Most advice about serviced apartments is written for a week-long work trip. A stay of one to six months is a different thing. You are not visiting a city, you are living in it for a while, and the questions that matter change with that.
We have covered the broad comparison before, in short-term vs long-term accommodation and serviced apartments, long stays and short term rentals. This post picks up where those leave off: what the day-to-day of a long stay actually looks like, what changes once you pass 28 nights, and what to ask before you commit.
Somewhere between a hotel and a letting
A hotel is simple to book and easy to leave, but after a fortnight a single room starts to feel small. You eat out most nights, your washing goes to a laundry service or sits in a bag, and there is nowhere to spread out after work.
A letting gives you a proper home, but it is built for people staying a year or more. You usually face a longer minimum term, referencing checks, a deposit, and the job of setting up bills, broadband and furniture. That is a lot of admin for a three-month contract or the gap between selling one house and buying the next.
A serviced apartment gives you the space of a home with the set-up already done. At Hilltop, that means a fully equipped kitchen, laundry facilities, high-speed Wi-Fi, Netflix and proper living space, along with complimentary cleaning, hotel-quality linen and toiletries. You arrive, unpack, and the flat is ready to live in.
What the first month feels like
The first week feels like any trip. By the third it feels like home, and the practical details start to matter.
Cooking becomes routine. On a short stay a kitchen is a nice extra. Over a few months it is the difference between eating well and living on takeaways.
Washing stops being a problem. Laundry facilities in the apartment mean you can pack for a fortnight rather than for the whole stay.
Work and rest need separate spaces. If you are working remotely for part of the week, a table you can leave your laptop on and a sofa at the other end of the room make a real difference. Most of our one, two and three bedroom apartments are open-plan, with the kitchen, dining and living space in one room and the bedrooms separate, so there is room to set up a work spot away from where you sleep.
You get to know the area. Location matters more on a long stay than a short one, because you will be walking that street every day.
What changes at 28 nights
Twenty-eight nights is the point where a stay starts to be treated differently, for two reasons.
The first is VAT. HMRC guidance says that when a guest stays in a hotel or similar establishment, which includes serviced flats not used as a permanent home, for more than 28 days in a row, a reduced value rule applies from day 29. VAT is then charged only on the part of the price that covers facilities and services, not the accommodation itself, and at least 20% of the charge must be treated as facilities, according to HMRC VAT Notice 709/3. The rule does not apply to holiday accommodation, and how it works out depends on the stay, so ask for it to be shown on your quote.
The second is the rate itself. When you book direct with us, stays of seven nights or more qualify for a long stay discount, and stays of 28 nights or more qualify for our best long stay rate, reduced VAT and free late checkout. We factor all of it into your quote.
Questions to ask before you book
A long stay is a bigger commitment than a weekend, so ask a few questions up front.
- How often is the apartment cleaned, and when is linen changed? On our long stays the apartment is changed over once a week, free of charge.
- What happens if my dates change? Projects overrun and house moves slip. Ask about the cancellation policy and whether you can extend. Ours is a 24-hour cancellation policy on bookings made direct with us.
- How do I pay? We offer flexible payment terms and agree them around what you need.
- Is there parking? If you are driving in each day or have a family car with you, check before you book. Our Stockport apartments at Brinksway Mill have free secure parking with EV charging, for example.
- Who do I call when something needs fixing? Our team is based locally and you speak directly with the people managing your stay.
- Can I book more than one apartment? If a team is relocating together, multi-unit discounts are available when you book direct, at every location where we have more than one property.
Who a long stay suits
Contractors and project teams. A three-month contract in Manchester or Sheffield is too long for a hotel and too short for a tenancy. A serviced apartment near the site or office fits neatly in between. Our business travel page covers this in more detail.
Relocating employees. A furnished apartment gives you time to learn a new city before committing to a permanent home. See our relocation page.
Families between homes. When a sale completes before the next purchase, or building work runs over, a family needs more than a hotel room. Space matters most here: our Monton townhouse has four bedrooms and a private garden, and the three-bedroom maisonette in our Lytham St Annes collection has a private garden of its own.
Tell us your dates
If you are planning a stay of a month or longer, the simplest next step is to send us your dates and what you need. We will come back with the right apartment and a direct rate. Get in touch with our team or enquire for dates and rates.
