When it comes to finding corporate accommodation in London, there’s an overwhelming amount of choice. This is a city with hundreds of thousands of hotel rooms. While there’s no central registry to provide a completely accurate figure, one estimate taken when we put in our bid for the 2012 Olympics gave 123,000 rooms in the Greater London area. Given this was a decade ago, this number has almost certainly increased in the meantime.
And on top of that, the serviced apartment and executive rental industries are burgeoning. Airbnb has taken the capital by storm, and hundreds of companies are offering private non-hotel accommodation. So, if you’re travelling for business, or you’re booking accommodation on behalf of corporate clients, where do you begin? How do you sift through the thousands of options at your fingertips, and find the right room?
What is the difference between an executive rental and a serviced apartment?
First up, let’s take a quick look at definitions. You’ll see both of these terms reasonably often, along with synonyms like ‘corporate letting’ and ‘serviced accommodation’.
What is a serviced apartment?
A serviced apartment is a furnished apartment with all the amenities you’d expect from a residential let. They’re designed to provide more privacy than a hotel room and to foster a sense of being home-from-home. The idea is that you open your front door, step inside, and immediately feel at home, regardless of how long you’ll be staying.
Inside a serviced apartment, you’ll find a bedroom complete with cupboard space, a bathroom, a kitchenette with all the appliances you need for cooking, and maybe a separate living space. The apartment will also be professionally managed and regularly cleaned, usually by a dedicated maid service. Serviced apartments are designed to be convenient and inviting. They are often available for any length of stay - from one night to several months. Someone travelling on business can book themselves into a serviced apartment to use as a base for their trip, or a corporate letting agent can make such a booking on their behalf.
What is an executive rental?
An executive rental is a short-term let, usually for three months or more. The facilities and amenities are similar to a serviced apartment - in fact, both letting options may be available for the same property - but with the view to act as ‘home’ for a little bit longer.
An executive rental can either be used by one person, by a group for the whole rental duration or as and when required by various people making trips to the city. The former is great for somebody visiting a city for a long project: A nice middle-ground for when the cost of a hotel would become prohibitive but moving into their own property would be unrealistic. In the latter example, a company can take on an executive rental for a long period and offer it to any of their employees making short visits to the city. Perhaps for meetings, courses, or even personal trips.
Finding the right short term rental for your client
If you’re making corporate bookings for your clients, here are some pointers to find them the perfect space.
Establish the length of their stay
First and foremost, you’ll need to know how long they’ll be visiting. This determines whether a serviced apartment or an executive rental is the best fit. At Dolphin Square, our executive rentals have a minimum length of 90 days.
Establish the size of the group
A solo traveller will do well in a studio apartment: Space perfectly proportioned to their needs. Our studio apartments feature a large bedroom with king-size bed and window to let in natural light. Each kitchenette comes with an oven, a fridge, and the various utensils required to cook your favourite meals.
Larger groups may require a one-bedroom or two-bedroom apartment, depending on who wants to sleep where. Whereas a studio apartment combines the living area and bedroom into one space, one and two-bed apartments offer a dedicated living space where visitors can rest, relax, and recharge. You can view our available studio, one-bedroom, and two-bedroom executive rentals here.
Establish the budget
Across London, you’ll find short term corporate lettings in every price bracket, and booking within your client’s budget is essential. Once the budget is established, it’s a case of weighing up options and finding the best let. Some short term rentals provide a space to live and not much else - no amenities, no on-site restaurant. Others, like Dolphin Square, offer a selection of additional extras to enhance the experience of anyone staying with us. Namely, the DSQ Gym, the Spa, and the Dolphin Square Bar & Grill, all of which are available to use by any of our residents.
We also offer three levels of apartment, each with its own distinctive style, and each designed to suit a different budget. Value apartments are clean, compact, and functional. In these spaces, cost-efficiency takes priority. Expect comfort, natural light, and practicality.
Standard apartments come with a view of our gardens, or the river Thames. The furniture is slightly more luxurious, and the spaces more generously sized. This is our most popular rental choice. Luxe is our premium apartments, which have undergone recent, in-depth renovations. These spaces are stunning, and their contemporary interiors are guaranteed to impress even the most particular clients.
Dolphin Square - perfect for your clients
As you can see, a short term rental at Dolphin Square ticks all of the corporate travel boxes. Your clients will be stunned at the levels of comfort, service, and luxury. They’ll feel like they’re home-from-home, and this will put them in good stead to make the most of their trip.
Whatever your budget, and whatever the length of your client’s trip, we’ve got a short term executive rental to suit. Our corporate lettings team will be happy to discuss your needs and match you with the right executive rental for your client.
