Serviced apartments Vs Hotel Rooms (& What Are the benefits?)

Ahh friends with benefits.  This is exactly how we call a hotel room with the additional benefit of being larger (approximately 30% larger!), includes a kitchen / cooking area and usually has a sofa / lounge space you can stretch out and relax (that’s NOT the bed!).  Yes, more room than you can swing a proverbial cat in!

The accommodation world is a rapidly evolving market – with the growth of share economy sites like AirBnB, and what used to be a niche serviced apartment sector has how skyrocketed … hotels are getting a thinner slice of the accommodation pie.

As a female business traveller, I’ve had my fair share of travelling from port to port.  And as a guest of both hotels and apartments in the past, here are my top 10 benefits of booking a serviced apartment VS a hotel:

• Benefit #1 – Space, Space, Space

Pretty obvious right? Hotel apartments are on average 30% larger than your standard hotel room.  Perfect for families or those just wanting more space to kick around in.

• Benefit #2 – Comforts Of Home

Usually serviced apartments will include all the creature comforts you would expect .. wifi, tv, foxtel, music system, washing machine and dryer and the usual kitchen suspects .. namely toasters, kettles .. you know stuff!

• Benefit #3 – Luxury Without the Price Tag

No 3 star star hotel room here to make your trip affordable.  Our serviced apartments provide the latest in luxury accommodation (including beautifully decorated rooms) without the 5 star price.  You can also save money on eating out (not that anyone in Melbourne is doing THAT right now) but do your grocery shop across the road and cook your meals in our fully kitted out kitchens.  Plus if you stay longer, the rates go down.

• Benefit #4 – Custom to Suit

Staying in a serviced apartment is an experience like no other. You can have a customised service that really cannot be achieved in a standard hotel room stay. Pre-booking car parking, or perhaps would like some other home away from home items put in the apartment before your stay (extra towels). Or perhaps you want some of your favourite snacks stocked in the kitchen pantry. Serviced apartments are often accommodating to such requests (and certainly ours is!).

• Benefit #5 – Housekeeping!

Staying at home you often have the hassles of cleaning up after yourself every day so that you’re not living in your own filth. Many opt for a hotel room as they want to have some service while out for the day, such as the bed being made, and having some fresh towels.

Some hotels won’t even provide this service unless you’re staying for a specific period of time set by them. A serviced apartment, however, means that you can stay in the comfort and luxury of a ‘home away from home’, plus have the added benefits of great housekeeping services. Cleaning and a daily linen and towel service is often standard with serviced apartments, so you needn’t lift a finger during your stay.

• Benefit #6 – Dinner Date 

Ditto with dinner.  Here at The Sebel Moonee Ponds, we have Saros Bar & Dining onsite .. serving the most delicious European inspired dishes this side of the freeway.  Don’t feel like eating in? Eat out .. and you don’t need to leave the hotel to do so! (Currently closed due to Covid .. but not for long!)

So really, our hotel is a 2 for 1 kind of deal – you can have your friends, and reap the benefits too!