Posted on Tuesday, May 27 2025
Here, we look at hotels, Airbnbs and corporate housing – and why corporate housing can be a really good option in a wide variety of situations.
What is corporate housing?
Corporate housing is accommodation that is fully furnished and equipped as a ‘home’ might be: Where hotels might have just a bed and bathroom, corporate housing properties generally have full kitchens with everything you need, ensuite laundry facilities, linens and living areas.
These properties can range in size from a studio apartment to a 5+-bedroom executive home, from a condo in a highrise to a house with a private yard in a neighbourhood.
How is corporate housing different from hotels?
It’s important to know that, in Canada, there is different legislation governing the rules for hotels and the rules for corporate housing, and that legislation varies from province to province, and even between municipalities. That means that across Canada, you can stay in a hotel for a single night, but in British Columbia, corporate housing stays are required to be a minimum of 90 nights; in Calgary, the minimum stay is 30 nights; but in the Maritimes, minimum stays can be as little as 1-3 nights.
How is corporate housing different from Airbnbs?
The biggest, and most important, difference is that corporate housing is standardized and certified, so you know what you’re getting. Premiere Suites, for example, is accredited by the CHPA (Corporate Housing Providers Association), which requires providers to meet stringent standards for accommodation quality, reliability and service, and by the CERC (Canadian Employee Relocation Council), which requires members to meet standards for workforce mobility. Additionally, we track guest feedback through Feefo, which is an independent review platform that ensures accurate reviews are provided by verified guests.
Airbnb accommodations, by contrast, are generally provided by small, private owners who aren’t vetted, inspected or verified by any governing body. That doesn’t mean that all Airbnb properties are bad or disappointing; it just means that you have less certainty about what to expect when you get there.
Suitability for longer stays
Hotels and Airbnbs, by their very nature, are designed for very short-term stays, generally of less than a week. Hotels generally mean you’re ‘living out of a suitcase’ for the duration of your stay, reliant on restaurants, takeout food or expensive room service for all your meals. If your stay includes children or pets, it can be especially difficult and costly to find a hotel that will suit your needs.
Airbnb accommodation may offer kitchens (or access to kitchen equipment), but unless owners are away for a significant time, it can be impossible to book for more than a week or two at a time. What’s more, you may find yourself hit with excessive extra charges if you forget to replace a roll of toilet paper when you leave.
By contrast, corporate housing properties are designed for extended stays. By delivering a ‘home away from home’ environment, complete with kitchens and laundry, they are ideal for relocating employees, medical stays, emergency insurance housing and all kinds of other situations when the whole family (including pets!) need to be seamlessly accommodated for several weeks or months at a time.
How Premiere Suites can help.
As the largest provider of corporate housing in Canada, we’ve worked with thousands of organizations around the world, providing accommodation from nursing and construction teams to IT project teams and setup of new corporate headquarters. With more than 1500 furnished suites, homes and townhomes across Canada, plus a network of more than 10,000 more, we’ve got accommodations to suit just about everyone!