The St Pancras Renaissance Hotel opened in 2011 after a decade of
restoration of the former Midland Grand hotel, which had closed in
1935, after which the increasingly shabby and run-down building was
used by BR as offices until 1985. After a campaign to save it, the
restored building now has a new life. Luckily no real damage was done
to the interiors, which have now been lovingly restored, and the old
building is used for a mixture of hotel rooms and apartments, liked by
the famous Grand Staircase. The hotel also a new modern bedroom Barlow
wing, which I didn't look at.

I finally managed to take an upstairs tour this week, having
previously only seen the parts open to the public at lobby level.
Here's some ultra wide angle pics (18mm, in 35mm terms), for whose
who've not been able to see the hotel's sumptuous interiors:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/recline...7636148343593/

On Thu, 03 Oct 2013 14:50:11 +0100, Recliner
wrote:
The St Pancras Renaissance Hotel opened in 2011 after a decade of
restoration of the former Midland Grand hotel, which had closed in
1935, after which the increasingly shabby and run-down building was
used by BR as offices until 1985. After a campaign to save it, the
restored building now has a new life. ...
Here's some ultra wide angle pics (18mm, in 35mm terms), for whose
who've not been able to see the hotel's sumptuous interiors:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/recline...7636148343593/

It looks good, but I must admit that I wish the booking hall was still in
use as such. I used it from time to time when I lived in Bedford, and I
did notice its magnificence.

Colin McKenzie

--
Cycling in the UK is about as safe as walking, and helmets don't make it
safer. Make an informed choice - visit www.cyclehelmets.org.

Paul Corfield wrote:
On Thu, 03 Oct 2013 14:50:11 +0100, Recliner
wrote:

The St Pancras Renaissance Hotel opened in 2011 after a decade of
restoration of the former Midland Grand hotel, which had closed in
1935, after which the increasingly shabby and run-down building was
used by BR as offices until 1985. After a campaign to save it, the
restored building now has a new life. Luckily no real damage was done
to the interiors, which have now been lovingly restored, and the old
building is used for a mixture of hotel rooms and apartments, liked by
the famous Grand Staircase. The hotel also a new modern bedroom Barlow
wing, which I didn't look at.

I finally managed to take an upstairs tour this week, having
previously only seen the parts open to the public at lobby level.
Here's some ultra wide angle pics (18mm, in 35mm terms), for whose
who've not been able to see the hotel's sumptuous interiors:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/recline...7636148343593/

Thanks for those. I've often wondered what it was like inside. I
wasn't aware the old ticket office had survived. I can recall buying
tickets there.

There is a flower art exhibition this week and next and part of it is
apparently in the hotel so I'll see if I can get a little look off the
back of that.

There are sunflower beds at various points in and in front of the station
and hotel. They do look a little out of place in a grey London October ...

It was interesting seeing the new King's Cross piazza from the hotel. I'd
been in the piazza the day before the official opening, and saw it full of
Murphies busily slicing paving stones, etc, and was astonished to see it
being officially opened and looking competed on the TV the next day. The
reality, as the pic shows, is that much of it is still fenced off and full
of scurrying Murphies, so the public opening was a bit of a sham; the TV
cameras must have been very carefully placed to keep the fences out of
shot. The Tube station entrance from the piazza is in the uncompleted area,
and therefore remains closed.

"Colin McKenzie" wrote:
On Thu, 03 Oct 2013 14:50:11 +0100, Recliner wrote:
The St Pancras Renaissance Hotel opened in 2011 after a decade of
restoration of the former Midland Grand hotel, which had closed in
1935, after which the increasingly shabby and run-down building was
used by BR as offices until 1985. After a campaign to save it, the
restored building now has a new life. ...
Here's some ultra wide angle pics (18mm, in 35mm terms), for whose
who've not been able to see the hotel's sumptuous interiors:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/recline...7636148343593/

It looks good, but I must admit that I wish the booking hall was still in
use as such. I used it from time to time when I lived in Bedford, and I
did notice its magnificence.

It's now at the wrong level of course: the new booking offices for E* and
EMT are in the former station undercroft. But it's still open to
non-residents, so if you have time to kill at SPI, you can have a drink and
meal there and admire the room.

In article ,
(Recliner) wrote:

The St Pancras Renaissance Hotel opened in 2011 after a decade of
restoration of the former Midland Grand hotel, which had closed in
1935, after which the increasingly shabby and run-down building was
used by BR as offices until 1985. After a campaign to save it, the
restored building now has a new life. Luckily no real damage was done
to the interiors, which have now been lovingly restored, and the old
building is used for a mixture of hotel rooms and apartments, liked by
the famous Grand Staircase. The hotel also a new modern bedroom Barlow
wing, which I didn't look at.

I finally managed to take an upstairs tour this week, having
previously only seen the parts open to the public at lobby level.
Here's some ultra wide angle pics (18mm, in 35mm terms), for whose
who've not been able to see the hotel's sumptuous interiors:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/recline...7636148343593/

Lovely photos. I have a number of "before" pictures of some of those
locations taken before the St Pancras Eurostar opening, including the view
of King's Cross. Must dig them out and put them somewhere.

--
Colin Rosenstiel

In message

, at 15:48:41 on Thu, 3 Oct 2013, Recliner
remarked:
I must admit that I wish the booking hall was still in
use as such. I used it from time to time when I lived in Bedford, and I
did notice its magnificence.

It's now at the wrong level of course:

From the street outside (if you are approaching from the Euston
direction) the best route to the EMT platforms is through the hotel and
along what's now the 'upper' floor.

the new booking offices for E* and EMT

And FCC.

are in the former station undercroft.

--
Roland Perry

Roland Perry wrote:
In message
, at 15:48:41 on Thu, 3 Oct 2013, Recliner remarked:
I must admit that I wish the booking hall was still in
use as such. I used it from time to time when I lived in Bedford, and I
did notice its magnificence.

It's now at the wrong level of course:

From the street outside (if you are approaching from the Euston
direction) the best route to the EMT platforms is through the hotel and
along what's now the 'upper' floor.

Though it's regarded as the ground floor of the hotel.

In message

, at 03:47:53 on Fri, 4 Oct 2013, Recliner
remarked:
I must admit that I wish the booking hall was still in
use as such. I used it from time to time when I lived in Bedford, and I
did notice its magnificence.

It's now at the wrong level of course:

From the street outside (if you are approaching from the Euston
direction) the best route to the EMT platforms is through the hotel and
along what's now the 'upper' floor.

Though it's regarded as the ground floor of the hotel.

Yes, through the front door, lobby and 'Booking Office', from where you
emerge onto what's now the 'upper' floor of the station (not far from
the Betjeman statue).
--
Roland Perry

On Fri, 4 Oct 2013 10:42:55 +0100, Roland Perry
wrote:

In message

, at 03:47:53 on Fri, 4 Oct 2013, Recliner
remarked:
I must admit that I wish the booking hall was still in
use as such. I used it from time to time when I lived in Bedford, and I
did notice its magnificence.

It's now at the wrong level of course:

From the street outside (if you are approaching from the Euston
direction) the best route to the EMT platforms is through the hotel and
along what's now the 'upper' floor.

Though it's regarded as the ground floor of the hotel.

Yes, through the front door, lobby and 'Booking Office', from where you
emerge onto what's now the 'upper' floor of the station (not far from
the Betjeman statue).

Yes, the Booking Office bar/restaurant also has tables in the station
at platform level. It's the one bit of new modern hotel that extends
into the station.

Does the hotel or its staff mind if people use it as a short cut.

It reminds me of the old Woolworth's at Victoria which was the shortest route from Vauxhall Bridge Rd to the station. 75,000 people a day went through that shop spending a total of £15.11.