Suitable for business or leisure travellers, The Ascott Limited's Citadines Prestige Holborn-Covent Garden London serviced apartments have reopened after a 10-month redesign and refurbishment programme.

The apartments are siituated on High Holborn, opposite Holborn tube station, within walking distance of major office developments in the growing Midtown business district, where many of London's leading law firms are based. It is close to the City and Covent Garden, making it an ideal base for work and leisure. 

The property consists of 192 studio (for up to two sharing) and one-bedroomed apartments (for up to four sharing), with 24-hour reception, relaxation area, business zone, five meeting rooms and car parking. Unlimited complimentary WiFi and broadband access, 24-hour manned reception, access to the fitness corner and daily service are included in the nightly rate, and discounted rates are available for longer stays. Onsite parking is charged as taken, pets are permitted for a small daily charge, and a guest laundry, also charged as taken, is available 24 hours a day.

This refurbishment is part of an intensive renovation programme of Ascott properties in Europe. Citadines Trafalgar Square London has plans under consideration for a complete refurbishment, to begin in March. In Paris, two of 16 Citadines-branded properties – Les Halles and Montparnasse – will undergo renovation this year. Properties in Brussels, Grenoble, Lille, and Lyon are also in line for refurbishment.

For further information, see www.citadines.com

Serviced accommodation provider Select Apartments is using a new section on its website homepage to engage users with a range of Mini Polls and Talking Points, in an effort to gather feedback on areas in which improvements could be made.

Said marketing director Adrian England, “We continually look at ways to improve our product offering and our customer service. We pay particular attention to feedback we receive from client questionnaires, and now the website topics.

“By listening and responding to our assignees’ and bookers’ views, we are able to keep a competitive edge and take informed decisions from a position of strength.”

For further information, go to www.selectapartments.co.uk

The Ascott Limited has opened new serviced apartments in the Chinese cities of Tianjin, Wuhan and Xi’an.

Citadines Zhuankou Wuhan is located in the Wuhan Economic and Development Zone, Hanyang, within walking distance of the city’s major commercial developments and offices. Surrounded by shopping malls, supermarkets and restaurants, it offers 249 apartments ranging from studios to two-bedroomed apartments. Facilities include a heated indoor swimming pool, a gym, and a steam and sauna room.

Featuring a variety of studio, one- and two-bedroomed apartments, Citadines Gaoxin Xi’an is in the centre of the Hi-Tech Development Zone, close to key commercial developments, within walking distance of a variety of retail, dining and entertainment facilities, and within easy reach of historic places of interest.

Somerset International Building Tianjin is in a prime location on the Nanjing Road, Tianjin’s main commercial street, and occupies floors 27–36 of the landmark 37-storey Tianjin International Building. It is surrounded by major office buildings, department stores and attractions, and is a short drive from Tianjin Binhai International Airport and Tianjin Railway Station, and a five-minute walk from the metro.

Somerset International Building Tianjin offers 105 spacious one-, two- and three-bedroomed apartments, each with a separate living and work area, a fully-equipped kitchen and bathroom, and panoramic views. Facilities include a playroom, a gym, and a steam and sauna room.

For further details, go to www.the-ascott.com

The Ascott Limited, the world’s largest international serviced apartment owner-operator, is to open a number of new properties worldwide.

New serviced apartments have opened this year, or are due to open between 2011 and 2013, in key locations worldwide, many of them in the BRICs countries.

There are seven new properties in China (including Beijing and Shanghai), and five in India (including Hyderabad and Chennai). Other locations include Melbourne, Australia, Kyoto, Japan, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, and Jakarta, Indonesia.

For further information, see www.the-ascott.com

Serviced accommodation provider esa has opened a new collection of luxury apartments in Bournemouth, which may be of interest if you are moving to take up a job there.

Located on a leafy side street in central Bournemouth, Exchange Buildings is a newly renovated period property containing 13 one- and two-bedroomed apartments, which are available for both short and extended stays.

Town-centre amenities, major businesses, sandy beaches and excellent leisure facilities are all within a couple of minutes’ walk, and Bournemouth railway station is just a mile away.

The apartments, esa says, are stylish and contemporary, with wooden floors, integrated kitchens and a high standard of finish. Every apartment offers wireless broadband, home entertainment systems and a full Sky TV package at no extra cost.

Focusing primarily on the corporate market, esa hopes to offer local business people, contractors and professionals relocating to the area a home from home.

For more information, go to www.esa-ltd.co.uk

If you’re relocating and need temporary accommodation, the increasingly popular serviced accommodation sector is well worth bearing in mind

More and more people are catching on to the benefits of serviced accommodation, as is demonstrated by newly published figures from the Association of Serviced Apartment Providers (ASAP), which show continued growth in demand during the second quarter of 2010.