Apartment
Somebody's flat, to yourself — with a kitchen and, usually, a washing machine.
What it is
An apartment is a whole home you have to yourself for a few nights: a kitchen, a bathroom, normally a washing machine, and nobody at a desk. Nothing is done for you and nothing is shared. It is the option that changes your packing list more than any other, because a washing machine means you can wear the same clothes twice.
- The whole place — rooms, bathroom, kitchen — to yourself
- A real kitchen: hob, fridge, pans, plates
- A washing machine, in most listings
- Space to spread out, which matters on longer stays
- Anyone to ask. Check-in is a code on your phone and problems are solved by message
- Daily cleaning, or fresh towels mid-stay
- Breakfast, or anything else in the fridge when you arrive
What this means for your bag
The kitchen and the washing machine are the whole point — pack as if you will use them.
Pack half the clothes
With a washing machine you pack for three or four days, not for the whole trip. On a two-week trip this is the difference between a cabin bag and a checked one.
A little laundry detergent
The machine is there; the detergent very often isn't. A few travel-size sachets weigh nothing and save a first-morning trip to a supermarket.
Your own toiletries
There is no hotel-style soap and shampoo. There may be a bar of soap left by the last guest, and you should not plan around it.
Usually cheaper than a hotel per night, and much cheaper for a group or a long stay — but the headline price hides fees that hit short stays hardest.
- Cleaning fee — a single charge, so a two-night stay pays it twice as heavily as a four-night one
- Service fee from the booking platform
- City tax, sometimes collected by the platform and sometimes in cash on arrival
- Are staying a week or more, or travelling as a family
- Want to cook rather than eat every meal out
- Would rather have space and laundry than a concierge
Plain links, no referral tags — we earn nothing if you book. They are here because they are where this kind of place is actually listed.
Questions people ask about this
Yes — that is the defining difference from a hotel room. Expect a hob, a fridge, pans and plates. What varies is whether there is an oven, a dishwasher or a kettle, so check the amenities list if one of those matters to you.
In most, but not all — it is listed under amenities and worth filtering for. It is the single feature that most changes how much you pack: with laundry you carry three or four days of clothes regardless of how long the trip is.
A one-off charge for cleaning the place after you leave, added on top of the nightly rate. Because it is charged once per booking rather than per night, it makes short stays disproportionately expensive — compare the total, never the nightly price.
Usually not. Most apartments use self check-in: a keybox, a smart lock or a code sent the day before. It works well, but it means arriving with a charged phone and internet, and it means nobody can let you in early.
The calculator already asks where you're staying. Start with this answer filled in and it will size the list around shared bathrooms, kitchens and laundry.