Having spent a fair bit of time up in Kings Cross lately, I thought it would be fun to give you 7 reasons why you should visit the St Pancras Renaissance hotel. Located just above the Eurostar station, there is so much in the area to discover. It is your perfect destination stop – even if it’s just for the day.
- George Gilbert Scott designed the hotel as a result of winning a competition. It is known as an architectural Renaissance masterpiece.
- The hotel opened as the Grand Midland Hotel in 1873 with 300 rooms and only 8 bathrooms. Eight bathrooms for 300 rooms, yes you read correctly!
- Sir John Betjeman saved the hotel from demolition by getting a petition signed and in 1967 it was given a Grade 1 listing.
- The famous staircase gets narrower as you climb higher, the reason being because the rich weren’t expected to walk to the top! (These days anyone would walk to the top to get the amazing views – how times have changed)
- The tower of the hotel is at the top of that famous staircase.
- The Spice Girls used the staircase for their video before the hotel had opened in 1996. It has since gone on to be the one of the most iconic photographed staircases in London. It has also featured in the films Harry Potter, Richard III, Batman and 101 Dalmatians.
- In 2011, after a £200million makeover, the hotel reopened as the St Pancras Renaissance Hotel,
- The George Restaurant has the longest bar in London at 21 metres. It also has 173 original hand carved wooden flowers that surround the room.
- It was the first hotel to have a hydraulic lift in the UK.
- You can spend the day at the hotel, using all their facilities with Dayuse. We did…