We celebrate our historic roots
A warm welcome
Delivering on every level courtesy of an engaging team that takes immense pride in lavishing warm and attentive service on every guest, The Rubens is led by managing director Malcolm Hendry – who has been with Red Carnation Hotels for over 20 years – and general manager Vince Castronovo.
In the 18th century, the site that the hotel now stands on was part of Buckingham Palace’s grounds, filled with rows of shops and apartments for the Palace staff. We celebrate these historic roots throughout the hotel and bring them to life with warm and traditional British hospitality.
Take a tour...
Expect warm smiles at every turn, a host of thoughtful touches, sumptuous rooms and suites, and delicious cuisine, all overlooking the Royal Mews of Buckingham Palace.
Meet our team
Every one of our team members is empowered to make a real difference, offering remarkably considerate service and discrete attention to detail. From freshly-cut flowers in the suites to personalised gifts for special occasions, it is no surprise that guests often remember the names of our staff and ask after them when they return.
Our differences
Exceeding expectations at every turn, our historic and fully-restored hotel has a team who take genuine pride in delivering impeccable service. Within walking distance of Green Park and Victoria Station, enjoy live music in the New York Bar, a Royal Afternoon Tea in the Palace Lounge, delicious cuisine in the elegant English Grill and authentic flavours in The Curry Room.
Extraordinary experiences
We pride ourselves on our local relationships, and carefully design memorable experiences for guests. From sourcing rare theatre tickets to organising walking tours with Blue Badge experts, our knowledgeable concierge team ensures every stay is as seamless and personalised as possible.
Delicious dining
From mouth-watering Indian flavours served at the AA Rosette-awarded Curry Room, to the refined British menu offered alongside our founder Beatrice Tollman’s comforting signature dishes in the elegant English Grill, Executive Chef Ben Kelliher creates gloriously varied dining options, steeped in heritage.
The power of passion
"The Rubens at the Palace has a royal history dating back to the 1700s. Over the years, it has been used as a dressmaker’s boutique, a pharmacy, an artificial flower shop and as the home of the Aerated Bread Company. It has been family-run by The Red Carnation Hotel Collection since 1997 and I have been General Manager since 2004.
The Rubens has always been very popular with debutantes attending royal functions at Buckingham Palace. The Royal Mews, which the hotel overlooks, is the palace entrance used by the royal family. It is also just a few moments’ walk to see the daily pageant of the Changing of the Guard.
The hotel’s historic roots inspired the design for its restoration in 2018, which also introduced the English Grill, the Curry Room, the Leopard Bar and the New York Bar. We were incredibly proud that the hotel achieved a Forbes Five-Star classification in the same year.
We are committed to supporting local charities and eradicating single-use plastics, as well as significantly reducing our food waste in partnership with Winnow. The hotel also sustains the largest Living Wall in London and has recently introduced two rooftop beehives.
Alongside our renowned gin tasting, we have recently launched several bespoke dining experiences such as ‘Chef Ben's Beef Wellington' and, for our younger guests, we offer the exciting children’s ‘Pastry Experience’ and ‘Milkshake Masterclass’. We hope to share these incredible experiences with you very soon."
- Malcolm Hendry, General Manager
