Staying in hotels is something that seems glamorous to many people. The idea of being away from home, staying in a pristine room for just a night or two has a certain 'Rock'n'Roll' appeal about it. Business travellers who have to spend a large amount of their lives in hotels usually take a different view and would rather stay somewhere with more homely appeal. The compromise that many people are choosing to take is the serviced apartment.

Serviced apartments are available all over the UK and are an increasingly popular alternative to staying in a traditional hotel. Staying in a short term apartment offers more space, more comfort and generally more freedom than staying in a hotel, although with many of the benefits traditionally associated with hotels, such as good security, fast internet access and clean sheets!

Manchester apartments are in increasing demand as the region continues to boom. One great example is the The Place Apartment Hotel, which was originally known as 'The London Warehouse'. The Grade II listed building has been lovingly restored and converted, having been a prominent landmark in the city for over a century. Featuring original steelwork and brickwork to reflect the building's history, each apartment is fully equipped with DVD player, CD player, designer kitchens, Satellite TV and more.

Birmingham apartments are also flourishing with developments like the SACO Livingbase apartments taking centre stage. These meticulously restored Victorian villas sit in south-facing gardens in leafy Edgbaston. Perfectly located at the city end of Hagley Road (near Five Ways), the SACO apartments are extremely convenient for many of the offices to be found in the area, not to mention conferences and exhibitions at the nearby ICC.

Glasgow apartments are among the most popular north of the border. The Fraser Suites Glasgow are set in a renovated 1850s baronial building and offer a range of high spec spacious apartments. Sitting at the centre of the exciting Merchant City area, the Fraser Suits offer an ideal location for any traveller who wishes to explore the many delights of one of Europe's great up-and-coming destination cities. The Suites are also well located for business visitors needing to visit the many nearby offices.

The range of apartments on offer does not yet match the range of traditional hotel rooms, but enlightened business travellers who have tried a serviced apartment rarely look back.