The 56 Luxury Apartment Amenities Your Tenants Actually Want (2024)

In the past, luxury apartments were all about looks, location, and leisure. An apartment building offering granite countertops in a prime downtown location with a rooftop pool checked enough boxes to be considered a luxury property.

While these physical perks still matter, traditional luxury apartments are now competing with smart luxury apartments, where the visible becomes less valuable without the invisible: Features like high-speed WiFi, keyless entry, and a streamlined digital tenant platform are edging out swimming pools and square footage as priority factors in prospective tenants’ rental decisions.

What defines a traditional luxury apartment?

A luxury apartment is typically in a Class A apartment building, which means that the building was probably built within the last fifteen years and includes high-end finishes like stainless steel appliances, hardwood floors, and granite countertops.

Luxury apartment buildings are usually situated in a prime location close to a business district, with easy access to public transportation. Amenities include swimming pools, fitness centers, and private outdoor spaces. High quality luxury apartment buildings may also include concierge services, valet parking, and other personal convenience assistance.

What defines a smart apartment?

Smart apartments typically include some form of smart technology designed to provide added convenience for the tenant. Features may include a keyless entry, smart security system, or a smart thermostat.

A luxury smart apartment may also include a home hub for the Internet of Things (IoT), a smart assistant like Amazon Alexa, automated lighting, automated window coverings, and smart appliances, like washers, dryers, and coffeemakers.

A luxury smart apartment building provides a comprehensive digital tenant experience platform to connect residents with property management and each other, and allow digital access to building amenities and services.

Why landlords and owners are embracing smart technology in luxury apartments

Convenience

While smart apartments certainly provide convenience for tenants, they also provide significant workload relief for property managers, who can use tenant experience platforms to easily manage maintenance requests, collect rent, send out reminders, access apartments for routine maintenance, conduct tenant surveys, and more.

Cost savings

Smart thermostats and automated lighting reduce overall energy costs and allow landlords to regulate energy expenditure in infrequently-used spaces and vacant apartments. Property managers can also collect valuable data on how amenities are being utilzed and make changes to ensure that valuable space is used efficiently.

Higher occupancy rates

When tenants see apartments upgraded to better handle their growing technology needs, they’ll have more confidence in their choice of living space, which means more lease renewals. Prospective tenants find added value in the convenience of integrated smart technology, and having the latest tech can give your property the edge when they’re ready to sign a lease.

Increased ROI

Prospective renters are drawn to the streamlined, futuristic benefits of smart apartment technology, and they’ll pay a premium for the convenience of not having to cobble together smart home devices themselves. When you combine increased occupancy, higher rents, and low utility costs, your smart apartment technology investment is bound to lead to higher NOI.

Top luxury apartment amenities

The most in-demand luxury apartment amenities can be subdivided into five categories: space and finishes, community amenities, tenant experiences, onsite convenience, and smart features.

Space & finishes

High quality starts with the look and feel of a space, so finishes are key. In a luxury apartment, expect to see:

• Open floor plans
• High ceilings
• Crown moulding
• Indirect lighting
• Large windows and skylights
• Hardwood floors
• Stone countertops
• Stainless steel appliances
• Soaking tubs
• Walk-in closets
• Designated dining spaces

Community amenities

A luxury apartment complex is not just about individual living spaces –it invites residents into an elevated way of life that often reflects resort-style living. High-end amenities may include:

• Basketball courts
• Tennis courts
• Swimming pools
• Steam rooms
• Rooftop decks
• Outdoor kitchens
• Indoor and outdoor lounge spaces
• Green space
• Putting greens
• Fire pits
• Screening rooms
• Golf simulators

Tenant experiences

Many luxury apartments offer high-quality tenant experiences to not only provide entertainment, but promote a sense of community and well-being among residents. Some examples of tenant experiences are:

• Cooking classes
• Yoga classes
• Paint nights
• Rotating art exhibits
• Resident socials
• Educational lectures
• Game nights
• Movie nights
• Wine tastings
• Sports tournaments
• Concerts

Onsite convenience

If time is the new luxury, onsite convenience amenities are a must for busy professionals. Learning what residents need most can help you decide what to offer them. Consider the following:

• Bike storage and maintenance areas
• Pet friendly areas like dog parks and grooming stations
• Cafes and coffee shops
• Onsite hair, nail, and spa services
• Retail merchants
• Concierge services
• Secure parking
• Conference rooms
• Coworking spaces
• Electric car charging stations
• Designated rideshare pickup locations
• Bikeshare stations
• Package receiving and storage
• Valet parking

Smart features

Smart luxury apartments are designed to match the speed of tenants’ busy digital lifestyles. From security needs to community engagement, these are some of the top smart apartment technology features, along with a brief description of each:

• High-speed WiFi: With more professionals working from home than ever before, high-speed internet is critical to support remote work and many smart apartment features.

• Smart lock: A smart lock allows residents to lock and unlock their apartment with their phone and provide temporary controlled access for maintenance, dog walkers, cleaners, etc.

• Keyless entry/digital keys: Keyless entries allow tenants to gain access to the building and the building’s amenities and to provide easy access to visitors — without bulky keys or time-consuming access permissions.

• Security cameras: Tenants can use smart security cameras to keep an eye on their apartments from an app on their phones, while property managers can use them to supervise common areas.

• Smart lighting: Motion sensors, timers, and automated “scenes” turn lights on when they’re needed and off when they’re not, lowering energy usage and utility costs in apartments and common areas.

• Smart thermostats: Smart thermostats can adjust temperatures to avoid wasting excess energy when residents are away from their apartments or when units or common areas are vacant.

• Smart appliances: Smart televisions, washers, dryers, coffeemakers, dishwashers, and refrigerators are equipped with timers and remote operation features that can help their functions fit seamlessly into residents’ busy lives.

• Voice assistant: Smart home technology hubs like Google Home and Amazon Alexa offer residents voice control to operate smart lights, appliances, window coverings, sound systems, etc. They can also allow tenants to reserve amenities, make maintenance requests, and more.

• Tenant experience app: A comprehensive digital platform provides a single touchpoint where tenants can manage everything from rent payments to maintenance requests and amenity reservations.

Why upgrading amenity tech is so important

As any new technology gains footing, it’s not uncommon to question whether or not it’s here to stay. Property owners often face a serious dilemma: Do you invest in the latest and greatest and run the risk of it fading out in the next few years, or hold off and risk your property becoming a tech dinosaur?

When it comes to smart technology, the safe bet is definitely the former. Even if you’re not ready to create fully futuristic smart apartments, it’s essential to stay competitive by putting the digital infrastructure in place now that will support new developments as they become more ubiquitous.

Create a multi-channel promotion strategy

Your tenants are constantly on the go. To reach them, you’ll need a multi-channel promotion plan that covers digital and physical tactics.

Post notifications are a great way to notify tenants about upcoming events, surveys, and important property updates. Make sure you don't exhaust them with too many notifications, as this can cause tenants to turn off their push notification settings. Don’t forget the importance of a promotion plan specific to tenant/workplace admins – turning workplace admins into “app champions” is a key facet to driving sustained adoption of your offerings and app.

Building signage is another piece of the puzzle. Signage allows property teams to keep their app top of mind with tenants, share key messaging, and encourage them to download the property's app with a QR code. Keep in mind that placing signage in high foot traffic areas generally yields the greatest impact.

Pro tip: Reposition signage across the building every three months and update signage every six to twelve months to keep things fresh and your tenants in the know.

How to get started in 5 steps

Here are five things you can do to take your luxury apartments from average to exceptional:

1. Invest in fast, reliable internet services. Infrastructure is key –having superior connectivity will make all other tech implementation a much smoother process.
2. Prioritize cybersecurity and data protection. According to the National Council on Identity Theft Protection, identity theft cases have nearly tripled in the last ten years. Luxury tenants will expect state-of-the-art digital protection.
3. Choose an open, upgradeable platform. Your tenant experience platform should be able to grow and adapt to your property’s changing technological requirements.
4. Gradually add smart features. Smart locks provide good ROI when it comes to convenience for tenants, so they’re a great place to start. Follow up with smart thermostats and lighting for energy savings and security systems for added peace of mind.
5. Educate residents on new tools. Unused smart features are anything but smart. Provide online and in-person resources to train residents on the property’s smart features to ensure they take full advantage of the perks of smart apartment technology.