Comeback Kid

From prisons to post offices, many old landmarks can become Cinderellas of the hotel world with a little — well, a lot of — TLC, and these are the ones that got it just right

THE STANDARD, LONDON

The funky new cherry on top of King’s Cross’s regeneration, this is one of the newest additions to the family of the same name, and while the brand has brought all its fun-loving, retro-cool vibes across the pond, it’s also been careful to honour its past. The 1970s brutalist icon that formerly housed Camden Town Hall was once pretty humdrum, but it’s hulking form has remained, and many licks of paint later, it’s shaken off its boring, bureaucratic side in favour of a little frivolity. Think classy, 1970s-inspired decor, with rooms that riff on the London Underground; a Sounds Studio that hosts live music events; an irreverent library; and stellar views of neo-gothic St Pancras station. What’s more, The Standard has become a destination in its own right, too, with a trio of top-tier restaurants and bars that have set all the food critics’ tongues wagging, including the starry 10thfloor Decimo from Peter Sanchez-Iglesias, accessed by the bullet-like lift that zooms up the exterior. From £198. standardhotels.com

RUNNERS- UP

VILLA COPENHAGEN, COPENHAGEN

Billing itself as a temporary home for ‘the adventurous, the socially conscious and quality-oriented’, this palatial property was once the headquarters of the Danish Post Office. Reimagined as a glamorous inner-city bolthole, it holds up a mirror to one of Europe’s most eco-friendly and stylish cities with its sumptuous atrium, rooftop pool bar and 390 stately-yet-modern bedrooms. Best of all, it’s just 15 minutes from the airport. From DKK1,971 (£217). villacopenhagen.com

RIGGS, WASHINGTON DC

A bank that once housed the finances of 23 presidents has been given a new lease of life as a sumptuous 181-room hotel. This is the third venture for the company behind acclaimed boutiques such as Pulitzer Amsterdam, and is further proof of Washington’s recent rise in cool. There are soaring ceilings, Corinthian columns, leather banquettes and excellent plantfocused fare at the stately Café Riggs. Don’t miss the rooftop views across to the Capitol, and the highconcept cocktail menu in the original bank vault.

From $220 (£166) room only. riggsdc.com