| Travelers often find hotel rooms expensive and too | | | | plus closets, couches, kitchens, dishwashers, laundry |
| small to be comfortable after a week or two. The | | | | machines, internet access, dinnerware, parking, sauna, |
| corporate housing industry has sprouted up to provide | | | | gym, and swimming facilities in the building - everything |
| an alternative: accommodations are offered in | | | | that can satisfy the needs of someone who has to be |
| serviced furnished apartments so that business people | | | | away from home for several months. Chances are |
| and others staying in a city for a month or more can | | | | they will be working on the laptop much of the time in |
| take short-term leases on corporate suites in the part | | | | these days of telecommuting and remote virtual |
| of the city that is preferred by the customer. Some | | | | offices. |
| executives prefer peace and quiet while others like to | | | | The companies that arrange these suites find suite |
| be close to the action. | | | | owners who will be away or who rent units for profit |
| The city of Toronto is a destination that most | | | | and put them in the reservation system which |
| Canadian business people will visit at some point if they | | | | customers can access online. Photos of the suites can |
| are company executives. Most major corporations | | | | help the guests choose the decor they prefer. The |
| maintain offices in Ontario's capitol so there is an | | | | corporate housing business makes a marginal profit in |
| endless flow of airport traffic, many quality hotels, and | | | | normal times but the companies in Toronto suffered |
| countless restaurants to serve visitors. For some, the | | | | losses in the SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory |
| $300 or so per night hotel room cost is not the main | | | | Syndrome) outbreak scare of 2003 when, in April of |
| issue when the company budget is large; the | | | | that year the World Health Organization advised that |
| executives however have greater needs for privacy | | | | all but essential travel to Toronto should be avoided |
| and they may not want to dine out for every meal. | | | | due the enormous Chinese population coming and |
| The corporate housing solution provides furnished | | | | going from their home country, possibly spreading the |
| apartments in condo buildings with all the amenities | | | | disease. This magnified to near-quarantine levels and |
| they are used to at home. The apartments have twice | | | | destroyed the tourist trade for many months. |
| the floor space of hotel rooms - this allows the visitor | | | | The scare turned out to be nothing substantial but the |
| to relax and settle in. It's doubtful that anyone would | | | | effect on the city's economy was profound and |
| look forward to the formalities of hotel living after being | | | | long-lasting. So was the fear of touching door handles, |
| in office meetings all day. A hotel room is little more | | | | eating in restaurants, being in crowds, shopping in |
| than a place to sleep and shower. The urge to get out | | | | stores, and shaking hands with people. The ripple |
| of the room usually results in a trip to the lounge or | | | | effect seemed to cost everybody money. Toronto |
| other public place to be around other people so less | | | | was so paralyzed by the SARS scare that a concert |
| work gets done. | | | | called "Molson Canadian Rocks for Toronto" featuring |
| The average cost of a corporate suite is about $150 | | | | the Rolling Stones and AC/DC was put on to help |
| per night so for half the price you get twice the space | | | | revive the city's tourist trade. |