YOUR HOME AWAY 
Did you know that Millennials tend to take the most time off per year, at an average of 35 days of vacation per working year? Everyone has their preference for what makes a good restful holiday and one of the biggest things to think about is accommodation. If you plan well, you can take a long vacation with affordable accommodation in an extended-stay hotel.
You might be wondering, “what is an extended-stay hotel?” This handy post will speak to the differences between regular hotels vs extended stay hotels and cover five great reasons why you should pick an extended stay hotel for your next vacation.
Regular-stay hotels focus mainly on catering for overnight stays or only a few nights. It’s not unheard of for hotels to offer a place for travelers to nap between layovers.
Extended-stay hotels aren’t measured by the length of stay. The question is whether they can cater for long comfortable stays. This revolves around the amenities they offer, the types of rooms, and pricing.
Extended-stay hotels are built to cater comfortably for stays as long as a few months. Many of them come with high-speed internet, on-site gyms, kitchens, and other amenities for their guests. Their idea is to give guests a home away from home experience and often at a lower price than regular hotels.
If you’re planning on having a longer vacation, then you should find a long-term option for accommodations. They’re available in many different locations and for a range of budgets.
Vacations can be intimidating when your routine gets limited by your hotel suite. At an extended-stay hotel, you can live your life with no such struggle. You’ll have an in-suite kitchen and on-site laundry.
The kitchens in extended-stay hotel suites have fridges and cabinets for storing any food you may want on your vacation. They also have cutlery, crockery, stoves, and microwaves for preparing your favorite meals.
This gives you the flexibility to prepare any meals the hotel restaurant or room service may not include. You can also save money by making your own food instead of relying on a service.
Extended-stay hotels also have DIY laundry facilities either in the suites or in a communal zone on the property. This allows you to wash your own clothes for re-wearing without having to wait on (and pay for) extra laundry services.
Just because you have the flexibility to take charge of your own dining and laundry doesn’t mean extended stays don’t offer the hotel experience. The main features these hotels take seriously are cleanliness and security. Regular housekeeping services clean suites for guests’ comfort, between different guest groups as well as for guests occupying suites for extended time periods.
Security systems and companies also monitor these hotel properties. You’ll also have access to hotel managers who live on-site to address any concerns you may have.
If you’re the type of family that makes a lot of friends while on a long vacation, then an extended-stay hotel will be perfect for your vacation socializing. Renting two or three-bedroom suites may even allow you to have guests over during your stay. Larger suites with dedicated TV rooms allow you to have gatherings in your hotel room and you only have to worry about the hotel’s noise and safety policies.
This is a great option for long vacations, business trips, and for people living away from home while dealing with responsibilities for extended periods of time. If you’re in a different state for medical reasons or in an emergency, spending up to 12 weeks in an extended-stay hotel is less cramped, cheaper, and more flexible.
One of the most important considerations for your vacation is what you’re going to do with your free time. Having access to high-speed internet is great if you’re a flexible worker looking to catch up on work during your vacation. That same internet, as well as ensured access to streaming services from en-suite TVs, means you can keep yourself entertained with binging and gaming.
If you’re more interested in travel-happy holidays, most extended-stay hotels also offer transport services to surrounding areas. You can skip long drives to different states by flying and still enjoy every bit of the destination as well. Extended-stay hotels can send shuttles to pick you up from the airport and ferry you around town.
For all their benefits extended-stay hotels should cost more, but they don’t! In a regular hotel, you could be paying as much as $390 per night, but in an extended stay hotel, you could get rates closer to the $80 per night range. Extended-stay hotels also offer generous discounts if you stay longer.
The cost of an extended-stay hotel is further mitigated by the included amenities. Where you may pay extra for TV channels and WiFi in a regular hotel, you get them included in the extended stay hotel.
If you’re planning a long vacation or business trip, consider checking into an extended-stay hotel. Extended stay hotels give you the flexibility and autonomy of home with the relaxation and pampering of the hotel experience. If you get a big enough suite you can even enjoy family time and have guests over while still being on vacation.
Extended-stay hotels also make better sense from a budgeting point of view. You don’t pay extra for WiFi and other on-site entertainment, you can organize your own meal budget, and suites are also cheaper on average.
Are you looking for a great extended-stay hotel for your next trip to or through Virginia? Have a look at the affordable and luxurious stay that Affordable Corporate Suites offers. Plan your next trip with us and prepare for unparalleled quality, comfort, and savings.