A serviced apartment is a furnished flat you can rent by the night, week or month, with hotel-style services such as cleaning, fresh linen, backup power and security included. You get the space and kitchen of a home, with someone else looking after it.
In Nigeria the phrase has a second meaning too, which confuses many people. This guide explains both, what “serviced” usually includes, and what to ask before you book.
A serviced apartment in one sentence
A serviced apartment is a furnished home that comes with services, so you only bring your suitcase.People also call it a “service apartment”. Both mean the same thing.
In Nigerian property, you will see the phrase used in two ways:
| Serviced apartment for a stay | Serviced flat on a yearly rent | |
|---|---|---|
| How long | A night, a week or a few months | A year or more |
| Furniture | Fully furnished | Often empty; you bring your own |
| What “serviced” means | Cleaning, linen, power, Wi-Fi and more, in the price | A service charge for shared power, water, security and upkeep |
| How you pay | Per night, week or month | Rent up front, plus the yearly service charge |
This guide is mostly about the first kind: a serviced apartment you stay in for a trip. If you are renting for a year, our guide to serviced apartment service charges explains the second kind.
What “serviced” usually includes
There is no official standard for the word. Two “serviced” flats in the same street can offer very different things. These are the services you will most often find:
- Furniture and a kitchen. Beds, sofas, a cooker, a fridge, pots, plates and cutlery.
- Cleaning. Daily, a few times a week, or when you ask. Always ask which.
- Bed linen and towels, changed on a set day or on request.
- Backup power. A generator, an inverter, solar, or a mix. Ask how many hours it runs, and whether it runs the air conditioning.
- Water, often from a borehole with a treatment system.
- Wi-Fi and TV, usually with cable or satellite channels.
- Security, such as gatemen, a fence, CCTV or an estate gate.
- Repairs on call, so a broken tap or a dead bulb gets fixed during your stay.
Bigger buildings may add a front desk, a gym, a pool, laundry, breakfast or airport pick-up. Some of these come free, and some cost extra. Ask for a list in writing.
Serviced apartment vs shortlet
A shortlet is any furnished home you rent for a short time, from one night to a few months. A serviced apartment you rent for a stay is a kind of shortlet, with regular services built in. So every serviced apartment for a stay is a shortlet, but not every shortlet is serviced.
| Shortlet | Serviced apartment | |
|---|---|---|
| Who runs it | Often a private host | Often a company, or a building with staff |
| Cleaning during the stay | Between guests, or on request | On a regular schedule |
| Staff nearby | Sometimes | Usually |
| How it feels | Like staying in someone’s home | Closer to a hotel, with more space |
| Often chosen for | Weekends, groups, celebrations | Work trips, relocations, longer stays |
The line between the two is blurry, and plenty of hosts offer both. What matters is what the listing actually includes. Read it closely, and ask about anything that is missing. Our guide what is a shortlet? covers shortlets in more detail.
Serviced apartment vs yearly flat
People also ask how a serviced apartment differs from a normal apartment. The biggest difference is how you pay and what you must sort out yourself.
- A yearly flat is usually let empty. You often pay a year or more of rent up front, plus agency, legal and caution fees. Then you buy furniture and pay your own bills: electricity, diesel, water, internet and cleaning.
- A serviced apartment for a stay is ready on day one. You pay per night, week or month, with most bills included. It costs more per month than a yearly flat of the same size, but you avoid the fees, the furniture and the long commitment.
That is why serviced apartments suit people who need a base for weeks or months: someone relocating, working on a contract, or waiting for a new home. If you are weighing it up, read monthly shortlet or rent a flat? and our list of move-in costs when renting in Nigeria.
Who serviced apartments suit
- Business travellers in town for a week or more, who want a desk, fast Wi-Fi and someone else to clean.
- Families relocating to Lagos or Abuja, who need a base while they look for a home and schools.
- Visitors from abroad home for a wedding, a burial or the holidays, who want space for relatives to gather.
- People on contracts or projects, who need a home for a few months without buying furniture.
- Anyone who cooks, because a full kitchen beats eating out every night on a long stay.
For a single night near the airport, or a weekend when you will hardly be in, a simpler shortlet or a hotel may suit you better.
Where to find serviced apartments
Serviced apartments cluster in business and upmarket areas. In Lagos, look at Ikoyi, Victoria Island, Lekki and Ikeja. In Abuja, look at Maitama, Wuse 2 and Asokoro.
Start with our pages for serviced apartments in Lagos and serviced apartments in Abuja. To see how the cost is made up, read how much a serviced apartment in Lagos costs.
What to ask before booking
Send the host these questions before you pay. A good host answers them quickly and in writing.
- Cleaning: how often is the flat cleaned during my stay, and is it included?
- Linen and towels: how often are they changed?
- Power: how many hours does the backup power run, and does it run the air conditioning at night?
- Water: is there a steady supply, and is the water treated?
- Wi-Fi: is it fast enough for video calls?
- Extras: what costs extra? Think breakfast, laundry, airport pick-up and diesel on a long stay.
- Deposit: how much is the caution deposit, and when do I get it back?
- Times: what are the check-in and check-out times?
- Help: who do I call if something breaks at night?
- Rules: what are the house and estate rules on visitors and parking?
Get the full price for your dates in writing before you pay, and never pay a stranger by transfer to “hold” a flat.
Asking for help during a stay on Cabans
When you book a shortlet on Cabans, you pay online through Paystack. Paystack’s payment fee is added and shown before you pay, and it is not refunded. You can cancel for a full refund of the nights, the cleaning fee and the caution deposit until the free-cancellation time shown before you book. A stay booked after that time has passed cannot be cancelled. Refunds reach you within 14 days at most, and usually in about 5 days.
Once your host has checked you in, your stay page has “Stay services”. Pick “Room service” for fresh towels, bed linen or supplies, “Cleaner” to have the flat cleaned, or “Report an issue” if something is broken. Some hosts also sell extras, such as bottled water or breakfast, delivered to your stay. Our help guide shows how to ask your host for help during your stay.
Find a shortlet you can book in your area, and compare what each one includes.
Run a serviced apartment yourself? List your short let on Cabans and reach guests searching by area. Still choosing a model? Compare running a shortlet or serviced apartment business.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a serviced apartment and a normal apartment?
A serviced apartment comes furnished, with services such as cleaning, fresh linen, backup power and security included, and you can rent it for a short time. A normal apartment is usually let empty for a year or more, and you arrange and pay for your own power, water, cleaning and internet.
Is it “service apartment” or “serviced apartment”?
They mean the same thing. “Serviced apartment” is the usual term, because the flat is serviced for you. Many people in Nigeria say or search “service apartment”, and listings use both.
Is a serviced apartment the same as a shortlet?
Not quite. A shortlet is any furnished home you rent for a short time. A serviced apartment rented by the night or week is a kind of shortlet with regular services built in. Some shortlets are serviced, and some are just a furnished flat that is cleaned between guests.
What does a serviced apartment in Nigeria usually include?
Usually furniture, a kitchen, cleaning, bed linen and towels, backup power, water, Wi-Fi, TV and security. Some add a gym, a pool, laundry, breakfast or airport pick-up. There is no fixed standard, so ask what is included and what costs extra.
Can I rent a serviced apartment for a month?
Yes. Many serviced apartments take stays of a week or a month, and some hosts charge less per night for longer stays. Ask about the cleaning schedule and power for a long stay, and get the full price in writing.
Is a serviced apartment better than a hotel?
It depends on the trip. A serviced apartment gives you more space and a kitchen, which suits families and longer stays. A hotel suits a short stay where you want a restaurant and staff on hand all day. Compare the full cost for your dates.
How do I ask for cleaning or fresh towels during a Cabans stay?
Once your host has checked you in, open your stay page and pick a request, such as “Room service” for fresh towels, bed linen or supplies, or “Cleaner” to have the flat cleaned. Add a note if you like and send it. Your host is emailed about your request.
Related guides
Serviced apartment vs hotel · How much is a serviced apartment in Lagos? · What is a shortlet? · Monthly shortlet or rent a flat? · Shortlet vs hotel in Lagos
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