Refurbished Native Edinburgh reveals city’s hottest new speakeasy

Native, the leading UK aparthotel brand with eleven sites across London, including Bankside, Hyde Park and Mayfair, Manchester and Scotland has announced Native Edinburgh, has re-opened following a 14-month refurbishment.

The half-a-million-pound revamp covers the public spaces and eighty-two apartments comprising of Studios, One Beds and Premium One Beds. Additionally, a new cultural programme and a speakeasy bar, Counter, is launching.

The design for Native Edinburgh’s refurbishment was inspired by ‘The Inventors’ who lived within the city.

The famed Scottish inventors include John Logie Baird, inventor of the television, Sir Alexander Fleming who discovered penicillin and won a Nobel Prize, and William Cullen, inventor of the refrigerator

. The history of the Scottish inventors surrounds the streets around the property, and the new design aims to highlight this unique history through the décor, artwork and quirky gadgets used decoratively. 

The chic new interiors combine amber whisky tones with the midnight teal colours of the night sky above the Georgian facades of Edinburgh’s New Town, where the property resides. 

Rich colours including the bright gold palette is reminiscent of the local area that was originally built to bring wealth back to the burgh of The Whisky Barone. The reimagined heritage-inspired Lobby space showcases opulent green hues and botanical themed prints, taking inspiration from the Royal Botanic Gardens – a natural treasure of Scotland.

The original Georgian windows allow natural light to flood in over the mid-century style furniture and lighting. The wallpaper in the lobby has been designed by Edinburgh Mairi Helena, known for her vibrant designs inspired by a love for Scotland’s colourful and textual landscapes. 

Olivia Immesi, Managing Director says, “Each Native site celebrates the best of its surrounding area and Native Edinburgh’s refurbishment reflects the history of the city, and a focus on local culture to allow guests to plug into the city, whether they’re passing through or staying for longer.”

Coinciding with the re-opening, Native Edinburgh is launching a new speakeasy bar; Counter.

Counter will serve coffee by day and cocktails by night providing an undiscovered destination bar in the heart of city centre for guests and locals.  

The Counter at Native Edinburgh will also be home to a new bespoke cultural programme: it will host a selection of carefully curated eclectic events, spotlighting local produce in the daytime and homegrown talent at night. 

Late night summer programming will see the venue host a range of acts from neo-soul jazz nights and vinyl DJs to spoken word poetry.  Counter will shine a light on up-and-coming creatives from around the city, including artists, writers, musicians and more. 

Combining the freedom and authenticity of a local apartment with the comfort, convenience and premium service of a boutique hotel, Native breathes new life into historic city-centre buildings through thoughtful restoration and refurbishment.

Embracing local culture, Native collaborate with local, independent like-minded businesses, designers and artists meaning each site has its own unique personality, creating inspiring, ‘native’ experiences. 

Perfectly situated 20 minutes by car from Edinburgh airport, rooms at Native Edinburgh are priced from £100 per night.