When traveling somewhere on a business trip, you need to carefully consider what type of accommodation is best suited to you: a rental apartment or a hotel?
The rise of AirBnB has made short-term rental properties more widely available and more of these property owners are specifically catering to travelling professionals. That said, hotels remain a popular traditional option and may have some perks (as well as some drawbacks) that a short-term rental apartment doesn’t have.
To help you decide what is the best option, here are a few different factors compared.
Cost
Both short-term rental apartments and hotels can greatly vary in cost. Renting an apartment can often be cheaper – especially if you’re staying in a property for several days and splitting the cost with other people. This is particularly the case if you’re happy with a very basic studio apartment.
Cheap hotels aimed at travelling professionals are possible to find. If you really want to save money, there is also the option of hostels. These are very stripped-back and you may have to share a room with strangers – a popular choice for digital nomads, but not a suitable option for everyone.
Location
AirBnBs can be found in all kinds of places nowadays. Apartments in central city locations are less common and you may find that they get booked up quite far in advance. This could be a disadvantage if you want convenient access to somewhere centrally located.
You typically have more options with hotels. There are many hotels located in city centres and business districts with plenty of rooms. This allows you to easily get to where you need to be from your accommodation.
Convenience
Short-term rental apartments are almost always self-catered, which means you have to prepare your own meals. You also need to clean up after yourself – otherwise you may not get back your deposit.
Hotels on the other hand are designed around convenience. Many have restaurants on site and the staff will clean your room after you leave. If you’re likely to have a busy schedule or simply want to be able to relax in your accommodation when not working, a hotel might be better suited.
Check-in process
When renting an apartment, you may have to agree to meet at a certain time to pick up the keys. If you arrive early, this could mean waiting around for a while. You won’t be able to drop off your luggage at the property until you have the key. That said, some cities do have luggage drop-off points such as this luggage storage in Washington DC, which could allow you to drop off your bags and do some local exploring if you can’t get into the property yet.
Hotels typically allow you to check in at any point after a certain time. If your room isn’t ready, you may still be able to leave your luggage at the hotel, allowing you to use the hotel facilities or explore the local area luggage-free.
Space
Short-term rental apartments can vary in size. Some can be very spacious and may have multiple bedrooms – which could be useful when going on a business trip with other people.
Hotel rooms are usually smaller. Unless you’re willing to pay extra for a suite, most hotel rooms will only have one bedroom. For those looking for space, rental accommodation may be a better option.
Facilities
The facilities found in a short-term rental apartment can vary. Some are quite basic, while others have luxurious amenities like balconies and rain showers. A major difference from hotel rooms is that they have kitchens – allowing you to prepare your own food.
Hotel facilities can also vary a lot. The hotel room is likely to have less facilities than you might get in a short-term rental apartment. However, hotels also have shared facilities that you often won’t get when renting an apartment such as a restaurant/breakfast buffet, pool, gym or bar.
Support
Rented apartments often don’t have any staff on-site. If you need something, you may be able to message the owner, but they may not be able to help you if they do not live locally. Most short-stay rental owners do hire local property managers who may be able to come around to make repairs or hand over keys, but they may still live 10 minutes away.
Hotels are very different as you can simply go up to the reception desk when you need quick assistance. Many hotels now have 24/7 staff available. Some even have room service.
Privacy
A major benefit of short-stay rental accommodation is that you have the entire property to yourself. This means that you don’t have to talk to anyone if you just want to relax in the evening, plus you’re able to fully concentrate on any work you need to do without any distractions and interruptions.
In a hotel, you still have the privacy of your own room (providing it’s not a hostel). However, not all hotel rooms may have space to relax or work. Some hotels aimed at travelling professionals do have co-working spaces and lounges you can use, but you’ll have to share these with other guests – which could mean having to overhear people’s Zoom calls or being approached by chatty people while trying to work/relax. Of course, some people may enjoy the social aspect of a hotel – it could be fun to hang out in a hotel lounge or bar and meet people after a hard day of work or travelling.
Security
A rental apartment can have security benefits. You get the whole property to yourself and don’t have to share the wi-fi with any other users (although it’s still advisable to use a VPN).
In a hotel, you often have to share the wi-fi with lots of other guests. Because of this, hotel public wi-fi is a common target for cybercriminals. Make sure to use a VPN when using hotel wi-fi.
Check-out process
When checking out of an apartment, you may be able to leave at any time, however some properties may require you to meet the owner to drop off the keys. A downside of checking out an apartment is that you’ll need to spend time cleaning and tidying up before you leave.
Hotels are faster to check out of. You may have a stricter time in which you have to check out by as hotels do have a faster turnaround of guests. That said, you don’t have to spend time cleaning the room and strippin the bed.
Conclusion
Both short-stay rental apartments and hotels can be good choices for business trips, however some people may find that one is more suitable than the other. Renting an apartment is typically more suited to those on a budget who want privacy, space and security. A hotel may be better suited to those who want a central location, catered facilities, on-site support and more flexible check-in times.