very short stay apartments in Chicago and Toronto

January 29, 2006 6:21 AM

I take a lot of short business trips and I don't really like hotels that much. I would prefer to stay in an apartment. Does anyone know of a nationwide group which rents apartments for just a few days? Failing that, such a group in Chicago or Toronto would be great. In Montreal I found a hotel that had some apartments in a building around the corner, and that was a pretty good solution.
posted by shothotbot to Travel & Transportation (12 answers total)

Try a service that specializes in corporate apartments. Not all places allow for really short stays, but some do.
posted by JanetLand at 7:38 AM on January 29, 2006

You could always try a Bed and Breakfast. Also, you could be adventurous and CouchSurf.

Good question. I'm not a big fan of hotels' myself and, having never tried either of the ideas above, this has been a good reminder. ;)
posted by purephase at 7:40 AM on January 29, 2006

We looked at apartment hotels in Toronto as a stopgap before we got our house. They were uniformly grim, and very expensive.

If you're in Montreal again, Le Square Phillips Hotel & Suites is nice, and surprisingly inexpensive for the size of the suites and the amenities.
posted by scruss at 7:43 AM on January 29, 2006

What is it that you don't like about hotels? Most cities have housekeeping suites/rooms available for rental periods of one week/fortnight/month but usually they are just old converted hotels.
posted by Mitheral at 7:45 AM on January 29, 2006

Have you tried places like Extended Stay America? They have studio suites with "separate living, dining and sleeping areas, plenty of work space and a fully-equipped kitchen including a stovetop, refrigerator and microwave oven." They're marketed towards business travellers; I've stayed there and it didn't feel to hotel-y.
posted by youarenothere at 9:58 AM on January 29, 2006

I have used VRBO (Vaction Rental By Owner) many times with great success. They usually have photos of the cabin/apartment you'll be using.
posted by generic230 at 11:17 AM on January 29, 2006

I've had some good luck with Vacation rentals by owner for both business and pleasure. Also, it's always worth checking Trip Advisor, which lists B&Bs and other types of rentals ... I stayed in the top listing in Chicago recently (the Flemish House) and had apartment-style lodgings right on the Gold Coast at significantly less than going hotel rates. TA has helpful user reviews and ratings that cut through the normal advertising hype.
posted by madamjujujive at 11:17 AM on January 29, 2006

redweek.com includes listings of people who want to rent out their timeshares. I don't know how well this would work out, but worth a look. Would highly depend upon what time of year you were traveling and how far ahead you could book.

A lot of the timeshares include a kitchen, living room, and bedroom. Even dining rooms in some of the bigger units.
posted by tkolstee at 11:46 AM on January 29, 2006

The Grange Hotel in Toronto has apartment features. (Rooms come with a kitchen). I've heard of people staying there quite long as temporary home, but they rent by short periods (hence "hotel")
posted by easternblot at 12:51 PM on January 29, 2006

Its still technically a hotel, but I try as much as possible to stay in Residence Inns when I travel, which is frequently. They are much the same as described above for Extended Stay America. They are also quite common. I'm working in Dallas right now and there are three different RI locations within 5 miles of my client.

They all usually have a small living room like area with television, a kitchenette with regular sized refrigerator, microwave, apartment sized stove, and enough pots, pans, and utensils to do some actual cooking if you get stuff at a local grocer.

I actually prefer the studio suites over the single bedroom suites because the only difference is the presence of a wall in the single bedroom. The studio actually has more usable space in spite of the bed being in plain view.

I don't like standard hotel rooms either. The one or two beds, desk, and TV stand has come to feel way too much like a relatively comfortable prison cell. These places are at least an approximation of real-life living space.
posted by hwestiii at 3:37 PM on January 29, 2006

In Toronto, there's "The Suites at 1 King West." While you're staying, you get to use the facilities of the Dominion Club for free (IIRC, the membership fee for the Dominion Club is $10,000). Based on what I've heard, the suites have a full kitchen (including dishwasher) and are very nice.
posted by winston at 3:48 PM on January 29, 2006

My employers put me up at Toronto Suites for two months at the end of last year. They have two buildings. It was central and comfy, included Goodlife gym membership and the staff were fantastic, but I got sick of the red leather couch they provided.
posted by jamesonandwater at 7:35 PM on January 30, 2006