Compare · The whole London market
London serviced apartment operators compared: an honest scorecard
Updated 6 June 2026 · By Ali Hassan, Direct Bookings Lead · 9 min read
TL;DR
Nine operators dominate London's serviced apartment market. They split into three categories: aparthotels (Locke, Native, Cove, Wilde) with a reception and bar downstairs; pure serviced apartments (Staylio, SACO, Sonder, Cheval) which are residential flats with no front desk; and brokers (SilverDoor) who aggregate other people's inventory. Picking the right one depends on stay length, neighbourhood, and whether you value the lobby premium.
The nine operators, scored honestly
SACO / Edyn
Mixed — pure SA + aparthotels (Locke, Cove)Large — 500+ units across UK + Europe
Best for: Multi-unit corporate accounts, multi-city travel, large group bookings
Watch out for: Beige fit-out across most units; head-office overhead in rate
Locke (Edyn)
Aparthotel — design-led, kitchenette + lobby + co-workingMid — ~10 buildings central London
Best for: Tech-friendly stays 3-14 nights, ground-floor sociability, central locations
Watch out for: Smaller units; lobby/bar tax in rate; no full kitchen
Native Places
Aparthotel — kitchenette + reception + barMid — ~6 London buildings
Best for: Short-medium hotel-like stays, design-conscious guests
Watch out for: Premium pricing; kitchenette not full kitchen; lobby-bar premium
Cheval Residences
Pure SA — premium scale (large units, often 100+ sqm)Small — ~8 London residences
Best for: Premium family stays, diplomatic/UHNW, addresses like Knightsbridge
Watch out for: Genuinely premium pricing (£500-1,500/night); ICP mismatch for most stays
SilverDoor
Broker — aggregates many operator inventoriesVery large via aggregation
Best for: Corporate procurement consolidating across many cities/operators
Watch out for: Booker not operator — you don't have a direct relationship with the team running the building
Cove (Edyn)
Aparthotel — more residential vibe than LockeSmall — handful of London buildings
Best for: Stays where you want some Locke-like amenity without the bar focus
Watch out for: Smaller portfolio means availability often limited
Sonder
Pure SA — tech-first, app-ledLarge — multi-city chain (5,000+ units globally)
Best for: Short stays in their inventory areas, app-comfortable travellers
Watch out for: No in-person team; reception-by-app feels off after night 5
Wilde Aparthotels
Aparthotel — design-ledSmall in London — a couple of locations
Best for: Stays where Wilde already has the address you want
Watch out for: Limited London footprint vs Native/Locke
Staylio
Pure SA — boutique-curated 40-unit operatorSmall — 40 units across 7 Central London neighbourhoods
Best for: Boutique stays, Marylebone/Maida Vale specifically, longer stays, single point of contact
Watch out for: Smaller selection; no multi-city; fewer 3+ bed units
Quick pickers
- For 3-7 nights, design-led, social building: Locke or Native
- For 1-3 months, residential feel: Staylio or SACO
- For premium family stays: Cheval Residences
- For multi-city / global mobility: SilverDoor (broker) or Edyn (operator)
- For app-first short stays: Sonder
- For Marylebone / Maida Vale / Borough specifically: Staylio (we operate where others don't)
Where Staylio fits in the lineup
We're the small end of the pure-serviced-apartment category — 40 units across 7 neighbourhoods, no aparthotel format, no multi-city operation, no broker model. We win on neighbourhood coverage (Marylebone is our largest, others don't operate there at scale), direct contact (one WhatsApp line with Ali), and price (we publish the at-least-10%-below-OTA guarantee). We lose when you want stays outside London or fifteen units booked simultaneously.
For deeper individual comparisons, see Sonder vs Staylio and Native vs Staylio.
Common questions
Which is the cheapest London serviced apartment operator?+
Direct from Staylio is usually the cheapest like-for-like — we guarantee at least 10% below the same apartment on Booking.com or Airbnb. Aparthotels (Locke, Native, Cove) carry lobby/staff overhead in the rate. SACO scales but doesn't undercut at the unit level. Sonder occasionally beats us on deeply discounted weekend slots but rarely on weekday or long stays.
Which is best for a one-week stay?+
Aparthotels (Locke, Native) make most sense for 3-7 nights where the bar and lobby are an active part of the experience. Pure serviced apartments (Staylio, Sonder, SACO at the smaller end) take over from night seven when you want a real kitchen and a quiet sitting room.
Which is best for one to three months?+
Pure serviced apartment, by a margin. Aparthotel format starts to feel small after three weeks. Among pure SAs, the choice usually comes down to neighbourhood coverage: Staylio for Marylebone / Maida Vale / Borough / Pimlico, Sonder for Shoreditch / Aldgate / Mayfair fringe, SACO for breadth across central London.
Which is best for corporate procurement?+
Depends on scale. Single-account, 1-5 units at a time: Staylio direct or Native Places. 20+ units across cities: SACO, Edyn, or SilverDoor brokered. For global mobility programmes, SilverDoor's broker model handles the consolidation pain.
Are any of these operators owned by the same group?+
Yes. Edyn owns Locke and Cove (and operates SACO branded inventory in some markets). Cheval Residences is independent. Native Places is independent. Sonder is independent (NASDAQ-listed). SilverDoor is a broker not an operator. Staylio is independent (Companies House 17012831, director Kris Kamas).
Want a steer for your specific dates?
Send Ali the dates and area. If another operator fits better, he'll point you at them and explain why.
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