Think sparkly, heavy, rich chandeliers. Think dark, polished wood. Think a restaurant whose very name "Plum and Spilt Milk" is both creative and comforting. Think a pantry on every corridor, where you can come back home after a night's partying and munch on a slice of gooey, freshly made cake, or chew on a few jelly beans and make yourself a cup of tea. And think beautifully designed, finished hotel rooms and high-class glamour.

Think all this, and you will have imagined Great Northern Hotel in King's Cross of London. Its entrance backs on to the international concourse, so it's just a short hop from the hotel to the Eurostar or the train routes around England and Wales. 

The curved building at the Great Northern Hotel adds class to a beautiful rennovation — Photo courtesy of Ewan Munro It's all part of the new King's Cross development in Wales, with shops, hotels, stations and housing. Just up the road is the beautifully refurbished British Library which, like the hotel itself, brings intelligence and class to its design, although in very different ways.

Great Northern Hotel reopened in spring 2013 after extensive refurbishment. Broad corridors and wrought iron staircases take you up and down the hotel's six floors. Curved corridors and floor-to-ceiling windows create a feeling of light, space and serenity. To quote the hotel's website, it all makes you feel as if you are "on an ocean liner," not at the crux of one of the UK's busiest transport systems. 

The hotel says it wants to create a "home from home," and reviewers report that it succeeds with extra bonus points. Comfortable. Luxurious. Your every need catered to. Could you really ask for more?