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The Rubens at the Palace is the closest you'll get to a sleepover with the Queen without a state visit invitation. The hotel is directly across from the royal residence on property that enjoys a colorful past – the Duke of Buckingham lived here in the 1600s, followed by an apothecary and a Court dressmaker. The Rubens, which was built in 1912, housed the Polish army during WWII and gave respite to exiled Charles de Gaulle. The hotel's decadent – and often equally colorful – rooms and suites are a comfortable home base in the epicenter of London.
The Rubens at the Palace
39 Buckingham Palace Road
London, England
SW1W 0PS
Nearest Airport: LHR
This is NOT a 5 star hotel. If you’re used to staying at nice properties you’re going to be severely disappointed at the Rubens. The rooms are incredibly small and old. The bathrooms are awful - ours was so tiny and had a bunch of step ups which made it difficult to use. Our shower didn’t drain and half the time the toilet didn’t flush. Housekeeping was hit or miss. Half the time they forgot to replenish the tea and milk, even when we left a note requesting it. The staff here all thought they were better than the hotel guests - or at least the American guests who were obviously treated differently. I personally experienced this in the tea room and the NY bar, where we were treated very discriminatorily. The people working the front desk were all awful. When we left we asked to have the discretionary service charge (basically a tip that is optional for hotel staff) removed due to poor service and they were absolutely rude about it. The fact is that they DID NOT EARN IT!
Royally S
Outstanding service. A jewel in the heart of London. Our London home away from home. Gen.Mgr Charlie Banks works to make the stay unforgettable . Highly recommend
Bruce S
Excellent service all help was fantastic Food was wonderful Location was central to all Victoria station was just a few blocks Away and easy to access
Arthur H
Excellent service and staff. Great location. The staff was so helpful. Could not do enough for you to make you feel welcome.
Eileen H
I can't say enough great things about the Rubens. The staff are AMAZING! Especially Shristi, who went out of her way to make sure we had everything we needed. The attention to detail is amazing, as is, the cleanliness. It is very easy to get around because Victoria station is right around the corner. Also, many buses are available nearby. We look forward to our next stay. Thank you all!!
chrisv409 - East Boothbay, Maine
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We were simply blown away by every single detail.
-M. Otai
I just returned from an amazing 6 nights at The Rubens. My trip was for business and at the last minute, I had to bring my baby along. This worried me greatly, but thanks to the wonderful staff of the hotel, my week went off without a hitch. The staff couldn't have been any kinder, more helpful, or professional. From the moment we arrived, special attention was paid to the baby and any assistance I needed. There is no doubt that I will be returning to this hotel. It has won a special place in my heart.
-Dr. K. Greene
Our package at the Rubens at the Palace let my mother and me live like a queen. From the flowers in the room, the beautiful suite, the daily high tea, the staff - everything was a deluxe vacation opportunity. My previous vacations to London pale in comparison to this experience.
-P. Conway
I stayed at the hotel and found it to be delightful. It was a good, central location with comfortable, well-appointed rooms. The staff was outstanding, and the food was quite good. I would definitely stay there again!
-L. Read
I can't say enough about the amazing service at the hotel. Everyone was so friendly and helpful whenever we had questions or needed help. The concierge was wonderful and went out of his way to come check on us and see how our day our was turning out. It made us feel very welcome and almost like family! The room was very comfortable, the food in the bar was great, service was amazing. We'll stay here again!
-K. O'Brien