Professionals are often sent to London for extended periods of time that are longer than a couple of nights, but less than several months. In these cases, it can be a challenge to identify the optimal type of accommodation. Hotels are too pricey for a long stay, while short-term renting is often accompanied by a lot of admin for a relatively short time in the property.
Indeed, it will come as no surprise that renting in London is an expensive affair, with Londoners spending approximately half of their income in rent. By opting for extended stay apartments instead, you can enjoy all the benefits of having a home away from home in the capital without the hassle of signing tenancy agreements, and all the admin that comes with renting.
In this guide, we’ll take you through the difference between short term renting and extended stay apartments, and why extended stay could provide you with the perfect solution for your business travel.
Short Term Renting vs Extended Stay Apartments
If you choose a short term rental apartment in London, as with longer rental contracts, you will have the same rights and responsibilities as a tenant. You’ll sign a tenancy agreement, put down a deposit, and you may have to pay bills on top of that price. This can be quite a lot of admin to deal with if you’re not planning to stay there for very long, but it can offer a solid base if you’re going to be in the city for over three months.
In contrast, with extended stay apartments in London, you get all of the benefits with much less hassle. Think of extended stay apartments in the same way you would holiday accommodation. But instead of going home at the end of your week in London, you simply stay on. Dolphin Square offers both short term lets and extended stay apartments – allowing you to choose the option which suits your purposes best.
Why Choose Extended Stay Apartments?
There are many reasons that extended stay apartments could be a better fit for you than short term renting. Here we’ll take you through the main ones:
There are more options on the market
As you’ll probably be aware, the London rental market is highly competitive and properties go fast. Whether you’re renting for the long term or the short term, finding and viewing your dream property and signing for it before other renters get there first is a challenging task. If you’re staying in London for a while, it’s well worth diving into this market, doing your research, and booking numerous viewings.
However, extended stay apartments are a lot easier to come by. This is in part because one in 50 available properties in London have been snapped up by landlords who list them on short let online marketplaces like Airbnb, TripAdvisor, and Booking.com. This means that when you’re searching for an extended stay property, you’re likely to discover a much wider variety of options than if you’re looking for a place to rent.
Availability
By nature, extended stay properties are back on the market more quickly than rental properties, as temporary tenants come and go, and the landlords aren’t fixed into long contracts. This means you don’t need to worry that you won’t be able to find a place – even if you’re booking at the last minute. Furthermore, by simply extending your stay rather than moving from apartment to apartment during your time in London, you’ll waste a lot less time.
Cost
Of course, hotels are another popular option for business travellers. However, hotels – especially high-quality London hotels – come with a serious price tag. It might be worth shelling out for a hotel if you’re only in town for one or two nights, but a longer stay will seriously put a dent in your expense account. Fortunately, extended stays offer the same novelty as a hotel at a fraction of the price.
That ‘home away from home’ feel
Business travellers will know that there’s little more deflating than returning to an anonymous hotel room night after night while colleagues go home to their families. Hotel stays can be a novelty for a few nights, but after a week or so, you begin to long for more space and independence than can be offered by a hotel.
This is one reason so many people turn to short term rental contracts: in order to create a real home for themselves during their time in London. Yet extended stay furnished apartments offer all this too, without committing you to a tenancy agreement. Extended stay apartments offer more space and that ‘home away from home’ vibe that anonymous hotel rooms simply don’t.
Services and amenities
What’s more, extended stay apartments are more likely to come with services such as housekeeping and laundry than standard rental apartments. This is incredibly helpful when your days are full of work, and the last thing you want to do when you return is to work through a long list of chores.
Location
Most extended stay apartments in London, UK are frequently used by companies to temporarily house their employees and clients. As a result, the most successful ones are located in desirable areas close to attractions, shopping, entertainments, restaurants, and other amenities. They also tend to be located close to the city centre and have excellent transport links nearby in order to make commutes simple and easy.
So if you have an area in mind for your stay in London, you can bet that you’ll find extended stay apartments there.
Extended Stays At Dolphin Square
Let’s take a look through the keyhole of one of Dolphin Square’s elegant one-bedroom apartments.
Our fully furnished one-bedroom apartment on the ninth floor boasts contemporary, sophisticated interiors, with a total floor space of 552 square feet. This light and airy space, with clean lines and bright yellow colour pops, is bound to make any resident feel right at home. This beautiful accommodation starts from £750 per week, although we do offer lower prices one-bedroom apartments should cost be a concern.
Residents of the apartment also benefit from access to Dolphin Square’s resident gym, swimming pool, tennis courts, squash courts, and Moroccan Spa, ensuring optimal wellness during their extended stay. There’s also the upscale Bar & Grill, and our shopping arcade, for some retail therapy or a cool glass of white wine after a long day in the office.
Further to this, our apartments all benefit from 24-hour security, ensuring our residents’ safety, as well as housekeeping services. If you like the sound of historic Dolphin Square’s exquisite luxe apartments, and the many amenities that complement them, you can book your extended stay here.
Conclusion
As we’ve discussed above, extended stay apartments are the perfect solution when your stay in London is too long to stay in a hotel but too short to go through the rigmarole of renting. Love the sound of Dolphin House’s luxury extended stay apartments?
