The Alternatives to Corporate Housing
When looking for extended stay accommodations, business travelers don't need to settle for plain, old corporate housing
4 Min Read
4 Min ReadIt’s easy to get tunnel vision when it comes to choosing a place to live. Perhaps you want a place where you can set permanent roots down. Or, maybe you prefer something like a hotel that you have absolutely no commitment to. However, the fact of the matter is that life is rarely so black and white.
There are a variety of situations that may leave even the savviest professional not sure where they should stay, and these can include the following:
- Relocating to a new city due to a transfer and needing temporary housing while finding a permanent home
- Extended business projects (7-10 months) that have a set end date
- Shorter business travel trips where you want to maintain the level of privacy and affordability you can’t get through a hotel
Targeting and addressing the flaws in a good concept
As a start, when it comes to corporate housing companies, you need to make sure that you don’t fall into the same issue that you would with a bad landlord. For example, is there a clear chain of command for you to reach out to when it comes to trouble with your accommodations? What about if you have a complaint and think it is being ignored?
One major issue with owned corporate housing that your company provides is that you may be a bit reluctant to raise issues because it is technically related to your workplace. In addition, if you are relocating temporarily as a part of your job, you may have a lack of connections in your area to lean on if trouble pops up.
Also, with corporate housing, be sure that you have a full understanding of what you will be responsible for. A lot of this is on you as a renter to ask. For example, will your property be fully furnished? Are there any additional packages you can opt for in terms of furniture or supplies? In addition, a good corporate housing company may have city guides, so make sure you ask.
Knowing your alternatives as a corporate renter
If you’re not happy with the housing options you find, there are other options on the table. However, there’s no guarantee that these are perfect for you either. Here are some of the alternatives.
A local hotel
Financially, staying in a hotel for the long-term is extremely costly. So, unless you can work out a lower rate, it won’t be feasible. If you are only staying for a few weeks, you may give it some consideration.
However, there are still issues. Perhaps the biggest thing is that hotels aren’t really geared for living in over an extended period of time. They are really just a place to rest when you’re in town for a specific activity. From the noise of vacationers in the other rooms to housekeeping popping in at inopportune times, it’s difficult for the business traveler to be their most productive in a hotel. Given the smaller unit size, you can hope for a kitchenette at best and a seating area in place of a living room.
Airbnb
Airbnb is more similar to having a formal place to stay than a hotel, but this is primarily geared towards tourists and travelers looking for budget accommodations for less than two weeks. It’s not a good fit for the average business traveler who needs a home for an extended period of time.
This means that it may be difficult to reach out to the property owner for questions or services that you may need. In addition, Airbnb properties can run the gamut in terms of location and quality. You will need to spend a lot of time and due diligence to make sure the property matches your needs, especially if you are planning a stay of a month or more.
Staying with friends or family
While this is a feasible option, there’s little guarantee that you will have kin or good pals:
- Living close enough to your new workplace for a reasonable commute.
- With enough space for you and them to live comfortably.
Blueground furnished apartments
One final alternative, and perhaps the most effective, is for extended business travelers or relocating professionals to pursue accommodations with Blueground. They operate all properties end-to-end, meaning that you will book, be welcomed, and have requests dealt with by the same team.
However, you also get all the benefits of corporate housing, like far greater value compared to hotel rooms. As well as properties close to the hearts of major international cities like New York, Dubai, San Francisco, and Istanbul.
Some other notable advantages Blueground has over corporate housing include:
- A guest app to handle issues like laundry, cleaning, grocery delivery requests, and ride-hailing services
- Tastefully furnished spaces done by an interior design team
- State-of-the-art home entertainment including WiFi speakers, Smart TV, and Chromecast
The Blueground team also works with HR coordinators and relocation experts in situations where the company is covering the bill. A number of major multinationals like Coca-Cola, HBC and Samsung choose Blueground’s furnished apartments for relocating employees.
