Native Places

Native Aparthotels & Apartments In London

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Meet the artists of Native Bankside

The crack you see here is a reflection of the 2008 Jaipur bombings, which happened just four hours after Simon and Carolyn left the city. The boy is one of the city’s many street children and the crack illustrates the ground being blown apart almost from beneath his feet. The boy’s in constant motion, forced to keep moving to avoid the danger tailing him.

We love the way this gives the piece energy and momentum, even in the stillness of the space surrounding the boy. The photograph was taken by Carolyn, and Simon painted in the photo-realistic cracked ground afterwards, bringing graffiti and print together in a whole new way.

Where’s the Crack? This artwork is displayed above your bed at Native Bankside.

Since then, Carolyn and Simon have built a small boarding school for girls in Morocco and founded a charity project that provides transport to get girls safely to and from school.

About Jon Liu

A photographic prodigy at the age of 13, Jon started his career in commercial photography and fashion, before starting to shoot more fine art. Having grown up in Singapore, he came to London to study at London College of Communication, where he started working primarily in black and white photography.


Here, he’s been playing around (just a bit) with colour. This shot, named Bankside Thames, is the view of Bankside as you walk over Millennium Bridge. Doesn’t look familiar? That’s because Jon’s removed the Tate Modern, Shakespeare’s Globe and all the people.

Why? Well, Jon was inspired by German artist Andreas Gursky, who takes panoramic landscape photos that are majestic and peaceful at the same time. By taking all the distractions out of this Bankside scene, Jon’s given it a kind of calm and tranquillity that just doesn’t exist in our bustling neighbourhood. It’s a sort of escapist fantasy, if you will.

You’ll find this piece in our entrance lobby.

About Frida Wannerberger

Frida, who grew up in Switzerland with her Swedish parents, is another international artist who brought her talent to London. Studying at the world famous Central Saint Martins school of art, Frieda started creating these astonishing paintings of girls, each sporting different fabrics.

Once a Victorian tea warehouse on Bear Gardens, so named for its famous bear baiting ring, our Bankside hotel has a rich history that Frida was keen to highlight in her paintings.

We love how Frida’s six different girls are accompanied by swatches of fabric that give a hearty nod to our building’s history, like bears for bear baiting, or compasses and Chinese pagodas for the tea trade. They’re both dreamy and bold, irresistible to the eye and perfectly set off by our soft grey living room walls or our apartments.

Come and see the artwork for yourself at Native Bankside or follow our artists on Instagram @beckerharrison, @jonsaysrelax and @fridawannerberger.

We’re opening the doors to Native Manchester Aparthotel this summer

Native Manchester

At Native Manchester, we bring together all the elements you might want from a traditional hotel stay but in the comfort of our chic apartments. We want you to have the flexibility to cook, entertain and relax in a home away from home. Each apartment features fully equipped kitchens, offering a space to relax and unwind after a day in the city.

This aparthotel is perfectly situated on the edge of the Northern Bohemian Quarter in Manchester city centre where you’ll find eclectic shopping, growing art scene and the buzzing nightlife close by. Let’s not forget football fans here, you’ll be in the thick of the Mancunian culture and their world-class football.

Book your stay in our Manchester aparthotel.

The History of Native Glasgow

The Golden Age of Travel

Handysides and Henderson was at its prime, building its own ships, transporting hundreds of thousands of people and goods across the world, and even launching the first merchant vessel to cross the Suez Canal. In 1906, a seven-storey white Carrara marble building (our new home) was built on St Vincent Place, just off George Square, as the bespoke offices of what was now known as the Anchor Line Shipping Company. It was designed by James Miller, the man behind the 1905 extension to Glasgow Central railway station, the Union Bank and many other prominent buildings in Glasgow and London.

Image: Anchor Line Ship

The demise of the Anchor Line Building

The next few decades were eventful ones, where the First World War saw half of Anchor Line’s ships sunk by enemy forces, and the company changed hands, names and routes across the globe. In 1965, the company was bought by Moor Line and the Anchor Line Building closed its doors.

2018 – The arrival of Native Glasgow

In celebration of the Anchor Line Building’s past we’ve kept many of its original features and plenty of the luxury ocean liner décor that filled these headquarters over 100 years ago. When you stay with us, you’ll see it throughout the building, from the reception and restaurants to your very own apartment. Glazed tiles, terrazzo flooring, cruise ship inspired carpets, wood panelled walls and fireplaces – it’s all there. All alongside the hotel-style perks you’d expect from brilliantly serviced apartments, like a 24-hour reception, concierge and breakfast.

Image: Native Glasgow

You’ll also find tons of original artwork from Anchor Line’s heyday in The Anchor Line restaurant downstairs.

Image: Memorabilia in The Anchor Line restaurant

Oh, and when you can finally bring yourself to step outside your new pied-à-terre, don’t miss the irresistibly Instagrammable nautical emblems adorning the façade – seaweed, shells and sailors, all freshly glazed after hiding behind decades of dust and grime. You’ll want to collect them all.

So, there we are – a little introduction to our brand new Glasgow aparthotel. We hope you’ll love it as much as we do.

Book your stay in Glasgow today.

An Insider’s Guide to Serviced Apartments

  • Nuestra casa es su casa

While you’re away, there’s nothing better than coming back to some solid home comforts. For some people, this means whipping up a three-course meal in our fully-equipped kitchen; for others, it simply means kicking back in front of the TV and catching up on the latest boxsets. Whatever makes you feel at home, you can indulge at Native.

  • Concierge, not control

Ever tried to sneak a pizza past the night porter at a hotel? With a serviced apartment, there’s no need for such clandestine measures – you can even order in a takeaway if you want. At the same time, we’re on hand to help 24/7 if you lose your keys, suffer a maintenance crisis or have any other concerns that need resolving.

  • Postal possibilities

With the rise of food delivery services such as Hello Fresh, more and more people are having healthy, farm-fresh ingredients couriered to their door so they can prepare nutritious meals at home. You can’t do this in a hotel – you can in an aparthotel.

  • Never miss breakfast again

Those who have stayed in their fair share of hotels and hostels will know the inconvenience of having to get up in time to make a breakfast which finishes at 10am – especially if things got a little carried away the night before. With your own kitchen, you set the rules.

  • Weekly spruce

Aparthotels aren’t just for short stays, either. If you need your own space for an extended period, they can provide an excellent option as well – especially given that any stay of longer than one week comes with a weekly cleaning service as standard. Can’t say fairer than that.

  • Insider info

Our Natives know the neighbourhood like the back of their hand, so they can give you the lowdown on anything from where to take the kids on a rainy day to the best greasy spoon for hangover breakfasts to banish the memories of the night before.

Get in touch today

If you’re looking to try something different with your next planned trip, why not give one of Native serviced apartments or aparthotels a go? We have more apartments than you can shake a stick at and are happy to help with any advice or info you might need on a location best suited to you. Give us a call +44(0)20 7313 3886 or drop us an email today. We’re waiting to hear from you!

Tips for travelling with a toddler in London

Activities

There are plenty of toddler-friendly activities to do in London to keep your tot entertained. Many London attractions let children under the age of 5 in for free and it’s worth doing some research to find ones appealing to you and your family. If museums are right up your street, the Science Museum in Kensington has many toddler-friendly exhibits to challenge and thrill your little ones or, head next door to the Natural History Museum to see the dinosaur bones.

If you’d prefer to be outside, London has several zoos and city farms. Many of the farms are free to enter and offer great opportunities for your child to meet and pet all sorts of animals.

Green Spaces

As well as plenty of activities, it’s important to visit some of London’s green spaces so your toddler can run about and work off some energy. Hyde Park has lots of wide open places to explore and is a convenient distance from Buckingham Palace if a visit there is on your list of things to do.

There are also many garden squares dotted about the city. Formerly private gardens for the residences lining the streets around them, many are now open to the public. They offer a smaller and often quieter alternative to the larger parks. Try Russell Square near the British Museum for a lovely example of London’s garden squares. We do recommend a visit to Hyde Park too.

Bring Snacks

Snacks fix everything.

Even with a list of the best things to do with toddlers in hand, you never know when you are going to be stuck in an unmoving queue or trapped on a delayed train with a fractious tot becoming hungrier by the minute. Make sure you have a selection of healthy and nutritious snacks to keep hunger at bay until you can find a suitable place for lunch.

A Good Place to Stay

It’s tempting to stay in the outskirts and travel into London to see the sights, but travelling with a toddler on public transport which can be stressful for everyone involved, especially if it’s during rush hour.

To minimise time spent travelling, consider an apartment in London itself. We offer short stay apartments in 10 different locations in London. No matter where you wish to visit, our apartments are either next to or offer excellent transport links for you to use. All our apartments come with fully equipped kitchens so you can prepare meals and comfy beds so you can get a good night’s rest before heading out on your next day exploring. For the perfect place for you and your toddler from which to explore London, contact us now for further information on booking one of our apartments.

How to Feel at Home When Travelling

Personalise your space

Bringing a few trinkets with you, such as photographs, electronics, books or home furnishings, can help make your accommodation a little homelier – but they can only go so far, especially with hotel housekeeping reassembling your room every single morning. Luckily, our Native apartments come with a weekly cleaning service to ensure you receive excellent service, but allow more freedom in personalising the space to your taste. And what’s more you can be left in peace to enjoy your city stay!

Reawaken your senses

Memory is closely tied to smell, so packing a few home fragrances, in the form of incense, candles or essential oils, will remind you of home and help you feel settled in your new abode.

Cook a favourite meal

There’s nothing quite like a home-cooked meal to make you feel like you’re back in your own house. With our fully equipped kitchens you can cook whatever you like – whether it’s a family favourite or a personal indulgence – and at any time you like. You’re not forced to adhere to strict mealtimes or stodgy takeaway diets. Hallelujah!

Take a little me-time

One of the best ways to unwind is to pig out on the sofa in front of your favourite boxset, pizza in hand. We hear ya. Trying to replicate that experience in a hotel is never quite the same and can earn you disapproving stares (or worse!) from the front desk, who might catch you sneaking fast food through the foyer. In our apartments your kitchen is your domain and you can eat what you like when you like.

Immersive yourself in local knowledge

One of the most disconcerting things about a foreign city can be, well, its foreignness. In a metropolis as big and bustling as London, it’s easy to get lost or become bogged down in the simplest decision, such as where to grab a bite to eat or settle down for a drink. Our Neighbourhood Guides that are found in our apartments or can point you in the right direction for local hotspots, while our team of Native experts are on hand to help you out with any more complicated questions you may have.

Want to learn more about how aparthotels and serviced apartments can provide a homelier experience than a hotel room? Our friendly team of Natives will be happy to answer any queries you may have, so feel free to drop us a message on social @nativeplacesuk or email us.