Native Places

Native Aparthotels & Apartments In London

Native Mayfair

Live Like A Local: Navigating London

London, a sprawling metropolis of diversity, home to interesting spaces and experiences beyond the iconic landmarks. To truly live like a local and uncover the city’s unique charm, let’s explore the spaces cherished by Londoners. From bustling food markets to hidden local hangouts, green spaces, and independent gems, this guide will help you immerse yourself in the authentic spirit of London. 

  

The Marketplace 

Borough Market, Native Bankside: 

Nestled beneath the arches of London Bridge, Borough Market is a haven for food enthusiasts. This historic market, dating back to the 12th century, hosts an array of stalls offering fresh produce, artisanal cheeses, delectable street food, and more. Join the locals in savouring flavours from around the world, exploring unique ingredients, and embracing the lively atmosphere that defines one of London’s oldest and most beloved food markets. 

Find out more.

 

Leather Lane Market, Native King’s Wardrobe  

For a more intimate culinary experience, head to Leather Lane Market. This bustling street market has existed for over 100 years and displays an array of tasty food stalls selling a delicious mix of international food, alongside other local shops, market stalls, tasty cafés, restaurants and quirky coffee shops. 

Find out more.

 

The Local Spot 

Little Venice, Native Hyde Park.  

Directly north of Paddington is the tranquil pocket of London affectionately known as Little Venice. With picturesque canals and narrowboat cruises travelling between Little Venice and Camden Lock, Little Venice is perfect for a romantic stroll with loved ones. 

Find out more.

 

Mercato Metropolitano, Native Mayfair.  

Mercato Metropolitano is a converted church that is home to a collection of sustainable, authentic food, offering two floors of worldwide cuisine. Mercato Metropolitano brings diverse food practices and ingredients from different countries and cultures into urban spaces. The building hosts a rooftop terrace, wine cellar, German craft brewery and community hub, and its historic architecture makes it a one-of-a-kind attraction to visit. 

Find out more.

 

Go A Little Further 

Richmond Park: 

Experience the tranquillity of nature without leaving the city by venturing to Richmond Park. Just a short journey from central London, this grand and open green space offers a respite from urban life. Roam freely among the roaming deer, explore ancient woodlands, and savour panoramic views of the Thames Valley. 

Find out more.

  

Epping Forest: 

For a dose of wilderness, head to Epping Forest on the outskirts of London. This ancient forest, steeped in history, provides a serene backdrop for walking, cycling, or simply strolling through nature. Escape the urban chaos and immerse yourself in the woodlands, discovering hidden ponds, meadows, and centuries-old trees. 

Find out more.

  

Big N Small 

Barbican Conservatory, Native King’s Wardrobe.  

The Barbican Conservatory is a glass-roofed, leafy sanctuary which features tropical plants and trees, birdlife and exotic fish. In the centre of London, a short walk from its financial engine in The City, you’ll find a hidden gem of a secret garden, an enchanting conservatory with over 2,000 species of tropical wildlife. Escape from city life into this extraordinary haven.  

Find out more.

  

Young Vic, Native Bankside.  

The Young Vic is the country’s leading home for younger theatre artists, especially directors. They present seasons of work by new directors in tandem with productions by some of the world’s great directors. Its intimate auditorium, built cheaply with a rough, light-industrial feel, reinforced by low prices, creates the perfect atmosphere for enjoyable live theatre. 

Find out more.

 

Whether indulging in culinary delights, unwinding in local spots, connecting with nature, or supporting the local independents, London offers original experiences that go beyond the typical tourist trail. By living like a local, you’ll discover the hidden gems that are part of London’s vibrant tapestry.  

Looking to discover Scotland? Our newly refurbished rooms at Native Glasgow brings fresh design to our building in the heart of the city.
Native Places will return to Edinburgh soon. This city still has stories to unlock.

 

London After Dark: The Best Places To Visit In The City After The Sun Sets.

As the sun dips below the London skyline, the city transforms into a realm of endless possibilities. Here’s your passport to a different side of the city’s nightlife. 

 

The Comedy Store: The Comedy Store on Oxendon Street is the holy grail for comedy enthusiasts. This centrally located venue hosts world-class stand-up acts that’ll have you in stitches. The atmosphere is electric, and the laughter is infectious.

Interested? – Find Out More. 

Stomp To – 1a Oxendon Street, London, SW1Y 4EE 

 

Leake Street Arches: If you’re staying at Native Bankside, take a short walk to Leake Street Arches. These are eight former railway arches that adjoin London’s longest legal graffiti wall and have been brought back to life with a collection of restaurants, bars and entertainment spaces focused on celebrating urban culture.

Interested? – Find Out More. 

Stomp To – Leake St, London SE1 8SW 

 

Mercato Metropolitano: Near Native Mayfair, Mercato Metropolitano is a converted church that is home to a collection of sustainable, authentic food, offering two floors of worldwide cuisine. Mercato Metropolitano brings diverse food practices and ingredients from different countries and cultures into urban spaces. The building hosts a rooftop terrace, wine cellar, German craft brewery and community hub, and its historic architecture makes it a one-of-a-kind attraction to visit.

Interested? – Find Out More. 

Stomp To – St Mark’s, North Audley Street, London, W1K 6ZA   

 

Leadenhall Market: A stone’s throw away from Native King’s Wardrobe, Leadenhall Market is a vibrant and charming marketplace with a distinctive blend of boutiques, shops, restaurants, and bars. Dating back to the 14th century, its stunning architecture and unique selection of establishments make it a hidden gem for those seeking a unique experience in a historical setting.

Interested? – Find Out More. 

Stomp To – Gracechurch Street, London, EC3V 1LT 

 

The Cheese Bar: Near Native Hyde Park, The Cheese Bar is a cosy restaurant on a canal boat offering rooftop seating and an entirely cheese-based menu. All dishes are freshly made and accompanied by a range of natural wines, local craft beer, spirits and cocktails.

Interested? – Find Out More.

Stomp To – Paddington Basin, Sheldon Square, London, W2 6DL

 

There are many things to get up to in London after sunset. Whether you’re giggling at a comedy club, strolling around a market or dining on a canal boat, the city of London has an abundance of things to get up to.  

Looking to discover Scotland? Our newly refurbished rooms at Native Glasgow brings fresh design to our building in the heart of the city.
Native Places will return to Edinburgh soon. This city still has stories to unlock.

The UK’s best Pride festivals: 2021

Pride Glasgow
Date TBC

Scotland’s largest LGBTQI+ festival returns, with an incredible Pride Parade, a two-day music festival and plenty of sexy Scots in kilts. Last time saw over 13,000 revellers flood the streets with joy and colour, and this year’s set to be even bigger. Pride Glasgow is still taking volunteer applications, and more details are being confirmed soon.

Find out more

 

Edinburgh
Date TBC

Pride Edinburgh regularly draws more than 15,000 people to the capital, so this year they’re putting safety first with an online festival. Details are still being confirmed, but there’s plenty to do in the city without joining a crowd of thousands.

Edinburgh’s most popular gay bars are near the city centre, at the north end of Leith Street and Broughton Street. It’s known locally as the Pink Triangle and is full of great restaurants and bars. Try The Street for a buzzy, laid back dinner-and-drinks atmosphere, and Street NightClub downstairs comes alive after dark once you’re ready to storm the dancefloor.

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How to spend Summer in London

Sunflower salutations


World renowned for its unparalleled collection of rare plants and stunning specimens, Kew also plays host to a varied and fascinating programme of events all year round. This summer there are outdoor theatre shows, art exhibitions and talks, but we’ve got our eyes on the early morning yoga in the iconic Victorian glasshouse known as the Temperate House.

Greet the morning alongside 10,000 rare and endangered plants with a one hour vinyasa flow guided by Anil Jangi, Kew’s own yoga instructor. You’ll beat the crowds (and even most of the staff), so it’s the perfect way to start your day at Kew. Follow it up with a leisurely walk around the grounds, a warming cup of tea in one of the restaurants, or a breakfast picnic on the grass.

Book a mat

Fun at the fair


Sun, sand, street food…who needs to leave London for a proper holiday? London Wonderground is bringing serious summer vibes to Earls Court, with a veritable grown up playground full of outdoor bars, food stalls, fairground rides and a beach, all free to enter and all summer long.

It’s also the new home of Udderbelly, the upside down purple cow that’s become a fixture of the London summer. Here you can see all kinds of fantastic shows, from music and comedy to theatre and puppetry, and this year there’s even a proper big top for the circus.

Find out more

Street art


We know how much art lovers have missed spending long, leisurely hours gazing on great works in the capital’s galleries while they were closed. Of course, so do the folks at the National Gallery.

That’s why, this summer, they’re putting 20 life-size replicas of the nation’s favourite paintings on display in Trafalgar Square, as part of their Inside Out celebration of art. The works are all taken from the National Gallery’s collection, including paintings by Gainsborough, Caravaggio and Titian, and – best of all – there’ll be a series of free community art sessions. They’re all free and you only have to book the artist-led classes. Otherwise, just rock up with your pencil case and see where the mood takes you.

Book your summer sojourn in London

The UK’s best street food

Don’t miss the…

…rib meat roll by The Rib Man, who’s legendary in these parts. You’ll love these tender, shredded baby back ribs, piled high on soft white rolls and sloshed with Holy F*** hot sauce. He sells out fast, so get there early.

Find it at…

Ely’s Yard, E1 6QR
Saturday 11am – 5.30pm, Sunday 10am – 5pm

Glasgow

One of Scotland’s best loved markets has taken up permanent residence near Finnieston and it’s unmissable. It’s £5 to enter The Dockyard Social, but don’t be put off – the entry fee keeps standards high and you’ll definitely make the most of it. They switch up their food traders every two weeks, so there’s always something new to try.

Don’t miss the…

…fried chicken katsu ramen at Taiko Ramen. Twelve hour bone broth, crisp vegetables, pickled ginger and boneless strips of juicy chicken – bread-crumbed, fried to perfection and piled high.

Find it at…

95 Haugh Road, G3 8TX
Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, 12pm to 10.30pm

Edinburgh

The street food movement is thriving in Edinburgh, with well established markets and plucky new pop-ups appearing all over the city. Our go-to is Waverley Market @ Platform 2, with its dozens of brilliant food and drink vendors that transform the station every Friday.

Don’t miss the…

…honeycomb crispy slice at Mimi’s Bakehouse. We’re not quite sure what alchemy the team at Mimi’s employs to get this level of deliciousness into one baked good, but we do know that it’s not for sharing.

Find it at…

Edinburgh Waverley, EH1 1BB
Fridays, 11am to 7pm

Manchester

Locals and tourists alike love the street food culture of Manchester, which is deliciously scattered across the city. Our favourite, though, is Mackie Mayor. It’s a gorgeous Grade II listed building with ten exceptional eateries under its brand new glass roof, with everything from Taiwanese bao to some of the finest pizza in town.

Don’t miss the…

…mutton ragu from Tender Cow. It’s served with the crispiest hash brown you’ve ever had, topped with green chilli pesto and two fried eggs. Perfect for breakfast, lunch, dinner and everything in between.

Find it at…

Eagle Street, Northern Quarter, M4 5BU
Tuesday to Friday 11am – 10pm, Saturday 9am – 10pm and Sunday 9am – 6pm

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The best bike rides in the UK

Rent

 

The locals call them Boris Bikes, but look out for Santander Cycles, the official city bike hire scheme. You can pick up a ride almost anywhere and pay for hire at the bike rack or online.

Ride

If you’re looking for the best bike rides in London, you’re spoilt for choice. One of our favourites is an easy 90 minute spin round some of the sights, suitable for all fitness levels. It starts in London Bridge, taking in the Victoria Embankment, Horseguards Parade Ground, London Eye, Big Ben and the Tower of London before finishing up back where you started, not far from Native Bankside.

Refuel

You’ll start and finish right near Borough Market, so take your pick from sizzling paella, an old-fashioned fry-up or a baguette stuffed with roast pork, to name but a few options.

Glasgow

Rent

NextBike is Glasgow’s own city bike share scheme and you can find your nearest bike, book it and pay, all on the app.

Ride

For a leisurely 90 minute pootle by the river, start at the beautiful church of St Enoch and ride along the gorgeous Clyde Cycleway. You’ll pass Glasgow Green, old bridges and all kinds of riverside flora and fauna. You’ll end up back at the church, just a short ride from Native Glasgow.

Refuel

Right near the church you’ll find neighbourhood favourite Hootenanny. These days they’re serving up lush burgers from Patty Cake and crisp pizzas from Romans – perfect for carbo-loading before or even after your ride.

Edinburgh

Rent

It’s delightfully easy to get riding with Edinburgh Cycle Hire, with everything you need in their handy app.

Ride

Holyrood Park is a must-visit for anyone new to Edinburgh and cycling is a wonderful way to see this Royal Park unlike any other.

The Holyrood Park Road entrance is near the Commonwealth Pool, the Pollock Halls and the start of the Innocent Railway, if you fancy a detour. The path follows the road round, passing Dynamic Earth, the Scottish Parliament and the Palace of Holyrood House. It ends by St. Margaret’s Loch, near Duke’s Walk, unless you’ve got the stamina for powering on up to Arthur’s Seat for the views.

Refuel

Right near the end of your trail is Baba Rista, where you can get coffee and pastries to replenish your energy, and take some fresh Italian bread, pizza or pasta back to your apartment.

Manchester

Rent

All-round bike-lover’s haven Manchester Bike Hire has a great range of city bikes to rent for three or more days, including electric ones.

Ride

A half hour spin through the city takes you to Daisy Nook, which Lowry himself loved and painted. It’s a country park that runs through the Medlock Valley and very popular with dog walkers, cyclists and horse riders. There’s a great path to take you to Hartshead Pike for the stunning views (it’s particularly beautiful at sunset), and on a clear day you can even see Snowdonia.

Refuel

The family run Daisy Nook Country Park Café is the perfect pit stop for coffee, cake and a chat with the regulars.

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