The story of the hotel began in 1865, when the Midland Railway Company held a competition to design a 150-bed hotel to complement the soon-to-be-completed St. Pancras Station. The competition, though extended to allow Sir George Gilbert Scott—favoured by a Midland Railway director—to submit his design, saw the construction take place from 1868 to 1876. The East Wing opened in 1873, with the remainder of the hotel completed by 1876. Constructed with 60 million bricks and 9,000 tonnes of ironwork, the hotel stood as a marvel of Victorian engineering and craftsmanship. Its towering red-brick façade was a tribute to Gothic Revival, and Scott’s use of Midland brick and stone reflected both Victorian pride and a commitment to regional materials. The station’s vast train shed, designed by W.H. Barlow, further added to the grandeur of the project, with its 240-foot single-span roof—then the largest in the world—becoming a landmark in itself. In 1948, the building became the headquarters for British Transport Hotels. Over time, proximity to both Kings Cross and Euston Stations rendered the building redundant, and there were significant efforts to demolish it during this period. Additionally, Gothic architecture had fallen out of favour, further putting the hotel at risk. However, thanks to a campaign led by the poet Sir John Betjeman, the building was saved from demolition and in 1967, it was granted Grade I listed status. Following this recognition, the hotel underwent extensive restoration, reopening on 5th May 2011 as the St. Pancras Renaissance Hotel London—138 years after its initial debut
St. Pancras Renaissance Hotel London
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History of the Hotel
St. Pancras Hotel
Heritage
Originally opened in 1873 as the Midland Grand Hotel, the now St. Pancras Renaissance Hotel was designed by the renowned architect Sir George Gilbert Scott. Situated adjacent to St. Pancras Station, the hotel was conceived as part of a grand plan to create a London terminus that would rival the magnificence of other railway hotels. Scott, known for his Gothic Revival style, envisioned a building that would embody the prestige of the Midland Railway, serving as a luxurious stopover for travellers arriving in the capital.
A GRAND VISION REALISED
ARCHITECTURE AND DESIGN
Sir George Gilbert Scott's Midland Grand Hotel was a masterpiece of Gothic Revival architecture. The building's grand design incorporated many innovative features for its time, including hydraulic lifts—referred to as "ascending chambers"—and electric bells for guest services. The building had concrete floors and a fireproof construction, making it a pioneer in safety standards. Polished columns of fourteen different British granites and limestones adorned the interiors, demonstrating Scott’s attention to detail and use of local materials. The grand layout of the hotel was structured to place the most luxurious rooms on the lower floors, while simpler guest rooms and staff quarters were situated higher up. Natural light was prioritised, with large windows, fanlights above doors, and a series of arched stairwells. The pièce de résistance of the hotel, however, was the Grand Staircase, a stunning double staircase adorned with high-Victorian gothic details, wrought iron balustrades, and original gas fittings. It ascends three storeys to a vaulted ceiling, intricately painted with stars and the heraldic arms of the Midland Railway. The staircase, famously the most photographed in the UK, was designed to be wider at the base to accommodate the elaborate ball gowns worn by upper-class ladies, while narrowing as it reached the staff quarters at the top.
INNOVATION
The Midland Grand Hotel set new standards in luxury hospitality during its era. It featured two lifts—an innovation at the time—as well as a revolutionary electric bell system that allowed guests to call for service from the comfort of their rooms. The introduction of a revolving door in 1899, designed by Theophilus Van Kannel, added another layer of modernity to the hotel’s operations. Despite its grandeur, the hotel faced challenges in maintaining profitability. The building, designed before the era of en-suite bathrooms, required a large staff to manage its 300 rooms. Servants had to carry baths, spittoons, and chamber pots to guests, making operations cumbersome. Although the hotel was celebrated for its sumptuous interiors, including rooms decorated with gold-leafed walls and blazing fires in every room, its high running costs led to its closure in 1935.
EVENTS AND CULTURAL SIGNIFICANCE
When the hotel first opened, it offered a range of social spaces for the Victorian elite. Billiards, a favourite pastime of the upper class, was played in a dedicated billiards room. The hotel also became a progressive social space with the introduction of the Ladies' Smoking Room in 1898—the first public room in Europe where women were allowed to smoke. Prior to this, the room had been a reading room for both men and women, boasting floor-to-ceiling windows and a stunning balcony that overlooked the bustling St. Pancras Station. In another notable event, Alexander Graham Bell made his first successful transmission of clear speech by telephone in 1876, just three years after the hotel opened. The hotel soon adopted this technology, installing a telephone auto-exchange—a rare and modern amenity at the time.
RESTORATION AND REVIVAL: THE HOTEL
The transformation of the Midland Grand Hotel into the St. Pancras Renaissance Hotel is a tale of architectural rebirth. Following its closure in 1935, the building, originally designed by Sir George Gilbert Scott, was left to languish, facing potential demolition. However, due to the efforts of preservationists like Sir John Betjeman and its Grade I listed status in 1967, the structure was saved. In 2011, the hotel re-opened, combining modern luxury with historic charm. The restoration preserved many original features while introducing new elements. The Chambers Wing, which encompasses the historic heart of the building, offers an opulent experience for guests, highlighting the original Victorian architecture, including the Grand Staircase and intricately designed interiors. In contrast, the newly constructed Barlow Wing was added to complement the grandeur of the original hotel, offering additional rooms and modern amenities that reflect the Renaissance hotel’s commitment to both heritage and contemporary luxury.
BOOKING OFFICE 1869
The historic ticket office of St. Pancras Station has been reimagined as the Booking Office 1869, a striking restaurant and bar that has retained much of its original Victorian charm. Once a bustling space where train tickets were sold, the venue now exudes sophistication, while nodding to its past. The small glass window behind the bar, originally used to issue tickets, remains a key feature, symbolising the space’s heritage. The wood panels in the Booking Office are adorned with 173 rosettes—decorative elements that were highly fashionable in the Victorian era, bringing an air of authenticity and history to the venue. The thoughtful restoration of this space was recognised in 2022 when its interior designer won the prestigious 'Hotel' category for Europe at a renowned award ceremony, further cementing the Booking Office’s status as a landmark destination within the hotel
THE HANSOM BAR
Paying homage to one of London’s most iconic modes of transportation, The Hansom Bar is steeped in the rich history of the Hansom Cab. Invented by Joseph Hansom in 1834, the Hansom Cab was a lightweight, two-wheeled carriage designed for speed and manoeuvrability, a staple of London’s streets until 1947. The St. Pancras Renaissance Hotel’s Hansom Bar occupies what was once the cobbled driveway where these carriages would collect passengers arriving at the station. The bar, which opened in 2011, embraces its connection to London’s taxi heritage, celebrating both the tradition of the Hansom Cab and the charitable spirit of London taxi drivers. In 2023, the hotel proudly supported the Poppy Cabs initiative, offering a meeting point for drivers assisting veterans on Remembrance Sunday. The Hansom Bar remains a distinctive space, offering a quintessentially British experience that seamlessly blends past and present. Its history, rooted in the bustling arrival of Victorian travellers, continues to influence its vibrant atmosphere today.