St. Pancras Renaissance Hotel London

The great Gothic grand hotel at St. Pancras station lay in neglect for the better part of a century, but after a heroic decade-long restoration it’s back in business as the St Pancras Renaissance Hotel London. Gone are the dull and utilitarian British Rail offices that once filled the space, replaced by lavish reconstructions of the original Victorian rooms and suites.

It’s not a value proposition, exactly — no expense was spared in restoring the hotel to its former glory, and if anything it’s a reaction against the economizing tendency which has done so much to put the grand-hotel era to an end. But it’s worth it just for the chance to see this magnificent building looking its best. When you’re splashing out for one of the extravagant, period-styled Chambers rooms and suites you’re treated to a state-of-the-art luxury hotel experience.

These days that necessarily includes such extras as a gym, spa and indoor pool, more conference and business facilities than you could possibly use, and a couple of big-time restaurants. Among them is The Gilbert Scott, named for the building’s original architect and operated by Marcus Wareing, one of London’s biggest culinary names. It’s only right that the hoteliers would go out of their way to represent Britain at its best; this hotel’s fortunes were surely linked to those of St. Pancras Station itself, the Eurostar’s new home, and will be the first stop for quite a few travelers from the Continent.