DUKES, London - Hotel Review

Edwardian Jewel

The exterior of the DUKES hotel in London

In the very heart of London's St. James's Place is "Europe's leading boutique hotel." The DUKES hotel connotes discretion, intimacy and understated, classic elegance.

Owned by David Naylor-Leyland, DUKES has recently undergone a £5 million facelift, restoring the hotel to its former glory, entirely English in spirit. Guests will find the 90 rooms and eleven suites furnished with hand-picked antiques, objects d'art, fine paintings and porcelain accents. All have air-conditioning, en-suite marble bathrooms, private bar, room safes, interactive flat-screen TVs with satellite television and speedy Wi-Fi.

Guest services include 24-hour concierge, butler and valet service, housekeeping, 24-hour room service, secretarial services, airline reservations, theatre bookings, same day laundry and dry cleaning, overnight shoe cleaning, and limousine and car rental on request. They even offer junior rooms for the little ones and a discreet service dedicated to the ladies, called the Duchess Suite.

Junior Suite	PJ Lounge

Housed in a preserved Edwardian building and tucked in a tranquil, flower-filled, gas-lit courtyard, DUKES is located within a short walking distance to Buckingham Palace, the shopping district of Bond Street and St. James's Park.

The hotel's four elegantly decorated gathering rooms are dedicated to private dining, meetings and luncheon or dinner parties for up to 120 people. An extensive health club with spa is also available for guests.

While there, don't forget to check out DUKES Bar, known for mixing a stiff, dry martini, as well as being the inspiration behind author Ian Fleming's famous James Bond martini, "shaken, not stirred." Visitors might also opt for one of the celebrated cognacs — some over 150 years old — collected by the hotel.

Singles & Doubles from £260; Suites from £660; Penthouse from £2,206.