What is corporate housing? How is it different from other furnished accommodations and who is it for? Does a company set it up or can you find your own place to stay?
Discover all you need to know about corporate housing—the ins, the outs, and the answers to your questions below.
What is corporate housing?
First things first: let’s set a quick definition of corporate housing.
Corporate housing is a full-service housing solution with amenities included. It is a move-in ready furnished apartment or home that you can rent on a short or long-term basis. The naming of a corporate apartment comes from its usefulness to “corporate” professionals who may travel from one location to another quite frequently.
Think of a hotel, except instead of booking just a room with a mini-fridge and a coffee maker, you receive everything you’d get in a regular home, such as a kitchen stocked with appliances and cookware, a bedroom with a closet, storage areas, in-unit washer/dryer, and possibly even a desk or home office set up for work.
Unlike hotels, corporate housing is both a product and a service. The product is the apartment or house, and the service is a housing package that includes amenities such as maintenance, housekeeping, and 24-hour customer service.
You might be thinking, “okay, well, what’s the difference between furnished housing and corporate housing?”
Corporate housing is designed for people conducting business during their stay. As such, the amenities are more luxury-focused to aid in a productive and successful trip. For instance, corporate apartments will most likely be in a building with amenities that promote health and wellness, like fitness centers, yoga studios, and pools, or contain business-related amenities like coworking areas or conference rooms. The apartments themselves may contain high-speed internet and a desk, too, for working at home.
Who is corporate housing for?
Corporate housing caters to business travelers, remote workers, digital nomads, or individuals and families temporarily relocating to a new destination. We say “cater” because these homes are mainly developed for workers needing a brief housing option without the stress of hunting furniture, signing a lease, and seeking a prime business-centered location. However, anyone relocating can book one of these corporate housing spots if it aligns with your budget and you are okay staying for a minimum of 30 days.
Booking your own accommodation
You might encounter some booking barriers when seeking corporate housing. For instance, if a company books on your behalf, they might need to learn what makes your living space a happy, relaxing place.
Thankfully, you can also hold the power to book your own corporate housing accommodation, and a company doesn’t need to find a home for you.
Want to avoid perusing endless websites to find your ideal spot? We recommend starting your search at Anyplace, where you’ll find corporate housing solutions built for remote workers seeking a home tailor-made for temporary relocation. Every apartment is furnished and includes an equipped workspace with everything you need for a productive stay: a height-adjustable desk, ergonomic chair, widescreen monitor, wireless keyboard and mouse, and other office gear.
Pros of corporate housing
Is corporate housing for you? Let’s dive into the list of pros.
Fully furnished
Are you relocating for a short period? The last thing you want is to rent a truck, battle for furniture on online marketplaces, and sift through thrift shops. If furniture shopping is your hobby, though, hats off to you! Thankfully, furniture and every amenity, item, or fork you need for a comfortable stay come with corporate housing. So, sink into your couch after a long work day with a glass of wine in hand, relishing in the fact that you didn’t have to buy a single thing in your new, temporary home.
Prime Locations
Most corporate housing locations sit dab smack in – or very close to – business hubs. What could be better than a super short work commute and then coming home to a furnished place?
Stocked Kitchen
Can you imagine staying in a tiny hotel room for thirty days or more? One where your living room is in your kitchen (basically, a mini fridge and a kettle), and your kitchen is in your bedroom? Corporate housing grants the chance to sprawl out and enjoy a stocked kitchen with the necessities to mirror a home-away-from-home feel.
Flexible Stays
The nature of corporate housing is that it is created for people who plan to be somewhere for a length of time but not necessarily live there full-term. That said, you can rent corporate apartments on flexible terms – for one month, 65 days, or 180 days – without having to sign a lease.
Cons of corporate housing
Now, let’s look into a short list of the cons.
Price
This is the obvious one. As you might expect, a furnished corporate apartment will be more expensive than an unfurnished unit. Corporate housing costs may look extravagant compared to renting an apartment. But remember that with corporate housing, you don’t have to sign a long-term lease, spend money decorating your space with furniture and art, buy cookware, or pay to set up utilities and internet.
Quick things to note
- Length of stay: A quick reminder that corporate housing typically requires a 30-day minimum booking. If you need less, a hotel might be a better option. We advise checking if you can easily extend your stay during the booking process. You never know if your workplace will demand you hang around for an additional 30 days.
- Pets: It is possible to find pet-friendly corporate housing. Just be sure to double-check the fine print before you book.
- Housekeeping: The frequency of cleaning at a corporate apartment may differ depending on the level of service provided. Some spaces deliver the luxury of weekly or monthly housekeeping, but others may not.
Corporate housing summary
Corporate housing creates a chance for business travelers, remote workers, globe trotters, contractors, and digital nomads to find cozy, spacious accommodations built for work with an array of amenities. The bottom line: corporate housing fuses the best part of hotels and furnished accommodation to create an ideal home for all temporary residents. In sum, a few corporate housing perks:
- Fully furnished spaces to work and relax
- All amenities and utilities included
- Stocked kitchen
- Flexible terms
- No landlords
So what are you waiting for? Book your corporate home today!
Where to next? Find monthly rentals designed for remote workers on Anyplace.
