An apartment can be defined as a suite of rooms normally located on one floor of a particular apartment house. There are several types of apartments and most of them can be differentiated by features such as the amenities, location, capacity, size and facilities. This article provides some examples of the different types of apartments and a brief discussion of their individual characteristics:

The Basement Apartment - These apartments are situated on an underground floor and have a structure constructed on top of them. Basement apartments are available at cheaper rates due to the many disturbances and other issues that come with underground living. However, basement apartments are outlawed in some countries.

The Apartment Hotel - This is a rented apartment which uses the booking system similar to that of a hotel. There are no fixed tenants or fixed contracts. The tenants may “check out” or “check in” whenever they feel like.

The Penthouse Apartment - This type of apartment is situated on a building’s top floor. They are regarded as luxurious apartments due to the extra amenities such as balconies and roof-top deck.

The Garage Apartment - As the name suggests, these apartments share the same walls with a garage or are constructed on top of a garage. The garage may have its own entry or may be connected with the house.

The Serviced Apartment - These apartments are well furnished and are fitted with all the facilities needed by the tenant/guest. Often, serviced apartments are used for short term stays but they may also be used for prolonged stays. Most people prefer them to hotels as they have more space and are convenient for families – you can cook your own meal here, as if you were in your own home.

The Rail Road Apartment - These are a series of apartments connected to one another via a hallway, with the rooms overlapping like train compartments. This design has its origin in New York City and it was meant to curb the rising problem of congestion in the cities and towns.

The Studio Apartment - Also known as the studio flat, the studio kitchen is a small apartment which has a living room, kitchen and bedroom all built in a single room. These rooms/partitions are located close to one another, and are all visible from other sections.

Condominium (Condo) - Condominiums are owned by a small group of people but their legal rights lie exclusively on the hands of a particular person. The resident owns the apartment but rents out the rooms to individuals who pay as guests.

Corporate Housing - These are business apartments which are offered to corporate or military employees as an alternative against the conventional hotel stay or for a longer stay.

Maisonettes - These are ground floor apartments with two entrances. One of the entries is termed as a “private street”, while the other one is considered the apartment’s lobby. Masionettes are full service apartments and are liked for their privacy.

High-Rise Apartments - These apartments are common in the largest cities of the world. They are tall structures built for either commercial or residential purposes. They have elevators that service all floors of the building. They are also commonly known as Multiple Dwelling Units.

Note that the above list not exhaustive in any way. Other types of apartments worth mentioning include the following: lofts, alcove, bachelor apartments and low-rise apartments.