Dukes London to reopen in spring 2027 with 85 keys in the Minor Reserve Collection

Closed since January 2025, Dukes London will reopen in the second quarter of 2027 under the Minor Reserve Collection banner, marking the brand’s first address in the UK. Minor Hotels announced on 1 October 2026 a management agreement for this 1908 property, nestled at 35 St James’s Place, just a stone’s throw from Green Park.

A 1908 property in St James’s

Dukes has welcomed statesmen and cultural figures since 1908, at the end of a cul-de-sac in the royal district of St James’s, between Green Park and Buckingham Palace. The renovation works, entrusted to Russell Sage Studio, began in January 2025, with the designer working alongside a historian on the heritage of the location. The hotel will reopen with 85 keys, including 13 Executive suites and 5 Signature suites, inspired by the district’s personalities and heritage.

The Dukes Bar and its martini, which stayed open

The Dukes Bar never closed during the renovation. Its ritual remains unchanged: the martini is prepared tableside from a trolley, served in a frosted glass with ice-cold spirits, without ice. Legend has it that the bar inspired Ian Fleming’s James Bond martini. It is open Monday to Saturday from 3pm to 10.30pm, with no reservations required.

The Delany Drawing Room, featuring 160 whiskies

Already open, the Delany Drawing Room is named after Mary Delany, an 18th-century artist and botanist who lived in St James’s Place. This lounge designed by Russell Sage Studio lines up 160 whiskies, champagnes and cocktails, from Monday to Saturday, 2pm to 11pm. Upon reopening, its veranda and garden will host afternoon tea, and a new restaurant will be created in partnership with The Wolseley Hospitality Group, a subsidiary of Minor Hotels.

Minor Reserve Collection arrives in London

Launched in 2025, the Minor Reserve Collection brings together independent luxury hotels that retain their own names: Hotel Palace Portorož in Slovenia, Aventora Resort Baía Formosa in Brazil, and now Dukes. The owner, Seven Tides, a Dubai-based holding company belonging to Ghanim Bin Sulayem, already entrusts its UAE hotels to Minor Hotels; Dukes London is their first joint project in Europe. In London, also discover our guide to Claridge’s, Christmas at The Lanesborough and The WestDill Mayfair, opposite The Ritz.