TRIED AND TESTED HOTELS

Native Bankside, London; the East London Hotel; Radisson Blu London Stansted Airport; DFW Airport Marriott South, Fort Worth

BACKGROUND UK aparthotel operator Native has more than 25 properties across the country. Previously known as Go Native, it is 70 per cent owned by Ares Management and plans to operate in excess of 2,000 apartments by the end of the year, with sites targeted in Brighton, Reading, Manchester, York, Dublin, Paris and Amsterdam. The brand is known for providing guests with area knowledge in the form of neighbourhood guides and “local heroes” – nearby attractions such as eateries, galleries and markets. This property opened in August last year.

Native looks set for further expansion with the announcement of a partnership with First Base to develop a portfolio of aparthotel units across the UK, with a focus around London, Oxford, Cambridge, Bristol and Edinburgh.

W H AT ’ S IT LIKE? Very impressive and design-oriented. There is a good-size 24-hour reception with clever lighting and a large photo of the Thames at Bankside. Check-in was quickly achieved and I was told about the first-floor lounge where I could get items such as tea, coffee and simple snacks if I hadn’t brought any food for the evening or morning. Security is good, with key-card access to the lift and apartments.

WHERE IS IT? In an 18th-century former tea warehouse in Bear Gardens, close to Shakespeare’s Globe and a five-minute walk from London Bridge station. ROOMS The 75 studios, one- and twobedroom apartments have been furnished by Conran Contracts. The rooms start with the entry-level Crash Pad and then move up through Studio, Premium Studio, One Bedroom, Premium One Bedroom (with an extra bathroom and sofa bed) and Two Bedroom, to the showpiece Open Plan One Bedroom. I was in a Premium One Bedroom, which was made up of two large rooms.

I was impressed by the quality of the fixtures and fittings. There was a two-hob electric stove as well as a toaster, oven and microwave, and a fridge-freezer. As well as attractive glassware and crockery, there were pans and cooking utensils, so you could happily make your own food. The apartment also had a hairdryer, an iron/ironing board and lots of room for hanging clothes.

During my stay, the main problem was the air conditioning, which was impossible to turn off. The receptionist came up to try to help but was unable to do so, so he logged the fault, apologised and offered to move me to another room. I had already unpacked and it was late so I went to bed and took his advice, which was to remove the key card from the power by the door to turn it off. Otherwise, the bed was comfortable, and the room quiet – I had a good night’s sleep.

FOOD AND DRINK There is no restaurant, but there is a kitchen area where you can get some free snacks and a few items to tide you over. There was also some fresh milk in the apartment along with tea and coffee.

LEISURE The property has a small gym on the top floor.

MEETINGS No facilities, although you could informally use the café area.

VERDICT I was impressed with this aparthotel. It is very central and I could imagine staying for several days either on business or leisure and using it as a base for exploring London. The rates are competitive for what you get in terms of location, room size, fixtures and fittings, although note that while the website says the minimum stay is one night, it is often two or three nights when you try to book. Lastly, I was pleased with how professionally the hard-working employee (on a ten-hour shift) dealt with the airconditioning issue.

I could imagine staying here for several days either on business or leisure