Aparthotels in the United States: why they are called extended-stay hotels

Are there aparthotels in the United States?

Yes, but the label rarely appears in the US. Wikipedia says an apartment hotel, also called an aparthotel, residential hotel or extended-stay hotel, is a serviced apartment complex that uses a hotel-style booking system, and notes that residential hotel and extended-stay hotel are common labels in the US and Canada. The format exists; the name is different.

For a traveller, the practical point is to search by the US term. Looking for extended-stay hotels, suite hotels and hotels with kitchens will surface the properties that match the aparthotel idea, while a search for aparthotel may return few results. Where a US property says apartment, serviced apartment or residence, it is worth reading the listing to see what services and stay lengths it offers. Hub pages such as the United States hub and city pages like New York and Chicago collect these properties.

Why do the terms extended-stay and apart-hotel differ?

The difference is partly historical. Wikipedia's article on Residence Inn traces the chain to 1975, when a Wichita developer converted apartment buildings with high vacancy rates into monthly rentals. In 1981 the founders launched The Residence Inn and, according to the article, focused on the extended-stay market, a term they invented. The hotels targeted guests staying five nights or more, who did not need daily housekeeping, which let the chain lower operating costs. Marriott International bought the company in 1987.

So extended-stay in the US is a business model as much as a building type: a hotel designed around longer stays, with a kitchen in the room and less frequent housekeeping. Apart-hotel carries a different meaning in other regions, where it can describe a serviced apartment complex or a hotel with self-contained units. The result is two overlapping vocabularies describing similar products. The guide to what is an aparthotel sets out the general definition.

What do US extended-stay hotels typically offer?

Wikipedia says US extended-stay chains typically have kitchens with a sink, refrigerator, microwave and stovetop, and offer discounts for stays beginning at five to seven days. A trade report from Hotel Business, citing The Highland Group's 2026 survey, says extended-stay hotels record a wide variety of stay lengths, from five to seven nights in upscale and luxury properties to as many as 28 nights in the economy segment. Skift describes the segment as rooms with kitchenettes in leased properties.

Services differ from a full-service hotel. The Residence Inn history points to less frequent housekeeping for longer stays, and operators set their own schedules, so ask when the room is cleaned and how linen and towels are handled. The guide to how aparthotel housekeeping works explains the options, and what's included in a serviced apartment covers other inclusions. Operators such as Residence Inn are examples of the model.

How big is the US extended-stay segment?

Skift reports that the sector has grown to 611,000 rooms nationwide, based on data presented at a workshop in Washington, D.C., with supply up fourfold since 2000. Occupancy has stayed around 74 per cent despite that growth, and the article says demand has consistently outpaced supply growth. The Hotel Business report adds CoStar data showing extended-stay occupancy of 73.2 per cent in the first quarter of 2026 and says demand reached a record in 2025.

These figures describe the market's shape rather than your choices as a guest, but they explain why you will find extended-stay hotels in most US metropolitan areas and why new brands keep appearing. Wikipedia's entry on Extended Stay America describes it as an economy apartment hotel chain founded in 1995 and taken private in 2021, a reminder that the sector spans economy to upscale.

Growth is not evenly spread. The Hotel Business report says extended-stay hotels accounted for 154 of 2,457 projects in the US development pipeline at the end of 2025, with development interest gravitating toward the upper end of the chain scale. Skift says economy extended-stay hotels are particularly profitable. For a guest, this means that the choice of brand level, from economy to upscale, shapes what you get: stay-length rules, housekeeping and amenities differ between them, which is one more reason to read the listing.

Who stays in US extended-stay hotels?

The Residence Inn history lists business travellers on long assignments, hospital patients and people needing temporary housing among its typical guests, and Wikipedia's aparthotel article adds vacationers and families relocating. A real estate partner quoted in the sponsored Hotel Business report says the customer base has diversified beyond traditional business travel, naming construction crews, healthcare professionals, infrastructure projects, relocations and guests seeking flexible housing alternatives.

The same report says that between 2019 and 2022 the average length of stay at traditional hotels rose from 1.9 nights to 2.1 nights, while extended-stay brands encourage guests to stay between five and seven days. Those numbers are useful context for the format: a stay that counts as long in a regular hotel is only the start of the extended-stay model. Guides on serviced apartments for relocation, business travel in serviced apartments and aparthotels near hospitals for family stays cover the main use cases.

How does the US compare with Europe and Asia?

Mostly in vocabulary, and in how stay length is described. Aparthotels in Europe covers how definitions, ratings and rental rules differ by country there, and aparthotels in Asia for long stays covers the serviced residence concept. If you are moving between regions, expect to translate the terms rather than the product.

How do short-term rental and fee rules affect the US market?

Rules on renting private homes vary across US cities. Wikipedia's article on short-term rentals says many US cities restrict them, often at the request of the hotel industry; it gives Miami, which bans them in most neighbourhoods, and New York City, where stays under 30 days are restricted or banned, while Phoenix is an outlier because state law limits municipal regulation. Rules change, so check the city's official pages.

Fee display is governed by the Federal Trade Commission's Rule on Unfair or Deceptive Fees, effective 12 May 2025. The FTC guide says the total price includes all charges or fees the business knows about and can calculate upfront for short-term lodging, and lists taxes and other government charges as exclusions that must still be disclosed before payment. That affects how US prices appear, which is why how to compare aparthotel rates and aparthotel extra charges and city taxes recommend checking the final total.

Where and how should you search for a US extended-stay property?

Aparthotels in the United States are easiest to find by starting with the city and the length of stay. Large cities such as New York and Chicago have their own neighbourhood guides: Manhattan and Brooklyn for longer stays and Chicago neighbourhoods for longer stays. Other metro areas with listings include Atlanta, Phoenix and Pittsburgh.

Then filter by the facilities you need: kitchen, parking, laundry and pet policy. Compare minimum nights, cleaning schedules and cancellation terms rather than relying on the label. Because the term aparthotel is uncommon, you may find the same kind of property listed under hotel, suites or extended stay, so read the description. For a direct comparison, aparthotel vs hotel explains the differences from a regular hotel.

• Search for extended-stay hotels and suite hotels as well as aparthotels.
• Check minimum nights and when a longer-stay discount starts.
• Ask how often the room is cleaned and how linen is handled.
• Read the final total, including fees, before paying.