Hotels that come integrated as part of a historical international railway station do not come any better than the St. Pancras Renaissance Hotel London part of St Pancras International station. I was returning back to London with the Eurostar after a thrilling and exhausting four days of Le Mans 24. Finding the hotel was easy as there are good and clear signs in the station. I had to take the lift literally one floor up and as I got out I was left stunned from the moment I laid my eyes on it. This hotel left me speechless each time I looked around and up to the ceilings.
Arriving by Eurostar from Paris
Housed in one of London’s most iconic buildings, the St. Pancras Renaissance Hotel London is the perfect 5-star stay for anyone travelling or staying around the King’s Cross area. Google is building its 7,000 employees UK headquarters almost next to the station and I can see many business people checking in this gorgeous hotel in the near future.
History
This historic hotel was originally designed by famed architect George Gilbert Scott and it opened its doors as the Midland Grand in 1873 and closed in 1935. The hotel was commissioned by the Midland Railway group who wanted a hotel built next to St Pancras railway station.
Midland Grand in 1873 – Including the horse and carriages waiting outside.
Between 1935 and 1980 the building including the apartments was used as railway offices. In 2004 planning permission was granted to redevelop the building back into a new hotel. The St. Pancras Renaissance Hotel London opened in 2011 with 244 bedrooms, 2 restaurants, 2 bars, a ballroom, a health and leisure centre with a heated indoor pool, and 20 meeting rooms. I took the time to explore this hotel and I loved each passing moment I stayed here. It has to be one of my top three hotels in London so far.
The Grand Stair Case
Well if you think it can’t get any better then you are in for a real special treat. The Grand stair case is just stunning and you have an option to either take the lift or take the stairs. I chose to run up and down the stairs every single time, it was just beautiful. The piano playing just added that special touch. Take the time to explore the staircase and I did this even during the night. The St. Pancras Renaissance Hotel London has a real mystic feel to it and I would certainly book a stay here even for those that live in London.
The Chamber Suite
I stayed at lavish proportioned Chamber Suite (ranging in size from 32m2-43m2) with high ceilings. I had my very own private access floor. The suite had ornate mouldings and expansive windows and a marble fireplace. The space was just stunning and the bed was huge. I loved the massive pillows and the bed linen, which felt like silk. I adored all the modern decor that came with it with the bed lights being one of my favourite pieces. I kept just admiring the high ceiling and reflecting on the history of this luxury building.
Bathroom
The bathroom was equally inviting and I loved all the lavish amount of marble. The towel linen was fluffy and soft. The size once again was big enough for two people and I just adored being here soaking up a nice bath after a long day of travelling. Ample of REN products which is one of my favourites, and I loved how it was presented.
Lobby
I could not get enough of the lobby. It’s a great place for meetings and catching up with clients. The ceilings are just amazing and just like the rest of the building I could sit here for hours soaking up the atmosphere and the interior design. The sofas and lounges were very comfortable, well maintained and I liked the fresh flowers too.
Bar Restaurant / Breakfast
Lots of travellers and people I noticed came here for breakfast and during the day the came for drinks etc. It’s just wonderful to sit, soak up the history and look out at that magnificent station. Watching the world pass me by. During the evening I had a couple of cocktails and the atmosphere was quiet, it was a perfect place to entertain guests and friends. The lighting here at night was just wonderful.
The breakfast was fresh and I had two options: to eat in this area or in The Chambers room. I chose to eat in the bar area because the view outside of the station was just wonderful. I loved eating here and looking at the clock. Breakfast has more than enough food to choose by. Which included fresh fruit and cereals and hot buffet meals. I am a big fan of crumpets so it was great to see I could have some. You can also order additional food such as eggs, pancakes and they all looked great. The coffee I have to say was excellent.
Chambers Room
The Chambers Room came additionally to my Chambers Suite and I could access it morning, noon and up to 11 pm at night. The variety of food was excellent and the cakes were of a high standard. They serve beer which was exclusive to the hotel and it tasted really good, as it was so hot in London I had two. A nice selection of wines added that extra luxury touch. The Chambers room was lovely to sit in and very quiet. It was a good working space for meetings or in my case writing my Le Mans articles. I loved taking photo’s of the station from here, what a real treat that was.
Pool & Spa
The Pool 7& Spa were nicely set out and again I just pondered where I was actually situated, which is in the basement of the building. It had a real mystic feel to it and smelt wonderful.
Conclusion
Le Mans 24 Hour is one of the sought after car racing events in the world. I was on such a high to have such exclusive access to the drivers. Normally after an event like this, you feel sad to leave it. But the moment I entered The St. Pancras Renaissance Hotel London, it was just as exciting as the race itself. I could not get enough of the hotel and continued to explore it. If you are looking to impress a client or a loved one, the St. Pancras Renaissance Hotel London is the place. If you are a lover of railway stations and want to learn more about the history of railways, you are not going to get much better than this. This is British history at its utmost best. I was told over the weekends you can book tours to explore the hotel, I would highly recommend this. If you are an advocate of interior design, then I would highly recommend you come and explore this magnificent hotel.
The St. Pancras Renaissance Hotel London was the perfect way to continue my mammoth three-month world tour. I was well-rested for the start of my big South East Asia and Australia trip. Thanks for such a memorable stay, the image below is inside the station and sums up my farewell to a tee.
Details
- Room reviewed: Chambers Suite
- Website: www.stpancraslondon.com/en/
- Address: Euston Rd, Kings Cross, London NW1 2AR, UK
- Phone: +44 20 7841 3540
