Great venue. The building is a great piece of history. Fernando and the team of staff were very professional and attentive. The meal sadly was good but overpriced and portions are minuscule. I doubt we would return or recommend the venue to friends for food. Good for drink in the bar and a wander around the lovely hotel building.

Always enjoyable for afternoon tea. Delicious small eats in lovely surroundings Can recommend the Temperance afternoon tea.

Lovely Friday lunch attentive staff. We thought the wine was a bit pricey. Custard tart was the star of the show. And at £32 for a set menu.

The service was attentive and friendly, the food was delicious and incredibly filling – the mini desserts were a lovely alternative to the usual afternoon tea experience. Finally, the striking setting – along with the opportunity to check out some of the hotel’s halls and staircase – completed a perfect afternoon. I would highly recommend booking an afternoon tea at The Gilbert Scott. I can’t wait to come back and try the menu at the restaurant next door.

Rated Read my full review and view more photos on my blog post here:

http://sliceoffme.wordpress.com/2013/10/15/a-journery-into-one-of-londons-iconic-landmarks-the-gilbert-scott/

During the Social Media Week I attended the Food Photography Workshop organised by Great British Chefs. The venue was the Google Local London Office which offers a stunning view of London. This was a very sought after free event and a bunch of us who were looking at tips on improving our food photography skills were amongst the bloggers who got some useful tips from David Griffen. Do pop over to his blog (click the hyperlink) to see some of his stunning work. Food and Drinks were courtesy The Gilbert Scott and Michellin starred Chef Marcus Wareing who spoke to all of us.

One of the treats in our goody bag for the evening was an invite to The Gilbert Scott for a free cocktail.So a bunch of us food bloggers teamed up and decided to go make a party of it!(Nisha who blogs at My Kitchen Antics ,Vineetha who blogs at Malabar Ruchi,Suchi who blogs at Kitchen Karma and Gayathri who blogs at Mummynme)The Gilbert Scott kindly offered to take us girls on a guided tour of the beautiful Victorian restaurant complete with more than a peek at the private dinning hall and hold your breath ….. the Kitchen! Ah!

I cannot stop romancing old buildings and the Gothic Revival architectural style used by Scott is proof that old really is gold. Having spent the better part of my afternoon walking around St. Pancras International station I did manage to click a lot of photos of the exterior of the hotel, here’s one and to see the rest please go to my Flickr stream.

I was sitting quietly at a high stool at Cafe’ Nero just outside the hotel waiting for the gang to arrive and assemble near the huge and awe-inspiring Lovers statue at St.Pancras , I heard a tourist ask the barista where the ”Harry Potter thing” was … little did I know that while on tour a few minutes later the restaurant Manager Mark Cesareo was to reveal that some part of the movie was filmed inside the grand building. No wonder then that the staircase reminded me of the shifting staircase at Hogwarts?Agree?

To be part of a The St Pancras Renaissance Hotel London is no mean feat. Every tile and archway speak of contemporary grandeur. 138 years after the Midland Grand Hotel originally opened it doors people in May 2011 the new avatar was unveiled - painstakingly restored as part of a multi-million pound restoration project.

When architect Gilbert Scott’s dazzling architectural masterpiece finally opened it doors to people, that many years ago it also created several new benchmarks in the hospitality industry. The most stellar improvement happened in 1899 – a specially designed revolving door was fitted in the hall entrance which was supplied by the inventor of the revolving door, Theophilus Van Kannel.

Another proof of Scotts brilliant design and solid build lies in the fact that this iconic building has weathered two world wars and still stands tall,strong and proud to this day. It’s really shocking to know that during WWII it was bombed three times in one month!

Contrary to what I thought the private dining room would be, it was a very cosy and comely room. This beautiful copper kettle caught my eye.

Next on the tour – The Gilbert Scott dining room – A beautiful piano in one corner and gilded frames set the mood for a warm dinning experience. Understated opulence belie the history that seems to pour out of every detail of the high ceiling.

New meets old in as non invasive a manner and restoration efforts seem to have retained as much of the old world charm as possible.The famous stairway in the photo below featured in a s Spice girl video. But I couldn't tear my eyes away from the beautiful staircase which seems to vine around an imaginary axis, an other worldly feeling hangs heavy in the air and of you close your eyes you can even imagine women in beautiful period clothing sashaying around while somewhere in the background faint piano notes fill the invisible pockets in the air….

The restaurant is spectacular with a relaxed, intimate atmosphere with low light and jazz music that combines to enhance the moment. If I had to repeat the occasion I would do so with pleasure. The service was excellent, every time we had empty glasses, and without asking, they were full again thanks to the kindness of the waiters, attentive to our movements or gestures, something that we appreciated very much. I recommend The Gilbert Scott in London for any event, even if just to celebrate life itself. To summarise, each of us spent around 65 GBP, having asked for additional items. Perhaps we could have ordered more, but what we chose was more than enough for this occasion.

Please note - this is a review of the bar only (having read the reviews of the restaurant it feels like it deserves a different rating). I would say that Sir Gilbert Scott bar is as Victorian as it gets in London - completely over the top, almost Russian in its unapologetic splendour (this complement comes from a Russian). So if you’re up for some old style chic - this is your place. Cocktails are wonderful, snack food is not cheap, but certainly good value for money. Thanks! We’ll be back once again and again.