Historic St Pancras Renaissance Hotel opens in London

After almost two decades of neglect, an historic Victorian-Gothic building reopened as the St Pancras Renaissance Hotel London from Marriott, reports Le Blog Luxe.

Formerly known as the Midland Grand Hotel, the building has been restored to its 19th-century glory and has begun accepting guests as of March 14.

The Midland Grand closed as a hotel 76 years ago, unable to compete with newer hotels due to a lack of one very necessary feature – running water.

Over the past two years, the new owners spent over $240 million in renovations, including the addition of bathrooms to the 38 original Victorian suites.

"When the hotel opened in 1871, there were only eight baths, in four rooms. Most people, if they wanted a wash, would ring for water to be brought to their rooms," Royden Stock, the building’s caretaker, told the Telegraph.

Much of the restorative work went into fixing up the historical features of the property. A central highlight, the wide stone cantilevered staircase, designed by architect Sir George Gilbert Scott and seen in the 1963 film The Servant, has been sandblasted to a sheen.