Dukes Hotel

Hotels, Luxury hotels St James'
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Dukes Hotel
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London’s hotel scene is stuffed with topnotch quintessential Englishness a la ‘Downton Abbey’, but few can lay claim to being the watering hole of James Bond creator Ian Fleming and (some say) the home of the world’s best martini. Beyond Dukes’ bar, chic understated rooms feature regal purple and gold accents and manly but lovely marble bathrooms. The Cigar and Cognac Garden is the place to head for a post-dinner puff (though only of cigars purchased from the hotel).

By: Time Out editors

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Venue name: Dukes Hotel
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Address: 35 St James's Place
London
SW1A 1NY
Opening hours: Open 2-11pm Mon-Sat; 4-10.30pm Sun
Transport: Tube: Green Park tube
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Average User Rating

4.5 / 5

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LiveReviews|4
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We stayed at the Dukes over New Year's and enjoyed the bar every evening. Mauricio and his trusty martini cart were highlights of our stay in London! We loved the canapes -- scotch eggs made from quail eggs were a particular favorite! And the martinis and ambiance were spectacular!

Tastemaker

We went to Duke's many a time to take part in the ritual that is their amazing cocktail. Today we went for their afternoon tea. We were the first to arrive so we had our pick of where to sit, but it was a tad too quiet (not even elevator music). However, our waitress was lovely and perfect. There when she needed to be, not too pushy, and very friendly with explaining everything. My friend asked for no salmon and she ensured she got double coronation chicken. WIN.


The sandwiches were nothing special (hard to jazz up a cucumber sandwich) but the desserts and scones were fabulous. The scones were warm and had such amazing height on them I was a bit jealous as I can never recreate that at home. The desserts were definitely interesting, I particularly liked the eggnog brulee and the chocolate scotch egg thing (don't worry nothing about it was like a scotch egg, it just looked like one).


A great place to go if looking for excellent customer service, from booking to sit down it was fabulous. You sit on couches, not chairs, so it has a bit of a homeliness (gemütlichkeit) to it you don't get at other places. 


And the bar doesn't open until 4pm, so order a bottle of champers while you wait :)

Tastemaker

A quaint, sophisticated hotel bar in the centre of St James’. Took us a while to find the actual entrance but eventually we did!

The bar itself is somewhat small but very lavish. The waiters come over to explain the cocktails with delicate precision, depending on if you order the famous Martini, they bring over a trolley and create the cocktail in front of you.

Unfortunately, they don’t take reservations for a table but on a Saturday night at 6pm we only had to wait 20 minutes.

For all the Bond lovers, this is an absolute must and for people who like great martinis; get yourself over to Dukes asap!
moderatorStaff Writer

If you’re a martini drinker there is surely only one place to go in London and that’s to Duke’s. Often Hotel bars are to be avoided but it’s the polar opposite with this quaint, yes quaint, but in the best possible way, drinking institution. For one, it gave Fleming the idea for 007’s fav tipple, but more importantly it’ll be the best money you’ve ever spent on a drink, especially if you get martini maestro Alessandro Palazzi to concoct your drink from his trolley at your table.