London, United KingdomSt. James's
Althoff St. James's Hotel & Club
Victorian club refuge
St. James's London, United Kingdom
Renovated
2008
Price
$$$$
Rated for
Design Luxe HeritageOutside the door
The house
AlthoffVictorian club refuge
Tucked down a quiet cul-de-sac, this Victorian townhouse pairs private club quietude with hundreds of twentieth-century artworks.
“Designer Anne Maria Jagdfeld uses exquisitely textured materials to subtly opulent effect, including in the 60 well-proportioned and (complicatedly) high-tech accoutered rooms.”
What it’s good at
Notable
Interiors styled with Murano chandeliers, cashmere and silk wall fabrics, and the four-hundred-piece Rosenstein Art Collection.
Notable
Attentive boutique service, tailored silk wall coverings, handmade Hypnos mattresses, and Penhaligon's bath amenities in quiet Mayfair.
Notable
A Victorian red-brick townhouse established in 1857 as a private diplomatic club hosting Winston Churchill.
What they say
Michelin Selected
Michelin
Also in Condé Nast Traveler.
The sixty rooms are not massive, but they are exceedingly comfortable, and the style is both plush and posh, if not certifiably plummy.
Right in the middle
Well-located: walkable to some things, a short ride to more.
Hidden down a St. James's cul-de-sac, you are steps from the tree-lined paths of Green Park and the tailors of Jermyn Street.
The rooms
Tailored silk walls frame handmade Hypnos beds and black marble bathrooms, while select upper suites open onto private terraces.
Seven Park Place Bar & Lounge
The intimate green marble bar serves nineteenth-century-inspired cocktails, vintage ports, and seasonal British bar snacks.
At the table
Restaurant Francatelli prepares nineteenth-century recipes from Queen Victoria's chief chef in dining rooms lined with botanical wallpaper.
How it began
Founded in 1857 as a diplomatic refuge after a club dispute, the townhouse once hosted Winston Churchill and Ian Fleming.
Good to know
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Our shorthand
How we rate hotels.
The medals
Gold
Extremely rare. Sets the global standard.
Silver
Brilliant execution. And we’re picky.
Bronze
They did this well. You’ll notice.
Listed
A defining trait. Makes the hotel what it is.
The eight vibes
Design
Built around a vision. Even the door handles have a designer.
Luxe
Cared for at every turn. The bath is drawn before you ask.
Local
It could only be here. You wake up knowing where you are.
Social
Where the city goes out. The bar is full and the night is young.
Heritage
A building with a story. Once a palace, a monastery, a station.
Wellness
You leave feeling new. Rest, sweat, soak and sleep like a stone.
Classic
The city grew up with it. Same rituals, same regulars, same bar.
Resort
A world of its own. Something to do from breakfast to nightcap.
The scene
Lively
Where things happen: restaurants, shops, people.
Central
Well-located: walkable to some things, a short ride to more.
Quiet
Away from the crowds. Getting around takes intention.
Secluded
A place apart: the property is the destination.