From a weekend city break to a long overdue trip to London with the family, St James’ Court, a Taj Hotel, is the place to mark for your stay. Perfect location, great amenities, top tier hospitality and service beyond exceptional to make your trip memorable. We caught up with the team to interview them on the must-know before booking, and why St James’ Court is truly one of the best places to stay in London for that home-away-from home feeling.

What is interesting or unique about the location and surrounding area of your hotel?

St. James’ Court, a Taj Hotel, is a heritage property and has a historical provenance dating back to Tudor England and the court of Queen Elizabeth I.  The hotel is situated close by to Buckingham Palace and St James’ Park, with top attractions Big Ben, The Houses of Parliament, and Westminster Cathedral in short walking distance. Not to mention the enticing shops and restaurants of St. James, Victoria, Mayfair and Knightsbridge. The location also lends itself perfectly to public transport links with St. James’s Park tube station and Victoria station located nearby, allowing easy access to the airports and national rail gateways.

Whether you are exploring London for business or pleasure the hotel offers a prime location, beautiful architecture, and outstanding service. The team strives to make each visit memorable for guests and visitors and has an unbeatable selection of restaurants, wellness experiences and accommodation options to choose from.

What first impression / experience can a guest expect upon arrival? 

The hotel offers more than a prime location, beautiful architecture, fabulous dining experiences and a top-rated spa. Outstanding service is de rigueur, and the discreet and charming staff will not disappoint. They provide more than just a warm welcome; they will make each and every stay pleasurable and memorable. The spirit of Tajness is driven by the supreme importance it places on the safety and delight of its guests. Tajness – A Commitment Restrengthened is a mark of assurance of IHCL’s authentic Indian hospitality. 

What lasting impression do you like your guests to take away from their stay?

Exceeding the expectations of today’s discerning traveller is second nature at St. James’ Court, a Taj Hotel – we want our guests to remember they received top notch service with a smile and an unforgettable stay in the heart of London.

What facility and/or feature of the hotel is the biggest USP/ selling point?

St. James’ Court, A Taj Hotel, has different room types available for guests to choose from – the premium rooms make for the perfect staycation spot in the City. The Suites are best chosen for travellers looking for that extra home-away-from-home feel, and those travelling with little ones will find ultimate comfort in the family rooms. One of our biggest USPs is delivering the finest personal attention to our guests through our Golden Keys concierge service. Our outstanding team can ensure a bespoke experience at a moment’s notice to make our guests visits unforgettable.

What drew you to partner with TEMPLESPA?

J Wellness Circle is an exclusive space offering the perfect experience that will heal the mind, body, and spirit through our exhilarating spa experience - a unique fusion of Indian wellness philosophy and luxury British innovation. Wellness is at the heart of our offering to guests and partnering with TEMPLESPA was a natural move for us as the incredible British lifestyle brand’s values align so well with our own ethos, which centres around the importance of health and wellness. 

We saw a gap in our offering as our brand had such a strong alignment to Indian wellness philosophy, but it was so important to us to work with a British heritage brand that would complete our offering. We love that TEMPLESPA is so sustainable and has allowed us to add beautifully packaged and eco-friendly products to the spa experience.

The exciting partnership we have with TEMPLESPA is a mélange of J Wellness Circle traditional Indian treatments dedicated to nurturing the body, complemented by the TEMPLESPA contemporary Mediterranean wellness philosophy and results driven products. 

What changes or new exciting developments have you got planned for 2024?

We are always striving to deliver a fantastic service to all guests and visitors at the hotel from cultural experiences and comfortable stays, to the ultimate relaxation at J Wellness Circle and culinary journeys at our range of restaurants. We are always looking to see how we can make the guest experience unique and unforgettable and this year we have exciting plans for updates and new menus in our fabulous award-winning afternoon tea dining room Kona and TH@51, our restaurant offering unrivalled global cuisine – watch this space!

Already this year we have put into place an entire website overhaul to enhance the user experience for our new and returning guests. The new site is user friendly and all information is easily accessible, a new feature we have added is that spa access and treatments can be booked directly through the site which makes it much quicker and easier for visitors.

What amenities / guest services are most important or popular with your guests?

The variety of our food and beverage offering is highly praised by all those who stay with us and visit. We are proud to be home to the fine dining Michelin-starred Quilon and contemporary TH@51, as well as Kona which hosts some of London’s most creative afternoon teas including The Secret Garden Afternoon Tea and Indian Jasmine Afternoon Tea. 

In addition, House of Ming brings an unforgettable dining experience inspired by Sichuan and Cantonese cuisine. A hidden Victorian gem in the heart of the capital, St. James’ Courtyard is the perfect summer’s day setting for a glass of champagne, with majestic turrets and a cherub-adorned fountain surrounded by a turn-of-the-century red brick frieze, depicting sylvan scenes from Shakespeare’s plays.

Finally, we are home to the Hamptons Bar, with an air of sophistication, large elegant gilt mirrors and high-backed chairs, the Hamptons Bar is an intimate space for drinks and tapas. Whether you are looking for a place for a quiet cappuccino or laid-back after work drinks, this elegant yet bold venue with selective drinks and European food offerings.

At St James’ Court, A Taj Hotel there is something to suit everybody’s tastes, preferences, and style!

With travellers more environmentally conscious than ever, how do you find balance and sustainability in your offering?

Sustainability is extremely important to us, and we have a range of practices in place not only with guests but our colleagues internally too to ensure we are doing all that we can to be as green as possible. We are proud to be EarthCheck Platinum Certified, which means we have been through a rigorous science-backed and people focused sustainability certification process. This has given us the framework to understand what being a sustainable and regenerative business is. We have the tools to measure our impact, and to make business decisions that save money, resources and the planet. 

A few examples of our procedures include all of our hotel room keys are made of recycled bamboo, across the hotel we use only glass bottles and paper straws to ensure our use of single use plastics is limited, and we have over 80% energy efficient lighting in rooms and guest areas. In addition to this, we follow recycling schemes and ensure a reduction in carbon emissions. We are particularly proud of our eco-friendly bedding too - our full-size duvets have a beautiful soft and silky casing that is actually made of wood. The filling is also wood based making this a truly eco-friendly blanket, without compromising on our guest’s comfort.

We also have internal sustainable practices that our colleagues follow. We are active members of the local community taking part in the Green Fingers initiative in partnership with St Marylebone Parish Church volunteering where our staff litter pick and work in the gardens close to the church. We also work closely with Victoria BID and take part in their Sparkle and Shine initiative whereby we help different local communities to clean up the area.

Now you know all you need to know about staying at St. James’ Court, a Taj Hotel! Head to their website for all the information on booking your stay there.