There are hotels that trade on history, and there are hotels that know how to move with the times without losing what made them worth visiting in the first place. St. James’ Court, A Taj Hotel, is making a strong case for the latter. The Westminster property — tucked on Buckingham Gate, a short walk from Buckingham Palace and St. James’s Park — has just completed the final stage of a multi-year transformation, and the result is a hotel that feels significantly more like the address it always had the bones to be.
What’s Changed
The renovation, led by Conran and Partners (the design practice founded by Sir Terence Conran), touches the ground and first floors throughout — which means everything a guest encounters from the moment they arrive has been rethought.
The entrance is now brighter and more considered: pale stone finishes, soft metallic details and a sculptural overhead installation set the tone before you’ve even reached the desk. The lobby flows from lighter urban tones into a warmer reception area, and crucially, the redesign opens sightlines through to the courtyard — one of the hotel’s best-kept secrets, now visible from arrival.
The new centrepiece is 1897 – The Bar, named for the year the hotel’s red-brick Victorian townhouses were built. Framed in deep greens with polished surfaces and courtyard views, it’s designed as a proper social destination — cocktails, tequila-led serves, bar snacks, late nightcaps — open to residents and non-residents alike. Alongside it, new whisky and cigar lounges add a more private, connoisseur-focused option for those who want it.
Events and Members
On the first floor, the event rooms have been overhauled with better street-level access, natural daylight, and concealed integrated screens — practical improvements that make them genuinely more versatile for everything from board meetings to wedding receptions.
The Ballroom has been sensitively restored rather than reinvented: its domed trellised ceiling, crystal chandeliers and gold-accented wood panelling remain intact, just with a softer, lighter feeling overall. It’s still one of the more impressive event spaces in this part of London.
The bigger story for some guests will be the expansion of Taj The Chambers, the brand’s invitation-only private members’ club. The London outpost has gained a second boardroom, a members’ lounge, a private dining room, and — the standout addition — a glass-roofed terrace overlooking the courtyard. For members looking for a discreet base in Westminster that goes well beyond a hotel lobby, this raises the proposition considerably.
The Wider Picture
This refurbishment is the capstone of a longer investment programme across Taj’s London presence. The sister property, Taj 51 Buckingham Gate Suites and Residences, already houses Michelin-starred Quilon, the J Wellness Circle spa, TH@51 and House of Ming. Together, the two properties now read as a more coherent luxury estate in one of the capital’s most sought-after neighbourhoods.
Worth Knowing
St. James’ Court has always had the location — steps from royal London, with a Victorian character that’s genuinely hard to manufacture. What this renovation adds is a sense of arrival and atmosphere that matches it. The new bar alone is worth a visit, whether you’re staying or not.
St. James’ Court, A Taj Hotel is located at 54 Buckingham Gate, London SW1E 6AF. stjamescourthotel.co.uk
