Boutique hotels in North London

Though once considered something of a no-go area for people who wanted anything but the most budget of hotels, the area of north London around King’s Cross is rapidly changing. It’s partly thanks to King’s Place and the arty input of Central Saint Martins, which has recently relocated to the area, and has inspired further redevelopment. It’s hard to beat this area for convenience, especially if you want to escape up to the north of England or Scotland from King’s Cross or Euston stations, or are journeying a bit further afield on the Eurostar. As you might expect from such a diverse area, there is now an equally diverse range of boutique hotels in the area. Here are some of boutiquehotels.co.uk’s favourites.

Pullman London St Pancras (****) is a slick operation that caters very well for the business traveller who wants to something more than a soulless room in a hotel stay. As well as multiple conference rooms, there is a ‘connectivity room’ for those who need to use more than their phone to get things done. There are plenty of features to appeal to those travelling for pleasure too. Each of the contemporary-styled rooms has a rainfall shower, music docking station and the latest film releases available on demand through the room’s flatscreen TV. Enjoy the views over this fascinating part of the city from the top floors of this 16-storey building, or spend the evening in their award-winning Golden Arrow restaurant.

Megaro Hotel (****) (pictured above) is easy to spot amidst the streets of King’s Cross – its exterior is covered with a colourful mural specially commissioned from street artists. That feeling for art and colour is carried through to the interior of the hotel too where it is used to complement the clean and modern furnishings. There are a range of rooms available and even an apartment, each fitted with bespoke wooden furnishings and their own espresso machine. The Megaro prides itself on its London knowledge – take a look at the concierge section of their website for local news and tips.

There’s an altogether different feel to Rough Luxe (****). As the name suggests, this hotel is all about contrasts. Original features of this Grade II listed building are offset by the latest in contemporary art; bare walls only highlight the luxury of antique pieces. Even breakfast is something slightly different – served communally around a large dining table. The hotel’s unique style is not going to appeal to everyone –visitors will need to forgo flatscreen TVs for example – but, if you are prepared to take the rough with the luxe, it’s all part of this beauty of this one-off space.

Rough Luxe could also be applied to the location of York & Albany, a hotel that sits is a slightly different part of town between the more rough and ready Camden and the class of Regent’s Park. In all aspects, this place definitely leans towards the latter. It’s part of the Gordon Ramsey stable, with the restaurant spread over several floors of the townhouse and serving, as you might expect, mouth-watering traditional British food. The nine rooms are all decorated in elegant and light colours and incorporate antique furnishing to reflect the original features of this John Nash building. Comforts are definitely contemporary, creating a buzzy yet relaxed place to stay.

Hotels mentioned in this article:

Author: Frances Ambler