PICTURED: ANJANA PANDYA (MANAGING DIRECTOR) & NICHOLAS DAVIS (DIRECTOR OF SALES & MARKETING).
Jermyn Street’s Open Door Series will be honouring the brands and businesses that make our street the home of gentleman’s style, and the pinnacle of British craftsmanship, by spotlighting your favourite brands, and the people behind them, as we invite you through our doors once more!
St James’s Hotel & Club first opened its doors in 1857 as a club intended for travelling diplomats and is now a 5-star luxury boutique hotel, boasting 60 sumptuous suites and guest rooms and a Michelin starred restaurant.
1857 saw the English aristocrat, Earl Granville, and Sardinian minister, Marchese d-Azeglio, found a new club intended as a base for travelling diplomats. By 1860, it had attracted important members of the British upper classes as well as international diplomats, and had made a name for itself as a luxurious home-away-from-home. With members such as Baron Ferdinand de Rothschild and Lord Randolph Churchill, its popularity grew and, during the years before the First World War, the club was at the height of its prosperity. In the 1930s, Winston Churchill was often seen at the club and, during the Second World War, it was briefly home to Ian Fleming, the creator of James Bond, in fact it is said that during his stay he gained inspiration for the 007 character – James after ‘St James’s’ and Bond after the nearby ‘Bond Street’.
During the 1950s, the club was famous for its backgammon games, where large sums were won and lost by the likes of the Marquess of Milford Haven, Lord Pender and Rupert Bellville. In the 1960s, women began to be admitted for dinner. Unfortunately, during the 1980s, the St James’s Club was momentarily closed but was soon revived, thanks to the international sportsman and financier Peter De Savary, and quickly became renowned as a place for good food, good wine and the best parties. At this time the club committee was chaired by Sir John Mills and members included Liza Minnelli, Dudley Moore, Pete Townshend, Sir Michael Caine, Sir Sean Connery, Sir Tim Rice, Sir Michael Parkinson and Lord Attendborough, and was easily one of the most popular clubs in London.
In the spring of 2008, after an extensive renovation by the famous designer Anne Maria Jagdfeld, the St James’s Club reopened as St James’s Hotel and Club. Resplendent with Murano glass chandeliers, walls lined with Loro Piana cashmere and a beautiful art collection, including stunning examples of Impressionist, Expressionist and Cubist art from all over Europe, the hotel was an immediate success. In 2009, the hotel launched its new restaurant, Seven Park Place, headed by multi award winning chef William Drabble. This intimate restaurant was awarded a coveted Michelin star only a year after its launch, thanks to its exquisite french cuisine, seasonal British produce and impeccable service, and has retained its Michelin star ever since, under the skilful command of William and his brigade.
In 2012, St James’s Hotel and Club was honoured to receive the Olympic torch on the day before the opening of the Games. Today, the hotel’s glorious decor, attentive staff and prime location make it the perfect spot for a weekend away or an extended stay to further explore London. Its location, at the heart of St James’s, means that the best of what the capital has to offer is right on the doorstep or, if you’d prefer some pampering, the St James’s Hotel’s in-room spa and beauty treatments are the perfect way to spend the day relaxing in your sumptuous suite. The hotel caters to everyone from solo travellers to families, and you can conveniently book your stay through their website to experience the best of what Jermyn Street and St James’s has to offer.