What Is an Aparthotel? Meaning, Benefits and Differences

By Daniel Schulz, residir GmbH · Last updated: 13 October 2026

So what is an aparthotel? It is a hotel that lets small apartments with their own kitchen instead of standard rooms. You get hotel services such as bed linen, towels, cleaning and usually a reception, but you live as you would in a small flat. You book by the night, often from a single night.

At Ländstraße 6 in Munich’s Lehel neighbourhood we are currently fitting out a building with 54 apartments, which opens in autumn 2027. Many people who contact us call it an “aparthotel”, others a “boarding house” or “serviced apartments”. Here we answer the question “What is an aparthotel?” from hands-on experience and show you when this type of accommodation suits your trip.

In this article:

• Aparthotel: meaning and definition
• Apart hotel, apartment hotel, aparthotel: where the term comes from
• Facilities: a hotel with a kitchen instead of a minibar
• Service in an aparthotel: what is included and what is not
• How it differs from a hotel, boarding house and holiday apartment
• Who an aparthotel is right for
• How much does an aparthotel cost?
• Aparthotels in Germany: what to check when booking
• Conclusion
• Frequently asked questions

Feature	Typical in an aparthotel
Type of unit	Apartment or studio, usually 20–50 m²
Kitchen	Kitchen units or kitchenette with hob and fridge
Length of stay	From one night, often several nights to weeks
Service	Reception or self check-in, cleaning at set intervals
Breakfast	Optional or not at all
Price	Per night, often tiered for longer stays

What is an aparthotel? Meaning and definition

There is no legal definition in Germany. So what does aparthotel mean in practice? It refers to an accommodation business that is run like a hotel but whose units are self-contained apartments. Each unit has a sleeping area, a bathroom and somewhere to cook.

If you are wondering what an aparthotel actually is, a simple formula helps: flat plus hotel service. Some providers describe the same thing as a holiday apartment with hotel service or an apartment with hotel service. As a guest, the label makes little difference; what matters is which services are included in the price.

That is why a list of features works better than a single sentence as a definition: your own kitchen, linen provided, regular cleaning and hotel-style booking without a tenancy agreement. Take away the kitchen and it is a normal hotel room. Take away all the service and it is more like a holiday let of the kind you might find through Airbnb in Munich.

Apart hotel, apartment hotel, aparthotel: where the term comes from

The word is a blend of “apartment” and “hotel”. It first caught on in the holiday regions of the Mediterranean. In Spain, for example, the “apartahotel” is a separate category under tourism law, which is why so many properties in Mallorca or the Canary Islands have aparthotel in their name.

Several spellings are in circulation: aparthotel, apart hotel, apartment hotel and, in German, Apartmenthotel or Apparthotel with a double p. They all mean the same thing; the meaning of aparthotel does not depend on how you spell it. In English, hotel apartment is also common, and the big chains talk about aparthotels or extended-stay properties.

Aparthotels have become much more common in German cities in recent years, often as brands of large hotel groups. Our building in Lehel sits on the line between aparthotel and boarding house: apartments with a kitchen and linen provided, but a safe check-in instead of a reception. What that means in practice is shown on our page aparthotel Munich.

Facilities: a hotel with a kitchen instead of a minibar

The key difference from a hotel room is the kitchen. Many travellers search specifically for a hotel with a kitchen or a hotel room with kitchen facilities and end up at an aparthotel. The range is wide: from a narrow kitchenette to a full row of kitchen units with an oven.

Typical features of an apartment in an aparthotel:

• Kitchenette with two hotplates or an induction hob, fridge, sink and crockery
• Kettle, coffee machine, often a microwave or small oven
• Dining table or desk, plus Wi-Fi
• Bed with hotel linen, bathroom with towels
• Depending on the property, a washing machine in the apartment or a laundry room in the building

A hotel with a kitchenette often has just a microwave and a kettle. If you really want to cook, ask before booking whether there is a proper hob. In our apartments on Ländstraße, every unit has its own kitchen, and sizes range from 25 to 50 m².

Service in an aparthotel: what is included and what is not

An aparthotel takes care of the hotel side of living. Bed linen and towels are provided, and electricity, heating and Wi-Fi are included in the price. Cleaning happens at set intervals, often weekly or every few days, and less often daily as in a classic hotel.

When it comes to reception and breakfast, concepts differ. Larger properties have a staffed reception, some around the clock. Others rely on self check-in with a code or key safe and a contact person by phone.

An aparthotel and breakfast are not mutually exclusive. Some properties offer a buffet for an extra charge, while others deliberately go without because guests cook for themselves anyway. With us in Lehel there is no breakfast and no reception, but instead a 24-hour safe check-in, luggage lockers, washing machines with tumble dryers and an outdoor sauna.

How it differs from a hotel, boarding house and holiday apartment

The terms overlap, and many operators use two or three of them at once. We have put together a detailed comparison table of all accommodation types in our guide What is a boarding house? Here is the short version from the aparthotel’s point of view.

Aparthotel or hotel?

A hotel mainly sells service: daily room cleaning, breakfast, often a restaurant and bar. An aparthotel mainly sells space and independence. For one or two nights the difference is small; from four or five nights you will notice it when eating and working. You will find a decision guide with a sample calculation in our article Hotel or holiday apartment?

Aparthotel and boarding house

A boarding house is designed for longer stays and usually has an even leaner service, often with no reception and with weekly or monthly rates. Aparthotels are aimed more at short stays from one night. In practice, the line is blurred.

Serviced apartment

Serviced apartment describes an individual furnished flat with hotel services. An aparthotel is essentially made up of such serviced apartments, except that the whole building is run like a hotel.

Holiday apartment

A classic holiday apartment has no ongoing service: key handover, final clean, done. That is often enough for holidaymakers, and you can also enquire about our apartments for a city break as one of our holiday apartments in Munich.

Who an aparthotel is right for

Daniel Schulz, our managing director, has been looking after serviced apartments for eight years. His observation: people who have a kitchen stay longer, and people who stay longer want a kitchen. That gives rise to some typical groups of guests.

Business travellers and project teams

Companies often book aparthotels as business apartments for staff who are on site for one or more weeks. A proper desk, reliable Wi-Fi and the option of cooking for yourself in the evening make all the difference. For trade fair weeks in Riem, you will find travel tips on our page accommodation Messe Munich.

Long stays: several weeks or more

For long hotel stays, the terms long-stay hotel or extended-stay hotel have become established. They usually refer to aparthotels or boarding houses with tiered prices. If you are new to the city and need a stopgap until you find your own flat, take a look at temporary housing in Munich.

Families and travellers with dogs

Families appreciate the separate areas and the kitchen for the children’s breakfast. A dog-friendly aparthotel is harder to find because many properties exclude pets. With us, dogs are possible on request depending on the apartment category; find out more on our page dog-friendly apartments in Munich.

How much does an aparthotel cost?

It is hard to give blanket prices, because city, location, size, season and length of stay vary so much. Per night, an aparthotel is often in the same range as a comparable hotel in the same location. Many providers lower the price from one week, and usually significantly for monthly stays.

The real saving comes from food. If you make your own breakfast and dinner for two weeks, you will spend noticeably less than in restaurants. When comparing, look out for the final cleaning fee, extra cleaning, parking, pet fees and the deposit.

Aparthotels in Germany: what to check when booking

The number of aparthotels in Germany has grown strongly in recent years, especially in large cities and trade fair cities. Because the term is not protected, it is worth reading the description carefully. Clarify these questions before you book:

• Is there a hob, or just a microwave and kettle?
• How often is the apartment cleaned, and how often is the linen changed?
• Is the reception staffed, or is check-in via code or key safe?
• Are the final cleaning fee and utilities included in the price?
• Are there weekly or monthly rates, and can you get an invoice made out to your company?

Location is the second big factor. A cheap aparthotel on the edge of town costs you travel time every day. From Ländstraße it is around a four-minute walk to Isartor and twelve minutes to Marienplatz (guide figures, as of October 2026).

Conclusion: a flat with hotel service

An aparthotel combines the kitchen and space of a flat with the linen, cleaning and easy booking of a hotel. It is particularly worthwhile from a few nights upwards, on business trips and for families. If you would like to stay longer in Munich, you will find our 54 apartments from autumn 2027 in our boarding house in Munich in Lehel.

Frequently asked questions about aparthotels

What is an aparthotel in simple terms?

An aparthotel is a hotel with apartments instead of rooms. Each apartment has its own kitchen, and you also get hotel services such as bed linen, towels, cleaning and usually a reception.

What does aparthotel mean?

Aparthotel is a blend of apartment and hotel. The term describes accommodation where you live as you would in a small flat, but book and are looked after as you would in a hotel.

What is the difference between a hotel and an aparthotel?

In an aparthotel you have your own kitchen and more space; in a hotel you get more service, such as daily cleaning and breakfast. Aparthotels are therefore particularly worthwhile for stays of several nights or more.

Do aparthotels serve breakfast?

Sometimes, but it is rarely included. Many aparthotels offer breakfast for an extra charge or do without it altogether, because guests can cook for themselves.

Are aparthotels cleaned?

Yes, at set intervals, often weekly or every few days. Daily cleaning as in a hotel is more the exception or costs extra.

Is an aparthotel the same as a boarding house?

Not quite, although the line is blurred. A boarding house is geared more towards stays of weeks or months with a lean service, an aparthotel more towards short stays from one night.

How do you spell aparthotel correctly?

The most common spelling is aparthotel as one word. Apart hotel, apartment hotel and the German Apparthotel all mean the same thing.