Dukes hotel – voted London’s luxury hotel of the year by readers of the Good hotel Guide 2004 – has been put up for sale.

The 89-room hotel, owned by David Naylor-Leyland, has secured planning permission for a further 14 bedrooms and is believed to be on the market for around £45m.

Dukes Bar is famous for its dry martini and its cognac collection and can host up to 170 delegates in its three function rooms.

The property was bought by Naylor-Leyland, who also owns the Egerton House and Franklin hotels, in 1994.

Housed in an Edwardian building, Dukes recently completed a £5m refurbishment that saw the restoration of some of the building’s original features.

Although the Orient Express group is rumoured to have taken an interest in Dukes, the award-winning property could also whet the appetite of a number of venture capitalists. Details: www.dukeshotel.com