BACKGROUND
Native is a UK aparthotel and serviced apartment provider with six aparthotels (London Mayfair, London Bankside, London Hyde Park, Manchester, Edinburgh and Glasgow) and a further six apartment locations – all in London.
In some sense this Mayfair property is unusual for Native, having only 11 units all apartments. Most locations have many more – Native Manchester, for instance, has 166 units.
FIRST IMPRESSIONS
Once booked, I received clear instructions on how to find the apartment and details of the keycode to access it. It is in a mews house on a side street. I arrived around 3pm, but if you are arriving late at night there is a four-figure pin code to enter the apartments. Unfortunately, instead of the keypad, I focused on the buzzers and pressed the doorbell of four different apartments before the resident manager came out and welcomed me. She gave me a keycard both for the outside door and the door of my apartment (for late arrivals it is put in a secure box in the lobby).
One advantage of having a resident manager is sorting out any initial problems. I had difficulty connecting to the internet, but this was remedied immediately by placing a router in the room next to the kitchen table where I was working. Answers to my questions on where to shop, eat and the quickest route to Bond Street station were all expertly answered. Few conciereges are so helpful.
WHERE IS IT?
On Lees Place, about a five-minute walk from Marble Arch underground station and perhaps less than ten minutes from Bond Street station. It is a short stroll from North Audley Street which has some excellent restaurants. The large Marble Arch Marks and Spencers is nearby if you want to stock up on food to prepare in the kitchen.
WHAT’S IT LIKE?
Native says it combines “the freedom and authenticity of a local apartment, with the comfort, convenience and premium service of a boutique hotel”. It certainly feels like a stylish and spacious private residence. The small lobby has both steps up to the lift with access to all three floors or a well-lit central stairwell which leads to short corridors and the rooms. There are large Magritte prints on the walls, which makes a change from black-and-white photographs of London, and thick carpets kept noise to a minimum, though my apartment was next to the lift, and you could certainly hear when it was in use (thankfully, not often).
ROOMS
There are 11 apartments in this property – two one-bedroom, six Premium one-bedroom, two two-bedroom and one Premium two-bedroom penthouse.
My apartment had a good-sized, well-equipped kitchen, with a washing machine/dryer and dishwasher, a toaster and kettle, Ringtons coffee and teas as well as some UHT milk in the fridge along with a couple of bottles of water. The design of the apartments is modern, with stained wood floors, rugs in the main living room, comfortable armchairs and a sofa, along with the kitchen table and chairs I worked at.
My bedroom had good lighting, including reading lights at night, and effective blackout curtains. It was also very quiet – there is little traffic in the surrounding streets, which is a bonus considering how central the apartment is. Only the rumble of the underground could be felt in the morning.
The bathroom was small, but had a bath with a shower (rain shower and power shower) above, though you would want to be reasonably confident stepping over the high edge to the bath to use either the shower or the bath. Toiletries are large glass bottles of Bramley products.
VERDICT
This is a lovely, quiet location which, if your budget permits, allows you to live like a Mayfair resident.
FACT FILE
- BEST FOR Location – close to Oxford Street and Park Lane, but quiet and residential.
- DON’T MISS North Audley Street and its restaurants or take a long leisurely walk in Hyde Park.
- PRICE Internet rates for a five-night minimum stay in December started from £340 for a one-bedroom apartment
- CONTACT 10-12 Lees Place, London W1K 6LL; nativeplaces.com
