Apartool, Temporary Apartments for Employees on the Move
Last Updated on 27 November 2025 by Equipo Urbanitae
From a Barcelona start-up to a key partner for major international corporations: this is Apartool’s journey in its first decade. The company has transformed corporate housing with a technology platform that connects travel agencies and companies to apartments for relocated employees in over 85 countries. The result is a more comfortable, efficient, and digital experience, simplifying management and improving stays for both companies and guests. Today, the company continues to grow in Southern Europe, consolidating a model that combines technology, flexibility, and human service to adapt to new forms of workforce mobility. In this interview, Marc Vilar, CEO of the company, explains how they have achieved solid growth and positioned themselves as a key player in the corporate rental market.
Apartool was founded a decade ago. How did it start, and what market needs did you identify that were still unmet?
We were founded ten years ago, and since then we have established ourselves as a provider for companies looking to offer quality housing for medium- and long-term employee stays. We have a portfolio of 300,000 apartments in over 85 countries, with a team capable of helping companies find exactly what they are looking for.
As a result, we now provide companies with much greater flexibility so their employees can travel and work from anywhere in the world, which is a major competitive advantage in today’s globalized economy.
“We now provide companies with much greater flexibility so their employees can travel and work from anywhere in the world.”
What differentiates you from traditional alternatives like hotels or short-term rentals?
At Apartool, we provide accommodations so employees can feel at home while traveling for work. Hotels are convenient for short stays, but when it comes to weeks or months, another option is needed.
Corporate apartments offer higher comfort and privacy, with more space to live and work, allowing for a much more satisfying stay for relocated employees.
Apartool is also presented as a technology platform. What role does innovation and technology play in your offering and in the management of apartments and bookings?
Technology is in the company’s DNA, allowing us to find the best options among thousands of apartments, select the most suitable ones, and provide tailored proposals to clients within hours. It also simplifies the experience for those requesting accommodations.
With our platform, we unify the booking of all apartments in one place. Our clients save time and always have all the information they need about their booked apartments.
Large corporations like Danone, Netflix, or Repsol already trust you. What specific needs do these companies have that your model meets more efficiently?
Apartool’s service is highly flexible and adapts to clients’ needs. The most common case is when a company needs to relocate an employee for a few weeks or months. Every day, we manage such bookings worldwide.
We also handle more complex cases. For example, in 2024 we hosted the entire Emirates Team New Zealand during the America’s Cup in Barcelona. This involved coordinating accommodations for over 600 people in 300 apartments, always near the port, and managing frequent personnel changes. A challenge we successfully met with high satisfaction.
We frequently work with film and TV productions, arranging housing near shooting locations, as well as projects requiring large-scale staff relocations like the Olympics, public works, new plant openings, team transfers, or training programs.
These experiences led us to create a specialized team for group mobility, highly valued by project managers as it saves time and reduces uncertainties, leaving all housing management to Apartool.
One common challenge in real estate is flexibility and efficient management of residential supply. How does the platform help optimize housing availability and generate smarter use of properties?
We host professionals relocating for work. Owners particularly appreciate our guests for their reliability and longer stays, making properties more profitable and easier to maintain.
“Today, corporate apartments are the natural choice for many travel managers when it comes to medium- or long-term stays.”
How has the perception of corporate temporary rentals changed in the Spanish and European real estate markets in recent years?
There is now more supply of apartments for professionals, a much more comfortable option for employees staying weeks or months. With validated apartments and simplified management, barriers to booking this type of accommodation disappear. Today, corporate apartments are the natural choice for many travel managers for medium- and long-term stays.
The company is expanding in Spain, France, and Italy. Where do you see the greatest growth opportunities, and what role do these markets play in your medium-term strategy?
Over time, we have expanded from Spain to other Southern European countries. Today, we have a large portfolio in France, Italy, and Portugal, with agreements with numerous travel agencies and relocation companies offering our apartments to their clients.
We currently work with many companies in these countries and will continue growing there in the coming years.
In a context where the real estate market faces challenges like rental regulations, limited affordable housing, or tourism pressure, what role can corporate temporary rentals play in balancing the sector?
By hosting professionals relocating for work, we have a wide dispersion of guests across different areas.
In some cases, we house teams working on public works in rural areas. In others, workers need to be near industrial zones where production plants are located. This diversity allows us to distribute guests more evenly and contribute to the development of local communities.
At what stage of maturity is Apartool in terms of profitability and sustainability?
Investor confidence has allowed us to invest in a large apartment portfolio, cutting-edge technology, and a highly specialized team. This has fueled rapid growth. Now it is time to leverage our economies of scale.
We have recently introduced major technological improvements, making us faster and more efficient. We are prepared to enter the next growth phase on a solid foundation.
The platform has prominent investors like Barlon Capital, Roch Ventures, and Finaves, even with indirect participation from footballer Leo Messi. How does this backing influence market confidence and your positioning in real estate?
It is a privilege to have investors who understand our business and support our decisions throughout our development. Their backing has helped us go far, and we look forward to achieving many more milestones together.
