Most rooms in our aparthotels come with their own fully equipped kitchen, and that changes what a stay can be for. It’s not just somewhere to make toast. It’s somewhere to host a festive dinner for the friends you only see once a year, a birthday brunch, or a catch-up that runs long because nobody has to leave when the restaurant wants the table back.
This season, that might be Christmas. It might be a milestone anniversary, a family get-together in a city that’s halfway for everyone, or a glass of something before you all head out for New Year. Whatever you’re marking, here’s how to make a Native aparthotel work as the place where everyone comes together.
Which kind of get-together are you planning?
| Occasion | What your kitchen covers | Where we can help |
|---|---|---|
| Festive dinner or Friendsmas | A proper sit-down meal or a shared spread, cooked in your own oven | The Pantry (at King’s Wardrobe) for forgotten snacks, and takeaway delivered to reception for any course you’d rather not cook |
| Birthday or anniversary brunch | A slow plant-based brunch from our Cooking with Native recipes | Ruuby treatments brought to your room, at our London and Manchester aparthotels |
| Reunion or catch-up | Something simple to share, cooked or ordered in | Our Neighbourhood Heroes for where to head next |
| A bigger celebration | More guests than one apartment can comfortably hold | Party & Plan, with the admin sorted |
What’s waiting in the kitchen
Our aparthotel kitchens come with a clean oven, a fridge, and pots and pans ready to go, so you’re not packing a roasting tin in your suitcase. Everything is where you’d expect it to be, and if an appliance is new to you, there’s a QR code in the apartment linking to guides that show how it all works. Handy when you’re mid-gravy and the hob has more buttons than you are used to.
Not every aparthotel room has a kitchen, though. The ones without are clearly marked when you book (they still have tea and coffee making facilities), so if you’re planning to cook for a group, choose a room with a kitchen at the booking stage.
Timing helps too. Check-in is from 3pm and check-out is at 11am. Late check-out or an early check-in is available subject to availability. A celebration dinner on your first night works best with the shopping done that afternoon, and a long brunch fits more comfortably on a morning when nobody has to be packed and out by eleven.
Cooking to share, the plant-based way
If you’d like a starting point, our Cooking With recipes. Some serve two and some serve four, from a one-pot dish that works as brunch or supper to a light bite to start things off and a dessert for the end of the meal. There’s also a spiced coconut drink made for frosty winter days.
Plant-based cooking suits a mixed group, too. When you’re feeding friends with different diets, a shared vegan spread means one menu instead of three. You’ll find all the recipes on Cooking With Native, and it’s worth having a look before you shop for dinner ingredients.
You don’t have to cook every course
Hosting doesn’t mean doing it all from scratch. If you forget the snacks that the guest can’t do without, check whether your aparthotel has The Pantry, which is stocked with go-to snacks and drinks that you always forget to pick up. And if you’d rather cook the main and order in the rest, you can have dishes from your usual delivery app brought to reception.
Some of our aparthotels also have somewhere to eat downstairs. Native Glasgow has two restaurants in the building, The Anchor Line and The Atlantic Bar & Brasserie, and in London you’ll find COUNTER at Native King’s Wardrobe. So you might start with drinks in the apartment and move downstairs for dinner, or the other way round.
Wherever you’re staying, our Neighbourhood Heroes are the people, places and things we rate in each area, from bars and delis to bookshops and cinemas. They’re a good way to keep the celebration going once the plates are cleared.
When the guest list outgrows the apartment
An apartment is made for a dinner party, not a hundred-strong bash. Once the guest list gets longer, Party & Plan is where to look. It’s our service for celebrations, dinners, away-days and more, with private spaces for whatever you’ve got in mind, and we’ll sort the admin, like AV, catering and useful contacts.
We also work with independent brands, small makers and fresh thinkers to make special occasions that are a bit more special, so it’s worth mentioning what you’re celebrating when you get in touch. Offerings vary by location, so tell the team which city and dates you’re thinking of, whether it’s a rough idea or something you’ve planned down to the napkins, and they’ll tell you what’s possible. Start with our Party & Plan page.
Book the room, then the menu
Pick your city first: Native Manchester, Native Glasgow or one of our London aparthotels. When you book, choose a room with a kitchen that fits everyone who’s staying, and then the fun part is deciding what you’re cooking. If there’s anything you’d like to arrange around your celebration, our reception team can tell you what’s available at your aparthotel.
