Apartment hotels are flexible types of accommodation; instead of the rigid format of a hotel room, an apartment hotel complex usually offers a complete fully fitted apartment. These complexes are usually custom built, and similar to a hotel complex containing a varied amount of apartments. The length of stay in these apartment hotels is very varied with anywhere from a few days to months or even years. Prices tend to be cheaper than hotels. The people that stay in apartment hotels use them as a home away from home, therefore they are usually fitted with everything the average home would require.

Apartment buildings are used to house people from all social groups, from the lower socio-economic (such as public housing which features rentals and very basic living standards) to the wealthy, which sometimes include penthouse apartments (with luxury add-ons such as doormen, security, elevators, balconies, swimming pools and private gymnasiums, tennis courts and even boat moorings). Additionally, some apartment buildings, are designed to contain mostly studio apartments, serviced apartments or boarding houses to accommodate contemporary itinerant lifestyles.