What Are Extended Stay Hotels?
You may have heard the term extended stay hotel and thought that it sounded like a contradiction in terms. After all, hotels were created to give travelers a place to stay when they were far from home, not as a place to live. But what if your travels keep you far from home for a long period of
If your trip keeps you away from home for months, staying in a traditional hotel would get very expensive. Besides, just how long can a person live comfortably in a one or two rooms.
Hotel rooms are also not equipped with kitchens. In some you may find a microwave and a tiny kitchen, but nothing that would allow you to fix yourself a real meal. This leads to even more expense as you need to eat every meal in a restaurant.
Unfurnished apartments are not usually a viable option for the short term either. Most landlords want you to sign a lease of at least one year. In addition, you will have to wait while you go through the credit check and approval process. After all of that, you still need to furnish it and make sure that you have all of the linens, kitchen utensils, pots and pans, appliances, and on and on. It will take a great deal of money to make an unfurnished apartment into a place that you can live comfortably in for an extended period of time.
Extended stay hotels were developed to solve all of the problems that someone that needs to be away from home for a long period of time may face. Like a hotel room, they can be rented quickly and with out the hassle of an approval process. Like an unfurnished apartment, they give you the room you need to stretch out and be comfortable for a long time.
Better than either of those choices, rooms in extended stay hotels come equipped with everything you need to live a normal life. Most have a full kitchen complete with all appliances and utensils you would need to fix yourself a complete meal. The fact that there are several different rooms means that you can easily entertain, whether you want to have the guys over to watch the game or fix a special meal for yourself and that special someone.
Another advantage is that you will not need to worry about things like whether or not you have clean towels for your morning shower or clean sheets to make your bed with. If you want, most also provide maid service so that you will not even have to concern yourself with vacuuming or dusting.
Extended stay hotels provide the long term traveler with the comforts of home without the hassle of creating a home of your own. They will cost you more than an unfurnished apartment but they are much more convenient and if your stay is going to be less than a year, an unfurnished apartment simply may not be an option. So the next time you need to travel for a long period of time, rush for the closest extended stay hotel and save your time energy and money for the task that took you away from home in the first place.
My Best Hotel Experience
Traveling can be both an eye opener as well as a fun experience. In all my sojourns, I have had my share of the good, the not-so-good and the downright ugly. I have also had the wonderful experience of being in some of the best hotels in the world. By best, I do not mean in terms of cost and luxury. I mean in terms of customized personal service. A lot of hotels have staffs that are not only informal -which is good- but also impersonal and indifferent to whatever concerns you may have.
While I have had some pretty awesome experiences in hotels, my best so far was in teh luxury hotel. Located in western Canada, airport hotel, it has one of the best combinations of food, customer services, and rooms available. The staffs were a wonderful set of people who were willing to do nearly anything to make their customers comfortable. Not only would they help you out with what they are normally paid to do, they are also willing to go above and beyond just to make sure your stay is satisfying. I remember once when I really needed some hot, drinking water in the middle of the night. The hotel manager himself came down from his room which he had retired to less than 2 hrs before after a hectic to get me the water. That single act alone made me vow to never go anywhere else each time I was in the vicinity.
The people were also very friendly and accommodating. During all the period I stayed there, I never witnessed a showdown or a shouting match between the manager and any of the staff. Everyone just seemed to get along fine with each other. Staying there gives you a sense of peace and serenity; not to mention the fact that it makes you feel like you are one with nature.
The rooms are really designed in a way that gives you a feeling of being at home as opposed to most hotels where you get an impersonal, sterile feeling. Because of its location, looking outside the windows is pure pleasure as the views outside is both beautiful and enthralling. The surrounding mountains make for a great view. The personal hygiene is first rate as all the rooms are clean and dusted. I never had any course to sleep on one bed sheet twice. After the night, everything is taken out and dry-cleaned.
The food is great and always served to your taste, so you do not have to worry about that. For those who may prefer the condos, they are situated just 150m away and offer some form of privacy and seclusion. So, if you want to do some writing in a near-silent environment, this would be a great place to do it. Each condo has its own storage facilities, and laundry. Inside the bedroom too, you have a TV. So, it’s basically a self-sufficient place to stay.
You can unwind after a hectic day at the waterside or in the hot tub. And don’t worry about catching anything; they are well taken care of.