It’s a situation none of us wants to think about, but occasionally homes do get destroyed or rendered uninhabitable by fire or natural disaster. If it happens to you, it can feel like the end of the world. Even if no one was hurt, you’re facing the potential loss of many belongings, possibly of sentimental value — not to mention the question of finding temporary housing for your family and yourself while you figure out what comes next.

The good news is that if you carry a good homeowner’s or renter’s insurance policy, there is probably a provision in there that allocates funds for temporary housing in the event of fire or natural disaster. You’ll usually find this provision under a “loss of use” coverage clause or even “additional expenses.” (If your current policy doesn’t provide this coverage, we highly recommend getting one that does.) By default, many insurance companies (and homeowners) assume that “temporary housing” means putting your family up in a hotel while repairs are made to your home. But this poses another set of problems: What happens if you can’t move back home for months? Is your family supposed to stay in a cramped hotel all that time? And since hotels are expensive, what if the hotel costs are more than your coverage allows, whether as a daily rate or a total amount?

A Better Solution

This dilemma can be solved by another, better option: Obtain temporary housing through a corporate housing agency. Instead of defaulting to a hotel, you and your family can stay in a fully furnished luxury apartment. This option gives your family plenty of space and all the comforts of home — not to mention any additional amenities offered by the apartment complex — and your insurance company will love it because it usually costs significantly less than a hotel stay.

How Insurance Works with Temporary Corporate Housing

In most cases, your insurance covers corporate housing in much the same way the policy would handle a hotel stay. This typically happens in one of three ways:

• Your insurance company handles the arrangements with the housing provider directly. This option is the easiest because you just get to move in without worrying about up-front costs. If your policy works this way, you may need to advise the insurance company of your wish to stay in corporate housing so they don’t put you in a hotel by default.
• You file a claim and the insurance company reimburses you. This option requires you to pay upfront for your housing, but you get it back eventually.
• You obtain an advance payment from the insurance company. If your insurance provider wants to reimburse your claim, you may be able to get them to advance you part of the money up front. This option provides a suitable compromise if you don’t have the money to pay out of pocket initially.

Other Important Tips

A couple of other things you need to be aware of when looking at temporary housing after a disaster:

• Corporate housing may not be covered in the event of flood. Most homeowner’s and renter’s policies don’t cover floods. If you live in a flood-prone area, you may be required to carry separate flood insurance FEMA’s National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), but this provision also doesn’t cover additional living expenses like temporary housing. If you’ve been displaced by flood, contact FEMA to find out your best options.
• Read the fine print of your policy — before disaster strikes. Don’t assume your housing is covered in the event of a disaster; make sure of it. Find out how much money your policy allows for additional living expenses or loss of use, and find out whether the insurance company prefers to handle the arrangements or reimburse you. That way, you’ll be prepared for what happens with fewer surprises in the event of a disaster.

In Atlanta or Jacksonville, TP Corporate Lodging will work with your insurance company to get your family into a comfortable, fully-furnished temporary apartment in the event of fire or natural disaster. To learn more, call us today at 800.428.9997.

Atlanta is a city full of life and texture, including many new and historic homes. Sometimes a renovation or remodeling project can make your home unlivable or highly inconvenient for extended lengths of time. At other times, if you’re building a home, the construction timeline may be delayed due to weather, supply shortages or any of a number of other factors. These temporary inconveniences will be worth it in the end, but what do you do when your living situation is in transition? Let’s explore a few options for short-term furnished housing for Atlanta renovations.

Why Hotels Aren’t Always the Best Idea

By default, many families choose to book rooms in a nearby hotel while their home is going through renovations. Some hotels are indeed geared for extended stays, offering larger suites, kitchenettes and even small apartments. However, this may not always be the best choice for your family. For one thing, hotels come at premium rates, including amenities and services you’re not even likely to use — and even extended stay hotels can get costly over time. Plus, if your renovations go over time or over budget, it doesn’t take long to deplete any savings you’ve accumulated over time.

Airbnb? Maybe…

These days, online platforms like Airbnb are providing a popular alternative to expensive hotels by allowing people to list extra rooms, apartments and even houses for rent. Here in the Atlanta area, it’s fairly easy to find a fully-furnished place large enough for a family, usually for less than the cost of a comparable hotel suite. While this option has its advantages, there are ongoing questions about quality control as some people find their apartments aren’t as advertised, or their hosts don’t take good care of them. Airbnb is taking steps to reduce these risks, but it still may take a little bit of vetting to find the right room.

Corporate Short-Term Housing

Here’s a third option that many people overlook or are unaware of: work with a corporate housing agency to procure short-term housing. This type of service is frequently used by companies or employees staying on business, but it actually works quite well for families in transition, as well. (In fact, some people stay in short-term corporate housing during relocation while looking for a permanent place to live.) A corporate lodging agency arranges for you and your family to stay in a fully-furnished apartment in the Atlanta area, usually with full access to the amenities of that complex, for a fraction of what a hotel usually costs. This options basically gets you the comforts of home for however long you need it, without breaking the bank.

If you’re in the midst of an Atlanta home renovation and need an option for short-term housing, TP Corporate Lodging is here to help. To learn more about availability and rates, give us a call at 800.428.9997.

When you’re bringing a full film crew to another city for a production shoot, the fewer details you have to worry about, the better. Here in Atlanta, which has in recent years become one of the busiest film production hubs on the planet, there’s a constant challenge to find enough available short-term housing for incoming film professionals (and sometimes their families). Finding creative ways to fill this need — within budget — can be a full-time job in itself. One great way to solve the problem is to work with a corporate production housing partner — an agent or company who can make these arrangements for you. Here are some tips for finding the right company to work with.

Look for a Company Specializing in Furnished Apartments

To be clear: For best results, you don’t need a “booking agent” or glorified travel agent whose job it is to book enough hotel rooms or Airbnb to cover your housing needs. That strategy can be costly, deliver inconsistent results and may not give your team the level of comfort they really need for an extended shoot. For any shoot lasting longer than a week, look for agencies that specialize in fully furnished apartments at corporate rates. That way, you can be better assured your team will rest more comfortably at night and come to the set refreshed and ready to work.

Look for a Company with Local Expertise

Corporate housing companies with a national reach may appear professional and well-connected, but there’s really no substitute for working with an agency with local ties to the community. Some reasons why this is true:

• A local corporate housing company knows the various neighborhoods and “hotspots,” knows your prospective filming locations and knows which apartments would be most comfortable and convenient for your team.
• A local agency will have solid, trusted working relationships with apartment complexes across the city, making it much easier to procure sufficient housing in a short amount of time.
• A local company will also have a better ability to customize a corporate housing plan to suit your specific needs — all the way down to providing individualized attention to the needs of your teammates. (For example, if someone is bringing a dog or needs a high chair, these are accommodations more easily met by a local company.)

Film productions are stressful enough on their own, even at those rare times when things are going exactly as planned. Don’t add to the stress of your Atlanta film shoot by taking on the burden of finding housing for your crew. TP Corporate Lodging can be your trusted corporate housing partner to make sure your team can live and rest comfortably without breaking the bank. To learn more, call us at 800.428.9997.

In recent years, Airbnb has gained a lot of steam as a platform to find comfortable lodging as an alternative to more expensive hotels. It can be very useful for families to find vacation rentals or for business travelers to find affordable places for extended stays. It’s also a way for private individuals to make a little extra income off their property — and, ironically, here’s where the challenges lie. Even with robust screening in place, it can be difficult for Airbnb to monitor quality control for the individual renting their place for the weekend versus a certified corporate lodging partner with consistent standards (like TP Corporate) who also may be using the site.

Fortunately, there are a few ways to find certified corporate lodging on Airbnb while weeding through the many private listings that may or may not be as advertised or up to your standards. Here are some tips.

Check out Airbnb’s Corporate Travel Section

Unbeknownst to some, Airbnb has a specific portal for business travelers to find great places to stay on business. This presents a great opportunity to find lodging that is especially work-friendly, and you’re more likely to find a higher concentration of listings there by corporate lodging agencies.

Look for the “Plus” Button

In an effort to improve quality control across the site, Airbnb has launched Airbnb Plus, a new classification guaranteeing the highest quality standards in their listings. Plus listings have a history of consistently high reviews and are personally visited by Airbnb staff to pass a 100-point inspection. Many corporate lodging partners qualify for the “Plus” ranking, so this is also a good way to find them.

Research Specific Hosts

When you come across a listing on the site that seems to check all the boxes for you, dig a little deeper and click on the host icon. Find out whether it’s an individual or a business and whether they have multiple properties available. This is also a good way to identify a company providing quality corporate housing.

Many users have had good experiences all around with Airbnb, which is one reason the site is so popular. However, a few bad apples still slip through the cracks, and when you’re trying to make quick plans for business travel, you want to be certain you’re getting a good unit and a good host without having to do hours of research. The best way to do that is to find a reliable corporate lodging partner with a track record of quality. If you’re heading to Atlanta or Jacksonville on business and need reliable, affordable lodging, call TP Corporate Lodging at 800.428.9997.

An extended family health crisis can add untold amounts of stress on patients and families alike. Not only is there the concern for the patient’s well-being, but the added financial pressure of healthcare and medical expenses can take a huge toll on the family, as well. Occasionally, the best treatment can’t be found at local facilities, and the patient may need to spend time at a specialized facility in another city or state. This means finding short-term lodging for the patient and the family members who accompany him/her — all adding up to even more expenses.

How can family members juggle all these details and extra expenses when all they want to do is be there to support their loved one during treatment? The good news is that if you’re going through something like this, there are housing options available that you might not have considered. Some of these options can save you money over expensive hotels, and some can even function as a home-away-from-home. Let’s explore some short-term medical lodging resources for patients and their families, discussing some of the advantages and possible disadvantages of each.

Hotel Discounts

For most people, the default option for temporary, out-of-town lodging is a hotel or motel. The problem is that these hotels come at a premium cost, and even those properties designed for extended stays can add up quickly in price. The good news is that sometimes medical healthcare facilities negotiate special discounts with nearby hotels to help offset the cost (ask your healthcare facility for a list of options).

• Advantages: Using medical discounts at a hotel is a quick, convenient way to answer the question of where you’re going to stay so you can give more attention to your loved one. The discounts are sometimes significant and can lessen the financial burden.
• Disadvantages: Even at discounted rates, hotels can be costly — and the cheaper ones with fewer amenities frequently aren’t comfortable enough for longer stays. Unless you’re staying in a suite, spending weeks in a single room can also add stress to an already difficult situation.

Hospital-Affiliated Housing/Non-profit Groups

Some healthcare facilities also have set up some form of specialized housing for families to stay in at discounted rates while their loved one undergoes treatment. This housing is often set up to feel as home-like as possible (although there are some limitations), and they are often specialized to accommodate a certain type of illness (for example, cancer treatment). There are also non-profit organizations that provide temporary housing for families in health crises for little or no cost. (Ronald McDonald House is an excellent example, providing housing for families with sick children.)

• Advantages: Hospital-affiliated and charitable housing are geared to making a healthcare crisis easier on the family. They are deliberately close to the facility (either across the street or in walking distance), provide home-like facilities and sometimes even meals, and can greatly reduce the cost of short-term lodging.
• Disadvantages: Due to great demand, these housing options are frequently limited on space and availability. They also may restrict admittance to families dealing with a specific type of healthcare issue.

Shared Housing Platforms (e.g. Airbnb)

In recent years, another housing option has emerged that can help families find home-like conditions out of town at a reasonable cost. Using an online platform or app like Airbnb, families can rent fully furnished homes and apartments made available by their owners. These come at a variety of price points, but they are generally comparable to or cheaper than hotels.

• Advantages: Airbnb and similar platforms help families find actual residences to stay in, including fully equipped kitchens so families can do their own cooking. The home-like surroundings make it easier to stay for longer periods of time.
• Disadvantages: While these platforms are taking steps to improve quality control, it’s often a “buyer beware” situation. Lodging options may not always be as advertised, and individual service may vary.

Short-term Corporate Housing

One highly effective housing option that often goes overlooked is to work with a short-term corporate housing agency, one that specializes in providing furnished residences for stays lasting longer than a week to several months. Businesses often use these agencies to provide housing for traveling employees, but they can be a great option for patients and families, as well. The agency arranges for the family to stay in a fully furnished apartment (often with luxury amenities) for a fraction of the cost of hotel stays.

• Advantages: Corporate lodging can add up to significant savings for families in medical crises while providing an actual, fully furnished residence to stay in. Since the housing company oversees the details, quality control is greatly improved over Airbnb and similar options, as well.

Whether you or a loved one is undergoing rehab, fighting cancer or dealing with some other debilitating illness, the last thing you need is to face unnecessary financial burdens associated with your extended stay lodging. If you or your loved one requires treatment in Atlanta or Jacksonville, TP Corporate Lodging can provide high-quality corporate lodging for the family at very reasonable rates. To learn more, call us today at 800.428.9997.

If you’ve ever worked on a major film production, you know that it’s a huge undertaking. A film production is part creative tribe and part business — and when you bring a cast and crew to shoot on location, it’s like setting up a small city. All of those people need comfortable housing, sometimes for months at a time. Atlanta is known for its hospitality for film projects, but even so, finding affordable lodging for so many people can be a real challenge. Here are some options to explore to find housing for your Atlanta cast and crew.

Corporate Housing

The first option is to work with a corporate lodging partner to arrange for your cast and crew to stay in temporary housing in Atlanta. This option works very well for productions because the lodging company handles the housing details and provides fully furnished apartments to house everyone on your team — at a fraction of the cost of booking hotels for everyone. Your cast and crew will feel more at home, which means they can stay comfortably for months at a time, if need be. In addition, quality standards remain consistent across the board because you are working with a single agent to provide housing for everyone.

The Hotel Route

Historically speaking, the “easiest” pathway to procuring temporary housing is to book hotel rooms for everyone — possibly saving money when possible by booking several crew members to a room. However, you’ll find three inherent challenges with this route:

• Hotels are very expensive for what they offer. Few things can deplete a film budget faster than film crew housing.
• Hotels aren’t comfortable for extended stays. Living in a hotel room isn’t like living at home — and after several weeks, this can affect the team’s overall morale.
• Hotel availability can be unpredictable. Atlanta is a busy city with hundreds of events going on at any time. If your production is fairly large, there’s a chance you won’t find enough rooms to accommodate everyone for a long period of time.

Housing Platforms (e.g. Airbnb)

Another popular trend these days is to use Airbnb and similar platforms to find extended stay housing. This is a viable option because many people and companies use the platform to rent fully furnished homes and apartments, so it’s more likely you’ll find comfortable housing, sometimes for less than a hotel. That said, you’ll still have a few potential problems to overcome, including the following:

• Using Airbnb can be more labor-intensive. Finding individual units for everyone on your team can be quite time-consuming — and housing everyone close together may be impossible.
• Quality standards are inconsistent. Many users report less-than-stellar facilities and experiences with landlords.
• The cost savings versus labor isn’t always efficient. Even if you save a few dollars over the hotels, the time involvement procuring the housing may not be worth it.

If you’re trying to find housing for your Atlanta film cast and crew, TP Corporate Lodging can help meet the need without draining your budget. To learn more, call us at 800.428.9997.

There are a million logistics to consider when bringing a film production to film on location, but finding temporary housing for film production teams can be one of the greatest headaches you’ll face. Depending on the city, housing availability and the size of your team, you’re facing the possible prospects of premium rates to procure limited rooms, sometimes in locations that are nowhere near your set. By the time you’re done, your nerves could be fried, your bank accounts empty and your credit cards full.

But never fear; with a bit of planning, it is possible to find comfortable temporary housing for everyone on your team with a minimal amount of effort and drama. Here’s how to go about it.

Determine Your Housing Needs and Budget

Much of the stress involved with finding housing for large groups is actually self-imposed — because people didn’t plan ahead. They didn’t know exactly how many rooms they needed for the people they have, nor had they settled on a budget. Get this step done first; figure out ahead of time how many people will stay in each room or apartment — go ahead and assign roommates, if you can. Talk with your financial team to find out how much you can afford to spend on housing. Having this information on paper goes a long way toward smoothing the process.

Research the Area

Next, do a little online or in-person reconnaissance of the area near your filming location. Where are the available hotels and apartment communities in proximity to your set? Identify a few potential neighborhoods to look at. Bear in mind that your short list doesn’t have to include only areas that are geographically close to your set; you can also look along major commute arteries. As long as your crew can get to the set fairly easily, you’re in good shape.

Work with a Corporate Housing Agent, Rather than Booking Hotels Yourself

Not only are hotels extremely expensive — they may have limited availability during your stay, and they aren’t comfortable for extended stays. Save yourself a huge amount of time and stress by working with a corporate housing company who specializes in providing temporary housing. This way, you may be able to work with one agent to procure fully furnished apartments for your entire film production team, all at a fraction of the cost of booking hotels for each of them. In addition, the burden of finding the rooms is off your shoulders!

If you’re bringing a film production team to Atlanta, TP Corporate Lodging can arrange for your team to stay in fully-furnished luxury apartments convenient to your shooting site, all at affordable rates. Call us at 800.428.9997 to speak to an agent who can help with citywide locations and share their expertise of various areas.

When you bring in a film crew on location to shoot a film, you’ve asked them to stay on for an extended length of time — for weeks or even months while production goes on. Finding comfortable film crew housing is one of the biggest challenges facing location productions, especially for low-to mid-budget projects. How do you keep your film crew comfortable without breaking your budget? Here are 5 important tips to consider when choosing film crew housing.

1. Avoid expensive hotels if possible.

Booking hotel rooms for your gaffers, grips, PAs, production designers and other crew members might be the “easiest” choice, but expensive hotels can eat up your budget quicker than you realize — plus, extended hotel stays often cause traveler fatigue over time because it can be difficult to relax. (You may also need to allocate luxury lodgings to your actors if they’ve contracted for it.) Look for less expensive and more comfortable solutions, rather than just doing the thing that seems most convenient.

2. Look for the “home away from home.”

The more of a home-like situation you can provide for your film crew, the better off they will be. They will rest better at night because at the end of a long shoot, they have all the conveniences of home. Having a stocked kitchen can help your crew do their own cooking so they can hold to their dietary requirements and stay within their budgets, and you can even house multiple people in a roommate format more easily.

3. Take amenities into account.

A little pampering never hurt anyone. Hotels often offer amenities your crew members won’t even use, but an on-site fitness center, pool or picnic areas can also help your crew blow off steam and stay healthy. One option is to find furnished apartments in luxury communities that are available for the short term. These complexes often include amenities your crew will actually appreciate.

4. Look for convenient commutes.

When it’s easy for your film crew to get to and from the set, that’s one less headache to worry about. It may or may not be possible to house them especially close to the set, but if they are housed near main arteries of the city in which you’re shooting, that’s the next best thing. Always take location into account when securing film crew housing.

5. Consider working with a corporate housing partner.

Corporate lodging companies specialize in providing comfortable, furnished luxury apartments for extended stays — all at reasonable rates. Working with this kind of partner also helps take the legwork out of finding enough quality housing for your entire crew, shaving potentially thousands off your budget and saving you many hours of time.

Here in Atlanta, which has become one of the world’s most popular hotspots for film, TP Corporate Lodging can arrange quality housing for you and your crew. To learn more, call us at 800.428.9997.