{"id":41961,"date":"2015-08-06T18:00:38","date_gmt":"2015-08-06T17:00:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.voyages-d-affaires.com\/longs-sejours-toute-la-planete-en-residences-20150806.html"},"modified":"2016-02-10T10:33:10","modified_gmt":"2016-02-10T09:33:10","slug":"long-stays-all-over-the-world-in-residences","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.voyages-d-affaires.com\/en\/long-stays-all-over-the-world-in-residences","title":{"rendered":"Long stays: residences all over the world"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Looking for a nicely appointed two-bedroom apartment in one of Paris' finest districts, with all modern comforts and tastefully decorated<\/em>\"Near the Trocadero, the new Citadines Suites meets the expectations of all those executives who are increasingly called upon for long assignments.<\/span><\/p>\n

Engineers from Toyota have come to Munich to strengthen the technological links between the Japanese manufacturer and BMW; an executive from Telefonica is managing the acquisition of the German operator EPlus by the Spanish multinational; Indian IT specialists and a family of Russian expatriates with their two children... it's a bit of a miniature world that meets in the corridors of the Adagio Access in the Bavarian metropolis. Opened at the end of last year, this residence has immediately embraced globalisation. This is hardly surprising, given that welcoming travelling executives is the raison d'\u00eatre of long-stay establishments, adding the comfort of private accommodation to key hotel services such as reception, cleaning and breakfast.<\/p>\n

The road warrior's rest<\/h2>\n

Their studios and flats, which are larger than a traditional hotel room, have all the basics of everyday life, a small kitchen and sometimes a washing machine and tumble dryer when these are not shared in a reserved area. This gives travellers the freedom to relax in peace and quiet rather than go out for dinner in town. It's a formula that appeals especially to the \"road warrior\", the frequent traveller who has seen thousands of rooms in his or her working life, and has found himself or herself alone at a table in hundreds of restaurants. A report produced for Homewood Suites by the Skift website shows that the typical residence customer is in his forties, well established in his career and looking for a good night's rest.<\/p>\n

For all these executives under house arrest for varying lengths of time, these establishments play on their family-friendly, good-natured side. John Wagner, Director of Cycas Hospitality, which manages the Staybridge Suites London Vauxhall, sums up the spirit that reigns in this establishment as follows. \"It's a hotel where you come to live temporarily, not for a night or two,<\/em> he explains. Guests are encouraged to sit by the fireplace and relax, petting Waggers, the hotel dog, who will cheer them on after a long day at the office, or to come and have a drink and mingle with other guests at the social events we offer every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.<\/em>\". But to ensure that its customers are not cut off from their families either, Residence Inn has launched an original initiative in the United States in partnership with Cricket Media. This publisher of interactive books offers the Story Bug application, which uses a video call to read the evening's story to your child while reading the same book on an iPad, miles away.<\/p>\n

After all, it's not just Coco Chanel or Michel Polnareff who appreciate hotel life. Although they are generally less luxurious than the Ritz or the Royal Monceau, some customers feel so good in their residence that they stay there. Vangelis Porikis, Director of Central and Northern Europe for Adagio aparthotel, cites the example of a photographer who lives between Paris and Brussels and \"... feels at home in his hotel.who has made the Adagio in the Belgian capital his main residence<\/em>\"or a customer in Geneva who \"sees the establishment as his pied-\u00e0-terre in the city, and returns to his second home at the weekend<\/em>\". In Asia, very long stays are even more common. \"Many of our Somerset customers have been with us for more than 10 years,<\/em> comments Alfred Ong, Managing Director of the Ascott Group. Since they want a great deal of privacy, the service must be discreet. For example, unlike in a hotel, staff are not expected to greet customers as soon as they walk through the door.<\/em>\"<\/p>\n

\"The<\/p>\n

\"The<\/p>\n

Temporary expatriation<\/h2>\n

Through hotel residences, companies are finding a way to offer their employees the feeling of being at home, even when they are travelling. This is also a response to changes in the labour market. In Europe, as it is relatively easy to spend the week working away from home and return home at the weekend, short but regular assignments are on the increase. Conquering new markets, managing mergers, running projects over several months: according to a survey carried out by ECA International, 60 % of companies worldwide expect to see an increase in temporary expatriations in the coming years. Guus Bakker, Managing Director of Frasers Residences operations for Europe, the Middle East and Africa, notes that \"Expatriation budgets have shrunk. Whereas executives used to leave with their whole family, now they spend a few months alone before their loved ones join them. As a result, our residences will feature fewer flats and more studios.<\/em>\"<\/p>\n

As well as meeting the needs of their nomadic executives, long-stay hotels also have a number of financial arguments to make to appeal to companies. In addition to the advantageous sliding scale prices, there is the prospect of lower expenses, as travellers spend less time in restaurants. As business customers are the main target of long-stay establishments, their results confirm that large companies are adopting the model. According to analyst STR, in the United States, average annual occupancy exceeds 75 %. In France, it is close to 70 % according to Deloitte In Extenso, while occupancy rates are approaching 80 % in Germany and the UK according to specialist HVS.<\/p>\n

Much more than a niche market, the extended-stay hotel sector has established its own soundtrack in the world of accommodation. Since the first Residence Inn opened in the United States in 1975, the big names in accommodation - Marriott, Hilton, Hyatt, IHG and Hyatt - have embraced the segment, taking over Residence Inn, Homewood Suites, Candlewood Suites and Summerfeld Suites respectively, and renaming them Hyatt House. In Europe and Asia, with the exception of the Adagio brand launched jointly by Accor and Pierre & Vacances, the growth of the concept has been driven mainly by pure players in the long-stay sector. Citadines in France, Ascott and Frasers in Asia: all these names appeared in the 1980s and have come a long way since then.<\/p>\n

While travellers have had time to discover and appreciate this concept, a new phase is now underway. After the functionality of the early days, the residences are now being enriched with a distinctly modern touch. Ascott, which took over Citadines in 2002, has just completed a complete renovation of the brand's establishments in Europe, investing over 100 million euros. Gone are the fold-out sofas and forgotten carpets: in their place are real beds, parquet flooring and a decoration in very contemporary tones. \"At the same time, we are abandoning the Prestige category that we created to differentiate new-generation establishments from older ones.<\/em>\"says Alfred Ong. However, the group is not abandoning its upmarket ambitions. Its five-star Citadines Suites has just appeared for the second time in Paris, near the Trocad\u00e9ro. The Citadines Suites Arc de Triomphe has a less boutique feel than the one opened two years ago a stone's throw from the Louvre, and is much more contemporary. The establishment brings together in a single building the former Hotel Costes K, designed by architect Ricardo Bofill, and a Haussmann-style building housing 35 suites designed for long stays, reproducing the cosy, elegant atmosphere of a Parisian flat.<\/p>\n

Chic and Lifestyle<\/h2>\n

In the same spirit of Parisian chic, in 2014 Frasers presented the new decor of its luxury residence on the Champs-\u00c9lys\u00e9es, following a complete renovation by interior designer Pascal Allaman. Now it's the turn of Frasers' other flagship in Europe, the London-based Fraser Suites Kensington, to undergo a facelift that should be completed later this year. But above all, to meet the expectations of the e-generation, the Asian group has launched a concept of connected lifestyle residences, Capri by Frasers. Launched in 2012 in Singapore, Capri by Frasers has since conquered new cities, including Kuala Lumpur, Ho Chi Minh City and more recently Barcelona and Brisbane.<\/p>\n

\"1<\/p>\n

This move upmarket is not limited to the top end of the market. \"We are upgrading the layout of our flats<\/em>explains Laurent Noiriel, Deputy Managing Director of R\u00e9side \u00c9tudes. We are installing 160 cm beds in our new S\u00e9jours et Affaires residences and 2 m beds in our three- and four-star Residhome establishments.<\/em>\"Desks and sofas have also been removed, replaced by a round table around which three people can sit.<\/p>\n

For its part, Adagio Access, created following Pierre&Vacances' acquisition of the Citea budget residences, has until now based its development on an old model. However, the company is beginning its transformation with a new concept introduced in Munich. The public areas have been expanded, with a vast room where customers can have breakfast. A co-working area has also been set up in the lobby, with two sofas equipped with power sockets. However, it is above all in the bedrooms that the changes are most noticeable. Large bathrooms equipped with hairdryers, a real wardrobe, a more fully-equipped kitchen than before, including a microwave grill, and high and low tables that guests can move around as they please: the room offers real flexibility of use. To save space, the future Adagio Access units will all be equipped with a special feature already present in the mid-range Adagio chain: a wardrobe bed. Raised, it accommodates a comfortable sofa. Unfolded, it reveals a 160 cm double bed, \"whose quality is equivalent to that found in Mercure<\/em>\"says Vangelis Porikis. In addition, to satisfy last-minute needs, the residence has a mini-market where you can buy the necessities - hygiene products such as toothpaste, but also pasta, crisps and local beers - and a small fitness area. \"This is essential for certain customers, such as touring musicians.<\/em>\"says Maurice Schmider, the school's general manager.<\/p>\n

\"2<\/p>\n

\"Hyatt<\/p>\n

\"We are counting on this new concept to increase our presence in major and secondary towns.<\/em>\"says Vangelis Porikis. For all the groups firmly established on their foundations, the time has come to evangelise outside their original borders. Germany is a new Eldorado in this respect. As the country's financial capital, Frankfurt is the embodiment of the major players in the segment's desire to go elsewhere. After a new Citadines last year, a Capri by Fraser is expected in early summer, near the Frankfurter Messe congress centre. By 2016, Adagio will have moved into a tower block in the city centre, converting former offices for residential use. Like Frankfurt, Germany's business centres are attracting a great deal of interest. Adagio has two projects under way in Dusseldorf and Hamburg, and Frasers will also be setting up in Hamburg within the next two years, as well as in Berlin, near the Museum Insel.<\/p>\n

\"3<\/p>\n

It doesn't take a rocket scientist to work out which destinations are top priorities for these major players. They correspond to the top 20 European business cities. Frasers has welcomed its forthcoming arrival in Geneva, and Adagio has high hopes for its development in the UK. \"After Liverpool last year, we will be opening a store in Birmingham in 2015, then two in London in 2016, as well as one in Edinburgh.<\/em>\"explains Vangelis Porikis. For the Ascott group, the focus is on consolidating its offering. \"We have 28 residences in France, seven in London, four in Germany, two in Brussels and two in Spain,<\/em> sums up Alfred Ong. While we are looking at the possibility of setting up operations in Geneva, Milan or Amsterdam, our main aim is to strengthen our presence in the cities where we already operate. Our aim is to double in size by 2020, both globally and in Europe.<\/em>\"<\/p>\n

Emerging megacities<\/h2>\n

The future of residences is taking shape mainly in emerging countries, where Western multinationals are sending their staff on assignments lasting from a few weeks to several months. Unsurprisingly, Asia is the preserve of the Singaporean groups Ascott and Frasers, who have opened countless new residences in China and the megacities of the southern part of the continent. The two specialists also have numerous projects in the Gulf States and Saudi Arabia. For its part, Adagio is banking on the new business districts that are springing up in the Middle East, but above all on Brazil, with around forty residences expected. Finally, Africa, which has long been left out of the long-stay trend, will see its first residences appear, with a Fraser expected this year in Abuja, the Nigerian capital, followed by a Residence Inn in Kampala, Uganda.<\/p>\n

The development plan for the Marriott group's 'extended stay' brand highlights an emerging trend: brands specialising in long stays are going to have to contend with the ambitions of the leaders in the American hotel industry. With much to do at home, they have long confined themselves to extending their networks across the Atlantic. But they are beginning to open up their fields of investigation. Residence Inn recently opened in Sarajevo and Edinburgh, and will soon be opening in Aberdeen. Element, Starwood's long-stay lifestyle and eco-friendly brand, has already opened a residence at Frankfurt airport in 2014, before Amsterdam and then London in 2017. For business travellers, this new competition should offer great opportunities to find a home sweet home on the road to their business.<\/p>\n

Competition<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Airbnb vs urban residences<\/h2>\n

\"Thirty years ago, we were the 'disruptors' of the market.<\/em>\"Alfred Ong, Managing Director of the Ascott Group, recalls. If, in their early days, long-stay brands shook up the hotel industry, today it's Airbnb's turn to shake up accommodation professionals. There's no need to go into the basics of this global success story here - almost everyone has experienced it, whether they're booking a flat for a long weekend with friends or renting out their own home to tourists passing through. The reason for Airbnb's meteoric rise is to offer travellers the feeling of being at home in spacious flats, with a real kitchen, for example. In short, the selling points of hotel residences...<\/p>\n

Airbnb, which claims nearly 10 % business travellers, is not alone in this niche. On the consumer side, Onefinestay has positioned itself on the rental of very upmarket flats and Housetrip on a more family-oriented segment. But other sites are aimed more directly at business customers, such as Morning Croissant and Magic Event, which makes a point of finding accommodation close to major business events. Hoteliers specialising in long-stay accommodation have two clear answers to counter this parallel market: a uniform quality product and, above all, security. \"Our hotel, which has the latest security standards, has a 24-hour reception. However, the door is closed from 8pm in the evening, so guests have to use a code to get in.<\/em>\"says Maurice Schmider, Director of Adagio Access Munich. And Nancy Faure, Marketing Director of Citadines, adds: \"our staff are trained in risk management. Safety takes on major importance in calls for tender<\/em>\". According to the American Express EVP barometer, security is the second most important concern for companies, after cost reduction.<\/p>\n

France<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Players with ambitions<\/h2>\n

100 for Adagio! With the opening of the Adagio Access Paris Massy Gare TGV, the long-stay brand has just passed a symbolic milestone. Of course, this figure includes around fifteen establishments outside France, but it shows that Adagio is one of the key players in the French market. However, the brand has not been number 1 in France since last year, when Park & Suites acquired Appart City. With 116 residences and more than 13,500 flats, the new leader is now working on merging the two brands, one - Appart City - being entry-level, while the other, Park & Suites, ranges from two to four stars. \"This enables us to offer a complete range of services for all company employees<\/em>It's a new name for Appart'City,\" explains \u00c9milie Sarda, Communications Director for the group, which has changed its name to Appart'City. \"This brand had a higher profile<\/em>says Pierre Denizet, Chairman of Appart City. Although this name should eventually appear on all the establishments, for the moment nothing is being touched so as not to upset regular Park & Suites customers.<\/em>\"<\/p>\n

\"The<\/p>\n

In the meantime, projects once managed by Park & Suites are opening under the Appart City brand, like the residences inaugurated at Strasbourg Entzheim airport in November 2014 and at V\u00e9lizy last January. And the portfolio is set to become progressively more homogenous as a result of renovations, four of which have already been completed, while around ten others are in the pipeline. Above all, a new concept will be unveiled in Bordeaux in June 2016. The only details known are that it will be simple, resolutely modern and easy to roll out across the Group.<\/p>\n

Another key player in the long-stay sector in France, with its budget brand S\u00e9jours et Affaires and its mid-range brand Residhome, the Reside \u00c9tudes group is also continuing to expand.<\/p>\n

In 2015, new establishments are expected in Nanterre for Residhome and in Massy for S\u00e9jours et Affaires. Six more are planned over the next two years, as part of the group's strategy to expand its offering in the Paris region and in major cities such as Nice and Bordeaux, while adding Residhome properties where the group is only present with its S\u00e9jours et Affaires brand.<\/p>\n