In a nutshell
This is no cookie-cutter hotel-by-numbers job. A new place three minutes from King’s Cross and St Pancras stations, it has a slightly bonkers mix of decorative themes — Scotland (because it’s on Argyle Square), coal (once stored nearby) and the supernatural (it is said that the property stands on a “space-time rift”). The focal point, running across the back of the hotel’s three converted 19th-century townhouses, is a bar decorated with steampunk teapots, a wall of Scottish bun moss, a fake-grass ceiling and a sit-in-me swing.
What are the rooms like?
Sporrans on the wall, Scottie-dog cushions on the bed, Arran shower gel (moisturiser on request, oddly) and Highland cattle on the airline-trolley bathroom cabinets - kookiness and Scottishness are writ large in all 33 rooms. They are still pretty plush (robes are wonderfully soft) and cannily laid out, although the soundproofing isn’t great. On the ground floor, thick drapes and green net curtains keep out street noise and light; they’re a bit gloomy.
Which is the best room?
The best standard rooms are on the third floor, overlooking Argyle Square. Otherwise, check the weather forecast. The three basement rooms with hot tubs in vaulted bathrooms are for hunkering down; if it’s sunny, you want a balcony room with private outdoor decking.
What’s the food like?
There’s no restaurant, though you can order snacks from the whisky-focused bar, which is open 24 hours - charcuterie platters, Scotch eggs (from £5). Breakfast is a help-yourself affair of yoghurt, pastries, fruit and warm bread.
Who goes there?
Travellers fresh off the Eurostar (or braced for an early one); business types looking for a break from corporate beige.
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