Smart Apartments AG

A multi-city serviced apartment operator for relocations

Smart Apartments AG operates 180+ furnished apartments spread across three Swiss cities: Zurich, Zug and Lucerne. The firm explicitly targets expatriates and people relocating for business, offering flexibility on stay length and eliminating the red tape of a traditional lease. The operator has been running the service for 15 years, giving it a stable track record in the Swiss relocation market.

What arrives with each apartment

The apartments are fully furnished and include all utilities: heating, water, electricity. Free Wi-Fi and television access are bundled. Housekeeping (cleaning) is included. Laundry facilities are available in-house or can be arranged (the specific setup is not detailed). Each apartment is open to check-in at any time (24/7 access), a convenience for people arriving at odd hours or needing to settle immediately.

The resident can stay short-term or long-term under the same lease structure, with no need to renegotiate. Short stays and long stays operate on the same contract: one apartment, one tenant, flexible duration. This model eliminates the typical Swiss barrier of long minimum commitments or complex lease terms that assume extended tenancy. For corporate transferees on rolling assignments or expatriates uncertain of their tenure, this flexibility is material. Traditional Swiss rentals often impose strict notice periods and long initial commitments; Smart Apartments removes both constraints.

The three cities and what they serve

Zurich apartments serve people relocating to the largest city and economic centre. Zürich is Switzerland's primary business hub, drawing finance, tech, healthcare, and consulting roles. Zug, a smaller but major business hub (and canton), attracts finance and tech workers; it has become synonymous with cryptocurrency and blockchain in recent years and offers lower tax rates than other major cantons. Lucerne, in central Switzerland, draws people moving to a mid-size lakeside city; it serves as a hub for central Switzerland and appeals to people seeking a calmer pace than Zurich. The multi-city presence lets someone test which location suits them without being locked into one.

For corporate relocations, the three-city footprint is significant. A company with operations in multiple cities can use Smart Apartments to house rotating staff, transferees, or executives commuting between sites. For expatriates new to Switzerland, the ability to try Zug's lower taxes and lower-cost living before committing to Zurich's premium rent is valuable. Lucerne appeals to people prioritizing quality of life and Alpine access; its lakeside setting and cultural offerings (museums, music festivals, arts) attract a different demographic than Zurich's business core or Zug's fintech population.

What the site publishes about the service model

The firm emphasizes speed and simplicity. According to guest testimonials, booking was completed within a day, the contract arrived signed, and ongoing support during the lease was professional and uncomplicated, one tenant describes the process as "flexibly, spontaneously, easy, all in one." Another guest (described as an expat) highlighted that the flexible lease terms gave them months to settle into Switzerland before hunting for a permanent apartment, framing it as a genuine bridge service rather than just temporary housing.

A "team" is mentioned as competent and engaged with questions about apartments and the regions served. Testimonials suggest the operator provides local knowledge beyond just handing over keys; one guest notes the team's help with questions about the region itself, not just the apartment. This positioning differentiates Smart Apartments from impersonal online platforms: you have human contact, someone who understands Swiss banking requirements, schools, healthcare, and regional differences, not just an automated checkout process.

The 15-year operating history is worth noting. Many relocation services are venture-backed or corporate subsidiaries; a 15-year independent operator suggests product-market fit and repeat customers. Long tenure also implies accumulated knowledge of each city's neighborhood dynamics, employer clusters, and seasonal variations (helpful when advising someone on neighbourhood choice).

What the site does not settle

The site publishes no monthly rental prices or pricing tiers for the three cities. It does not specify whether the lease term affects the included services (for example, whether cleaning is weekly or monthly, or whether utilities remain bundled if someone stays five years). Deposit requirements, cancellation policies, and security procedures are not detailed. The exact range of apartment sizes or bedroom counts across the 180+ units is not given. Pet policies are not stated. The definition of "flexible" lease terms is not explained, can you rent weekly, monthly, or only by longer periods. Parking is not mentioned (critical for car owners in Swiss cities, where municipal parking is scarce and expensive).

The site notes that utilities are included but does not specify whether this covers all usage or whether heavy consumption incurs overages. Internet speed and whether the Wi-Fi is sufficient for work-from-home are not specified. The housekeeping frequency (daily, weekly, monthly) and scope (tidying vs. full cleaning) are not described. This matters for someone settling for a year: weekly tidying and monthly deep cleaning is very different from monthly light tidying.

For corporate HR or relocation managers comparing vendors, these absences force detailed conversation before any contract can be drafted. That conversation may reveal pricing tiers that differ from list rates or custom arrangements (corporate volume discounts, for example).

Testimonials and what they show

Three guest testimonials appear. One relocation consultant called the booking "very easy and quick," received a signed contract within a day, and found the ongoing support "very professional and uncomplicated." Another returnee to Switzerland (described as an expat who had lived abroad) highlighted the team's competence and the service's practical value: the flexible lease gave them a few months to settle and find permanent housing, a genuine bridge role. A third guest called the process "flexible, spontaneous, easy," praising the uncomplicated lease and practical housing solution, though without quantifying cost or comparing alternatives.

The testimonials suggest the operator serves people in a genuine transition moment and delivers on the speed and flexibility promise. All three focus on process ease and team competence rather than cost or amenities, which is credible for a relocation service (the value proposition is time-saving, not price-beating). None address pricing, condition of apartments, neighborhood choice, or how the value compares to alternatives. For someone evaluating Smart Apartments as a bridge solution, this omission matters; cost-conscious or amenity-particular relocations may find more targeted services.

Who Smart Apartments suits

This service is built for corporate transfers, business relocations, and expatriates arriving with uncertain timelines. The 24/7 check-in and included utilities eliminate the logistical friction of a traditional move. The three-city presence suits someone testing Switzerland's major business hubs. People relocating with families or long-term plans to stay in one city may find permanent rental apartments (via a local agency) more economical once the initial flux settles.

For multinationals with rotating assignments or corporate transfers, Smart Apartments can serve as a predictable vendor, eliminating the need to negotiate with multiple local landlords. For consultants or contractors on fixed-duration engagements, the same-contract flexibility and quick booking are material cost-savers in time.

The lack of published pricing is a decisive friction point for self-service planning. Cost-sensitive relocations will want to compare rates across the three cities and against traditional rental markets before committing to Smart Apartments' higher-service model. For anyone already relocated and hunting for permanent housing, a short-term Smart Apartments bridge might cost more than a traditional rental but offset that with convenience and speed. This is a reasonable trade-off if someone is already stressed by the relocation.