Planning an extended trip soon? Whether for business, family vacation, or just an extended getaway, you’ll likely need a comfortable home base for your long-term stay. Two of the most popular extended stay hotel chains are Residence Inn and Embassy Suites. But which one should you choose?
This in-depth guide compares and contrasts the two brands across key factors like rooms, amenities, locations, pricing, and more. By the end, you’ll have all the information needed to pick the perfect extended stay hotel for your travel needs.
Let’s dive in!
Room Types and Amenities: Which Offers More Home-Like Comforts?
Extended stay means you’ll basically be living out of your hotel room for days or weeks at a time. So spacious, home-like suites with separate living areas and fully-equipped kitchens are essential amenities.
Residence Inn offers:
– Studio, one-bedroom, and two-bedroom suite options
– Full kitchens with stove, oven, microwave, full-size fridge, and dishwasher
– Separate living and sleeping areas
Embassy Suites provides:
– Suites with separate living room
– Kitchenettes with microwave, mini-fridge, and wet bar (no oven/stove)
While both brands offer suite-style accommodations, Residence Inn is the clear winner if you need more residential-style amenities like a full kitchen setup for longer stays.
However, Embassy Suites still feels quite roomy and residential compared to a standard hotel room. The lack of a full oven/stove may not be an issue if you don’t plan to cook full meals.
Both chains also offer complimentary breakfast to start your day:
– Residence Inn: Simple free breakfast like cereals, breads, coffee, juices
– Embassy Suites: Cooked-to-order hot breakfast AND evening reception with drinks and snacks
So while Residence Inn has more home-like amenities, the free hot breakfast and evening reception at Embassy Suites adds a nice touch of hospitality.
Locations and Accessibility: Where Can You Find Them?
With thousands of locations worldwide, both Residence Inn and Embassy Suites are widely available across the United States and internationally.
Residence Inn has over 800 extended stay hotels globally in:
– Major metro cities like New York, Los Angeles, Chicago
– Airport locations for easy accessibility
– Business districts and suburban areas
Embassy Suites’ portfolio includes over 250 hotels concentrated in:
– Popular travel destinations like Orlando, Las Vegas, Hawaii
– Airport and business district locations
– Many suburban and highway locations
If you need an extended stay hotel in a major city or business hub, both chains likely have conveniently located options. But for stays in more off-the-beaten-path towns, Residence Inn may have better coverage with its larger number of properties.
For international travel, consider where each brand’s parent companies (**Marriott** for Residence Inn and **Hilton** for Embassy Suites) have a stronger regional presence.
Pet-Friendly Policies: Which is Best for Furry Friends?
Love traveling with your pets? Here’s a quick rundown of each brand’s pet policies for extended stays:
Residence Inn:
– Allows dogs up to 75 lbs for a non-refundable fee (around $100)
– Some locations enforce extra pet fees and weight limits
– Provides pet-friendly rooms and pet relief areas
Embassy Suites:
– Generally allows 1-2 pets up to 75 lbs for a non-refundable fee
– Some properties don’t allow pets or have weight/fee restrictions
– Limited pet amenities like relief areas and welcome treats
While both are relatively pet-friendly overall, Residence Inn seems to have more consistently pet-welcoming policies across locations. Plus little extras like designated pet relief areas make it marginally better for extended stays with furry friends.
Pricing and Value: Getting the Most Bang for Your Buck
For an extended stay, nightly rates quickly start adding up. So you’ll want to maximize value by considering overall pricing and what’s included for the money.
Here’s a general pricing comparison between the two brands:
Residence Inn
– Average nightly rate: $150-$250
– Often offers discounts like AAA, senior, corporate, govt. rates
– Free hot breakfast included
Embassy Suites
– Average nightly rate: $200-$300
– Discounts available through Hilton Honors program
– Free cooked-to-order breakfast AND evening reception included
In many markets, Embassy Suites hotels tend to be pricier on a nightly basis than Residence Inn. However, the free hot breakfast and evening reception help offset some of those higher room costs.
Meanwhile, Residence Inn’s lower price point plus a simple breakfast makes it the more budget-friendly extended stay option overall. But you may get more amenities and extras for the money at pricier Embassy locations.
Ultimately, your individual pricing will depend on factors like:
– Travel dates and location
– Whether you qualify for discounted rates (AAA, corporate, etc.)
– How much value you place on free meals and receptions
So compare total stays costs for your specific dates to understand which brand offers better overall value for your travel needs and budget.
Brand Standards and Consistency: What to Expect Across Locations
When staying at hotels long-term, it’s nice to have consistency in the experience from one location to the next. This allows you to know what to expect in terms of quality, service, and amenities.
Let’s look at how each brand maintains its standards:
Residence Inn is part of Marriott’s extended stay brand portfolio. As such, it follows relatively strict brand standards across properties. This results in:
– Consistent suite layouts and amenities
– Similar complimentary breakfast offerings
– Comparable service and hospitality approach
Embassy Suites, owned by Hilton, allows more variation across its portfolio based on factors like location and individual franchisees. While still adhering to brand guidelines, you may notice differences between properties like:
– Exterior design and aesthetics
– Breakfast and evening reception quality/offerings
– Service and amenity inconsistencies
So if consistency from one hotel to the next is extremely important for your extended stay needs, Residence Inn may be the safer choice thanks to tighter brand standards.
However, many road warriors feel **Embassy Suites** still offers relatively comparable stays across its properties despite some variations.
Loyalty Programs: The Benefits of Brand Rewards
Can’t decide between these two extended stay brands? Their loyalty rewards programs could be the tiebreaker.
Members of Marriott Bonvoy (Residence Inn’s program) enjoy benefits like:
– Free night awards starting at 15,000 points
– Earning 10 points per $1 spent at most Marriott hotels
– Elite status with perks like suite upgrades, late checkout, free breakfast
Meanwhile, Hilton Honors provides Embassy Suites guests with:
– Free night awards from 5,000-95,000 points based on property
– 10-25 base points per $1 spent, depending on hotel brand
– Elite benefits like lounge access, room upgrades, amenities
Both programs are extremely valuable for extended stay road warriors. Hilton Honors has a lower points redemption floor. But higher-end Marriott properties could offer more luxury redemptions for larger point balances.
If you frequently stay at one family of hotels, sticking with the same loyalty program for your extended stays allows you to rack up maximum rewards over time.
The Final Verdict: Residence Inn vs Embassy Suites
So which extended stay hotel brand reigns supreme: **Residence Inn** or **Embassy Suites**? Here’s a quick recap of how they stack up:
Go with Residence Inn if... 🏡
– You want larger suites with full kitchens and residential feel
– Seeking more pet-friendly accommodations
– Looking for lower nightly rates and better overall value
– Consistency across hotel locations is very important
– You’re a Marriott Bonvoy member maximizing rewards
Embassy Suites is the way to go if... 🍹
– Free cooked breakfast and evening receptions are a priority
– You don’t mind paying more for extra hospitality perks
– Hilton Honors points and benefits are more valuable to you
– Finding locations in popular vacation destinations is key
Here’s the conclusion to wrap up this in-depth comparison of Residence Inn vs Embassy Suites:
Making the Best Extended Stay Choice For You
At the end of the day, there is no definitively “better” extended stay hotel between Residence Inn and Embassy Suites. The right choice for you depends on your specific priorities and travel needs.
If having a true home-like experience with a full kitchen, residential suite setup, and budget-friendly pricing is most important, then Residence Inn’s apartment-style accommodations will likely be the best fit.
However, Embassy Suites makes a strong case for those willing to pay a bit more for the inclusive amenities like free cooked breakfast and evening receptions. The lack of full kitchens may not matter for shorter stays or travelers who don’t need to cook full meals.
Both hotel chains have widespread locations, brand standards you can generally count on, and lucrative loyalty programs for frequent extended stayers. But Residence Inn’s wider coverage and tighter brand consistency could be appealing if you need reliability across long road trips.
Ultimately, make a list of your must-have amenities, budget, loyalty program status, and other priorities. Then weigh each brand against those needs to determine which extended stay option aligns best with your travel plans and lifestyle.
No matter which one you choose, an extended stay at Residence Inn or Embassy Suites beats a cramped regular hotel room for trips spanning multiple days or weeks. The residential suite experience allows you to settle in and feel at home while on the road.
So use this guide as a helpful starting point to make the most informed decision for your upcoming long-term travel. An extra bit of research upfront ensures you book the perfect “home away from home” accommodations.