Posted on Monday, October 06 2025
You’ve just realized that you’re not going to be able to stay in your own home for the next month or two – maybe because your place has been flooded or damaged, or maybe because you’ve been temporarily transferred to another office across the country for work – and you need to find somewhere else to live.What are your options?
Why hotels just don’t cut it for extended stays (especially with family)
Hotels can be great for vacations or short business trips, but they just aren’t practicable for longer stays.
Unless you’ve got the budget for a large suite (and most of us don’t), you’re stuck in a single room where the bed takes up most of the floor space. This can be especially challenging if you’re staying with a spouse, children or a pet.
There’s no kitchen, so you end up having to eat takeout or from restaurants for every single meal. And by the time you’ve paid the nightly hotel rate, plus parking fees and all those meals, you can end up spending a lot more than you planned.
Suite hotels can be a reasonable option
Some hotel chains now offer a ‘suite hotel’ option, which is typically a larger hotel room with a small kitchen area and living area, much like a studio apartment.
Suite hotels can be a better option than hotels for extended stays, because they allow you to prepare your own meals, and you’ve got a little more space than you would in a standard hotel room. However, they can be challenging for families and pets who need more space and privacy. And they’re still located in a hotel environment, which often means they’re located near airports rather than in neighbourhoods – not a very homey atmosphere if you have to be there with your kids and dog for a couple of months.
Airbnbs and VRBOs are unpredictable
Like hotels, Airbnbs can be a good option when you’re on vacation, but a riskier proposition if you know you have to settle in for a month or more. Airbnbs aren’t licensed or accredited, and there’s little guarantee that the accommodations will be as advertised when you arrive, or that your stay will be uninterrupted. Security and privacy can be an issue, especially if the owner is on-site or nearby.
Airbnbs can also end up being more expensive than planned, with cleaning or other fees that aren’t disclosed up front.
Corporate housing delivers for extended stays
We admit we’re biased, but we think corporate housing is the best option for extended stays. Here’s why:
So much more space and privacy: Whether you choose a one-bedroom suite or a six-bedroom private home, corporate housing properties deliver full-sized kitchens, living areas and even workspaces. And many of them have rec rooms, balconies, backyards – all the extra space and privacy that a real home offers and a hotel room just can’t
Accreditation and standardization: The best corporate housing providers are accredited and inspected, so you can feel confident that your accommodations will be as advertised, and meet safety and hospitality standards
Cost efficiency and predictability: Standardized billing, with clearly-written terms and fees, mean there are no unpleasant billing surprises at the end of your stay
More flexibiity: While hotels and Airbnb-type properties may have extensive rules and fees around children, guests and pets, corporate housing is more like a real home: Kids aren’t a problem, and pets are often welcome
It just feels more like home: Guests often tell us that the reason they choose corporate housing is simply that it feels more like a home away from home. They can have family dinners in the kitchen, spread out in the family room, go for walks in the neighbourhood – everything that makes a house a home.
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 for employees who are traveling for work or relocating for a few weeks or months. With more than 1500 furnished suites, homes and townhomes across Canada, plus a network of more than 10,000 more furnished residences, we’ve got accommodations to suit just about everyone!