Prestige Blog

Award winning apartments

Wed, 04 Apr 2012 09:11:10 GMT

We'd like to congratulate Collingham Serviced Apartments in London who have just been awarded the Travellers' Choice 2012 Winner and Voted 6th BEST HOTEL IN ENGLAND for Families.

This charming serviced apartment building is set in a beautiful garden square in leafy South Kensington and is an ideal base for exploring all that London has to offer.

Added Value Benefits at Fraser

Thu, 20 Oct 2011 09:52:37 GMT

Fraser Suites Kensington and Fraser Residence Prince of Wales Terrace are both offering some special rates and exclusive complimentary services on bookings which start before 30th November.

In addition to their usual exception service - whether keeping an eye on your fish tank or the way you like your pillows fluffed - which ensure that their residents always feel it is more than a pleasure to stay, they are also offering some value added benefits.

Complimentary services exclusively for this promotion include:

One way airport transfers*
Early check in and late check out*
Free internet access
Signature welcome amenities

For more information on this please contact our bookings team on 020 7704 6514.

* subject to availability

Report on Serviced Apartments - PA Magazine

Fri, 13 May 2011 15:07:55 GMT

Prestige Apartments features in this months PA Magazine in their article all about Serviced Apartments - Are You Being Served?

This is a report on Serviced apartments with a focus on Prestige Apartments and the services we offer.

The full article can be viewed via the following link - check out pages 20 and 21!!

http://www.issuu.com/peterdasilva/docs/london_pa_magazine_spring_2011

By Alexandra Wood

Spring offer at Yourspace Cambridge

Fri, 13 May 2011 08:11:37 GMT

Thinking of a last minute getaway? Make the most of May and stay in a stunning serviced apartments in Cambridge. When you reserve a 2 or 3 bedroom serviced apartment at Yourspace Apartments Cambridge and for nights between 12th - 31st May you'll receive a 5% discount off our short, mid and long stay rates!

Chose from: Paradise Street Apartments; The Hamiltons; Riverside Apartments; Manor House; Garden Court; Market Rise or Meadowcroft Apartments

Subject to availability. Please quote WEB04 when enquiring or booking.

East End of London walking tour

Wed, 11 May 2011 09:09:01 GMT

196 Bishopsgate has come up with an interesting extra for their special weekend rates - a free place on a walking tour of the East End of London. The rates are available when you book one of these luxury serviced apartments from as low as £114 pn plus VAT and includes complimentary continental breakfast & daily maid service. These weeekend promotional rates on the serviced apartments are only available to guests who stay only at the Weekend (Friday, Saturday, or Sunday), are strictly subject to availability.

For further information on this building and all it's amenities go to 196 Bishopsgate

Serviced Apartments - Rising to the Challenge

Fri, 13 May 2011 08:47:52 GMT

There's a great article about Serviced Apartments in Re:locate magazine this month and we also get a mention! Here's a precis of the key points.

Serviced accommodation: Rising to the challenge

At Re:locate, we recognise that the fast-growing serviced accommodation sector is of great importance to companies relocating employees around the UK or sending assignees overseas - particularly as the global economy starts to recover and different parts of the world respond in different ways. Perhaps not surprisingly in our increasingly global environment, a Deloitte poll in 2010 showed that 80 per cent of business travellers expected to take at least as many, if not more, business trips in 2011 as they did in 2010.

As the global upturn gets into its stride, the signs are that business travel is on the increase. Fiona Murchie looks at how the serviced apartment industry is meeting the needs of people on the move, and meets some of its key players.

A growing industry

Serviced accommodation is now seen as a real alternative to hotels, with all of the service combined with more flexibility. Final 2010 figures from the Association of Serviced Apartment Providers (ASAP) confirm that demand continued to increase steadily last year.

Average overall occupancy for London was 89 per cent for the year overall, up three percentage points on 2009. Quarter 3 delivered the highest occupancy for the year, averaging 94 per cent from July to September.

For the rest of the UK, the overall occupancy for 2010 was 76 per cent (up four percentage points on 2009), with Quarter 3 once again proving to be the best-performing quarter, achieving an average occupancy of 81 per cent for July, August and September.

Serviced accommodation has claimed to be nationwide, but in reality there are, at present, only around 70 UK locations. However, the number has increased dramatically since last year.

Attending the Business Travellers Show in February, I was encouraged by the regional facilities emerging, which reflect shortages in particular areas. Outside London, Cotels caters for the hub of activity in Milton Keynes and the outlying areas, with major offices for well-known brands, such Argos, Homebase, T Systems and Red Bull Racing. Nearby Northampton has Carlsberg, Coca Cola and Barclaycard, which create more demand.

Other recent new openings by ASAP members include properties in Nottingham, Norwich, Salisbury, Farnborough, Bournemouth and Swansea. Roomspace Serviced Apartments has opened new apartments in Windsor, within easy reach of the business parks of Staines and Slough. The M3 and M4 corridors are already well catered for.

Scotland has a long history of serviced accommodation, with demand from the oil industry in Aberdeen and the mix of tourism, business and financial-sector needs in Edinburgh and Glasgow, and remains buoyant

Flexibility - and knowing what you're getting

It is important that corporate users know exactly what level of accommodation they are purchasing. Serviced accommodation can range from basic to luxurious, with everything in between.

The model of servicing the core needs of the business traveller first, and then providing value-added extras, is an increasingly popular one, enabling serviced accommodation providers to offer everyone what they want.

Savvy business travellers and assignees want hotel standards with home-from-home comforts that reflect their business and personal lifestyle preferences. Providers are now offering a worldwide brand that will appeal to corporate users across the globe, and want their customers to request their product not only in the UK and the US but wherever they may travel to.

Tips for choosing serviced accommodation

If you are new to finding short-term accommodation, or your normal provider is fully booked, how do you find the right solution for your employee? Try getting personal recommendations from contacts, and find out who the companies you are considering are affiliated with, what accreditations they have, and what associations they belong to.

And don't forget the obvious - read the small print and check the terms and conditions, including the cancellation policy and criteria for getting your deposit back.

Booking and online

With the big providers already at around 80 per cent occupancy or higher, how can those new to the concept of serviced accommodation take advantage of it?

The obvious answer is to use a booking agency. However, things are, perhaps, not as clear as they might be, as some providers are operators and booking agents. If you go to your favourite operator/agent, they will endeavour to find you compatible property within their network, and they go to great lengths to try and match the quality.

If you are time pressed, rather than search all the providers yourself, you can use the services of a specialist booking agency.

Choosing a booking agent

"Most individuals would be able to find a serviced apartment, but a little knowledge can be a dangerous thing, and, to ensure the very best results, the services of a specialist are required," says Richard Majewski, who has been in the industry for many years and is one of the founder members of the Serviced Apartment Bookers Association (SABA).

The association brings agents and property providers together, with the aim of encouraging greater communication and trust, thus engendering a better trading environment, which can only be of benefit to the client. It is currently developing Codes of Conduct to protect all parties, which will be represented by the SABA logo.

I asked Richard for his advice for corporate clients and relocation professionals on choosing a good booking agency - what to look for and how to check them out.

"After the summer, look for the SABA logo," Richard advises. "Otherwise, there is actually no way of telling or being able to trust by website alone. Contact details with phone number are a good sign, but misrepresentation and fraud are widespread, and clients should gauge according to the availability and responsiveness of the agent.

"If you don't use a reputable booking agent, you could lose the money you paid to book the apartment - and the possibility of staying anywhere, if there is no alternative accommodation available. That means also loss of money on travel expenses and wasted time.

"I should add that not only agents but also properties need to be reputable - and that is why it is so important for SABA to bring together both agents and providers to safeguard and benefit the clients."

It is well worth doing, because searching can be a time-consuming business, and, as another SABA founder member, Alex Wood, puts it, " You need total confidence in your supplier and your booker to ensure the wellbeing of the employee and the overall success of the relocation or business trip. Make sure you are dealing with reliable and dependable people who are able to handle queries quickly and efficiently."

To see the full article visit: www.relocatemagazine.com

By Alexandra Wood

Growth in the serviced apartment sector

Fri, 13 May 2011 08:34:45 GMT

ASAP has reported continued growth in the serviced apartment sector which is great news for the coming year.

Final 2010 figures released by the Association of Serviced Apartment Providers (ASAP) confirm that demand for serviced apartments continued to increase steadily last year. Average overall occupancy in serviced apartments for London was 89% for the year overall, up three percentage points on 2009. Quarter 3 delivered the highest occupancy for the year, averaging 94% from July to September. The average net weekly rental rate in London was £907, showing an increase of 7.5% on the 2009 figure of £843. For the rest of the UK, the overall occupancy in Serviced Apartments for 2010 was 76% (up four percentage points on 2009), with Quarter 3 once again proving to be the best-performing quarter, achieving an average occupancy of 81% for July, August and September. The average net weekly rental rate for the regions grew to £594, an encouraging 10% increase on the 2009 figure of £538.

2010 saw the serviced apartment sector expand to many secondary cities in the UK. Recent new openings by ASAP's members include properties in Nottingham, Windsor, Norwich, Salisbury, Farnborough, Bournemouth and Swansea.

For more information visit: www.theasap.org.uk

By Alexandra Wood

Acccommodation during the London Olympics

Mon, 16 May 2011 14:19:08 GMT

Many of our clients are already asking about accommodation during the Olympics and it certainly looks like it's going to be a challenging time for Serviced Accommodation providers.

The opening ceremony of the London 2012 Olympics will take place on 27 July and the closing ceremony 16 days later, on 12 August. Taking into account the build-up in the weeks beforehand, as well as the numbers of people who will be staying on to enjoy tourist and cultural attractions in the capital and further afield, the disruption could last for weeks. The Paralympics, which run from 29 August to 9 September, will also impact on the short-term property picture around that time.

I'm recommend that our clients plan ahead now to ensure their needs are met and now is the time to start managing their expectations!

We're suggesting that they consider what their normal volume of inbound assignees would be over the summer months, and how can they manage numbers for 2012. For example they could change dates or locations of graduate programs to take into account the Olympics. Re-arrange when projects are due to start or finish that might require more personnel to be moved to London. They may also need to revise budgets to take into account potentially inflated prices if they do need to bring people here during that time. They should also make their staff are aware of the capability for bringing spouses or children with them. Larger apartments will be at a premium in particular and so this should be discouraged during the Olympic period.

The serviced apartment providers themselves mostly seem to be taking the attitude of business as usual. The London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games (LOCOG) has taken a small allocation of apartments with some providers but most companies are viewing their existing relationships as the main importance and are trying to protect their corporate clients. Many serviced apartment providers are not taking advanced bookings for the 2012 Olympic period however, with the usual seasonal increase in demand and the extra Olympic requirements, it's likely that there will still be a big shortfall in availability of service apartments.

The serviced apartment buildings that are taking advanced bookings are certainly taking advantage of the increase in rentals that they can demand and mostly are already fully booked. All very well in the short term but it's a risky strategy for their long term business.

By Alexandra Wood