Renaissance London St. Pancras

"Booked St Pancras Renaissance hotel as a very special treat for our 10th Wedding Anniversary as my husband has wanted to stay here for ages. The pre -sray information and Laura was really lovely. However we were overall very disappointed with our experience. From the check in when the pre-aithorisation amount was not explained to us - just told the amount of £136.81 I think it was, and a card machine presented to us. I realised myself later that this was £100 authorisation for additional things, and the remainder was for the 5% optional service charge that you get to choose if you want to pay when you check out. So why was it being assumed I would pay when I'm checking in? . With no explanation of either I felt taken for a mug. For nearly £800 and booking a junior suite in the Chambers main part of the hotel we expected a really upmarket room. In general we were sadly disappointed- the room was pretty ordinary really and not that large consider it was in the main part and supposed to be a junior suite. There was no door between the bed area and the lounge area which really was no more than a lobby. The bathroom was very tired looking and had paint splashed everywhere, and lots of areas in it that looked really battered and paint peeling off and the ceiling in it had 2 hatches that looked like they would fall down. Overall the room felt quite run down and worn out and not at all worth £800. We were fortunate to go out for afternoon tea at Kensington Palace Orangery so didn't need a lot to eat in the evening. Even so we thought we'd treat ourselves to some light bites and gin and tonic each. One puglian burrata and meal and buttermilk chicken and some Cornish potatoes and 2 gin and tonic drinks cost over £80!! Extortionate amount for some snacks and drinks. - we could have had a lovely full meal at a restaurant for that! Breakfast the following day- I was told in an email before coming to stay that we would be in the Hansom Elite area and would.be able to choose things that were healthy that I wanted to eatand would know the details.of what was in it. . I didn't know where that was but we were just told to go to the old Booking hall area. The staff were polite but we were just handed menus and told "you can have something from the top and middle sections and a drink rom the bottom section is included in your reservation. There was nothing else offered or explained. My husband chose a Granola then a full English and I had a fruit salad and then Eggs and avocado on sourdough toast. The granola and fruit salad was lovely but the eggs and avocado was basically cold when it came and the toast completely soggy because of too much avocado on it except for the tough crust which was completely unable to be cut. I left half of it because it was cold and tasted disgusting due to it being cold. My husbands full english- the bacon was so salty and also completely overcooked so it was crispy. The toast again too tough to cut and it was obvious it had all day around for ages. No one at any time asked if everything was ok with our food, despite us leaving half of it. Upon check out I was simply told the evening meal would be taken from the pre- authorised amount and also the discretionary service charge. Again we weren't asked if everything was ok with our stay and the food, even when we said we did not want to pay the service charge. We also wanted to use a different card. The building is beautiful and the history etc fabulous asn great to see from our room into the Eurostar area trains coming and going, but other than that it's an overpriced stay in battered tired rooms with extortionate food and fairly inedible breakfast. We would not stay here again - it felt pretty much like almost £800 wasted on what was supposed to be a really special experience for our 10th Wedding anniversary. It was anything but special except for the building."

"3 nights from Platinum Bonvoy and 8 stays at this hotel. We arrived late. Had ordered and paid the room nearly 3 months ahead. The best room on the Barlow wing. Made mobile checkin two days before. When collecting the key the member of staff said "one moment". 10 minutes later he came back only to say, that our already paid room was given to someone else and we were then put in the worst room in the house ........ and given only a minor reduction. They have proberly sold "our room" for the double of our rate. They did offer to move us the next day, but we had arrangements all day and night out in the town. Breakfast is always delicious. But waiting times ........ 50 minutes the first day from finishing the cold entry, until recieving the warm dish. Second day 40 minutes. No water in the room two days out to three. Management problems ???"

"Having stayed at St Pancras London regularly for almost 15 years, my wife and I have always regarded it as our favorite hotel in London. Its magnificent Gothic architecture, unique atmosphere and, in our opinion, the finest transport connections in the capital have made it our "home from home" for many years. For this visit, we deliberately booked one of the recently refurbished **Larger King Rooms** in the Barlow House Wing (Room 433). Having spent many years staying almost exclusively in the Chambers Wing, we wanted to experience a different side of the hotel and honestly evaluate whether it better suited the way we now travel. What a wonderful surprise it turned out to be. From the moment we arrived, the welcome was warm, genuine and professional. Guest Relations and the Duty Manager took the time to ensure everything was perfect throughout our stay, making us feel genuinely valued as returning guests. The Barlow House refurbishment is superb. The walk from Reception through the beautifully redesigned corridors immediately creates a wonderful first impression, blending contemporary elegance with subtle references to the hotel's magnificent Gothic heritage. Our room exceeded every expectation. Stylish, spacious and beautifully presented, it delivered everything we now look for in a premium London hotel. Dimmable lighting, excellent air conditioning, bedside USB-A and USB-C charging points, conveniently positioned power sockets, modern furnishings, a beautifully appointed bathroom and thoughtful touches such as the Roberts radio all combined to create an exceptionally comfortable and relaxing stay. Everything simply worked, and it felt exactly how a contemporary luxury hotel room should feel. One of the biggest highlights was the Titanium breakfast experience. The dedicated breakfast area offered attentive service in elegant surroundings, with an excellent cooked-to-order breakfast that became a wonderful start to each morning. In all honesty, we found it an even better breakfast experience than we had previously enjoyed during our many stays in the former Chambers Club. The greatest compliment I can give is that this visit genuinely restored our enthusiasm for a hotel we have loved for many years. Whilst the Chambers Wing will always have its own grandeur and historic charm, we found the refurbished Barlow House rooms better suited to the way we now travel. The combination of modern comfort, thoughtful technology, outstanding service and the unrivaled location of St Pancras created exactly the experience we were looking for. What began as a deliberate comparison ended with an unexpected conclusion. After nearly 15 years of staying at St Pancras, we have discovered a new favorite way to enjoy a hotel we continue to love. The refurbished Barlow House has become our new home from home in London, and we are already looking forward to returning. Our sincere thanks to everyone at St Pancras London for making this such a memorable stay."