Please sign in to post.

Review: Native Places Bank Apartment

My husband and I stayed in Native Place's Bank location for 1 week in August 2023 on our London-Paris trip, and I would recommend it for anyone looking for a one-bedroom, one-bathroom apartment with a full kitchen.

I reserved the Premium One-Bedroom Apartment for a reasonable price (came out to around $230/night including VAT) about 6 months in advance, with free cancellation. The building shares a courtyard with a Travelodge, tucked away down a small pedestrian lane. Because it's in the heart of Bank, it's a very quiet location in the evenings and on weekends, but convenient to two Tube lines for exploration farther afield. Another plus was that the Tube traffic seemed to be incoming in the mornings, meaning empty cars for us as we headed out of the City.

Native Places has several locations across London - this one is only available for reservations 1 week or longer. There's no lift, but the flat was only 1 floor up. The kitchen looks micro but it contains a hidden dishwasher (we didn't find this till day 3!), washing machine, range and oven, kettle, and microwave. The living room is massive and has a full dining table and leather sofa. The bedroom features a king bed (a rare find) and wardrobe. No A/C, but a fan is provided. The decor is sleek and up-to-date. I found the flat so comfortable I didn't want to leave it, but in the end, Paris called (and of course we answered!) I would stay there again; it felt like a home away from home.

Edited to add: Their agents are very helpful and friendly if you email them. They answered all my detailed questions about the apartments, and cheerfully helped me correct a booking mistake!

Posted by
797 posts

Thanks Jasmin! I am bookmarking this for my next trip to London. These apartments look fantastic!

Posted by
17516 posts

Thank you! We really like that location and I have long admired those particular Native apartments. Previously stayed with Native near Paddington and the apartment was large, clean, and modern, but not particularly attractive (think dull browns and beige everywhere).

Do all the Native apartments at that location have a one-week minimum? We are thinking of a longer stay like that in London for the future, but we would want a 2-bdr and I don’t think they have one at that location. At least it has not shown up in my searches.

Posted by
17 posts

Hi Lola, I believe the rentals listed in "The Apartment Collection" have a one-week minimum. You're correct, it doesn't look like the Bank location has a 2-bedroom.

Their location in King's Wardrobe, however, shows there are 2-bedrooms available. We considered those apartments as well because they're also in the City, very close to St. Paul's. We checked it out on a walk and loved the neighborhood - it's filled with quaint shops and restaurants. One thing to be aware of is the cathedral bells can be heard, but ear plugs can help light sleepers get through it. Only a few apartments at King's Wardrobe have been renovated to their design standard, but it's a newly acquired location and they'll hopefully update the rest soon.

Another thing to remember if you use Native Places: join their free membership program for a discount!

Posted by
537 posts

I stayed in the location at Sussex Gardens in 2022 for four nights. It was about a seven minute walk from Paddington Station, so well connected. I liked the space well enough. It didn't feel super modern, like it's most recent update (of my room, anyway) was 8-10 years ago. It didn't have a living room or sitting area, but it did have a decent sized kitchenette with table and chairs. The kitchen was lacking the basics I usually find at an Air BnB like olive oil, coffee and filters, salt and pepper. I managed, though.