GSAIR 2023 : APAC 12
Alternative accommodation models
SilverDoor ’ s accommodation portfolio spans more than 2,000 global partners with access to more than one million serviced apartments . Amongst these , there are differences across the global temporary housing market in terms of the product , guest experience , and facilities on offer .
By Sophie Brinsley Vice President - APAC SilverDoor
For example , corporate housing dominates in the US , traditional serviced apartments are the norm in the UK and Australia where residential style units come with weekly housekeeping , and there ’ s a dominance for more apart-hotel offerings across mainland Europe and most of Asia – generally speaking .
Diversification
With the welcome rise in demand for extended stay accommodation , 2023 has seen the emergence of more and more multinational hotel chains looking to capitalise on it , with the likes of Accor , Marriott , Hilton , IHG and even Mandarin Oriental now developing more hotel ‘ suites ’ with full kitchens and multiple bedrooms as part of their offering . However , there are new alternative accommodation models that have been emerging in recent years too and starting to gain traction .
We ’ re acutely aware that temporary housing makes up a large portion of a business ’ overall mobility spend . The implications of the past few years ’ geo-political and socioeconomic constraints , not to mention the pandemic , has also resulted in a particularly volatile market and now more than ever , businesses are assessing their travel spend and looking to some of these alternative accommodation options to maximise the value of their expenditure .
Corporate housing
As mentioned , corporate housing is a typical US product , whereby units within residential buildings are furnished and packaged up with utilities , Wi-Fi and usually bi-weekly servicing and it ’ s a concept that ’ s been growing in popularity in the past few years across APAC , but it is strictly regulated .
For example , the Urban Redevelopment Authority in Singapore imposes a three-month minimum ( reduced from six months ) duration which provides both reassurance for the long-term occupants of these residential buildings , whilst also protecting the interests of the local hotel and serviced apartment network .
These short-term residential leasing options can offer the benefit of cost-saving and are suited to those staying for longer durations who prefer a more homefrom-home feel , but really , the main great advantage is that this model enables us to source in locations where there are seemingly no other extended-stay alternatives and can potentially span anywhere where there is a residential development . The limitations , however , are that the stays are typically contracted with no flexibility for amendment of duration , and rarely offer on-site maintenance or a purpose-managed concierge . That said , demand is fuelling rate increases in APAC . In March 2023 , corporate housing rates were up 27 % compared to 15 % in EMEA3 .
Co-living
Similarly , co-living is a concept that has become more common in the past five years or so , but it can mean different things to different people , depending on the region . In EMEA , it can be used simply to describe a typical aparthotel that has a more social focus with communal spaces and curated events .
Co-living in the APAC region has seen substantial growth in recent years , driven by urbanisation , high housing costs and a strong desire for social connections among residents . Singapore , Hong Kong , Tokyo , Seoul , Hyderabad , and Sydney have adopted co-living as a solution to high urban living
3 https :// servicedapartmentnews . com / news / corporate-housing-rates-up-emea-apac /