St Pancras station & hotel
- 27 July 2011 21:25117183Spent a fantastic morning on a tour, slideshow of photos here:
http://www.slide.com/r/Z8OZXAxi7T-2WYatzSy8Cdt2D2ZjbUDw?previous_view=mscd_embedded_url&view=original - 28 July 2011 07:21117200Certainly has the Wow ! factor - thanks Jeane.
Beautiful decor, stairways and carpet, as well as the ceiling of course.
Do you know how much it cost to bring it bck to its former glory and the cost of a night's stay ?
Roger - 28 July 2011 08:33117203Yes Roger a most beautiful building.
Jeane. Did you go on one of their tours that occassionally operate or perhaps stay at the £3,000 Victoria Suite??
I used to visit it in the 1960's on business when it was office accommodation as St Pancras Chambers. At that time British Transport Hotels (BTH) occupied part of the building,BTH at the time had hotels such as 5* Gleneagles, Turnbury, Tregena Castle, York and hotels as "Station" hotels in many towns and cities.
The interior when held by BR was in a rather sad state so it is amazing the work carried out by Marriott Hotels to bring it back to its former glory (Oh for some of our wonderful buildings in Dover to receive such love and care)
Rates
From £250 to £3,000 per night. Although they do have some good bargains at weekends (2 nights from £205)
Quote
Sir John Betjeman called this gothic treasure "too beautiful and too romantic to survive"...Well he was nearly right had it not been for this wonderful restoration. - 28 July 2011 08:34117204Originally built by George Gilbert Scott as the Midland Grand Hotel, it opened in 1873 above St Pancras Station. The completed building had 60 million bricks and 9,000 tons of ironwork including polished columns of fourteen different British granites. The Midland Grand soon acquired an excellent reputation as an upmarket 300-room hotel, charging 14 shillings (70p) a night. It closed in 1935 as its facilities were outdated and it had become too expensive to run. The restoration of the grand Victorian-Gothic structure cost more than £150 million.
Rooms range from around £300 to £3000! This is what £1000 per night gets you.
- 28 July 2011 08:39117205Pat I used to go on the tours when it was derelict with a chap called Callum Rollo now that it's been restored the tours are done by a great guy called Royden Stock. Tour is £20 and includes refreshments.
BR left it in an awful state, they installed false ceilings and damaged the plasterwork and coving, ripped out original features and a certain amount of things like radiators and chimmney pots vanished.
I have always loved that building and still love it now. Some years back we did a Most Haunted from there too
- 28 July 2011 08:48117206Yes Jeane it was dreadful how BR treated some of their buildings in particular St Pancras Chambers. I was with BR (Continental) and at one time we were located at the Liverpool Street offices. Today I doubt if Health and Safety would allow to work in such conditions.
I was aware of the tours Royden takes and they must be very interesting as they are limited to 10 on a tour. - 28 July 2011 08:54117208Thanks Pat and Jeane.
Roger - 28 July 2011 08:55117209Jeane
the photos are stunning and the building - especially the stair wells - are truly wonderful. I didn't realise it was a Marriot hotel; they also did a good job at the old County Hall.
I was intrigued by the reliefs of what looked like a homeless woman and working men - where were these in the building? - 28 July 2011 09:36117214Ready in time for the olympics
Marek
I think therefore I am (not a Tory supporter) - 28 July 2011 11:02117221Pat he has such passion and enthusiasm for the building it's wonderful. Though he says the same thing 3 times a day it doesn't sound like he's reciting it parrot-fashion. Yes 10 is a nice number. I was allowed to take as many photos as I liked and didn't get shouted at for wandering off! At one point I was lying down at the top of the stairs to photograph the ceiling and nobody minded.
Mark those engravings and statues are in the station itself.
Yes Marek, I saw Colin Jackson there yesterday too.
