SERVICED APARTMENTS


Ascott’s harnessing of millennial power to create its young brand Lyf was an inspired move and in 2017 the company launched its first living lab to field-test Iyf with the Singapore Management University (SMU) and its students. Staycity focuses on making everything easy for guests and strives to provide a consistently high standard throughout its properties. Interestingly, Yotel promises to “work smarter, not harder”, harnessing technology to assist teams so that they have free time to spend with customers and to speed up less edifying experiences through check-in at kiosks or an app. Cycas won Best Employer Award at The Cateys 2018.


WORLDWIDE THERE ARE


apartments, and serviced 1m


73,000 13,000


housing units, across


corporate locations 128 SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2018


“Our intention is to make our hotels the best places to work, as well as stay,” says co-founder John Wagner. “We have always understood how important talented employees are to our commercial success.” Staybridge Suites Liverpool, now in its tenth year of operation, still employs 80 per cent of its original team. Sustainable business practices and “an unrivalled global footprint” are Oakwood’s main differentiators, plus technology on an epic scale. Meanwhile, Select offers high-quality service with a reply to initial enquir- ies guaranteed within two hours.. As Jo Layton, managing director, group commercial sales, The Apartment Service, says: “Savings, service and simplici- ty – we are leading the way for agents across the globe.”


THE WAY FORWARD


At the Serviced Apartment Summit 2018, much of the discussion echoed the concerns raised by the GSAIR’s report. For example, Rachel Newns, hotel product manager for FCM, said while some products could be booked via GDS and were integrated with several plat- forms, with others you had to wait 12 hours for a response. This was echoed by co-founder of Urban Stay, James Swift, who said he struggled between GDS and long stay. “We often get notice that ranges from two months for a longer stay to one day,” he says. Doug Greenwood, director of sales and marketing for Cheval Residences, said customisation was the way forward. Customer experience was critical and capturing information about customers was key.


Bridgestreet’s Mode Arc de Triomphe


Glasgow’s capacity is on the rise


THE ANALYST’S VIEWPOINT


“The UK is showing high occupancies – year-to-date 75.9 per cent – and where we are seeing a decline, supply is increasing. If all the projects in the pipeline come to fruition, we expect triple-digit growth in supply in Glasgow (184 per cent), Manchester (158 per cent) and Liverpool (105 per cent). “This reflects a great confidence,


but it will be difficult for the sector to maintain occupancy levels. If demand does not keep pace, how will that affect average rates? In Edinburgh, Glasgow, Manchester and London, supply is going to outpace demand. Birmingham is doing well because supply growth is muted (37 per cent).” Thomas Emanuel is director of business development, STR


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