Serviced Apartments a compelling alternative to hotels

Transcription

1 56 Serviced Apartments a compelling alternative to hotels Corporate Serviced Apartments throughout West London For viewings & further information: Please call Geoff Owen on geoff@westlondonapartments.co.uk The Home from Hotel Experience in West London WEST London Apartments (WLA) provides serviced apartment accommodation to companies in the busy commercial areas of west London, including Brentford, Chiswick, Ealing, Kew Bridge, Heathrow, Stockley Park, Uxbridge and West Drayton. New locations at Kew Bridge Piazza and Dickens Yard in Ealing Broadway, further establish WLA at the higher end of the executive accommodation market. WLA is the largest apartment operator in the region and attributes its success to an unsurpassed level of professional and personal service in comfortable, executive accommodation. We describe ourselves as a Home from Hotel, explains Geoff Owen, director of WLA. We are not a hotel, nor even an aparthotel or extended-stay operator. We provide serviced apartment accommodation, with additional space to work and room to relax, significantly larger than a hotel room of similar standard, yet some 30% lower in price. And the experience is far closer to home than hotel. Offering comfort and convenience are of top priority at WLA. There is a meet and greet service so that guests can be familiarised with the serviced apartment, its location and appliances. Further assistance is available throughout the stay, if required. Guests also receive a special welcome pack, to allow time to settle into the accommodation, and includes milk, butter, bread, fruit juice, cereals and spreads as well as a bowl of fresh fruit. All apartments provide full internet broadband access with unlimited usage, Sky TV with a complete movie and sports package as standard. West London Apartments was founded in 2007 and provides short and long term accommodation from a portfolio of over 60 apartments in West London, with significant expansion planned during i To arrange a viewing and receive further information, please contact Geoff Owen on or geoff@ westlondonapartments.co.uk LBM-West London Apartments.indd 1 20/01/ :42

2 FEBRUARY THE UK serviced apartment sector has grown very rapidly over the last 5 years. Virtually every major UK city can now offer a range of serviced apartments as a serious alternative to hotel accommodation. The Association of Serviced Apartment Providers (ASAP) can confirm this trend. Its membership has increased 30% in the last 12 months and its 71 members now collectively represent in excess of 13,000 properties in the UK and Ireland. Simon Calder, Senior Travel Editor of The Independent, commented at the Association s annual Conference last month: this sector provides great value to the guest, and offers a compelling alternative to hotels. Key Benefits of Using Serviced Apartments James Foice, Managing Director of the ASAP, confirms the key reasons for the increased popularity in this sector: A serviced apartment is the ideal solution for the business traveller. It provides a fully furnished selfcontained flat with separate areas to sleep, work and eat so it offers a more complete home-from-home experience where you can properly relax and enjoy more privacy. A key benefit is the extra space offered you can expect 30% more space than a comparable standard of hotel room. Serviced apartments are a very cost-effective option offering excellent value for money there are no expensive extras to consider such as hotel minibars, Key Benefits of Serviced Apartments More space More flexibility More privacy, a home from home experience Convenience of location Value for money restaurants and room service. Guests appreciate the flexibility to prepare their own meals and not be restricted by hotel restaurant opening times. The fully equipped kitchen is a key feature. It will normally include a cooker/microwave, fridge-freezer and dishwasher as well as an extensive range of crockery, cutlery, glassware and kitchen utensils. Bed linen, towels and toiletries will also be supplied and longer-stay guests appreciate the convenience of having a washer/dryer (or some have a laundry room instead). A weekly housekeeping service will be included but a more frequent service can be easily arranged. Many operators provide a generous welcome pack of groceries to ensure guests have sufficient food for the first 24 hours of their stay. And many offer a wide range of add-on services including meal/grocery delivery or even a private chef to cook dinner, especially useful when entertaining clients. The more spacious living environment which serviced apartments offer is a further Continued on page 58 Welcoming business and leisure travellers MARLIN Apartments is London s largest owner-operator of serviced apartments providing more than 700 spacious, quality apartments across six central locations. We welcome business and leisure travellers from around the globe, with more than 10 years experience operating premium apartments in locations such as Canary Wharf, London Bridge and the City of London, coupled with friendly and personal service. Our brand new premium concierge, Your Service, was launched at the end of 2013, joining forces with luxury food emporium The Grocer and beauty specialists In-Room Spa. Your Service makes business travel more personal, providing a range of first class bespoke services including gourmet food deliveries, luxury in-room spa treatments, airport transfers and 24 hour childcare. Let Marlin elevate your stay to a new level of comfort from start to end by ensuring the business traveller s stay is fully customised and tailor-made to their unique requirements. Marlin guests can pre-order food and beverage welcome packs that will be ready and waiting on arrival courtesy of The Grocer, whose client base includes A-lister Meryl Streep. Working parents can also stay with their children whilst on business assignments thanks to our childcare agency partner, Nanny P. We pride ourselves on our continuing commitment to provide guests with the best home away from home experience possible - and the launch of Your Service moves this commitment to the next level.

3 58 This sector provides great value to the guest, and offers a compelling alternative to hotels. benefit. Some corporates book a larger 2 or 3-bedroom apartment where they can hold meetings in the dining area instead of having to go to the expense of hiring a separate meeting room. There is a wide product choice ranging from studios to 4-bedroom apartments and penthouse suites. Top of the range developments may even offer roof terraces or access to a swimming pool or gym. In this dynamic young industry the vast majority of developments are modern so you can expect contemporary, stylish interiors complete with mood lighting and the latest in-room technology. Serviced apartments can be booked for one night, one week, or several months with the cost generally decreasing, the longer the stay (for stays of 28+ days the VAT element reduces to only 4%). Such is their popularity that they can now be booked via mainstream online travel agencies and the larger operators are bookable via the GDS. Apartments are normally in prime city locations, conveniently close to the place of work which delivers a further advantage clients may be living only a very short walk away from their office, meaning minimal time is spent commuting. Members range from individual businesses with a niche product of apartments in a single city to international companies with a large portfolio of properties in many different locations. Key locations include London, Birmingham, Manchester, Liverpool, Reading, Bristol, Newcastle, Cambridge, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Aberdeen, Cardiff and Dublin. New for Launch of the ASAP Quality Assurance Marque The ASAP has just launched their new ASAP Quality Assurance Programme which is an ongoing mechanism for review. Every operator displaying an ASAP quality marque will be assessed on an annual and on-going basis to ensure legal compliance and offered a detailed statistical report intended to support continuous improvement of their business. Corporates have welcomed this independent assessment so they will know in future what quality their employees can expect in individual apartments. Savills 2013 UK Serviced Apartment Report confirms that investment in the sector could triple by 2018, with many new entrants on the market. Several ASAP members are opening significant new properties in 2014 including: Cheval Three Quays, Tower of London 159 apartments opening March 2014 StayCity, Greenwich 161 apartments opening May 2014 House of Fisher Aparthotel, Reading 50 apartments opened early January 2014 i Visit for full details of the 73 members of the Association of Serviced Apartment Providers (ASAP). You can also search for suitable properties by city or company name and view the short video (accessed from the homepage) which provides a useful insight into the many benefits of staying in a serviced apartment.

4 EXPERIENCE LONDON AS FEW EVER WILL For centuries, the stretch of the Thames by the Tower of London has been home to the privileged few. Kings, queens and empire builders have watched from riverside windows as history unfolds before them. Today, the serviced residences at Cheval Three Quays present the world-famous Thames panorama to a new generation. For people who take pleasure in space, light and luxury. Who value time, for themselves and for those around them. Luxury today is as much about thoughtful design as opulence. And with years of leadership in five-star serviced residences, Cheval knows just how to deliver it. VIEW FROM THE TOWER PENTHOUSE

5 remier Apartments Advert.indd 1 20/12/ :32 60 Monarch House MONARCH HOUSE is a serviced residence in West London suited for both corporate and leisure guests. Experience a true home from home in a secluded hideaway located off Kensington High Street, right next to Holland Park, and near Hammersmith, Notting Hill and Knightsbridge. Offering some of the highest quality luxury serviced apartments in the area. Our stunning, spacious and modern serviced apartments in Kensington come in a choice of one, two or three bedrooms and are impeccably furnished, along with fully-fitted kitchens, modern decor and bright living areas to ensure you have a pleasant and memorable stay when visiting London. Serviced apartments that are both remarkably large and comfortable should friends or family wish to visit. The majority of the apartments overlook the landscaped courtyards. For those which don t, there are nice patios and balconies with views over the City and surrounding area. All offer comfort, calm and convenience, with a wide range of shops and restaurants right at your doorstep. Only 8mn walk to High Street Kensington station, Monarch House is the perfect solution benefiting from excellent transport links to all major airports, the City and major sights. At Monarch House we take great pride in the high standard of our service and the exceptional amenities we offer and are committed to making your stay with us enjoyable and relaxing. i Contact our Sales & Marketing Manager, Nicholas Goodden, to arrange a viewing or for more information. nicholas.goodden@ monarchhouse.co.uk Mobile: +44 (0) Direct Tel: +44 (0) Luxury serviced apartments in London BOOK YOUR 2014 accommodation requirements at any one of our UK Premier Apartment locations in the month of February and receive 10% DISCOUNT off our Best Available Rates Please visit: and choose your desired location and use the Promotional Code of to make your booking (Terms and Conditions apply) Birmingham Bristol Redcliffe Bristol Cabot Circus Dublin Liverpool London Manchester Newcastle Nottingham PREMIER APARTMENTS NOW IN LONDON! Premier Apartments London, situated between the towpaths of Limehouse Cut and the picturesque Limehouse Basin, is luxurious serviced apartment accommodation set in a superb Docklands location. London City Airport, ideally located for those who need to fly in and out of London quickly, is only 16 minutes away from Limehouse on the Docklands Light Railway (DLR). The DLR Limehouse train station is only a 2 minute walk away from the Apartments you can also reach Canary Wharf in 5 minutes and Bank in 6 minutes!. Choose from 1,2 or 3 bedroom apartments Beautiful views over Limehouse cut & basin Stylish interiors and contemporary design 20 minute walk to Canary Wharf PREMIER Apartments London is situated between the towpaths of Limehouse Cut and the picturesque Limehouse Basin where you can enjoy luxurious serviced apartment accommodation in a superb Docklands location. The accommodation comprises of Studio, One, Two and Three Bedroom apartments, all of which are tastefully furnished and are fully equipped to ensure you can experience a real home from home. An elegant alternative to a traditional hotel stay, enjoy the comfort and convenience of a home from home. Each apartment features open-plan living space; contemporary style kitchens with granite counters and stainless steel The local area is full of character with a superb range of shops, restaurants, cafes and bars on our doorstep. Limehouse DLR Station (zone 2) is just 3 minutes stroll from Premier Apartments London Limehouse giving you easy access to Canary Wharf in just 5 minutes, Bank is 6 minutes away and the shopping delights of Oxford Circus only 18 minutes. i For further information, visit