THE ST JAMES’S CLUB Park Place, London W1 The St James’s Club emerged after a two-year refurbishment: refreshed, elegant, luxuriously beautiful, and, now, a five-star hotel with a club attached. The wallpapers are silk, the chande- liers are Murano; there is spun gold on the ceilings, spun silk on the beds; and the Impres- sionist art collection which graces the walls is original. This, then, is the back- ground. The club, its history, its service, and its finest original features remain intact, includ- ing its secret tunnel to St James’s Palace, heavily dis- guised as the wine cellar. Let us see what is new … First to the restaurant, where we find a chef of rare talent, William Drabble, and a Miche- lin star. Named Seven Park Place, it is decked out in black You enjoy free reciprocal membership of London clubs, where you can stay, meet THE ST JAMES’S CLUB Our original club in St James’s: five star, from £245 including breakfast THE NAVAL CLUB Stay in Mayfair, off Berkeley Square, from £133.33 for two, with breakfast and cream, with lemon ban- quettes and black slipper chairs, a stylish backdrop to Drabble’s fine food. Alongside, William’s Bar & Bistro is an elegant setting for cocktails and simple meals, from a club sandwich to a sir- loin steak. Room service deliv- ers a round-the-clock menu to the 60 guest rooms and suites. Moving on to these guest rooms, the effect is sheer May- fair chic—exquisite furnishings, fine linen, polished stone bath- rooms, state-of-the-art technol- ogy (including free wifi). Many rooms have a private balcony, and views over the rooftops of St James’s. The St James and the Westminster Suites (which combine to create the Pent- house) are accessed via a pri- vate lift. The Westminster opens on to a rooftop terrace spacious enough for a large drinks or dinner party. More 140