Visit Britain, whose mission it is to build the value of tourism to Britain, has included a grading system for serviced apartments into their Quality in Tourism initiative, to give clients an independent, objective and reliable grading against which to judge serviced apartment providers.

Visit Britain, whose mission it is to build the value of tourism to Britain, has included a grading system for serviced apartments into their Quality in Tourism initiative, to give clients an independent, objective and reliable grading against which to judge serviced apartment providers.

The grading system was presented two years ago to the Association for Serviced Apartment Providers (ASAP), who immediately took to the idea and assisted Quality in Tourism to develop the concept.

Charles McCrow, Managing Director of The Apartment Service and a founder member of the ASAP supports setting standards within the rapidly growing serviced apartment industry. We have long believed that serviced apartment ratings are a great concept and throughout the 1990´s we sponsored Egon Ronay´s Hotel Guide, who then set the grading standard for serviced apartment establishments.

“As the winners of the Diamond Award for “Best Serviced Apartment Company 2007”, voted for by readers of the Buying Business Travel Magazine, we are very keen to demonstrate that we want this relatively new industry to move forward and to show to accommodation buyers the quality and value for money a serviced apartment brings. But we also want to make sure that within the grading system a clear distinction is made between providers of nightly accommodation and the longer term corporate housing. Not all serviced apartments fit easily into the current grading system, but at least they fit and we will now be able to refine this over the coming period. ”

The grading system for serviced apartments looks at similar criteria as the hotel industry, which is graded by the “star system”. Apartments will be graded according to general fixtures and fittings, arrival process, handling of reservations, cleanliness and general services.   

McCrow believes that more and more corporate accommodation bookers will refer to the new grading system to make their choice about where to stay and which provider to use. “The Apartment Service, with 26 years experience, will be at the forefront of this grading ensuring that our clients know what value they are getting for their money.”

The grading system for serviced apartments will ensure that this sector of the short term accommodation industry is taken more serious in future and this can only be a good thing for the sector as a whole and for a major provider like The Apartment Service in particular.

More information about this article can be obtained from Bard Vos, Marketing Executive at The Apartment Service, via email This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it , or via telephone 020-89441444. Or visit our website www.apartmentservice.com

More information about the ASAP and the grading system can be obtained from Tad Zurlinden, via email This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it