Native Bankside — Hotel in London

I invested a LOT of time into picking an apartment hotel on our recent trip to London, so perhaps my expectations that Native Bankside would be as welcoming, well-provisioned, and "packed with personality" as the website advertises were too high. We were generally happy with our stay because the location was outstanding. Still, the overall vibe is of a rather impersonal establishment resting on past laurels and operating on autopilot. To ensure potential guests are fully informed and prepared for their stay, management needs to update the website to reflect that certain amenities are no longer available.

Here are the downsides we encountered that made our stay less than we'd hoped for: As others have observed, the bathroom area is poorly designed, and you can't shower without water leaking all over the rest of the floor. A small stool would have been welcome as there was nowhere to put the extra things one uses in bathrooms. Apartment lights are controlled with an auto-dimmer system that leaves no flexibility for adjusting lighting levels in different parts of the apartment. For example, I couldn't read in the sitting area without turning on the ceiling lights in the bedroom and kitchenette--not ideal if one's spouse is still trying to sleep. Please consider putting a floor or table lamp in the sitting areas. The gym is minuscule and awkwardly shaped, and the barbell sets shown online are no longer there. Since the onsite gym was one of our primary reasons for selecting Native Bankside over more spacious AirBnbs in the area, this is one area where we felt let down. The only free-weight options were a pair of 3-lb weights on the Peloton and two rusted 20-kilogram blocks. There's a cable machine, so I was able to modify some of my usual free-weight exercises, but there's not much floor space for body weight or HIIT work. The floor tiles needed a good vacuum and the empty hand sanitizer bottle was never refilled throughout our week-long stay. We also were never told guests could access the climbing gym nearby, which would have been a nice amenity. Although the website promises a thoughtfully provisioned pantry 'loaded with all your go-to snacks & light bites to take to your room,' we saw no evidence of this. An employee at the desk acknowledged this was no longer on offer. The pantry was a feature we thought differentiated Native Bankside from other area lodgings, and its absence was disappointing. The co-working space was dim and charmless. There's a small area for refilling water bottles and grabbing extra milk for coffee, but that's the only reason we visited it. We were rarely acknowledged by staff, whether coming or going, although employees were helpful when we asked for additional towels and paper products. Comments specific to our open floor plan one bedroom, room 309: We loved all the natural light in the room, especially since the skies were relentlessly gray during our visit. The kitchenette, while tiny, packs a lot of equipment into its small space. We regularly used the dishwasher and washer/dryer. More prep space would have been appreciated—a fold-down shelf set in the hall wall would be a welcome addition here. The furniture was comfortable, although there were stains on some of the dining chairs, as well as the carpet and gray bed blanket. The one towel hook was falling off the wall.

With its prime location and potential for improvement, Native Bankside could truly shine if management recommitted itself to attention to detail. As others have noted, the price point is great, and the kitchenette is sufficiently stocked for eating a few meals at home (the nearby M&S Simply Food grocery store has some wonderful prepared foods, and of course, the Borough Market is a foodie Mecca). We found the bed to be quite comfortable, and the huge bathroom towels were welcome.

A more engaged staff, who actively acknowledge and assist guests, could transform the hotel into a more vibrant and welcoming space, making potential guests feel more valued and...

Native Bankside has great potential to be an amazing hotel, but it didn’t deliver. We stayed in the Premium one bedroom for four nights, costing us £1184.

Upon check in we asked for our luggage which we had dropped off earlier. We were asked why we were not given a ticket for them, how could we answer this? We were able to tell the staff member where our luggage had been put though. She retrieved some scissors and tried to open the door our luggage was behind.

In the cot we had requested there was a large sheet folded many times. Under it was a foldable board with a thin layer of foam on the top. I was concerned this was not safe and a suffocating hazard. I went to the front desk to discuss this and one of the staff told me there was nothing she could do and that “if it offended me that much” she could have it removed. I asked where my baby would sleep and she said it was not her problem. I asked to speak to someone in charge and was told by both of the people at the front desk there wasn’t anyone in charge. I asked who I could call and was told because it was a Sunday, and the Monday was a bank holiday I couldn’t call anyone until Tuesday. They then continued to work and ignored me.

House keeping came to our room to ask what the issue was. I explained my concerns and she offered a single bed for one of us to sleep on and another portacot. She was the only person who offered any alternatives and was friendly.

We also didn’t have hot water for 2 days. This was not ideal for us as adults, but even worst for our two young children. When we asked about it we were told the whole building didn’t have any hot water. Lots of other guests were complaining too.

On the second night we were there, the fire alarm went off and we evacuated. In the stairwell as everyone was going down the stairs, other guests were telling us to go back to our rooms as there was no fire. We saw no staff. A second alarm next door continue to go off for the remainder of the night and into the morning.

Other pros and cons of our stay:

Pros: the spacious room the kitchenette having a washing machine and drier in the room the location

Cons: skylight above the sofa bed with a broken cover. We asked for this to be fixed. Maintenance tried but couldn’t fix it so they added a piece of wood in the cavity to block out some light. It was difficult to sleep on the sofa bed as the light was very bright and this wasn’t fixed until the third day of our stay. Even then it did not block out all the light. The attitude and lack of customer service from several of the front desk staff The soap pumps in our shower didn’t work There was a glass Native bottle on the kitchen counter without a lid on and a bit of water in the bottle The clothing airer did not stand up straight so our clothes didn’t hang properly after we washed them The cost of our room considering the lack of attention and care from staff

I did eventually speak with the manager after writing an email to Native. She apologised and offered us a discount on our stay.

It’s a shame we did not have a positive experience because the space is ideal for a family. We will now need to find another apartment / hotel when we visit London again in...

I could spend time writing about how clean and nicely appointed my rooms were, as well as the idea location to setup a base camp to explore all of London, but really, it’s my experience with the people that work there that make it what it is. There’s a reason I witnessed so many people checking in again after having stayed there before (that and I was there for months!)

I arrived at the Native in the middle of lockdown after an immensely stressful international journey - 24 hours masked up, overheating because I was overdressed for the weather (I heard it rains in London in the spring?) and on the brink of tears after several encounters with people who were either obnoxious or simply being nosy. All this while I was still recovering from covid 13 months before. Struggling to find the place, without the ability to get a signal on my phone and no obvious signs I eventually walked in. Ayesha was the first person to not only greet me, but the only person on my journey to recognise immediately I was in both emotional and physical distress from not being able to breathe properly. My interaction with her set the tone for what transpired into many months at Bankside. Her empathy and compassion cannot be overstated and should be the standard that all who interact with guests should aspire to.

I met so many people at the Native Bankside but there are several who went over and above to help me on the occasions I needed assistance. When I had an issue with my room that was out of Native’s control, Ayesha not only arranged for me to be able to moved immediately, she also catered to me as an individual and found a room with plenty of sunlight and other features she knew I’d appreciate. When my company failed to extend my booking in a timely manner Ayesha and Iulia tag teamed and made arrangements to help me bridge the gap until my company got their act together. Sasha took over the night shift for not only looking after Native but also me 😂 Ever the klutz, he made sure I was patched up when I came back with whatever injury I’d conjured up that evening and had some great suggestions on where to go and what to see and do in London. Like a lot of the people that work there, he’s one of the “caretakers” - him and Ayesha both, remember every guest that passes and always seems to be following up on making sure they’re comfortable or if a previous request had been handled fully.

Everyone I met and interacted with while I stayed there I am so grateful to have met, they’re all really kind and while I’ve finally moved out into my own place I miss being there and seeing the people I’ve come to know as friends as well.

To all at the Native - thank you! And if you’re thinking of staying here - I cannot recommend it’s people, and the...