André Balazs To Open Standard Hotel In King’s Cross

The Hungarian-born, New York nightlife entrepreneur-turned-hotelier, André Balazs, has chosen a 150,000 square foot council office block in King’s Cross for his next boutique hotel. The venerable magnate, behind the famed Chateau Marmont in Los Angeles and London’s Chiltern Firehouse, is tipped to open his latest London venue in 2018. The 270-bedroom luxury accommodation will replace the brutalist 1970s former Camden town hall annexe, becoming the first Standard Hotel outside of the US.

Plans for the new space include an expansive lobby on the ground floor with ten stories above, featuring a rooftop bar and restaurant with a terrace. Camden council approved the ORMS-designed proposals in 2015, despite objections about the height from some residents. Ahead of the decision meeting, a planning officer report stated, “A hotel is considered an acceptable use on the site given its highly accessible location and the significant employment and training opportunities that the proposal would bring to the area.”

The council has capitalised on property demand in King’s Cross, raising more than £100m this year through sales. The Standard, High Line, a narrow slab of a building renowned for its striking floor-to-ceiling windows, glamorous aesthetic, and stylish rooftop lounges, is certainly one of Balazs’ greatest accomplishments. The hotelier is looking to repeat the success of his hotel in New York’s once seedy Meatpacking District, in London’s rapidly changing King’s Cross, which has recently attracted occupiers including Google, Louis Vuitton and restaurant firm D&D London.