When you want to rent office space in a business center, you get much more than just four walls and a door. Business centers offer a comprehensive package of facilities that make your business operational immediately, from fiber optic internet to meeting rooms and reception services. The difference between providers lies in which facilities are included as standard and which ones you need to book separately.
In this article, we answer all the important questions about facilities in business centers, so you know what to expect and what to look for when comparing providers.
What are the basic facilities that are always included in a business center?
The basic facilities in a business center always include an internet connection, cleaning services, a reception, security, and access to shared spaces. These services ensure that your business is operational immediately, without having to arrange facilities yourself.
Almost all business centers offer these standard amenities:
- Internet connection – Usually fiber optic, both wifi and wired
- Cleaning services – Daily cleaning of offices and shared spaces
- Reception – Staffed desk for mail processing and visitor registration
- Security – 24/7 access control via key cards or codes
- Shared lounges – Informal workspaces and meeting areas
- Pantries – Kitchen blocks with coffee, tea, and basic kitchen equipment
- Parking – Usually dedicated parking spaces or reserved spots
Note that the quality of these basic facilities can vary greatly between providers. A fiber connection might be 100 Mbps with one provider and 1 Gbps with another. The quality of cleaning, reception services, and coffee also varies enormously.
What IT facilities do you get when renting office space in a business center?
IT facilities in business centers consist of high-speed fiber optic internet (wifi and wired), network infrastructure, telephony support, and often IT helpdesk services. Most modern business centers offer symmetrical fiber connections of at least 100 Mbps per office.
The standard IT facilities are:
- Fiber optic internet – Usually 100 Mbps to 1 Gbps, symmetrical up- and download speeds
- Wifi network – Secure network with separate guest access
- Wired connections – Ethernet connections in every office
- Telephony infrastructure – Often VoIP-ready or with dedicated phone system
- Network security – Firewall and basic cybersecurity
- IT support – Helpdesk for connection problems
Some business centers go further with premium IT services, such as cloud storage, backup services, printer support, and even full IT management. This varies greatly per provider and is often available for an additional fee.
Always ask about actual internet speeds and whether these are shared between tenants. With cheap providers, sometimes all tenants share one connection, which can lead to slow internet during peak hours.
What is the difference between all-inclusive and basic office rental?
All-inclusive office rental means that all operational costs are included in one monthly price: rent, service costs, internet, cleaning, reception, and often also coffee and meeting rooms. With basic office rental, you only pay the bare rental price and all services come on top.
The difference becomes clear in this comparison:
All-inclusive office rental includes:
- Rent + service costs + energy costs
- Internet, telephony, and IT support
- Cleaning and maintenance
- Reception and mail processing
- Access to meeting rooms (often a limited number of hours)
- Coffee, tea, and basic catering
- Security and 24/7 access
Basic office rental includes only:
- The bare rental price of the office space
- Sometimes service costs (cleaning of common areas)
- Energy costs often separate
- All other services for additional fees
All-inclusive seems more expensive, but is often more cost-effective because you don’t get surprises. With basic rental, the additional costs can quickly add up to 40-60% of the rental price. Moreover, with all-inclusive you have everything from one source and one point of contact for problems.
For starting businesses and growing companies, all-inclusive is usually the smartest choice. You have predictable costs and can focus on doing business instead of facility management.
How do meeting rooms and shared spaces work in a business center?
Meeting rooms in business centers are booked through a reservation system, usually online or via an app. You often get a certain number of free hours per month included with your rental contract; extra hours you pay per hour. Shared spaces like lounges and pantries are freely accessible to all tenants.
The reservation system usually works like this:
- Online booking via portal or app
- Different rooms for 2-20 people
- Standard equipment: projector, whiteboard, flip chart
- Catering often possible for additional fee
- Cancellation usually up to 2-4 hours in advance
Free hours per month vary per provider:
- Small offices (25-40 m²): 5-10 hours per month
- Medium offices (40-70 m²): 10-15 hours per month
- Large offices (70+ m²): 15-20 hours per month
Extra hours usually cost €25-50 per hour, depending on the room and location. Some business centers also have flexible workspaces in the shared areas that you can use for informal meetings or focused work.
Shared spaces usually include lounges with seating areas, quiet rooms for phone calls, pantries with coffee and tea, and sometimes even fitness rooms or terraces. These spaces are important for networking with other tenants and creating a vibrant work environment.
What additional services can you expect from a modern business center?
Modern business centers offer additional services such as business restaurants, concierge services, event spaces, virtual office services, and sometimes wellness facilities. These services distinguish premium business centers from basic office rental and make the difference in work experience.
Premium services you can expect:
- Business restaurant – Fresh, healthy lunches and catering services
- Concierge – Package handling, reservations, practical support
- Event spaces – Large halls for presentations, training, and corporate events
- Virtual office – Mail address and telephone services without physical office
- Wellness – Fitness room, yoga, massage, outdoor terraces
- Network events – Drinks, workshops, knowledge sessions with other tenants
Business support can consist of:
- Secretarial services and administrative support
- Print and copy services with professional equipment
- Mail dispatch and package handling
- Translation and transcription services
- Legal and tax advisory offices on location
Not all business centers offer the same additional services. Look carefully at what is available and whether these services match your business needs. Don’t pay for luxury you don’t use, but do invest in services that increase your productivity.
How Kronenburg Offices helps with complete office solutions
At Kronenburg Offices, you get all the facilities you need in one all-inclusive package, without hassle or surprises. Our turn-key office units are ready to move in immediately, with everything included.
What you get with us:
- Ultra-fast fiber optic internet (1 Gbps symmetrical)
- 8 meeting rooms with free hours per month
- Business restaurant with fresh, healthy lunches
- 24/7 access and security
- Staffed reception and mail processing
- Premium coffee and fully equipped pantries
- Ample parking spaces (free)
- Personal point of contact – no call centers or tickets
The difference with other providers? We are owner-operators who act quickly and think along. From viewing to daily management, you have one fixed point of contact who can make decisions. No bureaucracy, no waiting lists – just good office space without nonsense.
Want to know how we work and what our approach is? Read more about us or contact us directly for a viewing. We’d be happy to show you why more and more entrepreneurs choose our no-nonsense approach.