11 Hong Kong properties click with millennials in the 2017 GoHome Serviced Apartment Awards

What does it take to make a serviced apartment property an award winner? According to guests who voted with their mouse clicks in the 2017 GoHome Serviced Apartment Awards, location, comfort and services are key factors.

Carrie Law, regional general manager of iProperty Group (Hong Kong and Macau), which organises the annual awards, says the results show consumers are willing to pay higher rents for serviced apartments with better locations, higher comfort, superior services and modern design.

Technological convenience and time-saving strategies are further priorities for the legions of business and “bleisure” travellers who are now predominantly millennials, according to the Global Serviced Apartments Industry Report 2016/17, and have pushed demand for serviced apartments in the Asia-Pacific up by 25 per cent in the past decade.

“Millennials tend to consult reviews and ratings on online platforms and apps, on which they make accommodation anywhere at any time and make efficient use of time during their trips,” Law explains. “Tenants expect to find an authentic, unique, and suitable serviced apartment based on the objective online reviews.”

Data gathered through the GoHome awards’ online voting poll has shown that location ranks highest on consumers’ priority list (cited by 25.16 per cent), followed by comfort (22.96 per cent), service (20.28 per cent), design (20.03 per cent), and facilities and amenities (11.56 per cent).

“As awareness of serviced apartments has grown among corporates, so has the level of expectation,” Law adds. “Free high-speed Wi-fi ranks highest on corporate clients’ priority list, followed by single occupancy and family accommodation.”

Business visitors on short-term assignments are more likely to choose a property close to their workplace. For them, any more than a 30-minute commute is considered too long. Longer stayers may prefer the extra space and bigger kitchen offered by serviced apartments in more remote locations.

“Summer is also the time many Hong Kong residents renovate their homes, so they might move to somewhere like Tuen Mun, Tsuen Wan, Fortress Hill or Repulse Bay to enjoy a different, seaside lifestyle while their own homes are under renovation,” Law says.

This year’s 11 award-winning serviced apartment properties, as voted by users, encompass the diverse offering available in Hong Kong. They are, in alphabetical order:

Eaton Residences: This brand has two properties in Happy Valley (on Village Road and Blue Pool Road, both close to the racecourse), along with a Wan Chai property on Wan Chai Gap Road, which can also cater to nightly stays. The apartments offer convenient access to the business districts of Admiralty and Central and the entertainment and shopping areas of Wan Chai and Causeway Bay.

Eight Kwai Fong: In this New World Development property on Kwai Fong Street, Happy Valley, every suite has a private balcony and full-height window walls. Each apartment also has a designer kitchen with Gaggenau appliances and Dornbract bathroom fixtures.

Harbour Plaza North Point: Situated in Quarry Bay, the up-and-coming business district of Hong Kong’s Island East, this hotel and serviced apartment property can cater to nightly, as well as monthly stays. Proximity to Quarry Bay MTR ensures a short, convenient commute to Central.

iclub Sheung Wan Hotel: Those who want to live centrally can walk to the main business and entertainment districts of Sheung Wan and Central, as well as an MTR station, Macau Ferry Terminal, or take a short drive to Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre.

L’hotel Island South: Positioned in Aberdeen, this property brings guests to the quaint Southern District on Hong Kong Island, where the richness of nature serves as a backdrop to contemporary designed, ocean-inspired rooms. As the first hotel to officially partner with Hong Kong Unesco Global Geopark, the hotel also promotes the Geopark in various ways.

Lodgewood by L’hotel Wanchai Hong Kong: “Live like a local” is the theme of this inner-metro Wan Chai property. Within a refined, modern interior décor, technology is embraced with a mobile app and eKiosk to enhance residents’ convenience.

Madera Residences: Inspired by the vitality of Barcelona and the leisurely Spanish lifestyle, Madera Residences on Cheong Lok Street, Jordan, have been crafted by Spanish firm Lagranja Design with lush décor and an air of serenity.

Royal View Hotel: With apartment sizes ranging up to two or three bedrooms, this waterfront property in Ting Kau, New Territories, may suit families needing more space and a leisurely lifestyle experience.

The Grand Blossom Serviced Apartments: Right at the heart of the Hung Hom action, this property offers accommodation flexibility from single suites or shared rooms, up to two- and three-bedroom apartments. Special units also have a rooftop or outdoor terrace.

The Lily by Chinachem Group: Find high-end luxury and architectural excellence at this Lord Norman Foster-designed property in Repulse Bay. Stroll to the beachfront, or neighbourhood shops, from units maximising the expansive sea views.

V Residences and Serviced Apartments: The V brand is known for its stylish residences in prime urban locations, including Happy Valley, Causeway Bay and Wan Chai. All come with a chill-out common facility, from a barbeque and pizza oven in the Causeway Bay property, to an outdoor water garden in Happy Valley – facilities provided to calm the senses and offer a comfort zone in a busy city work life.