Frequently Asked Questions

A:

All serviced apartments have a fully equipped kitchen or kitchenette. A full kitchen will include an oven and a hob, whilst a kitchenette will include a microwave oven and a fixed hob or portable hot plate; unless otherwise stated. As a minimum, a kitchen or kitchenette must include:

• A cooking appliance such as an oven, microwave, fixed hob or portable hot plate
• A fridge
• Glassware
• Crockery
• Cutlery
• Cooking utensils
• Pots and pans
• Washing up facilities

A:

Dedicated apartment building

These buildings contain only dedicated serviced apartments. They regularly feature a reception or concierge facility onsite.

Aparthotels

This style of serviced apartment combines the qualities of apartments and hotels, providing a serviced apartment in a hotel-type environment. These buildings will often include a 24-hour reception and facilities such as restaurants, bars, meeting rooms, conference facilities, gyms, leisure facilities, parking, and on-site shops.

Individual apartment

These buildings are made up of individual apartments that are operated separately, by either a serviced apartment company or a private landlord.

A: A studio apartment follows a similar style to a hotel; open plan accommodation with everything in one room, except for a separate bathroom. A one bedroom apartment follows a typical apartment layout, with the bedroom and bathroom separate to the living and cooking areas.

A:

Every apartment configuration is different and so are the facilities. There will, however, be certain facilities that you should expect to find in every serviced apartment:

• Kitchen or kitchenette
• Sitting or living area
• Sleeping area
• Bathroom

The majority of properties feature free Wi-Fi and a Freeview TV package. Some apartments have more facilities than others, and you can clarify any of these details when making your enquiry with our team. Alternatively, each property listed on our website has a ‘Facilities’ tab that includes every facility and service that is available to guests in that particular property.

When entering your apartment, you’ll find that all rooms are complete with the type of equipment you would usually find in a home, including:

• Electrical and kitchen appliances
• Furniture
• Soft furnishings
• Kitchenware
• Bedding, all linen, and towels
• Decorative items

A: The majority of serviced apartments will have an internet facility and it’s normally included in the cost of the apartment. For details on possible costs and types of access available, please refer to the ‘Facilities’ tab of the specific property page on our website. Alternatively, make your internet requirements known when you make your enquiry and our Account Management team will provide you with the details in your quote. For any troubleshooting or assistance with access to the internet, please refer to the guest welcome folder in your apartment or contact the property manager using the contact details provided on your confirmation document.

A: A basic welcome pack can be found in most apartments and will contain items like tea, coffee, sugar, water, milk, toilet paper and a bar of soap. Most properties will also provide a small starter pack of dishwashing liquid and dishwasher tablets. Some properties offer an upgraded welcome pack which may contain items like cereal, bread, pasta and sauce, biscuits, fruit or chocolate. Upgraded or more extensive welcome packs are often chargeable and any fee will be specified on the property page.

A:

Check-in can vary from property to property. This could involve a:

• 24-hour reception or concierge service: similar to what you would expect at a hotel  
• Meet and greet: a pre-arranged check-in will be agreed with you and a property representative
• Self check-in: you’ll be given access to secure codes for access to the main building and key safe
• Off-site check-in and key collection: keys will need to be collected from a location different to that of your apartment

The standard check-in time is from 14.00, although this is not always the case. Full details of your check-in process will be provided by our Account Management team at the confirmation stage.

A: An early check-in is sometimes possible. However, it does need to be requested in advance. In order to guarantee an early check-in, you may be required to pay for the night before but only if the apartment is available for you to do so. Properties that have a reception or concierge facility may hold luggage on your behalf while you wait for access to your apartment.

A:

If you have a problem upon arrival or during your stay, please refer to the confirmation document that was sent to you via email when you made your reservation. On your confirmation document, we’ll provide you with the following contact numbers:  

• SilverDoor office numbers:  
  • UK: +44 (0)20 8090 8090 
  • Americas: +1 303 498 7111 
  • Asia: +65 6260 8000 
  • Europe: +34 919 343 650 
• Property manager’s office number (please use during office hours) 
• Property manager’s emergency number (please use outside office hours and in emergencies) 

A:

The standard check-out time is before 10.00, although this is not always the case. Full details of your check-out process will be provided by our Account Management team at the confirmation stage.

A: A late check-out is sometimes possible; however, you’ll always need to request it. In order to guarantee a late check-out, you may be required to pay an additional charge and any late check-out will always be subject to availability of the apartment. Properties that have a reception or concierge facility may hold luggage on your behalf after you’ve vacated your apartment.

A:

Some properties will allow pets; however, every property has their own set policy. For more information, please refer to the ‘Facilities’ tab on the specific property page on our website. If you wish to bring your pet with you, please make this clear when you make your enquiry or call us and our Account Management team will do their best to help.

Having your pet to stay may require a deposit against damages and a final cleaning fee to ensure the apartment remains to a high standard of cleanliness for the next guest. All of these requirements will be made clear to you before you confirm the booking of your stay. 

A:

Security features will vary with each apartment, but our Account Management team can provide more information if you require it. Alternatively, please refer to the ‘Facilities’ tab on the specific property page on our website. If you have specific requirements, please make these clear when making your enquiry.

A: Wheelchair access, lifts and other facilities for disabled guests will be specified on the ‘Facilities’ tab on the property page. Before making a reservation, it’s important to make sure that the facilities are suitable for you and your guests. For any queries, please contact our Account Management team and we will do our best to accommodate your needs.

A:

The maximum occupancy of each apartment type can vary. Typically, the below rules apply:

• Studio apartment - two people
• One bedroom apartment - two people
• Two bedroom apartment - four people
• Three bedroom apartment - six people

Some serviced apartments have an extra bed or sofa bed facilities which mean an apartment can accommodate more guests. This needs to be confirmed at the time of booking and may incur an extra charge.

The general rule is that an apartment can accommodate as many people as it can sleep. For example, a one bedroom apartment with a single extra bed can sleep three people. When making your enquiry, please inform us of the number of guests you need to accommodate, detailing any adults and children and any bed type preferences, and we’ll do our best to propose the most appropriate properties when we email you our quote.

A:

Cleaning equipment is usually provided in serviced apartments and will include items like a vacuum cleaner, mop and bucket. Housekeeping is included in the cost of your apartment and will include a full clean; however, equipment is provided for you to utilise should you need to. Any rubbish in your apartment should be placed in the bins provided. All bins will be emptied during your scheduled housekeeping service. For any additional information about looking after your apartment, please refer to the Guest Welcome Folder for details.

A:

No, not usually. The majority of serviced apartments are non-smoking. This will include all the apartments within the development and any internal communal areas. Smoking may be permitted in external areas, such as balconies, roof terraces and communal courtyards or gardens, but you should check the restrictions first.

Please refer to the Guest Welcome Folder for details or contact our Account Management team. Additional cleaning charges may apply if you smoke in a non-smoking apartment.

A: We encourage our property partners not to request a deposit; however, a small number of properties may require a deposit, which is either paid at the time of booking or upon check-in. As an alternative to a deposit, we recommend that our properties take a pre-authorisation from a credit card which may then be used to cover any incidental costs occurred during your stay. Any deposit requirements will be made clear to you at the reservation stage and re-confirmed to you at the confirmation stage.

A:

Please contact your dedicated account manager, call +44 (0)20 8090 8090 or email stay@silverdoor.com

A:

We have excellent and well-established relationships with our property partners and book high volumes of room nights. This means that we’re always offered the best possible rates which we’re subsequently able to pass on to you.  

With essential amenities included in the nightly rate, corporate housing provides more value for money and costs close to 25% less than hotel equivalents. In the UK, VAT drops to 4% for stays longer than 28 nights, meaning medium- to long-term stays in serviced apartments become even more cost effective. All rates displayed on our website are excluding taxes. 

For a more in-depth comparison of the cost benefits of serviced apartments vs hotels, check out our breakdown here.  

A: Yes. When you pay by card we’ll provide you with a payment link to our secure, online payment service provider, Barclaycard. This is a PCI compliant service, which means you won’t need to share any of your sensitive card data with us.

A: Reservations will be billed at the point of booking and must be paid in full before check-in. Our Account Management team agree a payment date with you at the reservation stage.

A:

Included at all properties:

• Utility bills – which may include council tax, water, heating, electricity, gas, telephone line rental, and television licence
• Basic TV package 

Included at most properties:

• Internet access
• Housekeeping
• Welcome pack 

Normally subject to an additional charge:

• Outgoing telephone calls
• Increased frequency housekeeping
• Premium TV channels 
• Extra beds for additional guests 
• Parking 

It’s important to note that some properties in certain locations operate a monthly cap on utility bills. If this is the case, full details will be provided at the time of booking.

A:

Each country applies tax at different levels. Certain local authorities apply taxes too. We will advise you of any relevant, applicable taxes on your accommodation; however, some common tax rules have been listed below.

Common tax rule Value Added Tax (VAT) is charged at 20% for the first 28 consecutive nights, then at 4% for each remaining consecutive night after that.

Alternative tax rule

A small number of properties only charge VAT on the amount that they deem to be the service element. For example, with a rate of £110, £100 is deemed to be for accommodation and £10 is deemed to be service. VAT at 20% is then only applied to the £10 service element. We’ll always advise you of any alternative tax policies at the quote stage and re-confirm the same at the booking and billing stages.

Outside of the United Kingdom Government tax

This is the tax element levied by the national government of the country in question.

GST (Goods & Services Tax)

Applies in countries such as Australia, Canada, Hong Kong, New Zealand and Singapore.

VAT (Value Added Tax)

Applies in all countries within the EU. Referred to as VAT in the UK, Ireland and Malta, but different abbreviations are used elsewhere in Europe, such as IVA in Spain and BTW in the Netherlands. VAT also applies in many countries around the world including India, Mexico, South Africa and Thailand. It may be known locally by different abbreviations.

City tax

Some city authorities charge an additional tax. An example of this is Paris, which applies a fee of EUR 0.80 to EUR 1.50 per person per night (depending on the specific area within Paris).

Tourist tax

Some city authorities charge additional taxes for tourists. These taxes generally apply to business travellers too. An example of this is Amsterdam, which applies a 5% tourist tax.

Less common taxes

Occasionally, other taxes are mandatory in certain jurisdictions. Examples of these include ‘luxury tax’ at certain properties in India and New York City’s ‘development tax’.

Service charge

This is not a tax, but is an additional charge that applies at certain properties. It is generally incorporated into the accommodation rate, but is occasionally stated as an extra charge. Unlike restaurant bills, this service charge is never discretionary.

A:

All lengths of stay: Savings will always be made on typical hotel costs like hourly internet rates, laundry bills, and TV charges as well as inflated bar, restaurant, and mini bar prices.

1 night stays: Hotels and serviced apartments are comparable in cost. However, serviced apartments will offer much more space, flexibility, and privacy.

7 night stays: Serviced apartments are generally at least 15% cheaper than equivalent hotel accommodation.

30 night stays: Serviced apartments are generally at least 25% cheaper than equivalent hotel accommodation.

90 night stays: Serviced apartments are generally at least 30% cheaper than equivalent hotel accommodation. For example, even if the hotel matched a serviced apartment rate of £99 per night for the stay, you'd still save £982.08 in tax (9.19% saving).