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How was I one of the only ones getting high during a London heatwave? It seems this rooftop bar at the St Pancras Renaissance is under the radar; and ‘rooftop bar’ and ‘under the radar’ don’t often mix. The open-air space is beyond the hotel lobby and somewhat in the shadow of one of the building’s gothic towers. I’d imagine a well-timed afternoon visit could pay off handsomely for that London T-shirt tan, though, and the view down to King’s Cross’s impressive Francis Crick Institute is pretty unique.
Competing with epic architecture isn’t really worth the effort. What they’ve done instead is place a comedy deck chair at the entrance, large enough for you to look like a tiny drunk person when you inevitably hop up on to it. Venture deeper into the ‘garden’ (okay, they’ve got some lush shrubs dotted about) and there’s a sofa and some funky Acapulco chairs, plus a TV screen for summer sporting events (or ‘The One Show’ with the sound off – oddly compelling viewing).
Plymouth gin is all over the menu in G&Ts, Martinis and on-trend Gimlets. A Fruit Cup Collins cost £12 – which fits with the rooftop bar theme of drinks at equally tall prices – but was served in a jumbo copa glass and seemed to last for ever. Doughy pizzas from an outdoor woodfire oven weren’t anything exceptional, and serving them in cardboard takeaway boxes seemed kind of rustic for this hotel setting.
It may not be the best rooftop, but it's a surprisingly serene drinking spot just off Euston Road. Wanna get high with me?