A guide to the main employee accommodation options for companies — hotels, serviced apartments, aparthotels and corporate housing — and when to use each.
Employee accommodation is an important consideration for businesses operating across multiple locations. Companies may need temporary housing for newly hired employees, relocated staff, consultants, project workers and international employees.
Hotels are suitable when employees require services and flexibility.
Serviced apartments provide additional living space and residential facilities.
Aparthotels combine hotel services with apartment-style accommodation.
Corporate housing can provide furnished accommodation for extended assignments.
Monthly accommodation can be suitable when employees stay for 30 nights or more. Rather than repeatedly extending short bookings, the company can arrange a structured long-term stay.
Companies may benefit from centralised accommodation, better budgeting, easier employee management, consistent standards, flexible extensions, and reduced administrative work.
Dubai's business environment creates demand for accommodation near major commercial districts. Companies should consider employee travel time as an important factor when selecting properties.
Indian cities also have extensive hotel and serviced-apartment markets suitable for corporate employees. Companies should consider location, transport, safety, facilities and monthly pricing.
China's major commercial hubs — Shanghai, Beijing, Shenzhen, Guangzhou, Hangzhou, Chengdu, and Hong Kong — have fast-growing demand for long-stay corporate accommodation as multinational companies expand teams, relocate staff, and run extended projects across the region.
Companies sourcing accommodation in China should compare monthly serviced-apartment rates, proximity to business districts (e.g. Shanghai's Lujiazui and Jing'an, Shenzhen's Futian and Nanshan, Beijing's Chaoyang and Haidian), and whether bulk or group rates are available for teams of 10, 50, or 100+ employees.
Employee accommodation should be treated as part of workforce planning. A professional corporate accommodation strategy can make relocation and project deployment significantly easier, whether the workforce is based in Dubai, India, China, or anywhere else globally.
