Name: Rubens At The Palace
Address: 39 Buckingham Palace Road, Westminster, London, England, United Kingdom, London, Greater London, GB
Price range: US$256–US$1,264 per night
Rating: 8.75

What guests think

Travellers praise the exceptional, welcoming staff and central location steps from Buckingham Palace, while noting the hotel’s traditional style and generally compact rooms; overall, Rubens At The Palace delivers comfort with character more than modern minimalism.

Breakfast, afternoon tea, and the English Grill/Curry Room are praised, but many find on-site dining and laundry overpriced, with discretionary service charges and daily fees added to bills. Cleanliness is generally strong, though a few guests reported lapses and aging fixtures; elevators are small and have occasionally been out of service, there is no on-site gym (nearby access may incur a fee), and Wi-Fi can be unreliable for some. Expect a classic, service-led stay with heritage charm.

Facilities

Cleanliness

Rooms

Service

Location

Dining

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AI-generated summary based on recent guest reviews

Facilities

On-site venues including the English Grill, the Curry Room, afternoon tea, and the New York Bar earn praise, though bar service can be slow. Elevators are small with occasional outages, there is no on-site gym (nearby access may carry a fee), and laundry is expensive.

Related guest reviews

10

Gareth

10 Feb 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

A really classic hotel with a lot of history, they do a good job of keeping the deco traditional yet keeping it clean and classy. The staff were all incredibly knowledgeable and friendly, shout out to Raj for a smooth check in and shout out to the New York Bar for great service, very knowledgeable staff, delicious food and pretty unique cocktails! Thanks for starting off a really memorable night for us! The only thing I would mention would be there was a slight bar smell coming from the air conditioning vents in the evening and the plug in the bath would not remain up so would struggle to release the water. A small price to pay for the stay, we would love to visit again! Thank you!

10

Mr. Rajiv

23 Feb 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

Excellent stay. Nice food at English grill and curry house. Excellent history knowledge about hotel and surroundings by John.

10

Michael Holm

3 Nov 2025

·

Stayed 3 nights

This hotel offers it all! Excellent service from arrival until departure from all staffmembers. Located right next to Buckingham Palace (2 min. walk) and St. James' Park and 5 minute walk to Victoria Station and Underground this is the place to be if you fancy central location. The English Grill restaurant at the hotel serves a magnificent Beef Wellington and the possibility to enjoy a English tea experience at the hotel. I will select this hotel again any day of the week and twice on sundays.

10

Anthony

11 May 2024

·

Stayed 3 nights

My room was immaculate and nicely furnished. My dinner and service in the English Grill was outstanding.

10

Audrey

18 May 2024

·

Stayed 4 nights

Fabulous hotel, awesome location and the staff are friendly and extremely helpful. The only negative part of our stay was the out of service elevator. We were on the 3rd floor and it was a bit of a climb after a long day of walking…but we managed.

8

SeyedShahdad

7 Sept 2024

·

Stayed 4 nights

Charming hotel with lovely classic decor, restaurants were good and high tea was awesome. Silvu at the New York bar was awesome. Rezs was great too.

4

kent

23 May 2024

·

Stayed 2 nights

I was so unsure how to rate this hotel...it is priceier than normal for us but as a special 40th anniversary treat we stayed for 2 nights...not really the hotels fault, but their elevator was broken What most bothered me was that there was no senior staff in the lobby directing everyone to the staff elevator...they said you had to walk up...we did 3x to the 4th floor then a nice young bellman took pity on me...I am 66 years old with 2 recently broken legs and said take the staff elevator...this should have been available to all...not only randomly As I could not walk down for a glass of wine, I ordered room service...1 glass...18 Pounds and a 7 pound 50 delivery charge...$50 Canadian dollars for a glass of wine I would have thought that with the lift broken they could have waived that Nice room...incredibly expensive drinks and sandwiches $180 CDN for 3 glasses of wine and 1 sandwich in lobby bar Broken elevator ruined what was a very special weekend

10

Mitchell

28 Apr 2024

·

Stayed 6 nights

Great stay. Bar service slow

8

Thomas

18 Jan 2023

·

Stayed 3 nights

Our stay at the Rubens was overall quite nice. The room was clean and tidy and equipped with everything we needed. The staff was also extremely friendly and helpful. We would stay here again if we\'re ever in the area. Our only complaint would be that the listing specifically states "Free use of nearby fitness center". However, upon our stay at the hotel, we were told by the front desk that it would be an additional 30 GBP per person to use the partner facilities.

10

Holly

26 Dec 2023

·

Stayed 5 nights

I don't think there's enough room for me to tell you how fabulous this place is. From The Curry Room to Rosie, Charlie, Andrew and more! Thanks to them it was the best Christmas I've had in a long time. They go the extra mile 😁. The food, the hospitality, the kindness....Everything was just perfect. And if you need a cab, the French doorman is your man! Lol Thank you all very very much. I will definitely be back!!

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Cleanliness

Many guests found rooms immaculate and well kept, but some reported dust, missed bathroom details, musty odors, and occasional lapses like trash not removed.

Related guest reviews

10

Mrs Hannah

13 Jul 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

We enjoyed our stay very much. The room we had was compact and the bed a small double however it was immaculate. For a room in central london it was very quiet and we heard no road noise

10

Elizabeth

11 Nov 2025

·

Stayed 3 nights

Room was clean, staff were amazing

8

Tamala

22 Aug 2024

·

Stayed 2 nights

The service is unmatched. The breakfast was WOW!!! However the room was a bit musty and the soap they use just stinks.

10

Wendi

23 Nov 2025

·

Stayed 4 nights

Wonderful staff, very clean room, nice hot shower with good pressure. Nice bar.

10

V

18 Nov 2024

·

Stayed 1 night

The staff are incredibly welcoming and the hotel is comforting and clean.

10

Jennifer

4 Jan 2023

·

Stayed 1 night

Stepping in to the hotel was a breath of fresh air very welcoming and helpful staff beautiful surroundings. The rooms are small as the building is old like the majority of hotel rooms in London, but the bed was comfortable. The room is quiet and clean and we enjoyed nice touches like slippers by the bed chocolates on the pillow classical music playing when you walk in your room and a rope refreshing and relaxing. And an unbeatable location. Directly behind Buckingham Palace close to Victoria station in museums.

8

Zoya

23 Jun 2025

·

Stayed 4 nights

The staff was very friendly and professional. My only complaint is that the rooms are not clean: the curtains were very dusty, the area underneath the desks and nightstands weren’t vacuumed in a very long time.

10

David

18 Nov 2025

·

Stayed 3 nights

Fantastic location, lovely clean room and superb service

4

WILLIAM

19 Jun 2023

·

Stayed 1 night

HAD HAIR IN THE SHOWER AREA THAT WAS NOT PROPERLY CLEANED. DRINKING GLASSES IN BATHROOM HAD FINGER MARKS ALL OVER THEM.

8

Daphne

9 Oct 2024

·

Stayed 2 nights

We had a view of the hotel's A/C unit. Not exactly what i had in mind for the last bit of our honeymoon. They cleaned the room at every opportunity, but didn't remove the trash. We were confused my this.

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Rooms

Rooms have classic decor but are often small, with compact or awkward bathrooms (shower-in-tub, steps, or poor lighting) and limited storage; some layouts feel dated. Wi-Fi can be unreliable, Mews views may be limited, and fridges/USB ports are not standard.

Related guest reviews

8

Marion

8 May 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

A traditional hotel within walking distance of the main attractions. The hotel’s staff are excellent, so welcoming and helpful. It’s the staff that really make this hotel a good place to stay. Rooms can be rather small, even the superior rooms. Ours had frosted glass in the window as there was no outlook. But this is central London and even the top hotels often have no outlook from their windows. The rooms are clean and well equipped and offer all you need for your stay. Breakfast was very good with a wide choice of freshly prepared food.

8

Roy

4 Dec 2022

·

Stayed 19,325 nights

Beautiful property in an awesome location with very friendly and attentive staff. We stayed one night and then returned for another three nights the same week. The room on the first night was so small we could hardly walk around the tiny bed, so much so that we questioned whether we had been given a single room. It was also very in need of redecorating. The room we had for the last three nights was nicer bigger and the bed was a standard queen or double so we could actually sleep. I think people should understand this is a very old historic building and it is quite a different, albeit enjoyable experience when compared to modern hotels.

6

stephen

28 Apr 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Property is very dated. The wi-fi is so bad a signal is not possible. You are also unable to receive a cellular signal either

6

Alan

21 Mar 2024

·

Stayed 2 nights

The hotel is in a great location, across the street from Buckingham Palace and near Hyde Park and other attractions. However, the hotel is outdated and the rooms are very small and lack basic amenities such as refrigerators and ironing boards and irons. Also, the rooms follow are very classic theme which many people love but I prefer a more modern style.

10

Robin

15 Nov 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

Our room was small (it’s a very old building) but lovely. The hotel is conveniently located.

8

Carlos Bojalil

21 Oct 2024

·

Stayed 5 nights

Location was perfect. Room is small and bath smaller with shower in a small tub got water everywhere. Decor nice and very convenient. Had everything you needed.

10

R J

9 Apr 2025

·

Stayed 4 nights

Great stay as always at Rubens. Staff very nice and lovely room. Only issue ever seems to be around wifi... Breakfast are first class although on the expensive side.

8

Gary

3 Jan 2025

·

Stayed 9 nights

The proximity to Buckingham Palace and other Victoria sites was nice. Staff were nice and helpful. The room was very small given the cost.

6

Shaun

11 Jul 2023

·

Stayed 2 nights

The location is very good and convenient, with polite friendly stars. The rooms are small, even the superior king, Wi-Fi was slow, and the bathrooms are dated. One really annoying feature was the automatic £15/night gratuity for the staff added to the bill. They did remove it when asked, but should never have been added in the first place. Given the cost of the rooms, they should pay the staff more

8

Susan

2 Dec 2022

·

Stayed 2 nights

We were lucky to be able to check in early, staff were friendly & welcoming, but had a few issues with the room. We booked a superior room with king bed, but the room & bathroom was small, with 2 single beds. I also requested no feather bedding but the pillows were feather. When I informed them they said they could change the bed & pillows, not the room and to inform reception when we were going out. When we got back the pillows were changed but still 2 single beds ! It took 3 attempts for this to be rectified. The shower was in the bath with no hand held head, just a ceiling head, which meant it splashed everywhere. I was disappointed in the room, I thought it would have been better for a superior grade. The best thing about this hotel is the location.

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Service

Service is a standout across reviews, with welcoming doormen, attentive reception, and proactive help throughout stays. A few note slow or incomplete room service and frustration with discretionary service charges or billing follow-ups.

Related guest reviews

10

Jack

16 Apr 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Amazing location and absolutely the best staff

10

Judith

26 Aug 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

Our stay at the Rubens was an excellent. The service was outstanding and caring. The reception staff and concierge were knowledgeable and kind. The doorman, Jan, was always smiling and very pleasant. I can’t say enough good things about Rubens. I recommend it highly.

10

NAIDELIA

9 Jan 2023

·

Stayed 19,361 nights

The best customer service

10

Allan

27 Apr 2023

·

Stayed 1 night

We had an issue at check in which we made a review on. We promptly got a call from Laura who apologized and sent us up a bottle of wine. She checked in with us throughout our stay and really went above and beyond what was expected. The hotel is in a fabulous location close to transportation, shopping, great restaurants and Buckingham Palace. The room was spotless!! The turn down service was a special touch. We would definitely stay there again.

10

Johanna

1 Oct 2024

·

Stayed 2 nights

Amazing experience. Everyone was so polite and the customer service is 5 stars. I will definitely be staying again.

10

Patrick

18 Jul 2025

·

Stayed 5 nights

My fam and I recently stayed at this lovely hotel during a 5 day London vacation. My wife and I stayed in one room and our adult child stayed in another (smaller) room. This hotel is VERY CONVENIENT to Buckingham Palace, local shops and restaurants, and a nearby subway stop. The only downsides are it's not cheap and the rooms are very small (I'm told this is typical in Europe). The A/C worked good in our room (but we did ask the front desk to bring up a fan to help with circulation... we like to sleep in very cold temps!). Hotel staff were VERY accommodating and friendly. The restaurant was good, but pricey. I recommend their full English breakfast if you stay here.

10

Dustin

26 Jun 2024

·

Stayed 1 night

The staff are really why the place is so great -- and the history. The staff were dilligent, earnest, and thoughtful. What more can you ask for in a hotel?

10

Paul

27 Aug 2023

·

Stayed 1 night

Absolutely brilliant customer service from arrival to departure outstanding

10

Diane

9 Jul 2023

·

Stayed 6 nights

Absolutely fabulous service all the way around. Great location, convenient to Victoria station, wonderful bellmen, doormen, service staff, cleaning, etc. Just a great place and we'd be happy to come back and stay again! The only thing I would say that is negative is that a Mews view room doesn't really show anything but the front of the building of the Mews. Still, better than a parking lot view!!!

8

Anna

22 Oct 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Great check-in and an upgrade which was much appreciated. Room service was slow to order and arrived incomplete . Beware the hotel adds the expected tray charge but adds an extra service charge on top. They also add a 12.5% service charge to the total bill which I do not appreciate- this is unusual for the UK and I expect service to be included in the advertised price. You can have this removed if you ask but it means a lower rating than I’d give equivalent hotels.

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Location

Central base steps from Buckingham Palace and close to Victoria Station, St James’s Park, and major sights; convenient for walking and transport.

Related guest reviews

10

Patricia

5 Aug 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

Didn’t love the location. Far from a lot of things except the palace. Nice hotel with lovely staff.

10

Michael Holm

3 Nov 2025

·

Stayed 3 nights

This hotel offers it all! Excellent service from arrival until departure from all staffmembers. Located right next to Buckingham Palace (2 min. walk) and St. James' Park and 5 minute walk to Victoria Station and Underground this is the place to be if you fancy central location. The English Grill restaurant at the hotel serves a magnificent Beef Wellington and the possibility to enjoy a English tea experience at the hotel. I will select this hotel again any day of the week and twice on sundays.

10

Clinton

8 Jun 2025

·

Stayed 4 nights

Great location and people

10

Laura

7 Aug 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

Rubens is an excellent high quality hotel, the rooms are clean and a high standard, the location is perfect for the underground and also walking distance to many major shops and attractions. I would highly recommend for a perfect trip to London

10

Sandra

8 Aug 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

Perfect location for walking to many London’s sights and local restaurants.

10

David

18 Nov 2025

·

Stayed 3 nights

Fantastic location, lovely clean room and superb service

10

Pamela

6 Feb 2025

·

Stayed 3 nights

Lovely weekend stay for my husband and me. Our room was small but given it is in central London, not surprising. It was well appointed including coffee and tea supplies and nice toiletries. Location is perfect - very close to Buckingham Palace but on a quieter street so the sidewalks weren't crazy busy and we didn't notice any noise. Service was top notch and we felt well cared for.

10

Irene

3 Aug 2023

·

Stayed 6 nights

The location couldn't possibly be better for us. It is across the street from Buckingham palace and walkable distance to Westminster and other attractions.

8

Scott

19 Oct 2024

·

Stayed 2 nights

Across the street from the Royal Mews and Kings gallery! Lots of restaurants, shopping and close to Underground station at Victoria.

10

thomas

22 Jul 2025

·

Stayed 3 nights

We selected it because of the history and location near the sites we wanted to see.

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Dining

On-site dining is widely praised (English Grill and the Curry Room; afternoon tea), but many find breakfast and food prices high with discretionary service charges added. A few guests reported slow bar service or uneven meal quality.

Related guest reviews

10

Karen

16 Oct 2024

·

Stayed 5 nights

Food was too expensive, especially for breakfast!

10

Gregory

26 Oct 2025

·

Stayed 7 nights

Staff is amazing. They take good care of their patrons. Was surprised to find out there is a 100$ held on your credit card for each night stay. Granted it’s returned to you at the end of your stay; just was not expecting this when we checked in as this was not made clear when we booked and paid for our stay prior to our arrival. Breakfast prices also not clear when you are viewing the menu. We ordered two omlets and coffee and the bill was over $100. We did not eat at any of the restaurants on site because of this. We found places to eat that were more affordable on the street.

10

Mr. Rajiv

23 Feb 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

Excellent stay. Nice food at English grill and curry house. Excellent history knowledge about hotel and surroundings by John.

10

Michael Holm

3 Nov 2025

·

Stayed 3 nights

This hotel offers it all! Excellent service from arrival until departure from all staffmembers. Located right next to Buckingham Palace (2 min. walk) and St. James' Park and 5 minute walk to Victoria Station and Underground this is the place to be if you fancy central location. The English Grill restaurant at the hotel serves a magnificent Beef Wellington and the possibility to enjoy a English tea experience at the hotel. I will select this hotel again any day of the week and twice on sundays.

10

John

5 Jun 2025

·

Stayed 4 nights

Amazing place seeped in history! The food and service was especially wonderful!

4

Maria June

31 Aug 2025

·

Stayed 4 nights

Wish I was writing a different review, but we were pretty disappointed with our stay. First, the entrance/elevator are small and it did not feel as grand as the photos so that was a bit underwhelming. Staff was friendly though. Room looked nice but we tried to take a nap because of our jet lag and it was SO noisy. Constant banging/knocking noise above us and we were put right beside the cleaning supply closet so constant door slamming on top of that. I did not nap. Food was also disappointing. We had lunch in the restaurant/lounge and my food was lukewarm and then we went back for dinner (wanted to eat in the actual restaurant, but for some reason it never seemed open?) and I ordered the fish and it was awful. I couldn't eat it and ordered another meal and they charged me for both! We did eat breakfast in the restaurant on our last day and the french toast was dry. Definitely not 5 star worthy food imo. The worst part of our stay though was on one of our last nights the knocking was so bad we couldn't sleep. We were able to sleep in a different room that night temporarily which was still a bit noisy but not as bad. Our room on our last night was much better so I wish I had asked to switch on our first day. Will definitely stay elsewhere next time.

10

Mitchell

28 Apr 2024

·

Stayed 6 nights

Great stay. Bar service slow

10

Lee

27 Oct 2024

·

Stayed 1 night

Amazing Hotel, service, ate in the English Grill and food was top notch and the guy at the entrance was brilliant. Thoroughly enjoyed our stay

10

Angela

17 Dec 2024

·

Stayed 7 nights

We LOVED staying in this hotel thanks to the staff. The staff were amazing for anything we needed! Super nice, friendly and approachable. It was also a great location. What we did not enjoy at the hotel and did not feel were worth the money were both the full and continental breakfasts, as well as the afternoon tea. All were WAY overpriced and not worth it. The continental breakfast was comparable to a cheap American breakfast…very slim offerings. And the afternoon tea…was a disappointment. Which is unfortunate as there was so much hype around it.

8

Kerry

16 Nov 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Rooms were clean - decoration was very regal / old fashioned. Staff were super friendly. Great location. Only issue was service charge being added to everything including a general tip of £15 pp per stay when you are already charged premium prices with a 15% service charge added to everything . Breakfast was expensive at £38 pp for continental plus 15% and very basic so would advise to skip that and eat outside the hotel where there are plenty of great options!

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AI-generated summary based on recent guest reviews

Month	Average price
January	US$220
February	US$223
March	US$248
April	US$319
May	US$385
June	US$375
July	US$360
August	US$348
September	US$406
October	US$397
November	US$342
December	US$368

Su	Mo	Tu	We	Th	Fr	Sa
		1	2	3	4	5 $306
6 $292	7 $341	8 $359	9 $1,264	10 $422	11 $449	12 $450
13 $304	14 $458	15 $708	16 $593	17 $517	18 $486	19 $479
20 $329	21 $330	22 $576	23 $544	24 $513	25 $458	26 $470
27 $349	28 $412	29 $540	30 $509

Su	Mo	Tu	We	Th	Fr	Sa
				1 $413	2 $399	3 $413
4 $347	5 $350	6 $421	7 $525	8 $606	9 $414	10 $464
11 $292	12 $362	13 $366	14 $393	15 $366	16 $352	17 $338
18 $306	19 $312	20 $544	21 $513	22 $483	23 $290	24 $324
25 $256	26 $262	27 $292	28 $257	29 $259	30 $259	31 $259

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Monthly average prices

About this property

Location

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Fabulous

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What guests think

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Check-in instructions

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