The Standard - London — palms and bricks

Bulky and brutalist from the outside, swanky and seventies from within: The Standard continues to be anything but standard and so proves its first-ever European hotel. An good-looking new place to eat, stay and play in the heart of London’s thriving Kings Cross neighborhood.

US-based Standard Hotels have landed in Europe with a playful hotel in what used to be the annex of the Camden Town Hall. It’s transformed into an uber-cool hotel that is much more than just a place to rest your head. Under the roof of The Standard London you’ll find 266 guest rooms, a music studio, a gym, a library lounge, three restaurants, a glamorous cocktail bar and a rooftop lounge with panoramic views of London. Comfort food, ginger margaritas and new friends are always just an arms reach away here.

The interior designs in the communal areas and the guest rooms are done by American designer Shawn Hausman who aimed to compensate for Londons greyness with bold colorful designs. The result is a frisky blend of quirk and sophistication with retro interiors, cobalt-blue carpets and mid-century modern pieces along with soft leather sofa’s, wood paneled walls, velvet drapes and vintage rugs. The retro design is so on point, you’d think you’re being thrown back into a (glammed up) Stranger Things filmset.

The throwback look runs further along the hotel’s 266 guest rooms, dressed in tones of blue, aubergine and bright red. All come with comfy beds, Italian bedsheets, Bang & Olufsen bluetooth speakers and a stocked up minibar. Most rooms look out onto Euston Road and St Pancrass Station, but be aware there are also rooms without a view. Our favorites are the Junior Suites that have calmer tones and a more Scandinavian feel to it. Opt for a Junior Suite Terrace and you’ll get a private terrace with your very own outdoor bathtub on it.

The Standard London, rooms from EUR 299 per night