When Andrew Mansinne and his family lost their home in a fire last spring, they found support from an unexpected source: a nearby Marriott Residence Inn.

“Our house burned down on Easter Sunday when our gas grill exploded,” said Mansinne, a self-described “constant business traveler.” “We could have stayed at a furnished apartment, but that came with a lot of restrictions. We needed flexibility to leave if we needed to, but we also had staff and housekeeping to help.”

Mansinne said the Marriott Residence Inn staff treated his family like their family, going so far as to help sort through waterlogged memorabilia they were able to save from the fire.

“The entire staff took us under their collective wing, helping us with logistics and even extending our reservations when it was clear we were not in a position to leave,” Mansinne recalled. “We were not the only residents treated this way. Other families and residents were treated with equal care.”

Long the domain of economy and mid-market brands, extended-stay hotels are making their way into higher-end markets, catering to business travelers with long-haul commutes or whose client interests keep them coming back to the same destination for prolonged visits.

While Residence Inn by Marriott was among the first major brands to enter the extended-stay market, it’s far from complacent. The brand now counts more than 650 individual properties at locations in the United States, Canada, Europe, the Middle East and Central America. Highlights of the spacious suite-style accommodations include separate living and sleeping areas, fully functional kitchens, grocery delivery, 24-hour markets, complimentary breakfast and — the service most valued by business travelers around the world — complimentary WiFi.

For Mansinne, who recently accepted a new position in New York City and is currently commuting from Baltimore, choosing Marriott Residence Inn for his home away from home was a no-brainer after his previous experience with the brand.

“The comfort of having home-like amenities gives me options around meals so I’m not forced to eat out every day,” he said.

Residence Inn suite © Residence Inn Central Park

The services and amenities that add value and, for many business travelers, tip the scale in favor of extended-stay hotels include staff who recognize repeat guests and do their best to ensure they book the same or similar room week after week, dry-cleaning service, luggage storage, grocery delivery service and self-service laundry rooms.

Launched in 2012, Hyatt’s extended-stay brand, Hyatt House, prides itself on welcoming “residents rather than guests.” Hyatt conducted extensive research on guests’ expectations before debuting the upscale-yet-casual brand. Residentially inspired studios and one- and two-bedroom suites feature contemporary full kitchens, living space with flat-panel HDTVs, separate bedrooms and complimentary WiFi throughout the hotel. Guests are invited to partake of a complimentary full breakfast served daily, and an evening social encourages out-of-towners to mix and mingle. At last count, Hyatt House numbered more than 50 locations throughout the United States.

Last fall, Hyatt House announced a partnership with home-style maven Martha Stewart’s American Made initiative. The program, an annual celebration of entrepreneurs and small businesses, invites Hyatt House guests to “live like a local” in 10 Hyatt House markets.

Hyatt House studio guestroom © Hyatt

“As a brand committed to providing a warm, neighborhood feel, we’re excited to bring Hyatt House guests even closer to their surrounding communities,” said Chris Walker, vice president, brands, Hyatt House. “From a favorite off-the-beaten-path spot down the street to a morning omelet prepared just the way you like it, we know it’s the little things that help make guests feel right at home.”

Rob Setzman, Global Traveler’s online coordinator and account executive, stayed at AKA Beverly Hills during our annual GT Tested Awards gala last December. In a GT Tested review (May 2014), Setzman described the property as “less of a hotel room and more of a luxury apartment.”

He cited a fully furnished kitchen with a six-burner range, two stacked ovens and a four-seat kitchen table; a gas fireplace warming an open living room; and a private balcony as reasons he would have preferred an even longer stay at the property.

With five locations in New York and one each in Philadelphia; Washington, D.C.; and London, in addition to Los Angeles, AKA bills itself as a “pied-à-terre on demand.” A division of Korman Communities, AKA stands for “A Korman Accommodation.”

For the most part, AKA is building its inventory by converting vintage hotels and former condominium buildings into upscale extended-stay housing. Earlier this year, AKA expanded its extended-stay offerings to include a top-of-the-line Airstream travel trailer. The AKA Mobile Suite, available only to residents of AKA Beverly Hills, may be the perfect fill-in-the-gap option for extended-stay guests who can’t travel home on weekends. At the moment, the Airstream — hitched to a GMC Yukon Denali — is available for five-day curated road trips with “glamping” overnights at locations with vistas of the Santa Ynez Valley and the Pacific Ocean.

Starwood Hotels & Resorts is predicting double-digit growth for its extended-stay brand, Element Hotels. On track to open its 15th hotel later this year, Element has yet another 15 hotels slated to open by the end of 2017. Expansion plans include the brand’s first foray outside North America with the opening this month of Element Frankfurt Airport. Next year, the launch of Element Suzhou Science and Technology Town marks another milestone for Starwood when China becomes the only market outside the United States where Starwood’s presence encompasses all nine of its lifestyle brands.

Increasing awareness of Starwood’s Element initiative has led to interest in dual-branded hotel developments, combining components of the company’s Aloft and Element brands. Starwood recently signed deals to open Aloft and Element Boston Waterfront in 2016, directly across the street from the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center in the South Boston Waterfront District. In 2017, Starwood will open an Aloft and Element dual-hotel development in the historic Tobacco Dock section of East London, marking the Element brand’s debut in the United Kingdom.

Element Omaha Midtown Crossing studio guestroom © Starwood Hotels & Resorts

Fifteen years ago, 4- and 5-star hotels were doing their best to offer an experience that could rival an evening at home. Ten years ago, those same hotels decided to up the ante, debuting initiatives that would prompt business travelers to dream of taking their hotel experience (a Four Seasons Bed, anyone?) home with them.

Have we come full circle? Perhaps. For most of us, home is still where the heart is. When we’re on the road, residence in an extended-stay hotel where everyone knows your name may be the next-best thing.

What’s better than a comfortable home away from home? How about a home away from home with a view?

“From the top floor, I can see west past the Hudson River and into New Jersey,” Mansinne said of his Midtown digs. “To the east, I can see almost to the East River, and looking south, there’s a striking view of Times Square. At night, it has to be the best view in the world.”

Who could ask for anything more?