Short-Term Housing For Work Trips: Why Furnished Apartments Win Over Hotels Every Time

When you have to travel for work — and stay somewhere for a few weeks or months — a hotel is not really the place you want to be. While there are some hotels that are more like suites, where you have an apartment-like setup, even these can become restricting after a few days. Plus, those suites are expensive even when you stay long-term. An actual apartment, furnished for short-term stays like your work trip, is more economical and a lot more comfortable.

Full Kitchens Mean (Mostly) Better Nutrition

If you rent a real apartment, you get a real kitchen. Not a mini-fridge-and-microwave combination, but cabinets, a pantry, a full-size refrigerator, and an oven. That translates to better nutrition, at least most of the time, as you won't have to eat out for every meal like you might in a hotel. Admittedly some occupants may still order pizza delivery every night, but if you prefer to cook and control your diet, you'll be able to do that. Note that some furnished short-term rentals provide dishes and utensils while others do not.

No Worries About Where to Sleep

You could just rent a regular apartment with a short-term lease, which could be cheaper than a furnished rental geared toward business travelers. But that apartment will most likely be unfurnished, leaving you with no place to sleep until you spend money on a bed, and nowhere to sit unless you like sitting on the floor. So, you get furniture for the place, and then in a few weeks or months, you now have to sell the furniture as you pack and move out. Between buying the furniture and dealing with the hassle of selling it later, renting a furnished apartment starts to look like a much better option.

It's Not Home But Sure Feels Like One

When you travel for business and have to stay somewhere that isn't home, you're not going to fool yourself into thinking it is, no matter where you stay. But renting a furnished apartment for a few weeks or months at least lets you feel like you have a home to go to in that city. The temporary nature of a hotel or extended stay is very evident, from maid cleanings to weekly rent payment procedures. In an apartment, even a corporate complex meant for short-term business travelers, your surroundings look more like you've rented a long-term apartment for an indefinite stay. You can add little touches here and there that help you feel more at home, and your routine can mirror what you had at home to a point.

When you rent, try to see the actual unit you'd be renting. If you're renting from afar, in preparation for a trip, you may be able to have the manager or rental agent give you a video tour of the apartment. Start looking now if you know you have a trip coming up to ensure you have a good chance of getting the unit that you want. Look into furnished apartments in the area you're going to.