Smith, who is currently living in Hong Kong, says: "The worst experience was living in a house in Jakarta with three small children. My husband worked long hours and it was difficult for me to meet other people. I also had to manage household staff, which I had never done before and I found that quite hard. Now I insist that wherever we travel, we live in a serviced apartment which is geared for families."

Expat families are looking for facilities that make life easier

Elisabeth Marx, London-based specialist in international recruitment and author of "Breaking Through Culture Shock: What You Need to Succeed in International Business" (Nicholas Brealey Intercultural, 2001) says 25 percent of US managers fail to adapt successfully to a foreign assignment, and the root cause is often down to family issues.

It isn't surprising, therefore, that a growing number of multinational companies are posting single persons overseas. Catherine McNabb, director of marketing for Singapore-based Oakwood Asia Pacific - one of Asia's biggest serviced apartment operators - says: "Multinational companies are consciously looking to relocate singles rather than families to save on relocation costs such as housing and education expenses."

However, many senior managers do have families and if they are the best choice for the job, then the family relocates, too.

Singapore's Fraser Serviced Apartments, a major player across Asia, says families occupy about 40 per cent of its residences. While Singapore's Ascott Group -- the biggest serviced apartment operator in Asia - says around 35 per cent of its Somerset residences are occupied by families.

"People who bring their families with them tend to be on longer assignments of two or three years and tend to be in China, Vietnam and Indonesia," says CEO Eugene Lai.

A growing number of expats are choosing to live in serviced apartments rather than renting a home because in the post-9/11 climate, they offer a greater sense of security.

"Serviced apartments are usually smaller than hotels with less people coming through and, unlike hotels, where common areas have public access, serviced residences are private," says Ascott's  Lai. "Due to the fact that they stay longer, the staff knows the guests and their children by name, can keep an eye on the children and can more easily pick out strangers."

Expats are also looking for facilities that will make life easier and help them meet people in a similar situation. In a competitive market, which has had to deal with the effects of severe acute respiratory syndrome, fears of terrorism and multinational companies cutting costs, serviced apartment operators are doing all they can to attract potential residents and their families.

Oakwood, for example, offers to locate and secure places at foreign schools, organizes school buses, runs a children's clubhouse and provides special children's meals.

 Meanwhile, Fraser offers children's swimming pools, babysitting services, 24-hour reception, concierge and security, kids' clubs and a wide range of recreational programs to help residents learn more about their host country.

"We do all we can to make families feel welcome," says Chose Peng Sum, Fraser's COO. "Families with young children can opt for the 'kiddies' dream' package, which includes cartoon-printed bed linen, a highchair, toys, safety gates, a playpen, the Disney channel, a pushchair and bottle sterilizer and warmer."

Mary Daughters is originally from California and is staying at a Fraser apartment in Singapore with her husband and two-year-old daughter.

She says: "It's really exceeded our expectations. The staff is really kind. I love the housekeepers and they have done all they can to make us feel as comfortable as possible. It feels like a home away from home."

Another advantage of serviced apartments, say residents, is that it is easier to meet other expats and make new friends.

Most offer themed events and cultural visits and run a range of clubs from wine appreciation to calligraphy. "Many of our guests cite the supportive community as a key benefit," says Ascott's . Lai. "

As guests stay longer at serviced apartments than at hotels, they get to know one another and build friendships. our guest activities and programs further facilitate this sense of shared experience and it helps executives and their families feel more at home in an unfamiliar country," he says.

Daughters says serviced apartments have one disadvantage: "People move on. You make solid friendships in this sort of environment and then people either return home or are posted somewhere else. But it does mean that we now have friends all over the world."

December 2003

Subject: Expats in Germany