Hotels near St.Pancras London
 

Hi, My husband and I are travelling to London/Paris...We are flying direct to London and then taking the train to Paris the next morning. Where is a good hotel to stay at near the Eurostar Train station for a decent price?!

St. Pancras Renaissance Hotel is right there. Costs a lot, but but for one nite----

Hotel Megaro; across the street from St. Pancras. Pricing is decent for London but by no means inexpensive.

Go to londontown.com and use the interactive map and input your dates.

That way you can see what's available and determine if it meets your undefined "decent" price.

>> a decent price?!<<

We have no idea what you consider 'decent' (or indecent for that matter)

We stayed at the Alhambra Hotel (a block from St Pancras) in 2011 under the same circumstances...flew into London with a Eurostar train to Paris the next day.

We were very disappointed...we cannot recommend it.

Even though we had reserved our room in January for a May stay, they put us <strong>across the street</strong> in another building -- no front desk reception, etc. In addition they did not give us the wake-up call we asked for. (Fortunately we always travel with our own alarm clock, or we would have missed our train.)

Just a warning for you.

SS

There are several hotels on Cartwright Gardens, a couple of blocks from St. Pancras. I've stayed in 2 of them and this is the one I like:

http://www.harlingfordhotel.com

Don't have any recommendations, but just wanted to say congratulations on your decision to go with your hubby on this trip! Sounds like things moved quickly if you're already planning the trip. I don't know when your flight arrives/train leaves for Paris... but hope you'll have a chance to get out and walk around London in the daylight on your landing day... it's such a great way to start your trip and the best way to avoid jet lag.

Jeeze - I would splurge and stay and dine at St Pancras itself. It's "one of a kind".

Stu Dudley

<i>We are flying direct to London and then taking the train to Paris the next morning.</i>

Why???? What's wrong with flying from home to Paris?

As for a hotel - I always find the St Pancras Renaissance to be a decent price

Though I've spent most of my adult life living in the neighbourhood, and am hugely fond of it, I struggle to see why visitors stay there.

The Renaissance hotel built over the station is a spectacular piece of architecture from the outside - but mostly dull, with a few pretty bits, inside. The station has the best public transport connections of anywhere on earth, with trains or tubes to most of London's airports - which means it's minutes from everywhere else in central London as well.

There are a few wonderful things to see nearby (the galleries at the British Library are simply the world's finest exhibition of great books, for example, and the Wellcome Collection is the quirkiest museum of modern medical and public health issues anywhere too). The developments immediately north of the hotel are fascinating.

But the area has limited restaurants, and it's got that shabby, crowded anonymity feel many major railway stations have - though it's a great deal safer than most in other countries. It's on a busy road (busy both with vehicles and with luggage-laden pedestrians in a sort of hurry), and really isn't a hugely enjoyable place for strolling and sitting.

Obviously if you're getting a daytime flight from North America and an early train, you'll want just somewhere to flop. But if you're planning to spend even a few hours in London, I'd suggest there are more interesting areas - all with hotels no more than 10 mins from the St Pancras checkin machines - you can get to from Heathrow just as easily.

Last year my original itinerary gave me less than half a day in London before catching the train to Edinburgh. I planned on staying at St. Pancreas Rennaissance. I ended up staying two nights and booked the Great Northern Hotel. I think staying near St. Pancreas is a great idea. I was really happy with my decision as It took less than two minutes to get from hotel to my platform. I plan on doing the same this year. If spending more than one or two nights, I'd stay elsewhere but for just one night the area works well.

There is not a great selection of restaurants in the area as flanneruk pointed out. I ate at the restaurant in hotel the first night and at Searcy's in St. Pancreas Station. Both were good. The British Library is about a block away if you need someplace close by to visit.

I have had problems with taxi drivers on my last few visits and is one of the reasons I like being within easy walking distance of Kings Cross/ St. Pancras if I have a morning departure.

I am staying one night at the Rennaissance in April, but only because I have an early Eurostar and just going downstairs will be a doddle. But is IS expensive and I'm not even in one of the posh/Victorian rooms but in the modern Barlow wing/rooms.

Regarding restaurants in the vicinity, while staying facing the green space that is Cartwright Gardens (posted above), walking into the neighborhood south along Marchmont street and the streets just off it for a couple blocks, there are a number of places to eat.

The neighborhood is very close to the stations but bears no resemblance to the urban environment of Euston Road and is why I like it. Bloomsbury/Russell Square are a short walk away, as well as the British Museum. It's a perfect place for those who like to be close to their getaway point, as I do too.

But beware of the cheap flophouse type 'hotel' or 'B&Bs' south of Euston Road around Cartwright Gardens - I have stayed at many and some are rather OK like the Jesmund Dene Hotel (http://www.jesmonddenehotel.co.uk/) but still may not be up to folks like janis' standards or others on a super high budget but if you want just a place to sleep the night and clean and safe this is one place I have stayed in and would recommend as one of the better of the many other hotels' in the area, some of which I have also stayed in and never will again.

There was a time - roughly about the day Pancratius was martyred (+ AD 340) -when the St Pancreas joke was funny.

It's not a a joke that ages well.

Well, I certainly know how to spell it correctly but auto correct does not like St. Pancras and I'll admit I don't always double check. All I can say is DAMN!

The Jenkins on Cartwright Gardens is recommended on some sites but avoid it also. Whoever did the recommending didn't get a room with the retrofitted bathroom units in the corner so they could call it ensuite. Awful. And there was another where a cheap friend stayed down the block that was akin to a college dorm. So, yes, PalenQ is correct, not all are good. But that pretty much holds true in most neighborhoods. But since we still don't know how much Crazy wants to spend, it's all conjecture.

I so want to stay at the Renaissance - they have bath butlers to run you a bath, and blokes even get free wet shaves at their spa if you stay in one of the posher rooms.

So, yes, PalenQ is correct, not all are good. But that pretty much holds true in most neighborhoods>

IME that neighborhood was always the cheapest besides Earl's Court for the low budget crowd and I stayed in several that were rather abysmal and a few nice ones - be careful and get some good recommendations but even the better ones uses to at least be below what many folks would like. And at night the Kings X area can take on a rather seedy tough looking crowd - not saying dangerous as I do not know but not your average London neighborhood - lots of flotsam and jetson.

Envy those supe-rich folks who can afford the Renaissance!

they have bath butlers to run you a bath>

Ah now I see why janis is staying at the Rennysance as Brits probably pronounce it - what else do the bath butlers do?

"Well, I certainly know how to spell it correctly but auto correct does not like St. Pancras and I'll admit I don't always double check."

Thank you.

I'd never really understood why Americans so often post q's about St Pancreas. It's the sort of twee term many of us adopt in the private language we share with family or friends: I never thought it would appeal in the US, and I'd always assumed there was some guide book somewhere which - well I'll call it chunnelled - the term.

Now I realise. In MS Word, US autocorrect will kick in (and rewrite without your knowing it) on St Pancras: English English autocorrect has St Pancras in the default dictionary.

FWIW, the native spellchecker on this forum (or on Chrome: I'm not sure which) is good enough I never draft on MS Word first.

If only Fodors' search function was as good...

"the Rennysance as Brits probably pronounce it"

The Renaysahnce, surely? Or possibly reneughsahnce?

flanneruk, I appreciate your comments. I must admit that I should be more vigilant and double check my spelling before posting.

>>If only Fodors' search function was as good…<<

As of last week, the search function has (Finally!) been indexed/fixed. Most searches now actually work.

well I'll call it chunnelled - the term.>

Oops chunnel or any derivative of it is banned from Fodor's! Tsk tsk!

But your descriptionis right on - Chunnel has become the American word for Channel Tunnel and for Eurostar trains - like Chunnel trains as most say so naively not knowing they are putting so many British knickers in a dither (and wannabe-Brits too) it seems. (Chunnel of course being made popular first ever in the British press!)

>>Chunnel has become the American word for Channel Tunnel and for Eurostar trains <<

No it hasn't . . . But you persist.

Common janis - just do a quici Google search - Rail Europe headlines their Eurostar tickets as Chunnel Train tickets - why - duh!

Where have you been the last several years when so so many Yanks use the word Chunnel in their posts - yes folks not in the know but it has become the vernacular in American English just as flanner says above.

It's not just me and really if you do not realize this you are way way out of it - way way out - the case is clear yet you persist on your daft take - wake up and smell the Chunnel and yes do a Google search as I have and you will see the word Chunnel ubiquitously used in the U.S. by folks not so travel savvy as you.

Nope you are plain wrong in this and I think you really know it but in your high dudgeon to criticize and pick at every post I make... well... nuff said about that.

janis - pay attention to these headlines about Chunnel Tickets - labeled that because their American audience uses that term (and wake up to reality!) before saying that I am the only one using the word Chunnel!: From a quick Google search:

<Chunnel Tickets - London to Paris. See Prices‎
Adwww.raileurope.com/Chunnel-Tickets‎>

<Chunnel Train Tickets - Travel London to Paris by Train‎
Adwww.chunnel.com/Tickets‎
Get Fares & Schedules. Book Now!
London by ChunnelParis by ChunnelThe Chunnel Train>

capiche! I could show you zillions of American Chunnel references.

Always good to check urls before posting them . . . neither of those link to anything (even after deleting the 'ad's' and > mistakenly included in the url)

Just because something is on the interweb doesn't make it so . . .

Two experts who love to pontificate but manage to say bugger all of use to anyone. On the same thread. Just a few posts apart. Must be a Fodors bingo full house.

Just because something is on the interweb doesn't make it so . . >

that's your lonely opinion - Bingo! Why would Rail Europe emblazon "Chunnel Tickets" - RailEurope - ever heard of it - probably not. Anyway you are wrong and won't admit it. Bingo! Nuff said - you are simpluy blind to the truth here. Bingo!

i, My husband and I are travelling to London/Paris...We are flying direct to London and then taking the train to Paris the next morning.>

Have you checked on flying on from London right to Paris since you are in Heathrow already - maybe can get something cheap and then negate the hassle of trekking into St PancrEAS and schlepping into a hotel for just one night, etc.

Seems a lot esier just to fly to Paris which in any case is often as cheap or cheaper than flying into London - why are you flying into London and not Paris?

Again why are you flying into London to Schlepp across town just to take the train the next day to Paris - would be as cheap perhaps and quicker just to go straight on once at Heathrow or just fly to Paris in the first place. Why are you flying into London - frequent flier miles or something?

Hi all...

It is a good question -- why fly to London and then take the train to Paris rather than do an open jaw.

The answer -- in my case in 2011 -- is that we were using USAirways miles to book the trip, and they do not allow one-way trips or open jaws when redeeming miles. [Though I have heard that when the merge with American is complete, they will start allowing that.]

SS