Trd pro 6 foot bed

Great Northern Hotel is perfectly located between Kings Cross and St Pancras stations (Image: Great Northern Hotel)

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The Great Northern Hotel first opened in 1854 and continues to welcome guests through its doors

Highlights

JUMP TO…

• The Rooms
• Dining and drinking
• Location
• Value for money
• Final Verdict

Great Northern Hotel Review

Great Northern Hotel first opened in 1854, and though it has experienced several iterations over the years, continues to welcome guests through its doors. Housed in a Grade-II listed building, the hotel provides a luxurious solace from the commotion of one of the capital’s busiest transport hubs.

And though it was refurbished in 2013, the building maintains the same timeless townhouse elegance as when it was first built, with a grand wrought-iron staircase, stunning stainless windows and wide, curving corridors.

Classic features are juxtaposed by impressive modern artwork, particularly on the staircase leading to the newly transformed RAILS restaurant and Little Bar, formerly Plum + Spilt Milk.

An impressive installation by artist Debbie Smyth, constructed from shining pins and connecting string, takes inspiration from the architecture of the adjoining Kings Cross station, cartography of London and Europe and the hotel’s time-honoured interior. Passing through the guest areas of the hotel, keep an eye out for the framed Penguin paperback books and 7″ singles.

The lower level of the hotel is buzzing with life, thanks to the adjoining GNH bar and terrace, which draws inspiration from the seminal railway bars of the 19th century. But once checked in and shown to our room, we were taken aback by just how peaceful the upper levels are.

Concierge staff guide guests to a private lift which ascends to one of four floors where the 88 en-suite rooms are located. Security is a top priority at the hotel, and only those holding a room key are able to pass through the doors to guest corridors.

Great Northern Hotel is home to 88 rooms (Image: Great Northern Hotel)

The Rooms

Tall sash windows flood the room with daylight and offer beautiful views over Kings Cross Station

Double doors, a nod to classic design features, gives way to a spacious bathroom featuring a shower and complimentary toiletries (though there is a fee to take them out of the room, should the aroma of the nettle and fig leaf hand soap take your fancy).

The room also comes kitted out with dressing gowns and slippers for guests, as well as complimentary soft drinks, bottled water and a Nespresso machine.

If you do begin to feel a little peckish, a quaint ‘pantry’ is located at the end of each corridor, offering quintessential British treats as well as tea- and coffee-making facilities.

Dining and drinking

Rating: 4/5

RAILS restaurant and Little Bar are the newest additions to the Great Northern Hotel, opening to guests in November 2022. Much like the hotel, RAILS takes inspiration from both contemporary and classic design, with vast floor-to-ceiling windows brightening up the room. Rich, dark wood and delicate olive-toned curtains pay homage to the Parisian cafés within reach from Eurostar’s St Pancras dwelling, while hand-blown pendant lights add a golden glow to the space once dusk arrives. An eye-catching, curving seating area makes up the centre of the restaurant, with tables and window booths filling the surrounding area. Meanwhile, foliage and pastel floral arrangements add a touch of femininity.

RAILS is open for dinner service, with “must-try mains” from Executive Chef Stéphane Cerisier including seared Cornish cod with buttered leek, apple and thyme dressing and Moules Frites in a white wine, shallot and parsley sauce. However, on this occasion, we visited the restaurant for an elegant afternoon tea overlooking Kings Cross Station.

From the moment of arrival, staff are universally friendly and knowledgeable, taking the time to talk through each of the delicacies on offer. If you want to kick off your afternoon tea with a little sparkle, there is the option of adding a glass of Nyetimber Sparkling Wine or Perrier Jouet Champagne to the experience. And naturally, the menu has a vast selection of teas to choose from.

GNH bar is a buzzing spot located on the ground floor (Image: Great Northern Hotel)

Expect to be wowed when the tiered tea stand arrives, decorated with perfectly oblong sandwiches, golden scones and ornate, handmade cakes. An added bonus, and one which is often rare to find in the English tradition, is that the restaurant offers a vegetarian afternoon tea option. As well as sandwiches, including an age-old favourite cheddar and tomato, the savoury option also featured a beautifully bitesize wild mushroom tartlet.

The cakes, though almost too stunning to eat, taste just as good as they look. The Victoria Sponge slice is a chic take on a classic, decorated with a slither of strawberry and an edible, lilac petal. The mango and passionfruit cheesecake, presented as a glistening yellow orb, is another showstopper.

There is also the option to visit RAILS for breakfast, which can be enjoyed as part of a bed and breakfast package. There are plenty of traditional options to choose from, including vegetarian and vegan options, and room to customise your dishes with extras.

Adjacent to Rails is the Little Bar, a cosy and inviting spot serving up creative cocktails and an extensive choice of wines, half of which are French, as well as aperitifs, digestifs and liqueurs.

The first floor also features the tranquil ‘resident lounge’, a private offshoot of the restaurant and bar with open marble fireplaces almost begging you to sit down and relax. However, if you’re looking for a more lively environment, the GNH bar and terrace is open until 11pm, providing a drinking and dining hotspot for travellers, tourists and hotel guests alike. The bar also hosts a jazz and negroni night on the last Tuesday of every month.

The recently refurbished RAILS restaurant is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner (Image: Great Northern Hotel)

Amenities

Location

Rating: 5/5

Whether you’re heading to the capital to explore or looking for somewhere to rest your head before an early train, The Great Northern Hotel has an enviable location, with the building backing onto the western concourse of King’s Cross station.

Those with their sights set on the French capital can reach the Eurostar terminal in just a few minutes. Meanwhile, major London landmarks, including the British Museum, Camden Market and The British Library, are all within walking distance (or just a few quick tube stops away).

Great Northern Hotel is ideally located at Kings Cross station (Image: Great Northern Hotel)

Value for money

Rating: 3/5

Prices start from £329 for a Couchette Room, double occupancy (room only). Find rooms and book direct on the Great Northern Hotel website .

Or, compare deals and prices for a stay at Great Northern Hotel with Booking.com or Hotels.com

Final Verdict

READ NEXT:

• Pan Pacific London Review
• Best Travelodge deals

Pan Pacific London is home to an array of five-star amenities, including a beautiful infinity pool (Image: Pan Pacific )

This article contains affiliate links, we will receive a commission on any sales we generate from it. Learn more

A five-star experience from the moment of arrival, with even the smallest of details accounted for

Highlights

JUMP TO…

• The Rooms
• The Wellbeing Floor
• Dining and Drinking
• Location
• Value For Money
• Final Verdict

Pan Pacific London Review

Overlooking some of the capital’s most renowned landmarks is Pan Pacific London, a luxury hotel chain with rich Singaporean roots. The London location, first opened in September 2021, places modern opulence perfectly between bustling Liverpool Street Station and the hip streets of Shoreditch.

Expect a five-star experience from the moment of arrival, with even the smallest of details accounted for. The hotel’s sleek, contemporary interior design was headed up by design firm Yabu Pushelberg, with plenty of soft, neutral shades and rooms flooded with mood-boosting natural light. Nature also plays a crucial role in the decor of the hotel, with natural wood finishes and pops of green foliage everywhere from the lobby to the bathrooms.

Expect to be greeted by warm, attentive staff who will almost feel like old friends. They’ll be there the moment you step foot into the vast lobby, on hand to carry bags, ask about your plans and even offer a square of shortbread as a welcome treat.

And if you happen to arrive a little before your check-in time, Pan Pacific sets itself apart from other hotels by safely storing guest luggage and allowing them to pass the time in the fourth-floor Drawing Room. Located just off the spa, the Drawing Room is space to sit and enjoy a complimentary beverage, or even take a nap in one of its dedicated relaxation pods. Once your room is ready, someone will be there to collect you and show you to your room where your luggage will be waiting.

The Deluxe City View Room at Pan Pacific London promises stunning views of the capital (Image: Pan Pacific London)

The Rooms

Rating: 5/5

Pan Pacific is home to 237 guest rooms spread between floors six and 19, while the 20th floor is reserved for the private Sky Residence apartments. Guest security and privacy is paramount, and floors housing rooms can only be accessed with a room key.

There are family-friendly, accessible and dog-friendly rooms to choose from, with every single one categorised as a “deluxe room”.

For our stay, we were treated to breathtaking vistas of St Paul’s Cathedral and the nearby Ivy from the opulent Deluxe City View Room, spanning a spacious 398 square feet. Like the wider hotel, the room maintains a neutral palette with natural wood fittings along with a finely painted floral motif feature headboard.

Attention to detail is one of Pan Pacific’s greatest successes, with the smallest things taken care of before you even think to need them. A little seat is located in the entryway, so you have somewhere to take off your shoes before making yourself at home.

The wardrobe door triggers a light so you can easily find everything you need. Mood lighting in the bathroom means your eyes need not adjust to harsh brightness in the middle of the night while energy-saving light bulbs and motion sensors help the hotel maintain its commitment to ethical sustainability.

Expect to be greeted by warm, attentive staff who will almost feel like old friends

A vast king-sized bed is room enough for two without feeling as though you are sharing a bed, and 300-thread count cotton linen makes for a restful night’s slumber. The peace and quiet is topped off by the fact that each one of the hotel’s rooms has been designed with soundproofing in mind.

Carefully chosen furniture items, including a chaise lounge to gaze out of the window and the metropolitan view, a 55” LCD Smart Television with built-in Chromecast and a huge mirror create a residential feel to the room.

Just off from the main entry, a sliding door gives way to a vast bathroom boasting floor-to-ceiling Italian marble features with the inky black sink serving as a focal point.

All toiletries are provided by high-end French fragrance brand Diptyque, and in keeping with the hotel’s holistic theme, a vase of bamboo cuttings sits atop the vanity.

There is a spacious waterfall shower and a toilet privately tucked behind a frosted glass door. Guests also have use of comfortable branded bathrobes, slippers, a Dyson hairdryer and other hair tools available upon request.

Amenities such as 24-hour room service, turndown service and complimentary access to the hotel’s Wellbeing Floor further add to the elevated status of this sumptuous bolthole.

Bathrooms are decorated in floor-to-ceiling Italian marble (Image: Pan Pacific London)

The Wellbeing Floor

Dining and Drinking

Rating: 4/5

Strait’s Kitchen, located on the first floor of the hotel, is a modern South East Asian restaurant which combines the flavours of the continent with locally sourced ingredients. Carefully crafted by head chef Nick Yung, the menu offers a selection of small, sharing and large plates, including options for vegetarians and vegans.

The Vegetable Crispy Golden Cup is a delicious sharing plate of bitesize crispy parcels, while the Vegetarian Mee Goreng is a perfectly spiced noodle-based main course not to be missed.

The showstopper of the meal, however, is perhaps the dessert menu. The “Apple”, an intricately crafted dish of apple compote, caramel sponge and cinnamon crumble is almost too pretty to eat. The restaurant also has a far-reaching wine list and an exclusive list of cocktails and mocktails courtesy of the adjoining Straits Bar.

Come morning, the space is transformed into a breakfast restaurant with a guest-only continental and hot offering with several Asian-inspired options, including dumplings and even a breakfast curry.

Eggs are cooked in any style on the spot, including a unique scramble made in a circular motion. On Sundays, Strait’s combines British traditions with its home roots to carve up an Asian-inspired Sunday roast.

Traditional English and Singaporean Afternoon Tea is available in The Orchid Lounge, set around a cosy fireplace with views across the plaza, while lively cocktail bar Ginger Lily is a ritzy spot for an after-work drink or a nightcap.

Independent cocktail bar Silverleaf is also located within Pan Pacific’s estate, offering incredible views over Bishopsgate to enjoy with a drink in hand.

Strait’s Kitchen is a stunning location for dinner which transforms into a bright breakfast spot (Image: Pan Pacific London)

Amenities

Location

Rating: 5/5

Just a stone’s throw from Liverpool Street Station, with city-wide and national rail links, the hotel is the perfect hub for those connecting to another destination or gearing up to explore the streets of London.

For business travellers, the Gherkin is a five-minute walk away and Heron Tower is conveniently right next door.

For tourists, Brick Lane is right around the corner boasting a hub of quirky eateries, vintage shops and urban artwork. Whitechapel Gallery is less than 15 minutes away on foot and St Paul’s Cathedral can be reached in just under 20 minutes.

Though the hotel itself has plenty of dining and drinking options, there are also plenty of independent and notable restaurants in the vicinity, including Duck and Waffle, SUSHISAMBA, Eataly and The Ivy City Garden.

Pan Pacific London is perfectly located in one of London’s busiest hubs (Image: Pan Pacific London)

Value For Money

Rating: 4/5

Double rooms start from £355 in the low season and from £575 in the high season. Breakfast can be added for £25 per person. Extra beds for children can be added on for £60. Find rooms and book direct on the Pan Pacific London website .

Or, compare deals and prices for a stay at Great Northern Hotel with Booking.com or Hotels.com

Final Verdict

READ NEXT:

• Great Northern Hotel Review
• Best Travelodge deals