. And in a big way. 

No longer do travellers just need to look at hotels and serviced apartments for accommodation needs; when booking short stays or business trips travellers are now inundated with so much choice. However, there are significant differences between the accommodation types provided and these can make a real difference to the type of stay. 

We look at the differences between serviced apartments and AirBnB. 

Quality 

First things first, when you’re paying for something you want to get the most out of it. With more individuals letting out spare rooms or apartments for extra income, the quality of this accommodation can sometimes be questionable. Obviously this does not go for all, (a lot of accommodation on AirBnB is fantastic) however what you do get with serviced apartments are guaranteed structured quality vetting and assessments. These companies who host serviced apartments may provide less choice than what you get on AirBnB, but quality is always guaranteed. 

Serviced apartment providers are in the business of providing accommodation therefore they understand the importance of quality for guests. Without this importance their business wouldn’t survive! 

Service 

Although length of stays now vary in serviced apartments, they were originally set up as medium term rentals that provided more than just a basic place to rest your head for the night. 

This means as standard, all serviced apartments include fully fitted kitchens, laundry facilities, all bed linen, towels and housekeeping services providing you with the facilities of a hotel, but within a home- from- home like setting. The best of both worlds. 

Space 

Did you know serviced apartments have on average 30% more space than hotels? That means that for the exact same service type you also get more space. 

Customer Service 

We are not saying that AirBnB operators do not have high levels of customer service (lots do), but as a rule of thumb AirBnB service levels all depends on the individual operator. Some AirBnB operators may not even live in the same country as the accommodation they have rented out, however, when you stay in serviced accommodation there is always a member of staff that you can speak to if you have an issue and members of staff never tend to be that far away.

Reliability 

Hotels and serviced apartments provide accommodation for lots of guests on a daily basis, compared to a lot of AirBnB operators only opening accommodation for certain types of the year, for example. It’s a serviced apartments job to ensure they provide an efficient and consistent service that people can rely on again and again. Upon entering the guest will have everything they need laid out, a clean and comfortable bed and a kitchen ready for them to use. 

Costs

The rates for serviced accommodation may seem more expensive initially, however when you look into it they actually provide the most cost effective type of accommodation. You stay in a completely fully furnished apartment with hotel- like linen and towels and facilities such as laundry and housekeeping. Plus the fully fitted kitchens means guests can prepare their meals and thus reduce costs. 

Discounts

Serviced accommodation was designed for the longer types of stay. With that in mind, serviced accommodation has the ability to provide discounted rates for longer terms stays. Many people who may have to extend their stays opt for serviced accommodation for peace of mind that they can extend if needed. They also perfectly fit the gap between shorter term stays and long term contracted rentals.