a "serviced apartment" is any size space for residential living which includes regular maid and cleaning services provided by the rental agent. serviced apartments or serviced flats developed in the early part of the 20th century and were briefly fashionable in the 1920s and 30s. they are intended to combine the best features of luxury and self-contained apartments, often being an adjunct of a hotel. like guests semi-permanently installed in a luxury hotel, residents could enjoy the additional facilities such as house keeping, laundry, catering and other services if and when desired.