[yencabulator]

Generally, commercial code is stricter than residential code, in everything from plumbing to electrical. I think the idea is that heavier use and providing service to others make the tougher scrutiny worthwhile.

Apartments are generally bigger than hotel rooms -> there's more people in an equivalent size building that is a hotel -> need better fire exits.

[sneak]

These make sense but how much of it is just retcon? I think "this is the way we have always done it" that got enshrined in code is much more likely.

Condo buildings aren't that much different than hotels in terms of density and usage.

[yencabulator]

Quick google says

> The average size of a newly built apartment in the United States, as of 2018, is 882 square feet. https://getflex.com/blog/average-apartment-size/

> The average hotel room size in the US is 300 square feet (around 28 square metres). https://www.siteminder.com/r/hotel-room-sizes/