After a roughly $245-million renovation, the old hotel inside London’s historic St. Pancras station celebrated its grand opening last night as a Renaissance property. St Pancras is the showpiece of King’s Cross, a once rough neighborhood that has transformed since the arrival of Eurostar a few years ago, not to mention some trendy bars and restaurants.

St. Pancras Renaissance Hotel has 245 rooms (including 38 suites), a spa with a swimming pool and six treatment rooms, plus a barbershop. The old booking office is now a bar and restaurant — which is in addition to The Gilbert Scott, a restaurant by chef Marcus Wareing (and named after the hotel’s original designer).

With hand-stenciling and gold-leaf ceilings, the hotel pays ample tribute to the grandeur of its predecessor, the Midland Grand Hotel — which Queen Victoria herself opened in 1873.