HOTEL OF THE WEEK
GREAT NORTHERN HOTEL King’s Cross, London
Where and why: Station hotels are usually busy pit stops and the travellers’ urgency can be more frenetic than the balls in a lottery tombola.
But wedged between King’s Cross and St Pancras, a sweeping Grade II listed building from the golden age of steam achieves the unlikely feat of perfect calm.
Not once was the soundproofing among 88 en-suite bedrooms penetrated by the hum of busy surrounding streets, let alone the echo of platform announcements.
There are four different categories, from the Couchette paying homage to the classic continental railway sleeper carriage, to the rich walnut panels of the Edwardian rooms.
In our Victorian, the high ceiling made a generous double room feel airy and bright, and the Albion standalone bath tub was deep enough to go scuba-diving. All rooms contain USB ports and HD TV with Google Chromecast streaming option. The Malin + Goetz toiletries are nearer Harrods than corner shop in complimentary soap pantheon.
On the menu: Named after the Flying Scotsman’s dining cars in the 19th century, the Plum + Spilt Milk is a brasserie-style restaurant illuminated by 150 hand-blown glass lanterns. The black tables are made from cracked lava from Mount Etna.
The Dorset crab salad (£14) was lighter and fluffier than a hummingbird. For main course, it was posh fish and chips. At £31 a head, the sea bream was succulent, the seared chalkstream trout divine.
The Portuguese house white, Esporao Reserve (£25), was quaffable, while Eton Mess (£10) was spot-on for dessert.
Meanwhile, the GNH Bar’s Belle Epoque interior is a decadent setting for cocktails. While you’re there: Head for Coal Drops Yard, the King’s Cross hipsters’ shopping and dining destination.
Wake up call: Rooms from £329 a night. marriott.com
■ Review by Mike Walters