Whether you travel for business, are in between house moves or are heading off on holiday, chances are that you need accommodation.

Although hotels have traditionally been the go-to in situations like this, more and more of us are using serviced apartments. If you’re undecided about whether to choose a hotel or a serviced apartment for your next trip, here are some of the pros and cons of each.

Hotels 

Pros: If you’re only staying somewhere for a day or two, then hotels are great. You can sit back and relax while someone does your cooking, cleaning, laundry, delivers you a paper in the morning and even sends you a wake-up call.

There are plenty of people on hand to help you. If you’re in a new country or town then chances are that you don’t know where anything is. Another benefit of hotels is that they will have staff who are only too happy to show you where the best restaurants, museums and shops are.

Cons: If you’re staying anywhere for more than a few days, a hotel room can start to feel very claustrophobic. You are confined to just one room for most of your stay and have very limited access to any outdoor space.

You have much less control over what you can do and when you can do it when you’re staying in a hotel. For example, you’re confined to eating hotel or restaurant food as there are no cooking facilities in your room and you have to watch whatever is on the channels that are provided to you. 

Serviced Apartments 

Pros: Rather than being confined to a single room, you can stay in an entire apartment or house. This is fantastic if you’re away for a longer period of time or travel regularly. They also feel a lot more homely than a hotel room which is particularly great for those who are away from their family a lot. In fact, your loved ones can even come and stay with you if you choose.

You have much more freedom in a serviced apartment. With your own kitchen you can do your own cooking, a separate lounge area means you can allocate a separate space for working and you can even have people around to visit if you wish.

Serviced apartments are often more cost-effective than hotels, especially for business travellers. A lot of providers offer discounts for extended stays and businesses that use them on a regular basis. As well as this, you don’t have to worry about any hidden costs such as the mini-bar, room service and Internet access.

You are provided with absolutely everything you could possibly need when you stay in a serviced apartment. From a fully-equipped kitchen, laundry facilities and a generous living space to bed linen and towels, Wi-Fi and housekeeping services, it really is just like being at home.

Serviced apartments tend to be a lot more welcoming towards pets than hotels are. Not all apartments will accept pets but most providers do have at least a few properties that allow them so make sure you ask before booking.

Cons: Not everybody likes their space so some people might feel like they’re rattling around in an entire apartment all on their own.