The Stafford London
Hidden down a quiet St James’s cul-de-sac, The Stafford blends three distinct historic buildings, a nearly 400-year-old wine cellar, one of London’s oldest American Bars and new fine dining by Michael Caines.
The Stafford London sits discreetly off St James’s Street between Green Park and St James’s Palace, only minutes from Buckingham Palace, Piccadilly and Mayfair. The narrow lane and private courtyard make the hotel feel astonishingly removed from central London despite the address.
Accommodation is spread across three very different buildings: the traditional Main House, a contemporary Mews House and the 380-year-old Carriage House that once served as private stables. Individually designed rooms and multi-level specialty suites give the property far more character than a standardized luxury hotel.
There is a compact fitness suite rather than a destination spa, so the hotel’s real amenities are historical and social. Beneath the property, nearly 400-year-old wine cellars hold more than 8,000 bottles and retain traces of their wartime use as an air-raid shelter.
The American Bar is one of London’s longest-surviving bars of its type and opens onto a famously intimate courtyard. The hotel’s current fine-dining identity is MICHAEL CAINES at The Stafford, bringing the Michelin-starred chef’s modern European approach into the St James’s setting.
The Stafford is best for travelers who want London luxury to feel clubby, hidden and deeply British. Its cellars, courtyard and collection of separate buildings make it feel more like a small St James’s world than a single hotel.