Serviced apartments can keep you happy and healthy when away from a familiar environment

When I’m away on holiday or business, by the last few days I’m on tenterhooks to get home. I like my comforts – a cosy kitchen for drinking chilled wine, a fridge full of organic dark chocolate and, most importantly, my own bed. I miss these little luxuries when staying in a hotel. But as I’ve been romanced by serviced apartments over the last couple of years, my emotional wellbeing has considerably improved when away from home.

Serviced apartments - space and wellbeing

The extra space in serviced apartments is undoubtedly a key factor to positive mental health. When staying with friends and family in serviced apartments, simply having the ability to close the bedroom door and block everyone out – even just for a few hours - is hugely therapeutic. On occasions when i’ve stayed in a hotel, nerves have become rather frazzled and doors have been slammed over silly issues - simply due to living in such close quarters.

Freedom to wine and dine in serviced apartments

Over the years, I’ve also been confined to a hotel room on business trips. On these occasions, after a long day in meetings, my last desire is to shower at speed, change and eat in a hotel restaurant. Even when I’ve made an effort, eating from the same hotel menu can be tedious. A few days of this, and I’m irritable. In contrast, the kitchen facilities I’ve experienced in slick city serviced apartments have offered me freedom to eat and drink what I enjoy, be it midday or midnight.

Serviced apartments – boosting your wallet and wellbeing

I truly feel that contentment when away from home is paramount. Now I consistently choose serviced apartments for business and pleasure – they boost my wallet and my wellbeing.

Why sit at home this Easter gorging your lonely way through chocolate? Book a serviced apartment and enjoy a little holiday

Sometimes a spontaneous break can do wonders to revive a flagging spirit. A change of scene and a little TLC is all it takes – and it doesn’t have to be expensive.

An Easter jaunt to Nottingham – made easy with serviced apartments

This time last year as grey days made way for lighter nights and blue skies, myself and a few friends booked into a serviced apartment in Nottingham to coincide with the Easter weekend. It was purely an impulse decision – four bored, easily excitable, twenty-something’s attempting to inject an element of spontaneity into their lives. A quick search for Nottingham serviced apartments on the web revealed a selection of accommodation for us to choose from. Considering we were all in relatively dire financial straits at the time, many Nottingham serviced apartments were comfortably within our budget.

Serviced apartments for four persons

We also discovered serviced apartments offer a lot of flexibility. We were able to find various four bedroom serviced apartments in Nottingham which suited our needs perfectly. For anyone looking to take a break this Easter – in any city across the UK - bear in mind there are also lots of two and three-bedroom serviced apartments to choose from. And, although we were expecting fairly modest service apartments given our budget, we were delighted to land style and comfort for a very reasonable price.

Eating for Easter in serviced apartments

We discovered serviced apartments are also very well equipped – not least in the self-catering department. With Easter and all things chocolaty to celebrate, we made a point of using our kitchen and cooking facilities to the max before a big night out on the town. A slap-up home-cooked meal, and dozens of chocolate crispy cakes later (the latter polished off at 2am), we’d certainly made the most of our serviced apartment.

Serviced apartments enhance revenue and performance by collaborating with other firms
Serviced apartments often choose to forge close working partnerships with other organisations. Integrity and trust on both sides can lead to financial benefits for both parties. For the consumer it opens up ways to access the finest serviced apartments in the area.

Serviced apartments often choose to work in collaboration with the following:-

• Relocation agents
• Travel management companies
• Hotel booking agents
• Other accommodation agencies
• City firms and blue-chip companies

Serviced apartments and relocation agents
Moving to a new area takes meticulous planning and research. The collaboration of serviced apartments and relocation agents enables individuals or families moving to an unfamiliar area to locate quality temporary accommodation which is safe and homely. By tapping into the local expertise of both organisations, movers have a higher chance of locating a residence they are happy with.

Serviced apartments and hotel booking agents
Hotel booking agents increasingly recommend serviced apartments to their clients. The current economic climate means many customers welcome the chance to live in style and comfort, but at a reduced cost. As serviced apartments make this a reality, hotel booking agents are progressively referring clients in this direction.

Serviced apartments and accommodation agencies
Serviced apartments have the potential to secure bookings by working in conjunction with other accommodation agencies. Such agencies generally work on a commission basis, so, by referring clients to a serviced apartment provider, both parties stand to gain. Anyone looking for temporary accommodation through an agency should enquire about serviced apartments to benefit from considerable savings.

Serviced apartments and blue-chip companies
Large corporate organisations and serviced apartments can forge healthy business relationships. Corporate clients benefit from significant discounts when making group bookings, and the serviced apartments secure increasing revenue.

From corporate functions to family weekends, the financial benefits of making group bookings in serviced apartments can be considerable

Serviced apartments can be the perfect way to accommodate groups. From financial benefits to the luxury of space, through to social advantages and safety issues, it really can be a case of the more the merrier. The financial benefits are certainly one of the most pertinent reasons why groups should consider serviced apartments. Large stylish serviced apartments are freely available in major cities and can often prove more cost-effective than booking a hotel room of an equivalent standard. So in what situations may groups seek to rent serviced apartments? There are numerous reasons that encompass both business and pleasure. Here’s a few which you may relate to. . .

Reasons to consider serviced apartments

• Group corporate training days or weekends
• Overnight or weekend seminars
• Annual business conferences
• Business exhibitions
• Weddings
• Family breaks
• University gatherings
• Hen parties

Aside from the considerable discounts available for group bookings in serviced apartments, there are numerous other advantages. These can be appealing to both families and businesses.

Advantages of booking groups into serviced apartments. . .

• Dinnertime can be enjoyed together
• Quality time can be spent with colleagues, friends or family
• Work matters can be discussed in a comfortable and relaxing environment
• Cooking responsibilities can be shared
• Less feeling of isolation

Whether you’re a business looking to provide your staff with modern and comfortable accommodation when they are away from home, or if you’re looking for a place to stay with flexibility and freedom, serviced apartments can offer considerable savings.

There’s nothing more relaxing than basking in the summer sun with a glass of chilled wine. But when making stop-over’s or long-term stays in UK cities during the height of summer, there’s no guarantee a pretty garden or balcony will be available. Returning at 5pm to a hotel room with a lack of natural light is hardly the best way towards positive mental health or a golden glow.

Serviced apartments and balconies

However, if you’re researching temporary accommodation, make a point of looking at serviced apartments - many serviced accommodation developments offer spacious balconies overlooking mature parkland, watersides, rivers, urban landscapes and even the glistening summer sea. Frequently, they are designed as sun traps which allow guests to enjoy blue skies and sunshine in privacy.

Requesting a serviced apartment with a balcony

Booking serviced apartments in advance is the best way to secure a balcony. Take time to do some thorough research as not all serviced apartments offer this facility. Bear in mind, executive serviced apartments are more likely to include balconies than standard serviced accommodation.

Serviced apartments and gardens

Many serviced apartments, whether in the city, suburbs or by the sea, are also built with idyllic gardens in their surrounding landscapes. These are often freely accessible for residents to enjoy at their leisure. For those requiring serviced apartments for medium to long-term stays, or with young children to consider, gardens can make a summer dwelling all the more enjoyable. If you’re moving under any of the following circumstances, it may make particularly good sense to secure a serviced apartment with a garden:

• Moving to a new area
• Facing long-term business commitments
• Setting up home for a few months

Enjoy a sociable singles’ weekend with serviced apartments in Newcastle

Being single can, at times, feel like a drudge. But when you embrace singledom with friends it can actually be great fun. Over the last year, I’ve enjoyed several weekends away with single friends in some of the UK’s major cities. Last month, on a New Year’s mission to find and flirt with Geordie-land’s most eligible bachelors, eight of us booked two nights, in two four-bed serviced apartments, in the town centre - not far from the trendy Quayside area of Newcastle where there are plenty of bars and clubs.

Serviced apartments in Newcastle for open-plan living

The serviced apartments in Newcastle were bright, decorated with deep red furnishings and had a clean, contemporary feel. The main living area of the serviced apartments were an open plan affair, so we found ourselves wandering freely from sofa to fridge and regularly pouring ourselves another vodka, lime and soda. Although we had the luxury of two serviced apartments in Newcastle between eight of us, on Friday and Saturday evening we all piled into one apartment around 4pm for a meal and a few drinks.

A more sociable experience with serviced apartments in Newcastle

It certainly seems that serviced apartments in Newcastle lend themselves towards a highly sociable weekend. In comparison, when I’ve stayed with groups of friends in a Newcastle hotel, and had to run down corridors to knock on doors, the stay was more disjointed. The experience in two serviced apartments was certainly more relaxing and tailored towards us all staying together.

After a great night out in Newcastle, it was a lovely feeling to hit the pillow somewhere so homely. We even fried eggs for ourselves at 3am – not an available luxury in hotel accommodation!

So if anyone is looking to organise a girly get-together in Newcastle, it’s worth checking out serviced apartments both from a financial, and fun, perspective.

Tackling a home regeneration project? A serviced apartment in Liverpool could help you escape the impending chaos

The benefits of a serviced apartment for anyone in the midst of home regeneration projects have been drawn to my attention recently. A couple of family friends, both with a good level of disposable income, checked themselves into one of the plushest hotels in Liverpool in order to escape the chaos during a revamp of their home. While not everyone has the financial means to walk away from unfinished paintwork, bare floorboards and rubble while the builders get on with it, I found their extravagant choice of ‘bolt hole’ in Liverpool city centre quite astounding.

Serviced apartments versus hotels in Liverpool
Had they known about serviced apartments in Liverpool at the time, I’m sure they would have chosen this option. Clearly they wanted cleanliness, luxury and privacy. And while they will have escaped crumbling walls and excess dust in their hotel retreat, I’m sure a serviced apartment in Liverpool could have provided all they desired, and more, at a fraction of the cost.

Enjoy hotel-style accommodation with serviced apartments in Liverpool
In my experience, contemporary serviced apartments in Liverpool are equivalent to a hotel suite. The finish is generally very design-led; they are pristine in their cleanliness, as well as being lovely and roomy. I’m sure my family friends will have also ramped up the cost of their hotel accommodation by either dining in the hotel or at local restaurants in Liverpool. Serviced apartments in Liverpool would have benefited them in this way, as they could have cooked their own meals in fully-equipped kitchens within each serviced apartment.

Why not celebrate final university exams with serviced apartments in Liverpool?

For those of you who have endured university finals, you’ll be familiar with the overwhelming relief that comes with walking out of the last exam. So how do you celebrate such a milestone? Apart from legging it to the nearest bar to get drunk on cheap beer, there’s always the option of gathering a few mates together for a weekend in serviced apartments.

Serviced apartments in Liverpool – an eye-opener to students

When I finished university in Manchester, one of my friends was treated to a stay in one of the luxurious serviced apartments in Liverpool where he’d been studying journalism. To say the place was plush is an understatement. At that time I knew very little about serviced apartments but it opened my eyes to the facilities they offer. Although this particular apartment was the height of luxury, there are hundreds of very affordable serviced apartments in Liverpool which are of an excellent standard.

Our rendezvous in one of Liverpool’s finest serviced apartments

Five of our friends met up in the block of serviced apartments Liverpool. A day of shopping, drinking and general indulgence was followed by an early-evening rendezvous involving vodka and pizza - and a little taste of what it would be like to own our own apartment. From memory, I recall a very extravagant entry system and artistic staircase – coupled with the need to be grown up and considerate to other guests as we giddily headed off into Liverpool city centre.

If you’re studying at Liverpool University, or indeed any university in the North, I’d highly recommend serviced apartments as a way to let your hair down. For me, it marked the end of an era of scruffy student accommodation, and opened my eyes to the finer lodgings in life.