Getting ready for Royal Ascot? Come and stay with us at DUKES LONDON!

The Queen's procession at Royal AscotIn a few short days Royal Ascot 2018 will be upon us. One of the most famed and favourable events on the horse racing calendar, it’s no real surprise that it’s such a popular event – not only do its roots stretch back to the early 18th century when it was founded by Queen Anne, but it’s still attended by often a large number of our Royal family today (including the Queen herself, who is known to be particularly fond of the occasion).

Being also one of the most valuable meetings in the horseracing calendar, over £7 million is available during the period of Royal Ascot in prize money. Spread over 18 races, it’s undoubtedly one of the most attractive for competitors, but similarly, one of the most competitive.

And whilst Royal Ascot may not be in the centre of London, we get a lot of people staying with us each year who are attending. With our love for this truly traditionally British event, we’re without doubt looking forward to another year!

When is Royal Ascot?

Taking place over a period of five days in June, this year the event kicks off on Tuesday 19th June and runs through until Saturday 23rd June.

Very much an all day event, the gates open at 10.30am and the first race begins usually at 2.30pm – and whilst the British weather is naturally unpredictable, given we’re approaching the main summer months, the weather often looks favourably on the Royal Ascot calendar

Where actually is Royal Ascot?

Taking place on Ascot racecourse in Berkshire, the racecourse itself is situated in a particularly enviable position on the River Thames, a short distance away from Windsor and Eton (in fact, it’s six miles from Windsor Castle, with the Queen attending directly via a horse drawn carriage every year).

Although it may not be in the most accessible of locations (when compared to central London, for example), that doesn’t stop it being popular – in fact, over 300,000 people are reported to attend the Royal Ascot meet, resulting in it being the busiest event on the horse racing calendar for the whole of Europe.

How do you get to Royal Ascot?

Although many in the area will think of London and Ascot as two very different places, if you’ve travelled to London for a break from anywhere outside of the city, the journey to Ascot is going to be small in comparison (and even if it doesn’t seem it, it’s well worth it!).

Easy to drive to, it’s even easier to get to by train thanks to the conveniently located Ascot train station. With direct trains from both Paddington and Waterloo in central London, it takes around 50 minutes on the train, and Ascot racecourse is then just a short 10 minute stroll from the train station.

Where can you stay when attending Royal Ascot?

Although there are hotels within Ascot, Windsor and the surrounding areas, we’re always strong advocates of staying in London. We appreciate we’re a little biased here, but given the fact Waterloo is just two stops from Green Park station, which is easily walkable from DUKES LONDON, it’s no real surprise that people choose to stay here – you can choose the buzz of the city or the traditional-feel of Royal Ascot depending on what your preference is on the day!

What’s more, with a dedicated Royal Ascot package available for anyone interested in staying with us and attending the Royal Ascot meet, we make it even easier to enjoy this upcoming week in June – perfect!

Come and stay at DUKES LONDON

We love hosting people for a variety of reasons. From visiting friends to wanting to grab a seat at a specific restaurant, people come and stay with us at DUKES LONDON for such a vast array of purposes – and to visit Royal Ascot is undoubtedly one of the most popular reasons at this time of year.

Aiming to make everyone’s stay as pleasant and as enjoyable as it can be, if you have any questions at all about our Royal Ascot package, the rooms we have available, or anything else we can help with, don’t hesitate to let us know – we really do want you to have the best time possible when you’re staying with us, whatever the reason.

Image courtesy of Steve Fareham