Hip-hotelier par excellence Andre Balazs has announced plans to open one of his oh-so-trendy Standard hotels in, er, King’s Cross.

Balazs’s recent Marylebone opening, Chiltern Firehouse (pictured), has been a runaway success, with the restaurant (under chef Nuno Mendes) appearing now to be THE unchallenged celebrity hangout. The new hotel will be the first in the Standard group to open outside the US, joining trendy locations such as New York’s Meatpacking District (arching over the High Line) and the East Village, and Miami Beach.

The opening will see the re-development of the Camden Town Hall annexe, a stone’s throw from St Pancras International, following the purchase of the site by Crosstree Real Estate earlier this year. It’s expected to be a couple of years yet before pillows are being fluffed at the new hotel – perhaps enough time for Balazs to convince another top London chef to come on board.

The Standard will no doubt add to the ‘up-and-coming’ vibe recently felt around King’s Cross. Since the launch of Granary Square in 2012, Grain Store, Caravan and Shrimpy’s have moved in, with a large Dishoom set to join them in November.

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