Most London hotels ask you to check out by 11am or noon, but plenty of trains, flights and Eurostar departures leave in the late afternoon or evening. That leaves a gap of several hours with nowhere to put your suitcase. If you are staying around King’s Cross, St Pancras or Bloomsbury, here is how to make the most of that last day — without rolling a bag behind you.
Option 1: Ask your hotel to hold your bags
Many hotels will keep luggage behind reception for guests who have checked out. It is worth asking, but it does not always work out:
- Some hotels only hold bags for a few hours, or not at all at busy times.
- Budget hotels and apartments often have no luggage room.
- If your hotel is not near the station, you have to travel back to collect your bags before your train — which eats into your day.
If your hotel is far from King’s Cross and you are leaving from St Pancras or King’s Cross, it usually makes more sense to bring your bags to the station area first.
Option 2: Leave your bags near the station
Dropping your luggage close to where you will depart means you only carry it twice: once to the storage point in the morning, and once from there to your platform.
St Pancras Luggage Storage is at 329 Grays Inn Road, London WC1X 8PX — about 2 minutes’ walk from King’s Cross and a few minutes from St Pancras International. It is a staffed shop, not a locker: your bags are tagged and kept in a CCTV-monitored storage area until you come back.
Prices when you book online:
- Small bag (purse, tote, jacket): £1.99 per day
- Regular bag (backpack, hand trolley, cabin bag): £2.99 per day
- Large bag (check-in suitcase, long travel bag): £3.99 per day
There is no weight limit, no handling fee and no hidden extras. Walk-ins are welcome, but booking online is cheaper and guarantees your space.
How a typical check-out day works
1. Check out of your hotel at the usual time.
2. Walk or take a short ride to Grays Inn Road. From King’s Cross station, head towards Euston Road, cross onto Grays Inn Road and walk for about two minutes.
3. Show your booking (the email or QR code) and hand over your bags. It takes a minute or two.
4. Spend the day hands-free. Explore, eat, shop — no suitcase on the Underground or in a busy café.
5. Collect your bags at the time you chose, then walk to your platform.
Not sure exactly when you will be back? Add Flexible times when you book (+£1 per booking) and you can collect any time until 23:59 on your pick-up day. We are open every day from 7:00am to 23:59, including bank holidays.
Ideas for your last few hours near King’s Cross
Once your hands are free, the area around the stations is a good place to spend a few hours:
- Granary Square and Coal Drops Yard — a short walk north of King’s Cross, with restaurants, shops and the fountains in the square.
- Regent’s Canal — the towpath runs right behind King’s Cross and is pleasant for a walk in either direction.
- The British Library — next door to St Pancras on Euston Road, with free exhibition galleries and plenty of seating.
- St Pancras International itself — the restored Victorian train shed, the large clock and the statues on the upper concourse are worth a look even if you are not catching a Eurostar.
- Bloomsbury — squares, cafés and the British Museum are within walking distance to the south.
All of these are easy to reach on foot, so you can get back to collect your bags without relying on traffic.
Tips to make it easy
- Book the night before. It takes about a minute online and you will have your confirmation ready on your phone.
- Keep valuables with you. Passports, tickets, medicines, laptops and chargers are best kept in a small day bag you carry.
- Leave a margin before your train. Plan to collect your bags with enough time to walk to the station and get through any checks for your departure.
- Free cancellation. If your plans change, you can cancel before your drop-off time.
Summary
Checking out of a hotel near King’s Cross does not mean spending the day guarding a suitcase. Drop your bags at 329 Grays Inn Road, enjoy your last hours in London, and pick them up on your way to the train. Book online from £1.99 per bag per day.
