Shangri-La The Shard, London

Hotel Description

Look, I’ve stayed in plenty of fancy London hotels, but walking into Shangri-La at The Shard honestly made me stop in my tracks. You’re literally inside the tallest building in Western Europe – and trust me, you feel it the moment those elevators start climbing to the 34th floor lobby. The views hit you immediately, sprawling across the Thames with the Tower of London looking tiny below.

What really gets me about this place is how they’ve managed to make something so enormous feel intimate. The rooms – well, they’re more like floating glass boxes in the sky. I mean, you’re waking up with views that stretch to Canary Wharf on clear days, and the floor-to-ceiling windows make you feel like you’re suspended over London. The marble bathrooms are ridiculously luxurious (heated floors, which honestly saved my life during a particularly brutal February stay), but it’s the little touches that matter. Staff actually remember your name, the turndown service includes local weather reports for the next day, and room service arrives faster than most ground-level hotels manage.

Borough Market is literally a three-minute walk away – something the concierge mentioned casually, but it became my morning routine grabbing coffee and pastries before the tourist crowds hit around 10am. You’re also right by London Bridge station, which I initially thought might be noisy, but the soundproofing is incredible. What’s funny is that you’re technically in Southwark, so you get this perfect view of “London proper” across the river without dealing with the chaos of staying in the City itself. The TING restaurant on the 35th floor is pricey, sure, but having drinks there at sunset – especially in winter when the city lights start twinkling early – is worth the splurge at least once. Parking is valet-only and costs a fortune, but honestly, with London Bridge, Borough, and Waterloo stations all within walking distance, I’d skip the car entirely. The infinity pool on the 52nd floor feels like swimming in the clouds, though it gets packed on weekends, so early morning or late evening swims are your best bet. Check-in was seamless even when I arrived stupidly early after a red-eye flight, and they somehow had my room ready by noon.

Rooms

• Deluxe King Room with City View with 1 extra-large double bed for 2 adults, 1 child
• Superior Shard King with 1 extra-large double bed for 2 adults
• Premier King Room with City View with 1 extra-large double bed for 2 adults, 1 child
• Iconic King Room With City View with 1 extra-large double bed for 2 adults, 1 child
• Premier Twin Room with City View with 2 single beds for 2 adults, 1 child
• Premier Shard Suite with 1 extra-large double bed for 2 adults, 2 children
• Iconic Shard Suite with 1 extra-large double bed for 2 adults, 2 children
• Premier Shard King Room with 1 extra-large double bed for 2 adults, 1 child

Facilities