St James's Hotel & Club
London, United Kingdom[view map]
Local restaurants
Mayfair’s and Piccadilly’s finest and most fabulous eateries are all within ambling distance of St James’s. The closest is Le Caprice (www.le-caprice.co.uk), which is just around the corner and serves a beguiling menu that attracts royals, stars and diners of discernment. Saka No Hana (www.sakenohana.com) is the St James’s Street outpost of Alan Yau’s Japanese haute-cuisine empire and satisfies sashimi cravings with style. Any other oriental culinary whims can be met at Nobu (www.noburestaurants.com) in the Metropolitan hotel and nearby Berkeley Square. From the other side of the culinary globe, Automat (www.automat-london.com) on Dover Street provides American brasserie fare (burgers to boast about) and while lunch, dinner and afternoon tea at The Wolseley (www.thewolseley.com) are indisputably fabulous, it’s the incredible breakfast menu that’s really worth raving about.
Local bars
The 1707 Wine Bar (0845 602 5694) in Fortnum & Mason’s food hall lets you sample the wares on the neighbouring wine shelves for a £10 corkage fee. Louche and lively Aura (+44 (0)20 7499 9999) on St James' Street is a members' club, kitchen, and one of London's most cash-flashing club nights.
For a full list of eating and drinking recommendations in London, check out our London eating & drinking guide
Worth getting out of bed for
St James's Hotel is an easy stroll from the leafy lakeside St James's Park (www.royalparks.org.uk), where the park's wildlife officers feed the pelicans every day at 2.30pm. The Serpentine Gallery (www.serpentinegallery.org), which hosts regular events and exhibitions of cutting-edge art and sculpture, is at the far end of the park. You're also very close to the Institute of Contemporary Arts, better known as the ICA (+44 (0)20 7930 0493; www.ica.org.uk), and, of course, Buckingham Palace.
For a full list of recommended activities in London, check out our London destination guide
