Dukes London

‘Another Simple Favor’ Does the Martinis Dirty | Eater

"A venerable London bar whose time-honored martini ritual—served in a frost-chilled glass with frozen gin, only a trace of vermouth and finished with a lemon twist, and adamantly never with added ice—has become the archetype of the 'proper' martini. Its exacting preparation and association with high-society taste have turned the drink into a cultural shorthand for sophistication and precision, and that recipe is explicitly cited in popular film as the definitive martini." - Bettina Makalintal

The 32 Best Hotels in London

"Practically hidden down a barely existent alleyway between St James's Street and Green Park. Practically hidden is how they like it here. Hushed, discreet, cozy, and ever-so-English—yet by no means sombre, stuffy, or stuck-up. How could anyone remain somber, stuffy or stuck-up after a martini perfectly prepared by Alessandro Palazzi in one of the greatest bars on the face of the earth? This was supposedly where Ian Fleming first envisioned James Bond ordering his favorite drink 'shaken, not stirred'. The GBR (Great British Restaurant) is delightful; so is the entirely chic Cognac and cigar garden. Price: Rooms from around $464 per nightAddress: 35 St James's Pl, St. James's, London SW1A 1NYClosest tube station: Green Park" - Condé Nast Traveller, Steve King

Where Are London’s Best Hotel Restaurants and Bars? - Eater London

"Not a place for dining, it’s true, but when a hotel bar is as famous for a cocktail as the bar at Dukes is for its martini, there is nothing to do but recommend it. The theatrical presentation; the ice-cold alcohol and glasses, the latter designed to be held by the stem to keep temperature down for longer; the final, flourishing lemon twist. This is quite simply an event." - Daisy Meager

"You can only drink two martinis at the hotel bar at Dukes Hotel in Mayfair. The bartenders won’t serve you any more—that’s how potent they are. This is the place to come in London if you secretly wish you were a member of a gentlemen’s club, and if you want a martini made with all the fanfare—the drinks trolley brought to your table, the bottle, straight from the freezer, shaken as you sit and watch. There are cheaper places to drink, that’s for sure, but do they have green leather armchairs and white-jacketed bartenders and portraits of distinguished 19th-century gentlemen looking at you approvingly from the walls? There's also a cognac and cigar garden."

Dukes London

"How did it strike you on arrival?Entering this hotel is like stepping into a PBS miniseries—it’s almost a parody of Englishness, from the perfectly pruned window boxes to the oil paintings, parquet, and paneling. The location, near Green Park in moneyed Mayfair, is close to the gentlemen’s shops of Jermyn St. and a five-minute stroll from Buckingham Palace. Speaking of which, the hotel is rumored to have been a favorite of the Queen Mother and Princess Diana. The website includes a handy royal family tree if you want to swat up. What’s the crowd like?After checking in, head straight for a martini in the snug bar—apparently, Ian Fleming’s fondness for the drink started here. Your drinking companions will be die hard traditionalists or tourists looking to absorb some quaint English charm—play with your mobile phone at your peril. The good stuff: Tell us about your room.The rooms are simple or uninteresting, depending on your persuasion. Expect crisp white bed linen, cream walls, beige carpets, and perhaps a colorful cushion or curtain to jazz things up. Not all of the smallest rooms have king beds, so state your preference when booking. Please tell us the bathroom won’t let us down.All but three of the bathrooms have showers over the bathtub. Bath products from Floris of London go nicely with the English rose vibe. Maybe the most important topic of all: Wi-Fi. What’s the word?Free. Room service: Worth it?Fancy breakfast in bed? You can’t get a full English to your room but eggs royale is the next best thing ($19). Anything stand out about other services and features? Whether it’s childcare, gyms, spas, even parking—whatever stuck with you.The appropriately named Great British Restaurant serves refined classics such as braised ox cheek and coronation chicken salad. But perhaps the loveliest food offering is the ‘Picnic in the Park’—a hamper of treats can be brought by butler to your chosen spot in one of the nearby Royal Parks. Back at base, the cognac and cider garden is a pretty trellised zone where you can tuck into your preferred digestif under the shelter of a gazebo. Bottom line: worth it, and why?If you’re really into the fantasy London of cobblestone streets and red phone boxes, this hotel fits the bill perfectly." - Laura Goulden