How to Choose Between an Extended Stay Hotel and a Furnished Apartment

Picking the right accommodation can make or break your travel plans

There are so many things to consider as you plan your trip. 

Can you fit 30-days worth of clothes in a carry-on?

How will you keep your kids busy once you get there?

You want to be close, but not too close, to your in-laws’ house for vacation. What location or area of town should you book in?

Should you spring for a fully-furnished house, or go with a cost-effective hotel room?

Spoiler: you can actually get both with a personalized furnished apartment. 

If you’re traveling for work, you might be considering how close you are to downtown, if you have a comfortable desk to work at, or what the quality of the Wi-Fi is like. 

How do you make the best decision for your specific travel plans?

Remember that it is not about which accommodation is better — it’s about which accommodation is better for you

Step one is defining your trip. What are you looking for, specifically? What can you absolutely not live without?

Ask yourself the following questions:

• How long are you traveling?
• How many people need to live in this space?
• Why are you traveling?
• What are the most important things to you on a trip?

You might want to reconsider cramming all three of your kids into one hotel room down the hall from where you and your spouse are staying. Maybe you aren’t much of a cook and love eating out while traveling. In that case, you can probably go with a simplified kitchenette. 

Figuring out what you want your trip to look like is a perfect first step. Step two is weighing your options. 

So, what are your options?

You have tons of options when it comes to booking your accommodation. We’ve broken down two of them below. 

Extended Stay Hotels 

Extended Stay Hotels are exactly what they sound like. Everything you expect from a hotel chain, with some extra comforts to make longer stays more tolerable. 

They often have more space than a regular hotel room. You’ll get a bed, a desk, maybe a living area, a bathroom, and usually a kitchenette. They offer hotel-like stays but for longer trips, often have restaurants attached, and offer shared access to amenities like pools, gyms, or other common spaces. 

Furnished Suites

Mixing the luxury of hotel living with the freedom of a vacation rental, furnished accommodations can be the best of both worlds. 

You’ll get a fully furnished apartment, condo, or house with everything you could need for your stay. Generally, run and managed by a single provider, furnished suites can give you everything you want and need for your stay, with more comfort and space than a hotel. 

They are ideal for longer stays, larger groups, and give you the ability to create your home away from home. 

The Pros and Cons

There are ups and downs to each option. The important thing to keep in mind is what you are looking for, and what’s important to you as you travel. 

We’ll start with the pros…

Extended Stay Hotels 

• You get a kitchenette, small dining area, and often a seating area
• Generally, offer great deals for longer stays
• Access to a pool, gym, usually attached restaurant
• Can contact the front desk with any questions or concerns
• They offer additional services like continental breakfasts, etc.
  

Furnished Suites

• More space than a hotel
• It’s your space! You don’t have to worry about neighbours being quite as close to you as hotels
• Can make special requests (although these usually come with a surcharge)
• Offered by professional providers, so you have a person to reach out to if you have any questions
• Tons of amenities, including full kitchens, washer/dryer, home entertainment centres, yards, more living space, etc.

There are always a few cons...

Extended Stay Hotels 

• Little privacy
• Limited ability to customize or make special requests
• Everything is still in one (larger) room 
• Your kitchen equipment will probably be the very bare minimum
• Quite a few extended-stay hotels do not offer housekeeping or facilitate it once a week or so

Furnished Suites

• Can be expensive for shorter stays 
• Although all suites are professionally cleaned between guests, you are responsible for cleaning during your stay, but nearly all come with optional housekeeping
• Property managers and staff may not be not directly on site 
• You might not need the extra space

It’s not just about saving money on the cost of your nightly stay

Both furnished suites and extended stay hotels offer a cost-effective answer to your accommodation; however, the full cost of each option isn’t always just the nightly fee. Here’s a visual breakdown of the cost comparison between a furnished suite and a hotel. This is what a 30-day stay can look like for you. 

So, do you go with an extended stay hotel room, or opt for a furnished suite?

The choice is entirely up to you. Remember to reflect on the questions we asked at the beginning of this article, and really decide which option has what you’re looking for. 

If you’re looking for something comfortable, a great price, and just need the basics, then an extended hotel might be a great call for you. 

If you want all the amenities of a stylishly furnished apartment, the option to customize your stay, and the customer service of a swanky hotel — you should go with a furnished suite. 

Have you decided that a furnished suite is exactly what you’re looking for

We’re a little biased, but we think a fully-furnished accommodation can drastically improve the quality of your vacation or business trip. Click the button below to book your stay now. 

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