Located in the tallest building in London, The Shangri-La Hotel doesn’t need to try hard to make a breathtaking impression on guests. The hotel occupies 18 floors (from 34th to 52th) of the iconic glass skyscraper designed by Renzo Piano, known for the Centre Georges Pompidou in Paris, Whitney Museum of American Art in New York City and Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center in Athens. The Shard is ideal for special occasions like anniversaries, romantic weekends and other type of celebrations. Don’t book this hotel if you want to discover London, The Shangri-La Hotel is a place that deserves to be discovered.
Rooms
Obviously if you are staying here you won’t need to visit any rooftop bars or the Sky Garden. The Shangri-La Hotel allows you to see a panoramic view on every part of London, which you can still enjoy from your own room. From the bath you can spot many famous buildings such as Tower Bridge, Tate Modern and St Pauls Cathedral. The room has plenty of luxury amenities like dressing gowns, L’Occitane cosmetics, a Nespresso machine, binoculars, a mirror in the bathroom containing a hidden TV and a heated toilet seat.
Facilities
The 52nd floor has an infinity pool with the same stunning views, however it’s a bit on the small side, closes a little early at 8pm and although heated, not warm enough. Then again knowing that you’re relaxing in the highest indoor pool in western Europe should give you a warm feeling. The pool could be nicely complimented with a spa and sauna but unfortunately you won’t find those here. There is of course a gym but again it’s smaller than to be expected from a 5-start hotel.
Food and beverages
The Shard contains five gourmet restaurants and a bar, with the sushi restaurant Ting being the only one within the Shangri-La hotel, on the 35th floor. You can of course order room service, but it’ll incur an extra charge of £5. After dinner you can enjoy a signature cocktail at the Gong bar on floor 52, the highest bar in Britain. We would recommend reserving a table as it can get busy, apart from Tuesdays which are more quiet.
After waking up over the London skyline you can enjoy breakfast from the buffet but for a cool £32. Unfortunately for this price it doesn’t include a glass of Prosecco and the choice of fruit is quite limited. Our advice is to order a coffee and take in the morning view then take the lift down and discover a quaint pub or café for a proper breakfast. The Shangri-La Hotel proves the fact that it’s not always easy to combine food and contemplation.
Conclusion
The Shangri-La Hotel is a place you can feel cocooned in comfort away from the busy and noisy streets below, whilst absorbing the stunning view of historical London. It does come at a price and the pool could be bigger and warmer and food better value but it’s definitely worth considering, whether you’re on business or just visiting London and want a more luxurious experience.
