We all love our loyalty rewards points, but is that enough to suck it up and stay in a tiny hotel room for your next extended business trip? More and more corporate travelers are saying no.
Furnished apartments are on the rise in popularity for business trips — so let’s talk about why you might want to think twice about booking your usual hotel this time.
Below we’re covering four reasons why you might want to skip the hotel and choose a fully furnished rental for your next business trip.
A common question we hear is, “why would I go through you when I can book a vacation rental for cheap through Airbnb?” It’s a fair question, but you need to consider if you’re really getting the same value for your dollar.
Vacation rental services, like Airbnb and Vrbo, are run by individuals. Sure they receive ratings, reviews, and people have to qualify to promote their accommodations on either service, but there’s still a ton of inconsistencies.
You may end up paying less, finding an apartment right downtown, and loving every minute of your trip OR you might find yourself having to bring your own towels, bed linens, and struggling to cook with the single pot provided.
And what happens when you have a problem, and there’s no property manager to contact?
Most furnished accommodations, especially those who cater to corporate travelers, are run by professionally managed providers. These are companies, like us, who make it their job to ensure high standards, and a consistent level of customer service and cleanliness.
They provide the care of a hotel with all the amenities of a vacation rental — and you get one point of contact from booking to maintenance.
Transportation costs can add up when you book a hotel that’s 30 minutes away from where you need to be every morning. While hotels will happily call you a cab, and arrange transportation for you, there’s no flexibility in terms of location.
Your provider knows the cities they operate in, and have made sure that you’re close enough for a short cab ride, taking public transportation, or even walking to your destination every day. They take the time to understand your individual travel needs, and they can make sure you’re where you need to be.
They’ll work with you to make sure you have a location that works for you.
Sure you can close the door to your hotel room, and it becomes your personal space, but everywhere else in the hotel is communal. There are also many rooms sandwiched right next to each other, staff vacuuming at 9 a.m., and the general hustle and bustle of people checking in and out (sometimes with loud kids and dogs).
When you rent a furnished apartment, the entire space is yours. You aren’t just stuck watching TV in your bedroom (which is also your living room). You have a full kitchen, bedroom, family room, and sometimes a full backyard. This might not seem critical for a business trip, but it can help keep you happy and grounded even when you’re away from home, especially for weeks at a time.
If you compare a two-night stay in a fully furnished apartment verses a hotel room (on cost alone), you’ll probably see that the hotel is the cheaper option. However, if you’re travelling a lot, or staying for longer, a fully furnished apartment quickly becomes the most cost-efficient option.
You need to consider more than just the cost of the room. That’s only one travel expense.
What are you expensing for meals because you don’t have a kitchen, paying for transportation because you had to book a hotel that’s not walking distance, and sacrificing for mental health because you’re stuck in one room for your whole trip?
Here’s a quick breakdown of 30-days in a hotel verses 30-days in a furnished accommodation.
Skip the hotel chain and give us a call for your upcoming business trip. We’d love to chat about how we can find a location and price that works for you.
