Top: Skyline, St Dunstan’s Court, Holborn. Below (l-r): Oakwood Farringdon, Oakwood Marylebone


distribution and technology in order to compete for both the business-to-business and consumer segments. “The challenge,” he concludes, “is to keep up with the pace of change and maintain focus on the fact that we’re in hospitality, so guest and client satisfaction is the key to our success.” SACO itself is gearing up for what Harper describes as “a significant phase of growth”, with new aparthotels opening in London, Edinburgh, Aberdeen, Dublin, Glasgow and Amsterdam in the coming two years. The first, a new 80-unit aparthotel in Lon- don’s Cannon Street, opens in February 2016. Harper adds that his firm’s research and client feedback show key priorities for customers include “an easy, conventional booking process, super-fast broadband, safety and security, and, of course, value.”


106 SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2015


“The challenge is to keep up with the pace of change and maintain focus on the fact that guest and client satisfaction is key”


In London, Grosvenor House Apart-


ments by Jumeirah Living has seen “strong growth in corporate guest numbers over the past year”, which it believes is partly driven by “prices creeping into the luxury hotel end of the apartment spectrum


despite the lack of accompanying service” – while many hotels don’t offer the space of an apartment. Hence, it says, a model offering that space with five-star hotel services is proving popular with corporates.


SAVVY TRAVELLERS At The Apartment Service (TAS), manag- ing director of group commercial sales, Jo Layton, says buyers are becoming more savvy – and more demanding. “Demand continues to grow for serviced apartment operators and agents, as travel- lers continue to realise the benefits of the extra space and independence that an apartment has to offer during an extended stay,” she says. “The global, regional and local buyers


are continuing to refine and define their serviced apartment programmes, and are


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