Derag Livinghotel Frankfurt: serviced apartments on a new level

The Derag Livinghotels in Germany and Austria have always been pioneers in their segment. By 1982, CEO Max Schlereth had already realised his vision of the new concept of serviced apartments instead of standard hotel rooms.The first Derag Livinghotel opened its doors in Munich’s city centre, next to the famous Deutsches Museum, or German Museum. Today, the hotel chain has expanded to 17 individually equipped properties with about 3,000 serviced apartments and hotel rooms. The newest addition, the second Derag Livinghotel in Frankfurt, takes serviced apartments to the next level with the first 'Living Room' as the heart of the property – a place to eat, drink, meet and relax.

A new way of living

Serviced apartments are ideal for various target groups, especially business travellers who stay longer than two or three nights and appreciate the benefits of an apartment. Most companies operating globally use serviced apartments for their employees. For projects that last more than a few months, moving into a flat that has to be furnished and equipped with all necessities is too complicated.Furthermore, in the 21st century, mobility and connectivity are, in most jobs, essential. Real-time communication, via email, WhatsApp, Skype and social networks, is a must.Serviced apartments offer more than just a bed and a bathroom: they serve the modern guest who relies on technical amenities. Open floorplans combine living, working and sleeping spaces with a fully equipped kitchen or a pantry.Besides a high-quality coffee machine, a microwave and a washing machine, the Livinghotel apartments offer perfect connectivity, with high-speed wi-fi, flat screens and more than enough technical connections. Their lobbies are usually reminiscent of lounges rather than impersonal halls, and they offer various wellness and sports options.In addition, Livinghotels are predominantly located in prime areas, with supermarkets, restaurants and parks nearby – ideally in the areas where locals want to live.Not surprisingly, the market is booming. The sector association TAS Alliance, in London, says that the number of serviced apartments has increased by 86 per cent in the last four years. There are more than 775,000 apartments in over 10,000 locations worldwide. The most important market is still in the USA, but the sector has grown dynamically in Germany, where there were more than six million overnight stays in serviced apartments in the last year.

Introducing Derag Livinghotels

Since 1982, Derag Livinghotels has built on the concept of serviced apartments, becoming the market leader in its segment in the German-speaking area.From the first hotel in Munich, the company expanded to eight locations, the others being Berlin, Bonn, Dusseldorf, Frankfurt, Nuremberg, Weimar and Vienna. The family business is now run by the second generation, and the company’s management relies on a sustainable and holistic concept. All houses receive green energy, and those with underground parking offer free charging of electric vehicles.Guests experience the greatest possible flexibility of services, from an ironing and washing service to a shopping and office service. Reception is therefore open 24/7. The newest properties additionally offer innovative technical services, like the possibility to check in via a terminal and free calls to all national landlines and mobile networks.

A home away from home

The new Derag Livinghotel in Frankfurt is a mirror of the skyline of the city, which is known as ‘Mainhattan’. The hotel stands out with its modern design, steel, glass and concrete construction, and use of the colours grey and red. It has 104 rooms and serviced apartments, equipped to the most modern standards.Each apartment has a large glass front (some offer a balcony) and provides either a queen-sized or a king-sized bed, technology boxes, a laptop safe, and a fully equipped kitchenette with an induction stove, a microwave, a coffee machine, and a refrigerator with a freezer. The living space is furnished with generous wardrobe space, inviting seating, and a 50-inch Samsung TV. Guests can connect a laptop to the TV to enjoy their own content or content from the entertainment archive.The highlight of the Derag Livinghotel in Frankfurt is its newest invention, the Living Room. Following the hotel’s philosophy, ‘live, not stay’, the Living Room offers guests a space to live outside their rooms. This space was created to soften the traditional separation of reception, restaurant and lounge.The 300m² Living Room combines the lobby, lounge, bar and kitchen, check-in terminals and working stations. Equipped with cosy sofas and armchairs, bar tables, custom-made furniture, seating groups and ceiling-high shelves containing the  favourite books of all employees, it is a space to relax, eat, drink, work or meet.With the new concept of a living space in the Livinghotel, the role of the employee has changed, too. Employees are not just people with nametags but authentic hosts with personalities. It took over two-and-a-half-years to plan the highly innovative new personnel concept. The result is a programme that simplifies workforce processes and streamlines the classic management structure.There are only three levels: general manager, assistant to the general manager, and host. The positions are open to hotel specialists, but also to lateral entrants, as the key job requirements are excellent communication skills and enthusiasm for serving guests. This gives the hotel its unique and authentic spirit, and makes every guest feel welcome and special.For more information, visit https://www.deraghotels.de/