Tried & Tested

Hotel check: 51 Buckingham Gate

22 May 2013 by Jenny Southan

WHAT’S IT LIKE? A hidden gem just a short walk from Buckingham Palace, 51 Buckingham Gate is a five-star member of the Indian group Taj Hotels and Resorts, and is made up of eight Victorian-Edwardian red-brick mansions looking down on to a garden courtyard in the middle, complete with fountain.

The hotel (formerly known as the St James Court) originally opened in 1902, and was commonly frequented by foreign dignitaries, lords, ladies and members of the aristocracy. It was sold to Taj in the early 1980s, and transformed into a contemporary five-star hotel, with a range of unique, luxurious suites.

There is also a 340-room four-star Crowne Plaza hotel directly next door, so don’t enter this hotel by mistake – reception for 51 Buckingham Gate is actually down a side street, into the central courtyard, on the right-hand side. As the hotel is also part of the Taj portfolio, guests staying here share the courtyard, restaurants, boutique, meeting facilities and spa in 51 Buckingham Gate.  

The property has a very exclusive, peaceful feel about it, as is tucked away out of sight. Service, as you’d expect, it top-notch – guests can avail of free drinks and canapés in the Library in the evening and experience discrete butler service. As I discovered, those staying the Jaguar suite, which was unveiled in 2011, also get a chauffeur-driven Jaguar transfers to and from the property.

The décor is stylish and modern, though many of the interiors have unique design themes – one of the most lavish and brightly coloured being the Cinema suite, which was unveiled in November 2012. The Jaguar suite, on the other hand, is far more understated and masculine with lots of black, white, chrome and grey, while other suites, such as the Falconers, sport earthier tones.

WHERE IS IT? On Buckingham Gate, just a few minutes’ walk from Buckingham Palace and St James’s Park in central Westminster. Victoria and Green Park stations are about ten minutes’ walk away, while St James’s Park Tube is a little closer.

ROOM FACILITIES I was staying in the hugely impressive Jaguar suite, the first – and only – one of its kind in the world to partner with the luxury car manufacturer. It was created by Jaguar design director Ian Callum and the interiors are immensely sleek. Subtle nods to Jaguar’s branding and heritage can be found throughout – from pens and photographs to the same leather that lines the interior of the cars and bespoke Jaguar wallpaper.

It's also huge, at 170 sqm, allowing for expansive corridors, an office (complete with desk, printer and stationary), living room (featuring a real fire, book collection, glass coffee table, giant fruit plate and mirrored flatscreen television), dining room (with eight-seat polished black table), guest washroom, kitchen (all mod cons), and two bedrooms with en suite bathrooms. Guests also have access to a free private bar and internet, though I found it difficult to get online. (I understand issues with wifi connectivity have been resolved since though.) Note that the suite can be hired for private corporate events, although it will cost the same as booking it for a single-night stay (about £5,000).

I also had a problem with the hot water in the morning – it went cold while half way through showering and wouldn’t go hot again despite maintenance investigating. Consequently, I had to go to another room to get ready before going to work, which was very inconvenient and a real shame as the bathrooms are stunning, with gleaming walk-in showers, twin sinks, baths and coloured mood lighting. Staff were incredibly apologetic and did everything they could to make up for it.

The other stand-out suite at the hotel is the two-bedroom Cinema suite, which opened at the end of 2012 and was conceived by renowned Indian designer Sabyasachi Mukherjee. Although it is same size as the Jaguar suite, it actually looks completely different, with vibrant hand-woven kilim carpets, floral wallpaper, colourful Bollywood prints, richly upholstered furniture, Chesterfield sofas, a four-poster bed and antique ornaments contributing to making it look like "the home of a well-travelled person". It also has an 85-inch, high-definition 3D television with a surround-sound system by Steinway Lyngdorf.

The entry-level Kings Junior suites are 40 sqm and feature simple, elegant décor, Nespresso coffee machines, iPod docks, wired/wifi internet at £9.99 per 24 hours, fully equipped kitchens, Molton Brown bathing products, free newspapers and mineral water, minibars, bathrobes and slippers, irons and ironing boards, desks and DVD players.

RESTAURANTS AND BARS As well as the Library, which serves afternoon tea and snacks, there are two bars (Bank and Zander, and the Hamptons bar), and two restaurants. Bistro 51 offers international cuisine (click here for the menu) but the highlight is its Asian Speciality section. I didn’t eat in the restaurant itself, but did order room service – the flavours, presentation and quality of the food were all excellent.

The other restaurant is, Quilon, a Michelin-starred, south-west Indian, fine-dining establishment that was revamped last year. It dishes up “a unique blend of ethnic and progressive dishes” including options such as Malabar lamb biryani, Mangalorean chicken with fresh coconut and Goan-spiced sea bass. (Click here to see the menu.) In the summer (May to August), Courtyard at 51 is open for barbecues, lunches, cocktails and private parties. Guests can also smoke here anytime throughout the year.

BUSINESS AND MEETING FACILITIES One of the highlights of the hotel’s meeting offering is six-seat a Telepresence video-conferencing suite with three 65-inch plasma screens, high-definition cameras and speakers and built-in projector. There are 17 additional event spaces, including a 300-capacity ballroom, three Executive Offices for six to eight delegates boardroom style in each, and seven Conference rooms for up to 40 people theatre-style in the largest. Champagne receptions can also be held al fresco in the Courtyard at 51.

LEISURE FACILITIES There is a modest on-site spa (three treatment rooms) that has partnered with Anne Semonin and male skincare range Osmium for Men. I didn’t book a treatment but did try the 24-hour basement-level gym – there are two rooms with cardio machines and weights. It is quite small, though, and I had to cross the courtyard in the rain to access it.

VERDICT It was unfortunate my stay at the incredible Jaguar suite was marred by a lack of hot water in the morning, but I can only imagine it was a very unlucky one-off and that the problem has since been resolved.

Apart from that, the experience couldn’t have been better – luxurious surroundings, state-of-the-art technology, exemplary service, delicious in-room dining and a chauffeur-driven Jaguar. If you can afford it, you won’t be disappointed. Even the other less-expensive suites at 51 Buckingham Gate are beautifully turned out and the location of the hotel is central yet peaceful. A top-rate London hotel.  

FACT FILE

HOW MANY ROOMS? There are 86 suites – with from one to nine bedrooms – across seven categories (Falconers, Kings, Ministers, Jaguar, Cinema, Presidential Residence and Prime Minister’s Residence).

HIGHLIGHTS The stylish two-bedroom Jaguar suite, with grand dining room, state-of-the-art kitchen, office and huge luxurious living room.

PRICE Internet rates for a flexible midweek stay in July started from £600 for a Kings Junior suite.

CONTACT 51 Buckingham Gate, Taj Suites and Residences, London; tel +44 (0)20 7769 7766; 51-buckinghamgate.com

Jenny Southan

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