Travelling with children can be tricky. But serviced apartments can help make overnight stays a relaxing and safe experience . . .

If you’ve ever spent a night with children in a hotel room you’ll have encountered the limitations of this kind of living environment; kids under your feet, the need for additional and often uncomfortable ‘cot’ beds, lack of food-preparation facilities, and difficulty keeping the room tidy are just some of the downfalls. Fortunately, serviced apartments offer a more practical alternative. Aside from being around 30% cheaper than the equivalent standard of hotel accommodation, they provide a host of other benefits for families. Here’s just a few . . .

Advantages of serviced apartments for families

• Increased privacy
• Increased space
• Fully-equipped kitchen facilities
• Secure environment to co-exist in comfort
• Separate bedrooms for parents and children
• Hi-tech facilities such as internet connection and TV

Additional benefits of serviced apartments for families

Serviced apartments are also, as the name suggests ‘serviced’. This means you don’t have to worry about cleaning. The design of serviced apartments also means they generally feel more secure than a hotel. If the family structure is two parents and two children for example, it is commonplace for two hotel rooms to be booked – these are not necessarily right next to each other, which can create anxiety for children and parents. Serviced apartments, however, are available in various specifications from one bedroom upwards, which allows families to stay together under the same roof while still maintaining a level of privacy.

Serviced apartments and little family extras

Serviced apartments often go the extra mile to help families have a relaxing and trouble-free stay with their loved ones. Here are some additional benefits:

• Discounted rates for affiliated restaurants
• Cots and high chairs at no extra charge
• Discounted breakfast
• Game consoles, DVDs and other entertainment

Why make relocation a chore? Ease into your new living space with stylish serviced apartments
Relocation can be an unsettling time. Whether it is an upheaval for a new job, or a family decision to move to another area of the country, it can be a particularly disconcerting time for all involved. Serviced apartments, however, can ease you smoothly into your new environment.

Serviced apartments – helping you gently adjust
Two key attributes behind serviced apartments are flexibility and comfort. Serviced apartments are designed to be a home from home, and to provide you with a safe living space to adjust to a strange and unfamiliar UK city.

Avoid ‘snap buying’ decisions with serviced apartments
If you are moving for a new contract of employment, and are hoping to eventually buy an apartment or house in the area, serviced apartments afford you the luxury of time to make the right decision in buying a property. You can book into serviced apartments from one night to several months (discounts may be available for longer-term stays) and take time to become familiar with property in the area. This prevents any snap buying decisions being made, which you may later regret.

Researching the property market for you and your family
If you are moving with your family, it may be even more crucial that you have time to study the property market. Serviced apartments can be used as a temporary home during the initial research stage to allow you to drive around the city and suburbs with the family. Getting a feel for an area yourself, rather than relying purely on the recommendations of estate agents, is certainly the most sensible way to secure a smart property buy.

Hotels versus serviced apartments
Pondering bed and breakfasts or hotels instead? This, of course, is an option considered by many. Remember though, serviced apartments are designed to be a temporary home, rather than just a temporary ‘base’. They offer privacy, extreme comfort, safety for you and your family, state-of-the-art facilities and space. Serviced apartments are also, on average, 30% cheaper than a hotel of the equivalent standard.

Serviced apartments across the UK’s major cities including Manchester, Liverpool, Leeds and Newcastle are available in many beautiful styles and designs. Here’s a snapshot of some of the varying architectural styles you may expect from serviced apartments . . .

High-rise city serviced apartments
Luxury high-rise serviced apartments are available in many stunning buildings across the cities of Manchester, Liverpool, Leeds and Newcastle. The attraction for many guests is the beautiful day and night-time views and the sense of seclusion from the crowds and traffic noise below. High-rise serviced apartments tend to be very fashionable with businesspeople.

Waterside and warehouse serviced apartments
Serviced apartments have grown and spread in little enclaves around the rivers of many cities. Many old Victorian warehouses have been converted into chic serviced apartments which retain authentic features such as exposed brickwork, barrel vaulted ceilings and original ironwork. Many waterside apartments also feature a private balcony, with peaceful river or town views.

Period residence serviced apartments
In various UK cities, such as the Georgian quarter in the centre of Leeds, there is a strong emphasis on maintaining the authenticity of period buildings. Many such residences have been sympathetically restored and transformed into contemporary serviced apartments which retain characteristics such as airy interiors and big windows which flood apartments with natural daylight.

Out-of-town serviced apartments
Although city serviced apartments are often situated in prime locations, serviced apartments are sometimes located in city suburbs. Such accommodation may appeal more to families or to friends who are taking a holiday, rather than businesspeople who need to be in the hub of things. Naturally, out-of-town locations offer a greater sense of tranquillity than centrally-situated apartments.