St Pancras Renaissance Hotel, London: Victorian Masterpiece

St Pancras Renaissance Hotel is one of the finest examples of Victorian architecture in London.

Sir John Betjeman called this Gothic treasure “too beautiful and too romantic to survive” in a world of tower blocks and concrete.

Its survival against the odds will cause wonder; the building itself will take your breath away.

Originally opened in 1873 as the Midland Grand Hotel, the St. Pancras Renaissance Hotel has a rich history that spans over a century.

Designed by renowned architect Sir George Gilbert Scott, the hotel showcases remarkable Gothic Revival architecture and has played host to esteemed guests throughout the years.

After an extensive renovation, the hotel reopened its doors in 2011, meticulously preserving its original features while introducing contemporary amenities and world-class services.

Visitors will indulge in unparalleled comfort and style within the luxurious accommodations.

Each of room boasts a unique blend of period charm and modern convenience - you can enjoy the elegance of Victorian design, with high ceilings, ornate furnishings, and plush bedding.

History of the hotel

In 1865, the Midland Railway Company held a competition for the design of a 150-bed hotel to be constructed next to its railway station, St Pancras, which was still under construction at the time.

Eleven designs were submitted, including one by George Gilbert Scott, which, at 300 rooms, was much bigger and more expensive than the original specifications.

Despite this, the company liked his plans and construction began.

The east wing opened on 5 May 1873, and the hotel was completed in spring 1876.

The hotel was expensive to construct, with costly fixtures including a grand staircase, rooms with gold leaf walls and a fireplace in every room.

It had many innovative features such as hydraulic lifts, concrete floors, revolving doors and fireproof floor constructions, though none of the rooms had bathrooms, as was the convention of the time.

However, due to costs, the hotel closed in 1935, by which time its utilities were outdated and too costly to maintain.

After closing as a hotel, the building was renamed St Pancras Chambers and used as railway offices, eventually for British Rail.

The building continued its use as rail offices, until the 1980s when it failed fire safety regulations and was shut down.

The exterior was restored and made structurally sound at a cost of around £10 million in the 1990s.

Planning permission was granted in 2004 for the building to be redeveloped into a new hotel.

The main public rooms of the old Midland Grand were restored, along with some of the bedrooms.

The former driveway for taxis entering St. Pancras station, passing under the main tower of the building, was converted into the hotel's lobby.

In order to cater for the more modern expectations of guests, a new bedroom wing was constructed on the western side of the Barlow train shed.

As redeveloped the hotel contains 244 bedrooms, two restaurants, two bars, a health and leisure centre, a ballroom, and 20 meeting and function rooms.

The St. Pancras Renaissance Hotel opened on 14 March 2011 to guests; however, the formal Grand Opening was on 5 May – exactly 138 years after its original opening in 1873.

Our highlights of the hotel include the spa: A Victorian-inspired haven of renewal & tranquility.

St. Pancras Spa is London's most distinctive Spa, offering a revitalisation of mind and body as breathtaking as the restoration of the hotel itself.

Furthermore, guests staying in chamber suites get exclusive access to the private Chambers Club, open daily from 7am-10pm.

Guest can begin their day with a breakfast worth breaking the sweetest sleep for, served from 7am to 11am.

From midday until 4:30pm there's a self-service offering of complimentary tea, coffee & soft drinks.

Evening Service takes place from 5pm-8pm with a range of complimentary house wines & beers. Hors d'oeuvres are served daily from 5:00pm to 7:00pm.

Today, the hotel has excellent reviews on TripAdvisor, one recent visitor said: “The building is beautiful, truly stunning.

”But what really makes this hotel is the excellent customer service throughout.

”We stayed with a lot of family and also some friends for my brother's wedding, that was held elsewhere. So they were a total of 8 rooms.

”The bar and restaurant staff in both the dining areas always did their best to seat us together and made sure we were well looked after.

”The housekeeping staff were so friendly and helpful and nothing was too much trouble for them.

”They also provided extra duvets and heaters for me without hesitation which was impressive and appreciated.”

The hotel is located in the heart of London's busy King's Cross.

If you’d like to visit, the address is: Euston Rd., London NW1 2AR.

Overnight stays must be booked in advance via their official website, prices vary significantly depending on which rooms are available.

If you enjoyed this blog post, please follow Exploring GB on Facebook for daily travel content and inspiration.

Don’t forget to check out our latest blogs below!

Thank you for visiting Exploring GB.