Taj St. James is a luxe property filled with nostalgic Indian relics, ornate furnishings and a bustling vibe. Located in the heart of London’s major tourist attractions such as Buckingham Palace, The National Gallery and Hyde Park, the hotel is a signature Taj Hotel. The hotel’s kind service, impeccable cleanliness and accessibility make it the perfect base for travelling families.
For those unfamiliar with the Taj brand, it spans 400 hotels over 90 cities. Started as a family hotel business 130 years ago, the brand has integrated vertically and horizontally with investments in car technology (Tata Cars), restaurants, renewable energy and more, making the Tate Empire a global force.
Taj St James encapsulates the Tata’s fierce pioneering forward thinking while also paying tribute to its convivial and regal past. The foyer is exquisitely appointed with velvet lounges, porcelain vases and dark hardwood furniture (a nod to the best of British India). The corridors display framed images of Taj Hotels in other bustling cities like Hyderabad, Udaipur and Dubai.
Upon check-in the kids are gifted a Taj Kids back-pack, complete with a London Bear, London attractions colouring book, pencils and other treats. This is lucky as check-in takes longer than expected because of staff training on the job. I’m always forgiving when I know someone is in training – having been in that position myself many times (both as trainer and trainee, I know how stressful it can be when guests are waiting, and the queue keeps growing). Taj St James handles this well, by offering all guests complimentary hand towels and flavoured water to help cool down. London is warmer than normal at 22 degrees, and guests are happy with the refreshments while they wait to check in.
When we get to our tranquil premium family room, we are delighted with the feeling of space (a very valuable commodity in London). The room features a majestic King bed, an elegantly separate living area and a plush sofa bed.
The windows face a gorgeous moody London sky with heritage listed buildings and a community basketball court. We are also looking out onto the prestigious Taj Residences, where there is a Rolls Royce parked out the front. The 6 star residences are well beyond the reach of most travellers, but provide a great respite for diplomats, the very wealthy and those looking to splurge.
We are very comfortable in our room and spend the next few hours rejuvenating before heading out for some busy sight-seeing and visiting family. We grab some take-away from the nearby Marks & Spencer to keep things simple and fast. The afternoon is spent enjoying London’s parks, galleries, Big Ben and museums. We get lost, a bit, but the locals are friendly enough to guide us.
We sleep well and are overjoyed to walk into the conservatory for breakfast that is laiden with fresh fruit, mueslis and a comprehensive continental style buffet AND a selection of great tasting Indian breakfast delights. We are then informed in addition to the buffet selection, we are also encouraged to try from the A La Carte Menu (all included for the same price). The kids are straight into their pancakes and Nutella, a treat usually reserved for special occasions (I guess staying in London is a special occasion) and I am straight into my dosa. I love my Masala dosa! I also can’t stop eating the idly (a South Indian breakfast specialty I seldom come across in Melbourne).
We’ve got another big day with family and friends and need all the breakfast nourishment we can get. We are more than satisfied with the breakfast offering!
Fellow guests seemed to be from all parts of the world, and clearly more than a few Taj loyalists. Like me, once you become accustomed to the Taj hospitality it is hard to stay elsewhere.
The writer was guest of Taj Hotels but all opinions are her own.
