Hotel Review: St Pancras Renaissance London’s newest five-star deluxe

Arabian residents and nationals have apparently already been frequent guests at the magnificent St Pancras Renaissance hotel at London’s Kings Cross railway station which only opened this May.

Formerly the British Rail Midland Hotel this magnificent piece of British Victorian architecture has been brought back to life after a $500 million refurbishment and 76 years since it closed its doors in the Great Depression.

The hotel still serves the railway below, now the new high-speed link to Paris, and is very convenient for an early start. But most people come here to revel in the architecture of Sir George Gilbert Scott. The double staircase is said to be the grandest in Europe and the gothic exterior is quite extraordinary.

Location, architecture

It’s a spectacular hotel in a great location north of Covent Garden and Bloomsbury. The 245 rooms include 38 suites and amazing period features like high ceilings, tall windows and original gothic embellishments. Modern additions range from Wi-Fi to flat-screen TVs.

The Royal Suite is the former Venetian ballroom and comprises three bedrooms and a lavish lounge for entertaining. The furnishings are fit for a sheikh.

In the Chambers Club room qualifying guests can enjoy complementary drinks and light meals around the clock. It’s worth checking out some of these special historic suites for the very best experience, though the modern annex is cheaper and very refined.

For dining there is the magnificent signature Gilbert Scott restaurant in the cavernous original railway restaurant operated by celebrity chef Marcus Wareing. Or for all-day dining there is the more informal Booking Office restaurant, again with an amazing original interior and featuring modern versions of traditional English dishes.

Down in the basement is a Victorian tiled swimming pool, sauna and spa with a full range of massage and beauty treatments, an ideal for the weary traveler in need of revitalization. But then even if you are tired of life, you will never get tired of London, to misquote Dr Johnson.

However, this is both a leisure and a business hotel. The largest function room can seat 550 for a wedding or a conference. The double staircase would make a great backdrop for company or wedding photos.

Former glory reborn

ArabianMoney can heartily recommend this beautful building that lay empty for so many years and is now restored to its former glory, and then some. The service is also splendid and well up to the best of five-star hotels in the capital.

We did just wonder if the present owners will see their 250-year lease to its end. The refurbishment is just to such a high standard, they perhaps spent too much money, just as the original hotel went well over budget.

Still for the traveler that is an added bonus. The St Pancras Renaissance is the most interesting addition to the London hotel scene in years.