Having spent the bulk of my time in hotels and on the road during my time in the USA in the last few months, I'm curious about the size of this market, the types of people that stay there all the time and the incentives they use to reel you in, and keep you there, coming back to the same place for more.
Prior to my time here, I only know of the five-star hotel chains and few others that do serviced apartments (typically defined as a hotel room that are self-contained , ie more than just a bed, bath and bar fridge, and the gym facilities, the pool).
The attractiveness the extended stay apartment is those things that make a hotel room more like a home: the laundry and storage facilities, business centre with library, movie theatre, that extra microwave oven, kitchenette (depending on the location of the establishment - if it is merely for display, or functional.) For someone like me that have been in and out of these extended stay hotels for weeks, this makes a difference. With a stove, pot, microwave, and a decent set of pyrex crockery, one can have healthy meals away from home!
Not everyone, of course, has the luxury of working away from home and having a wife that stays at the hotel during the day to cook (from time to time). What keeps weekly workers coming back to these 'home away from home'? (Given there are so many choices on the same strip of the highway/part of town, and for all sorts of different budgets). Some basic operators might do away with Kool-aid sachets, or mints on the counter. For limited service hotels such as Hampton Inn (operated by Hilton) , it could be cookies, or the takeaway breakfast for those on the go. Free wifi internet access is what draws us all the time. :) Or with extended stay establishments such as Staybridge (operated by Holiday Inn), during the summer we were given pansy seeds, biscuits, lollies, water, that little plastic bag on check-in will keep one slightly happier. :)
The little bit extra that premium chains try to draw people out of their rooms is the provision of breakfasts, and dinner (or sundowner). The menu is a simple buffet style dinner, with beer and perhaps dessert. On a nice day in the summer, one may choose to purchase some steaks (from a supermarket) and use the grill outside, complementing the meats with the salads and beer from the sundowner.
So who stays in these places? There are some who tend to live lives out of extended stay suites, as documented by my friend who runs lemonsuites, it could be a long term solution for those that work near the airport or their construction sites, etc. From my location near the Regional airport and centre for the oil and gas industries in Acadiana, I've met young families that spend their days by the pool, or women who are staying here as their husband just been relocated into this town and they are looking for a house nearby to accomodate the family. Or groups of people in their work suits being briefed by their 'bosses' at the breakfast tables and then setting off to the offices, or chilling out at the bar after work into the late hours. Men with laptops and folders using the dining tables to discuss work, hmm....who says travelling for work is fun?
And why this suite compared to the other suite down the road? which home is 'suite-r'? The fresher softer towels, the occasional service, larger sinks, bigger pots, handier locations, better treadmill, better laundry, less casino-looking carpets, friendlier staff, these are all the things that make a difference. We've established a system of the few extra items of comfort we bring along from week to week, so that we could still enjoy a lifestyle as close to home as possible, whilst being away, and away..
If you ask me, I would still prefer to spend more time in (now) our weekend furnished apartment in H-town, again a huge market for these leased apartments for out-of-towners, that's a story for another day. :)
Further reading:
extended stay hotels (from Wikipedia)
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