This post is dedicated to my new friend and fellow blogger, Lady of the Cakes.  I have been remiss in my recent travels and just haven’t found any cakes, but this hotel makes up for it, hopefully.

The Great Northern Hotel has just reopened at Kings Cross station in London, after a 12 year closure.  The whole Kings Cross area has been given a new lease of life with two beautiful stations and a revitalised area around the canal, and this is the second top class hotel to open, the other being the Renaissance St Pancras.

The Great Northern Hotel originally opened in 1854. It was one of the earliest purpose-built railway hotels in Britain. It was designed by Lewis Cubitt and was most definitely a glamorous and stylish destination. The hotel had around 100 bedrooms, with thick walls dividing every room and corridors constructed of brick arches. In the 1880s a hydraulic lift was added – quite a luxury.

The hotel has now opened with 91 bedrooms, restaurant and bar.  It also has a kiosk opening onto the station concourse selling speciality bread with hot fillings and delicious Monmouth coffee.

The hotel had only been open about 6 weeks when I made my first visit and it was still having a few teething problems, such as doors jamming, but overall I was very impressed.  It classes itself as a boutique hotel, and it certainly has that feel.  The rooms on the top floor are on the small side, but are perfect for one person, or even for two as long as you aren’t staying for long (or travel very light).

The bathrooms are pretty spacious, with a good walk-in shower, plenty of light and a make-up/shaving mirror.  The bedroom had a very comfy bed, tiny, tiny wardrobe and a full length mirror.  There was a mini-bar and snazzy coffee machine.

The piece de resistance though is the pantry.  Each floor has its own pantry, with tea, coffee, fresh milk, sweets, biscuits and beautiful cake!  You just wander along and help yourself.  There’s also a selection of newspapers and books, including the excellent Wallpaper city guides.

The cakes were absolutely delicious: coffee and walnut the first day, and Victoria Sponge the second.  No photos of the cake I’m afraid: I had eaten the last slice before I thought about taking a photo…

But I did take a photo of the views down to the impressive roof of Kings Cross Station.

Great Northern Hotel, Pancras Road, London,  N1C 4TB

Originally posted June 2013.

Updated July 2014:

I visited again in summer 2014, treated myself to a larger room and enjoyed the experience even more.  The service is top class, the rooms bright, breezy and comfortable, and the cake divine! They also mix some mean cocktails in the downstairs bar and I had a delicious meal in the Plum and Spilt Milk restaurant.  Definitely my favourite hotel in the area.