Ever since humans started to live in purpose-built accommodation the progression towards a capitalist society meant it was inevitable that serviced accommodation would be commoditised with the aim of turning a profit.
Hotels and catered apartments have a long history however it is difficult to pinpoint when exactly we started to recognise the hospitality industry as we know it today. Whilst the origins of the hospitality industry can be traced back to ancient times, the first modern hotel didn’t appear until the late 18th century.
The first publicly held hotel
Whilst this can be a record of dispute the ‘first hotel’ is often quoted as the city hotel opened in New York in 1792. This is as it was the first one held on record. The hotel offered comfortable accommodation to travellers to the city, offering serviced apartments that included food and housekeeping facilities. To date, the service is spectacular and is credited for the maid service NYC provides.
The diversification of the hospitality industry
The diversification of serviced apartments came, as some think, after the increase in leisure cruising in the early to mid-nineteen century. It was an accessible way for people to see different parts of the world in a relatively short space of time.
Hotels began to spring up in some of the more popular resort destinations and this led to different people getting involved and diversifying the hospitality industry.
Different cultures across the globe also have a different approach to serviced apartments. Whilst the western world favours larger traditional rooms, eastern cultures like Japan have fostered the use of ‘capsule hotels’. They offer services like a gym, workroom and spa however the actual rooms are self-contained sleeping pods.
The market for travel accommodations today
Whilst traditional hotels were in many cases the only accommodation available in the early years of the hospitality industry we now have a huge variety of options available to us as travellers. Average folk with second or third homes are now making a passive foray into the hospitality business by hiring Airbnb Management services and renting their properties to tourists who want a taste of local living. Since many of these properties are considerably less expensive than hotels are resorts, they are quickly catching on with backpackers, solo travellers, and budget vacationers.
Sites like Airbnb and booking.com also mean many more people are jetting off to exciting locations and staying in all manner of serviced apartments and houses. This wealth of choice does mean that some options will be better suited to you than others. If you go with a serviced apartment provider who showcases excellent amenities and service you will be sure to enjoy a great stay.
