HOT HOTEL
The Rubens at the Palace
Some people can’t get enough of the royals, especially since William and Harry came of age, married, had children and fought for issues such as mental- health awareness. Of course, the Queen’s London home has always been one of the city’s major attractions and The Rubens at the Palace across the street provides the perfect little slice of Buckingham Palace’s history.
The hotel served the palace in the 1700s, providing lodgings for middleranking staff, but has been run as a hotel for more than 100 years now.
A multi- million- pound refurb completed last year saw the addition of two new restaurants, while all 161 rooms were spruced up.
The hotel is a five- minute walk from Victoria Station and looks on to the Royal Mews, with an entrance manned by doormen in long- tailed jackets and top hats.
Afternoon tea can be can be taken in the Palace Lounge, overlooking the Royal Mews, and the English
Grill offers silver service at dinner time. Leathered booths and ornate tables and chairs are surrounded by Venetian glass chandeliers, imposing gold- framed oil paintings and towering candelabras.
Meanwhile, the Curry Room blends Indian and African influences and shares many dishes with its South African sister restaurant at the Oyster Box Hotel in Durban.
After dinner, enjoy drinks in the New York Bar or the intimate Leopard Champagne Bar, where there are some 200 whiskies and 30 champagnes to choose from — all available by the glass — while a live jazz band plays.
The halls and bedrooms have fabric- covered walls, a style which was in vogue as far back as the 14th century. This, along with the tasselled curtains and classic art of the individually appointed rooms, adds to the grandeur of the stay.
King rooms, located in the Royal Wing, are decorated in honour of past or future British monarchs. It’s clearly a hotel fit for a king or queen.