Dukes Hotel, now known just as Dukes, is a luxury 90 room/suite hotel at 35 and 36 St James's Place, London, founded in 1908.[1] Previous guests have included the composer Edward Elgar, the author Ian Fleming, and various members of the British royal family.
| Dukes Hotel | |
|---|---|
 | |
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| General information | |
| Location | 35 and 36 St James's Place, St James's, London, England |
| Coordinates | 51°30′20″N 0°08′22″W / 51.5055°N 0.1395°W |
| Opening | 1908 |
| Management | Seven Tides International |
| Other information | |
| Number of rooms | 90 |
| Website | |
| www.dukeshotel.com | |
History
editThe close in which the hotel is situated was once known as Cleveland Court,[2] which was named after Cleveland House, the London residence of the Duchess of Cleveland, a mistress of Charles II.[3] In 1801, Henry Thomas Austen, brother of the novelist Jane Austen, had offices in Cleveland Court.[4]
Hotel and bar
editAccording to The Daily Telegraph, the hotel is "reassuringly old-fashioned".[1] Jack Brooksbank, Princess Eugenie's husband, is reported to have told Richard Eden, the Daily Mail's royalty editor, that there is a secret tunnel from the nearby St James's Palace to Dukes Bar.[5][6] From the hotel itself, Dukes Bar is accessed via "a small, unmarked door".[7] The clientele were once described as a typical Mayfair set: "wealthy, tawdry, and slightly disreputable" but fading into the background after a couple of the bar's martinis.[8]
Guests
editPast guests have included the composer Edward Elgar, who often visited,[9] and the James Bond author Ian Fleming who frequented Dukes Bar where he decided that Bond's favoured drink would be a vodka martini, "shaken, not stirred".[9][6] The Vesper Martini is the Dukes Bar "signature drink" and includes five shots of gin, with a two-drink limit; any attempt to purchase a third one will be declined.[9][6]
Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother is rumoured to have been a regular,[6] as well as Diana, Princess of Wales, who had "a small table in the drawing room permanently reserved" for afternoon tea.[10]
References
edit- ^ a b "Dukes London Mayfair, London, England". The Telegraph. 3 October 2017. Retrieved 13 October 2021.
- ^ Laxton, Paul & Joseph Wisdom. (1985) The A to Z of Regency London. London: London Topographical Society. p. 44. ISBN 0902087193
- ^ Cunningham, Peter (1849). "A Handbook for London: Past and Present".
- ^ Jordan, John O.; Edward, Copeland; Juliet, Mcmaster (May 1997). The Cambridge Companion to Jane Austen. ISBN 9780521498678.
- ^ McCusker, Kate (5 October 2021). "The Queen has a secret 'booze tunnel' running from St. James's Palace to a fancy cocktail bar". Marie Claire. Retrieved 13 October 2021.
- ^ a b c d Taylor, Elise (6 October 2021). "There May Be a Secret Royal Tunnel From St. James Palace to This Legendary London Bar". Vogue. Retrieved 13 October 2021.
- ^ Breen, Martin (10 October 2021). "Explore London from Dukes, James Bond creator Ian Fleming's favourite haunt". Belfast Telegraph. Retrieved 13 October 2021.
- ^ Britten, Fleur. (Ed.) (2008) A Hedonist's Guide to London. London: Filmer. 2nd edition. pp. 112-113. ISBN 9781905428236
- ^ a b c Crossan, Rob (21 January 2020). "Dukes London: a St James' institution". luxurylondon. Retrieved 13 October 2021.
- ^ Dickson-Robinson, Lavinia (15 September 2020). "Dukes Hotel London". i-m-magazine.com. Retrieved 13 October 2021.
External links
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