What is a serviced apartment?

Although it may sound like a new thing, serviced apartments have been around for years. Previously used by businesses, most of the cities in the UK have have a select number of serviced apartments available since the 1990s, but in the last few years this number has grown. The reason is simple; they offer a better standard of accommodation at a lower price, and serviced apartments give much greater flexibility since you can come and go as you please.

How much will I pay to stay in serviced accommodation

Anywhere from £49 to £490 - there's a whole array of accommodation available, and the more you pay the better the apartment. Accommodation with two or three bedrooms is usually more, and the location also plays a part. City centre is usually more than staying out in the suburbs, but major cities like Manchester, Liverpool and Newcastle have thriving areas outside the city centre, so sometimes it's ideal.

What facilities are available in serviced accommodation

The great thing about serviced accommodation is that they can offer so much more than a hotel. A lot of the apartment that you can book on WHLN have balconies, some are around canals or waterways and there's some great city views. Pretty much all of our apartments come with a living room and kitchen, and then there's a seperate bedroom and up to two bathrooms. In the newer apartments these are often pretty high spec, including flatscreen tvs, dvd players, wifi and more. You can see all the facilities that each apartment has in our hotel guide, and we also try to include key facilities within our reviews.

The pitfalls of staying in a serviced apartment

Like any type of accommodation (Hotels, guest houses and even luxury villas) it's important to do your homework. Any problems that you might encounter are the same as if you were staying in a hotel, so the location of the serviced apartment is it important. Some apartments are out in rural areas, whilst others are right in the centre of a city. On WHLN you can view a map of where the serviced apartment is, and you can also view nearby places to eat, drink and music venues.

One of the main differences between renting an apartment and staying in a hotel is the facilities that hotels offer. Most mid range (£80+) hotels have a restuarant and bar inside, as well as leisure facilities like swimming pools or gyms. Even if you only visit them once during your trip the lure of good food, room serice and the ability to 'burn it all off' the next day is important, but it's worth bearing in mind that if you're staying in a central location then you'll have the pick of the cities best restaurants and bars, plus access to local gyms. Places like Manchester, Newcastle and Liverpool have hundreds of award winning places to spend your time, so to many people it's not that big a deal.

WHLN gives you access to exclusive serviced apartments rates, from just £49 per night up to £490. You can save up to seventy percent off the standard rates, and you can book an apartment up to six months in advance.

Some serviced apartments have started offering breakfast facilities, which in its most basic form is a contintal breakfast delivered each day (not at breakfast time though, they're usually in the apartment when you arrive and then they're delivered during the day for the following day). Have a look around some of the apartments that we have to offer, as some offer quite luxurious breakfast packs including coffee (and of course the apartment comes equipped with a coffee maker),

Serviced Apartment Checklist

• Where is the serviced apartment located? Is it central enough, and if you're travelling in by train or bus then is it close enough to public transport.
• What facilites does the accommodation have? Is there a balcony, second bathroom, or does it have luxury features?
• When is checkout and checkin time at this apartment?
• Does the apartment have parking, or does it have parking nearby that can be used?

Serviced Apartment Links

Manchester
Liverpool
Newcastle