While searching for a "temporary home" we find too many different spellings - but which one is now actually correct? Because of the topical inducement we want to bring order into the orthographic neologisms.

Among the many possibilities there are only two correct options: the English version "apartment" - and the French version "appartement". Both options are properly, but in German the use of the first form is becoming more common. All other "hybrids" are linguistic fantasy products.

With the alternative notion “boardinghouse” (correct spelling) it is not any different. There are imaginable variations circulating - from “boardinghaus”, “bordinghouse” on to “boarding house”. Even a “bordinghaus” has already occurred.

In the first place this causes confusion among potential guests. Because both - the house name and the description of the apartments – should give the guest an impression of the future "temporary home" even before the guest arrives.

Fundamental - all units in an apartment house shall be named as apartments - regardless of whether they have one, 2 or more rooms. The names “suite” and “junior suite” are subject to the traditional hotel industry.

Again and again we find apartment houses that consist of studios and suites only. But can a studio consist of two rooms and a suite of only one room? No - it can not! For sure, there are also definitions: a studio is a zero bedroom apartment which consists of a combined sleeping and living area.

ATTENTION to all operators, who call their one-bedroom apartments “studio …."! At this point we find the biggest confusion for the guest and many misconceptions.

The confusion is completed when we think of the English to German translations and vice versa. If you translate word by word you get the mixed occupational titles. The translation of a 1-bedroom-apartment into a "2-room-apartment" is totally wrong and is of no assistance to the guests.

From our favourite of the wrong names – the 2-room-apartment - no English native speaker can figure out, which kind of apartment you are talking about.

Here are the correct international designations:

If operators still want to use the term “suite” for their apartment house, they should pay attention to the fact, that by definition a suite must have at least two separate rooms for living, sleeping or working purposes. A suite with one room only does not exist.

The hotel industry encountered the junior suite which is a larger studio with a separate sitting area and comfortable equipment.

Dear operators, please pay more attention to more consistency and to the use of the existing international standards for the term of apartments and apartment houses as well as to a common notation for your home.

For any further assistance:

www.boardinghouse-consulting.de