by Telegraph Travel, The Telegraph, July 17, 2019
An expert guide to the best hotels near Buckingham Palace, from five-star grande dames to budget accommodation, including the best for Michelin-starred restaurants, sumptuous spas, and hip cocktail bars, in locations including Green Park, Victoria and Belgravia.
Hotel 41 Victoria, London, England
8Telegraph expert rating
The raison d’être of this admirable hotel is, first and foremost, to please the customer. A lift from 41’s striking black-and-white lobby on Buckingham Palace Road whisks you straight up to its striking black-and-white bedrooms. Front-facing windows look down into the Royal Mews opposite — heaven for monarchist guests. Black-suited staff hover, ever solicitous, with red carnations in their buttonholes. Yes I did have a good journey, thank all of you who have asked me. Buckingham Palace is six minutes on foot. Read expert review. From £377per night. Check availability. Rates provided by Booking.com.
Lime Tree Hotel Victoria, London, England
8Telegraph expert rating
A b&b with very reasonable and affordable prices, attractive bedrooms and a warm family atmosphere. The attractive Georgian façade, with ornamental trees in tubs and overflowing window boxes, heralds a hotel that’s immediately relaxing and welcoming. It has a country, homely feel inside. The owners, Matt and Charlotte Goodsall, could not be more friendly or well disposed towards their guests. The rooms, although small, are attractive and comfortable. Hearty breakfasts. Buckingham Palace is 15 minutes on foot. Read expert review. From £175per night.
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The Goring Belgravia, London, England
9Telegraph expert rating
The Goring has always had character and humour — self-mocking caricatures; Noel Coward singing if you are put on hold; life-sized sheep in bedrooms and plastic ducks in bathrooms. Style highlights include the Front Hall, clad with hand-painted wallpaper of exotic animals. Key staff are long serving. Rooms are glamorous yet homely, decorated with Gainsborough silks on the walls, and marble bathrooms. The Michelin-starred Dining Room, run by chef Shay Cooper, serves the best seasonal British produce. Buckingham Palace is nine minutes on foot. Read expert review. From £404per night. Check availability. Rates provided by Booking.com.
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The Stafford London Mayfair, London, England
9Telegraph expert rating
A hidden delight in its own mews. The hotel has been a favourite of Americans since the Second World War, when the American Bar was a gathering place for US airmen. It is calm, comfortable and elegant. Its two best-known features are the 350-year-old Wine Cellars housing around 8,000 bottles alongside memorabilia from its time as a bomb shelter during the war, and the bar, festooned with baseball caps and signed celebrity photographs. Rooms are charmingly countrified in style. Buckingham Palace is four minutes on foot. Read expert review. From £353per night. Check availability. Rates provided by Booking.com.
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Taj 51 Buckingham Gate Suites and Residences Victoria, London, England
9Telegraph expert rating
Quite simply one of London’s finest hotels. The architecture — all meticulous scrollwork and theatrical bas reliefs — is gulp-inducing. Interiors have the panache to match, from the peacock wallpaper to the bowls of hot pink flowers strewn about. All the apartments in this suites-only hotel are spacious, with affection for contrasting textures and nods to British design. The seafood tasting menu at Michelin-starred Quilon is the culinary equivalent of romping through a glowing spice field on a fish-bloated stretch of Indian coast. There is also a spa on-site. Buckingham Palace is six minutes on foot. Read expert review. From £500per night. Check availability. Rates provided by Booking.com.
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Dukes London Mayfair, London, England
9Telegraph expert rating
A favourite of both the late Queen Mother and Diana, Princess of Wales. The royal connection is still strong, and the hotel's emphasis on tradition is one of its biggest draws. It's also very popular with single travellers; the Duchess rooms scheme is aimed at women travelling alone. Unfussy and friendly staff. The bar is also renowned. Cocktails aren’t cheap (from £17) but they are worth it. “That would kill a horse,” said one guest admiringly after downing one of the Dukes signature martinis. Buckingham Palace is 10 minutes on foot. Read expert review. From £293per night. Check availability. Rates provided by Booking.com.
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The Ritz London Mayfair, London, England
9Telegraph expert rating
César Ritz’s legacy has changed little since it opened in 1909. With an atmosphere that borders on the theatrical, a stay here makes for a truly exceptional experience. The Long Gallery and Palm Court are ravishing; bedrooms have been restored to their original XVI style. But there’s more. There’s the staff, and their uniforms. From the doormen with their white gloves tucked into their epaulettes to the chambermaids in their pinnies and caps, I found them faultless. It’s also always party time at the Ritz, with dinner and dancing on Friday and Saturday nights; what other London hotel offers that? Buckingham Palace is 10 minutes on foot. Read expert review. From £592per night. Check availability. Rates provided by Booking.com.
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St. Ermin's Hotel Victoria, London, England
8Telegraph expert rating
The lobby looks as though someone has gone mad with an icing gun, for J P Brigg’s 1899 plasterwork is now blinding white. After a £30-million refurbishment by its American owners, the rooms are attractive, the bar warmly convivial, and it all hums with life. This is where big is brilliant: there are many double-doubles with two small bathrooms instead of one large one – perfect for families. Bathrooms are spacious too. The chef at The Caxton Bar & Restaurant is particularly energetic, and well-executed options include a perfect chicken consommé. Buckingham Palace is 11 minutes on foot. Read expert review. From £212per night. Check availability. Rates provided by Booking.com.
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The Grosvenor Hotel Victoria, London, England
8Telegraph expert rating
A four-star railway hotel with Victorian roots and French Renaissance flair. Think an imperial staircase from heavily-veined marble, thickly gilded walls, and duck-green pilasters topped with moulds of roaring lions. Entry-level rooms feel boxy, deluxe rooms less so. Executive rooms, with their high Victorian ceilings, are formidable and spacious. The Chinese Grand Imperial Restaurant here does one of the best Peking Ducks outside of Chinatown. The dim sum also goes down as smoothly as vodka. Buckingham Palace is 10 minutes on foot. Read expert review. From £152per night. Check availability. Rates provided by Booking.com.
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The Nadler Victoria Victoria, London, England
7Telegraph expert rating
A cracking little budget option royally located right next to Buckingham Palace, making it an ideal sightseeing base. In the lobby, a screen plays archive footage depicting the area’s royal history, referenced again in the colour of Buckingham Palace stone that appears throughout the place. Rooms are impressively compact: behind what appears to be a nondescript wardrobe is a magically well-equipped kitchenette, complete with microwave, fridge, Nespresso machine and sink with in-built Brita filter. No restaurant or breakfast available though. Buckingham Palace is five minutes on foot. Read expert review. From £131per night. Check availability. Rates provided by Booking.com.
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