St. James' Court, A Taj Hotel

I have been a regular guest at both St. James’ Court, A Taj Hotel and Taj 51 Buckingham Gate Suites and Residences for the past few years, and this recent stay has been quite disappointing compared to my earlier experiences. One of the key reasons I have always preferred Taj Hotels is their exceptional hospitality and breakfast spread. Unfortunately, this time I noticed a clear decline both in quality and overall experience. The breakfast options felt limited, and the quality of food did not match the standards I had come to expect. More concerning was the noticeable shift in service attitude. Earlier, the staff were warm, welcoming, and eager to accommodate requests. This time, interactions felt more restrictive, with a tendency to decline requests upfront or offer services on an additional charge basis that were previously included. There also appears to be a gradual reduction in guest amenities—basic conveniences such as bottled water for tea and certain bathroom essentials are now chargeable or of noticeably lower quality. While cost optimization may be understandable, it should not come at the expense of guest comfort, especially in a luxury segment. At the same time, room tariffs have increased significantly, making the overall value proposition difficult to justify. I truly value the Taj brand and the legacy it represents, which is why this experience was particularly disappointing. I hope the management takes note and restores the standards that long-time guests associate with Taj hospitality.

The hotel is well located a short distance from Buckingham Palace and 20 minute walk to the main attractions like Big Ben, London Eye etc. Rooms are good and clean, bed and pillows comfortable. We stayed for 8 nights. There are 3 restaurants - 2 specialty and one multi-cuisine. Prices above average, food okay. Surprise for us was: 1. Charge on water bottles beyond the 2 provided everyday. A first for me across many Taj properties. I was informed that the policy varies by country ! 2. Charge for cutlery in the room: we requested some spoons and a plate to share the in-room dining meal, which was deemed chargeable. But, in all, the stay was pleasant, the service good and rooms are value for money. Booking with Breakfast is ridiculously expensive (we did not book for that reason), it's better to go out and explore many cafes within a 2 minute walk.

We had booked two executive rooms for 3 nights for our family of 4. We were there to celebrate my husband’s birthday, Taj had kept a birthday greeting card and a small cake which was very thoughtful of them. Property is very close to Buckingham Palace. Many attractions are walkable from the property. Breakfast is very good you will get plenty of Indian food options plus you get to choose one more item from their set menu. We could order hot Dosas 😊.Restaurant staff is very attentive and courteous. Housekeeping staff, people at the reception are extremely courteous, friendly and efficient. Person at the concierge service was very polite and helpful. It is a beautiful property with a gorgeous courtyard. Overall we had a fantastic experience. This will be our Number one choice when ever we visit London. My son and daughter simply loved this property One small suggestion please install a water fountain so that guests can refill the water bottles because water bottles are replenished only once every day .

I booked this hotel as a special treat ahead of running a half marathon the following day, and I was particularly looking forward to using the advertised spa facilities. Unfortunately, the experience didn’t live up to expectations. Finding the spa was confusing and ended up feeling like a full tour of the ground floor and business areas. When I eventually located it, I discovered the pool was out of service, leaving only a very small steam room and sauna available. This was really disappointing, as the spa had been a key part of why I chose the hotel. At check-in, I was told my room had been upgraded, but it appeared very similar to a standard room when we arrived. The staff were friendly and helpful throughout, which I appreciated. However, overall the stay felt quite underwhelming and not the relaxing treat I had hoped for, especially given the occasion.

I am so happy to review St. James' Court, A TAJ Hotel in London. From the moment I made the booking from the United States and spoke with reservations I was confident that this special visit to celebrate my sister's 80th birthday was in good hands. We arrived to check in, Viren made us feel like royalty.  He upgraded our room and went out of his way to make this visit special. He personally escorted us to our room (a little bit early), and when we walked in the door we were greeted by a beautiful quilt cover with "Happy Birthday" embroidered in gold across the end of the bed. On a table were three long stem roses in a vase and a decadent chocolate torte with fresh fruit and miniature chocolate decorations. Viren has a magical smile and it's clear he takes pride in his position at the TAJ. From that point on I knew this was going to be a fabulous trip. There was even a handwritten "Happy Birthday" card from the Housekeeping Team. It read:  "As you step into a new year, may our hotel pamper you with the luxuries that mirror the richness of your life's journey".   How special is that! The room was perfect. The king size bed was so very comfortable and the updated bathroom with the dual shower heads was absolutely luxurious. Everything about this place made us feel at home and special.   The breakfast package is magnificent and every morning we were greeted with a beautiful Buffet of anything you could possibly want.   There is the option to also special order custom items from a menu in addition to the buffet. Each morning I ordered the eggs benedict which was a  perfectly poached egg in the sauce was out of this world. All the staff in the restaurant were attentive and always met us with a smile. We we had the option of ordering our specialty coffees and I chose a cappuccino each morning with beautiful heart on top. The brunch is surrounded by views of their majestic courtyard, which adds to the grandeur. We also want to thank William, their concierge, who was so very helpful as we began our days exploring London. We specifically loved his sense of humor and his expert guidance. Like Viren, Williams' personality was a perfect fit for his position. Lucianio was another gentleman in the lobby with whom we chatted daily, making our visit enjoyable.  They always made an effort to engage us in conversation when they saw us and shared in my sister's 80th milestone, including our "daily mention of her celebration."  They were great fun.  Thanks also to Sandesh and Kathan. Everything is so convienently located near this hotel. We were  just steps to Buckingham Palace and St James Park ,which was bursting with tulips and daffodils, and every morning we walked the flowering trees were blooming and  created a magnificent fragrance. We went to The Albert Pub for their traditional Sunday Roast on Easter.  This historic Pub built in 1862 is a must see.  The bus stop for all hop-on, hop-off buses is just around the corner. Traditional black Hackney taxis are always outside ready to hire or hail when needed.   Thank you for helping create memories that we will hold dear forever. Most Sincerely, Catherine S. Teal,