The Vibe: Brutalist groovy.

The Area: Opposite the road from the Eurostar King’s Cross St Pancras stations, not just at a crossroads in the city but, at a crossroads with the rest of Europe.

The DNA: Occupying the brutalist 1970s former offices for Camden Council, The Standard, London is now crowned with a glass new-build addition that houses a Latin American-inspired restaurant and a club, accessible from street level via a dedicated pillar-box-red elevator. Here, the floor-to-ceiling windows look out to a skyline punctuated by London icons, while the interiors represent a renewed love affair with once derided design elements such as rattan, which features liberally, along with macramé curtains and velvet drapes that spill from the ceiling of the club. On the ground floor, guests can perch at the signature red bar in the Double Standard and sample Adam Rawson’s comfort food staples, before meandering to the book-lined lounge (once a public library) for a nightcap.

Suite-Me-Up: The 266 rooms and suites come in a mix of configurations. Some come with terraces, fitted with outdoor hot tubs, and interiors layered with custom timber bench seating and cabinetry that contrast with patterned carpets and terrazzo tiling. The centre of the building has been smartly transformed into a series of windowless guest rooms. The lack of natural lighting is offset by the controllable ambient glow that bounces from behind headboards.

Seen: dezeen, Elle Decoration, Wallpaper*

Accolades: Condé Nast Traveler Hot List 2020, Wallpaper* Best Urban Hotels 2019

✅ free Wi-Fi • size matters: 266 rooms & suites (19-80m2) (205-861 sq ft) • hotel opened: 2019 • architecture: Archer Humphryes • interior design: Shawn Hausman • bathroom amenities: Davines ❌ no parking available ✅ pet friendly, no charges • 24-hour front desk • wheelchair accessible