I’m new to the mobility industry, so when I got the chance to stay in one of our corporate housing units, I was eager to learn as much as I could to understand the service that Dwellworks offers. Our team reserved a unit for me in Polanco, Mexico City. Here are my four takeaways from this wonderful, insightful experience.
Any new, big city is intimidating, and even though I'm familiar with Mexico City, the whole experience of staying in a serviced apartment was entirely new to me. Pilar, our Corporate Housing Liaison in Mexico City, welcomed me, showed me my unit, gave me a tour of the building, and helped me set up my fingerprint for security purposes. The building’s security operates with fingerprint scanners, so this gave me access to the premises. Pilar answered every question I had and gave me insider tips. Not only did I appreciate having someone to greet me, but it was also tremendously helpful. In many cases like mine, the Corporate Housing team becomes one of the first interactions guests have with locals. With them being so accommodating, the settling-in process is a treat!
- This is the video I took of the entrance of the building and the moment Pilar welcomed me to the apartment.
Corporate housing is much more than just renting a unit. We are providing people with a safe place to call home while they are far from their families. The unit becomes the place where guests will sleep, relax, call their loved ones, cook what’s familiar to them, or just have some quiet time. The unit I was placed in had everything I needed — a great kitchen, living room, huge windows, and a bedroom with a view. Coming back to such a lovely apartment after a long day at work was delightful!
My experience was truly one of a kind. I was staying in the Carso building, and I already knew that I was within walking distance of shops, restaurants, and museums, but what I didn't know is that everything I needed was actually in the same complex!
On my first day, I woke up early, crossed the courtyard, and headed to the mall and grocery store. I bought breakfast and flowers to decorate the apartment. I also walked outside at night to enjoy the changing colors of the Soumaya Museum. The area was well lit and perfectly safe.
Our Mexico City office is in located in the neighborhood of Santa Fe, and commuting to work was the only thing I really needed to leave the complex for. The commute was around 30 minutes without traffic. I didn’t have a car, but because I was staying in Polanco, there were always taxis and Ubers available. This kind of set-up was perfect for me!
- Here you can see my breakfast with a view, the courtyard I had to cross to get to the grocery store, the Soumaya Museum and Polanco at night.
Access to amenities is one of the top trends in corporate housing. Carso had a gym, a pool, tennis courts, playrooms, and a business center — along with being attached to a mall and grocery store. After my experience, I can understand the importance of having access to these kinds of facilities. When you are on a long-term assignment in another place, you’re either at work or by yourself in your serviced apartment, so recreation is important to not only make the experience more enjoyable, but to keep a healthy and balanced life abroad. The neighborhood of Polanco was great for shopping, entertainment and peaceful walking in nearby parks.
This experience allowed me to see corporate housing from a different perspective — through the eyes of a guest. My stay gave me a deeper understanding of how we conduct business and why we go above and beyond for our clients. I will take the things I learned along with the warmth of the city and the people I met during my trip.
If you’d like to see more about the apartment where I stayed at, here’s the link: