The Rubens at the Palace

After planning this trip for years, my husband and I headed to London as the first stop of our 20th anniversary celebration. The Ruben’s presents so nicely on social media but my experience was anything but. First, they took us to the wrong (smaller) room category. They were incredibly rude and unhelpful when we asked to be put in the room type we paid for. The rooms are TINY. I mean absolutely, ridiculously small. The bed was uncomfortable. The bathroom was obscenely small to the point of almost being unusable. The tub filled with water every time I we took a shower, so you got to stand in your dirty water. If you are traveling with a lot of luggage (for us, two large suitcases, two small suitcases, a duffle and a backpack) you will be hard pressed to fit your stuff and your own bodies in these rooms. The only positive were the doormen, who, when they were there, were very friendly and welcoming, unlike everyone else who works here. The front desk staff were so RUDE - you would have thought they were the guests and we were the staff. Once, when returning from a long day out, one of the managers was holding the door open for the people in front of us. The manager shut the door in our faces. Literally. We opened the door and walked in and my husband said something to him and he bit our heads off. Apparently, he didn’t know or care that we were also hotel guests. The afternoon tea experience was a total waste of money. The food and service were terrible. One of the staff (not a waiter, he was dressed in a suit) went outside to take photos of the couples sitting at the window seat (of which, we were one). They offered the to take the first couples photo, then the second, then looked at us, and walked away. It was so insulting. Lastly, and sadly, there was no acknowledgement of our anniversary. It was a big milestone for us and it had been communicated to the hotel on numerous occasions. While it’s not guaranteed, it sure would have been nice for at least one person to congratulate us. When we left London and headed to St Andrews, the hotel staff all commented on it, even sending champagne and desserts to our room along with a letter from the manager. Again, NOT expected, but very appreciated. We chose this hotel based on the beautiful photos, engaging social media, location and proximity to Victoria station. We will be coming back to London with our kids and will absolutely NOT be staying with the Ruben’s again. I highly recommend staying almost anywhere else.

Initial problem re charging. I issued a poor review. The hotel rectified their mistake in a very professional manner. The hotel deserves excellent reviews. A gorgeous building. Great room , food and the staff are amazing. The position is superb, close to the Palace and two of the great parks. Piccadilly is a short walk through Green Park. A lovely hotel we will definitely return to soon.

It was my first time at The Rubens, and it was such a great experience! The festive atmosphere was lovely, the breakfast excellent, and the room comfortable, stylish, and quiet (I stayed on the first floor facing the street, and it was still very peaceful). All the staff were incredibly helpful and looked after us brilliantly. Thank you to Joe, Leo, and the rest of the Rubens team for taking such good care of us. I’d definitely recommend this hotel!

We visited Rubens for our fourth Champagne Afternoon tea at the weekend. What a stunning experience, as usual. From the moment you walk through the door you are made to feel so very special. The staff are truly amazing and the hotel is to die for. We had a bad experience on the way to the hotel having to fight our way through a demonstration. We were a little frazzled to say the least. We spoke to Kamal , Afternoon Tea Assistant Manager just to check on our table, explaining what had happened, and he couldnt have been kinder. He led us to the bar and produced two complimentary glasses of Champagne to calm our nerves!!!! The Afternoon Tea was gorgeous. We were served by Rebecca, who was absolutely charming, so attentive and polite , and Kamal made sure we had everything we needed. We are always thrilled to go to Rubens, and always sad to leave. A truly beautiful hotel. Thank you so much Kamal and Rebecca.

It always feels like visiting friends when staying at Ruben’s. The warmest welcome and friendliest people working there. You never feel invisible, and you’re never just one in the crowd.