Jaine Blackman soaks up the atmosphere in a hotel full of character, history and indulgences

I love buildings with a lot of character, railways and being spoilt, so to say I was delighted to stay at St Pancras Renaissance hotel is something of an understatement.

It ticked all the boxes... and then some.

The dramatic Victorian Gothic architecture looked stunning, the history of the railway hotel was fascinating and the level of service and attention to detail was impressive, without being the slightest bit stuffy or intimidating.

The hotel officially reopened in London’s Kings Cross in May 2011, following a 10 year, £150 million renovation. It had stood derelict for decades – and its rebirth marked the completion of the regeneration of St Pancras International Station, now the home of Eurostar. That was 138 years after the original building – The Midland Grand Hotel, designed and built by Sir George Gilbert Scott – opened in 1873.

Great pains have been taken to preserve the glamour of the old station and the romance of rail travel during the 1800s and the hotel has an elegance and charm which echoes an earlier age.

There are 245-rooms, 38 in the historic St Pancras Chambers and the rest in Barlow House, a newly created 120,000 square foot extension.

Apart from the privilege of having dramatic rooms in the original building (I’ve never slept in a bedroom with such a high ceiling), staying in the Chambers offered a variety of complimentary services.

Guests have access to the Chambers Club, which serves complimentary breakfast, afternoon tea and evening canapés and a selection of drinks (soft and alcoholic) all day. There’s also priority table reservations at The Gilbert Scott restaurant, a Eurostar VIP Transfer Service and complimentary wet shave at in-house barbershop Gentlemen’s Tonic. The newest addition to the menu of treats is The Bath Ritual. It’s an indulgent bathing experience in homage to the hotel’s past when a Victorian bath menu enabled guests to request private use of one of the building’s five bathrooms.

The hotel has now introduced a contemporary version of the bath menu, based on the Journeys treatments available in the Spa. There are five to choose from including the Silk Route (for muscle and joint relief) and Africa (for rejuvenation). I chose the Journey to India, aimed at being relaxing, although after a quick lie down on the huge (the size of the room and fittings was making me feel a bit like a character in the children’s book The Borrowers about little people who lived under the floorboards) and massively comfortable bed, I wasn’t sure I could get much more chilled out. But it turned out I could!

Once a bath was selected, I was asked to retreat to The Chambers Club while the Butler prepared the room. A glass of wine later, I returned to a mood-lit bathroom with LED candles and tinkly music. The bath was drawn and a scrub and oil provided. It was all rather blissful.

ESSENTIALS
St Pancras Renaissance Hotel
Euston Road
London NW1 2QR.
Telephone 0207 8413540
stpancrasrenaissance.co.uk
Rooms at the hotel start from £250 in Barlow House and £450 in Chambers.