The Shangri-La at The Shard
View of London at dusk from The Shangri La, 32 London Bridge St, London, SE1 9SG www.shangri-la.com/London
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f you want to make a statement with your choice of London Hotel, the 5* Shangri-La at The Shard ought to be near the top of your list. Located between the 34th and 52nd floors of Renzo Piano’s iconic building, the views of London are astonishing. It’s the View that many will book for, (and I’ll keep mentioning it until you believe me!) but equally the quality of the stay makes it a very special venue. I’m used to the London hotel check-in routine. After a long journey via car/rail, a quick check-in often consists of dropping the baggage before hurriedly leaving for whatever meeting, event or attraction I came to London for in the first place. But this hotel is very different. Once you check in here, many of you will find you’re already where you want to spend your afternoon, evening, night and morning. Everything is catered for, and centered on those wonderful London views. Having spent a few minutes acquainting ourselves with our hitech room (a television in the bath-
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room mirror!), and admiring that view, we were delivered a lovely, calming Oriental tea – a pleasant start to an easy stay. The room service was actually a little much for my taste – there is a ‘Do Not Disturb’ button, although by the time we left for dinner at 7pm, there were a further two notes outside our door advising of attempted visits. That said, at least the choice is there if you really want to be pampered, although I was more than happy marvelling at the View! Of course, there is always the infinity pool and gym for the hyperactive, although I can’t vouch for the View from there, although I expect they’re excellent from the Champagne and Cocktail Bars on level 52. The room itself was very comfortable, and kitted out for a relaxing sleep. Although there is some slight wind-related noise, it’s not enough to cause disruption. With full length electronic blinds, you can also block out the London lights at night. Dinner in the hotel’s Ting restaurant (they have two, and a patis-
Review by Daniel M Byway serie/deli/cafe on the ground floor) was superb, again with those amazing Views as night fell on one of the world’s most iconic cities. My guest enjoyed a delicious steak, whilst I went with the Organic Chicken with black garlic, asparagus and smoked potato. The smoked potato was an amazing concept and worked really well with the dish – perfectly executed by the staff of Executive Chef Keith Bowen (ex County Hall and London Marriott) - a reminder that Shangri-La isn’t just about the View, they’ve created a paradise in the sky for foodies too! The walls of the Ting restaurant are lined with wine cabinets, and the selection is good. With a courteous staff, good food and luxury accommodation, the hotel is perfect for romantic nights, special occasions and just to treat yourself and your loved ones. It literally takes the concept of a London hotel to new heights, and as it costs £60pp to tourist the view, I’d prefer to put that towards a room and do it all again. Did I tell you I didn’t tire of looking at the View?