SHANGRI-LA HOTEL AT THE SHARD

Thu April 28, 2016

London is definitely always a good idea and especially if you have the chance to see this wonderful city in 360-degree view. As you might have seen on Instagram, I posted a photo from a room that is much closer to the clouds and has a breathtaking view over London. On floors 34 to 52 of Renzo Piano’s Shard, at 1,016ft the tallest building in Western Europe, made up of 11,000 glass panels and with 44 lifts. It takes just 26 seconds to travel from the hotel’s 35th floor lobby, so places of interest nearby, such as Borough Market and Tate Modern, are only minutes away. After Zaeem Jamal‘s event, I went straight to The Shard and couldn’t wait to take the lift to the 34 and than to the 52 floor.

First impression was the interior of a building with the walls of glass and sloping structural pillars. Shangri-La at the Shard has an Asian touch, very smart in combination of elegance and luxury style designed by FM Architettura d’Interni. Rooms are configured differently, but furnished in the same style and colors. Bathroom have gorgeous black and white marble, the floors are heated and loos are of the Japanese variety. I had the chance to visit the exquisite Shangri-La Suite with one-bedroom, en-suite bathroom and dressing room, separate living room with dining area, office space, guest washroom and kitchenette. As one of the largest suites in London, it can also be connected to an adjacent room, thus featuring two bedrooms and spanning a total living space of 232 square meters.

Shangri-La‘s restaurant called Ting (which means living room), is directed by the chef Emil Minev, who offers a five star hotel cuisine, executed dishes and very well selected wine. I had the chance to visit the GŎNG, the hotel’s destination bar – and the highest bar in London, with outstending view. I couln’t ask for a better start to my London stay and enjoyed every second watching the sunset and having cocktails and food with my girl Narta. The food was excellent and the drinks were wonderful as well.
With a mesmerizing backdrop of unparalleled views, GŎNG, offers a perfect time to enjoy sunset cocktails and late-night drinks, the bar offers three lofted areas; a cocktail bar, champagne bar and an infinity pool, for guests to relax and soak in the stunning cityscape. Sample one of the delicate, signature cocktails or indulge in rare, vintage champagnes available by the glass. Please note that GŎNG operates on a walk-in policy basis, however seating is subject to availability at time of arrival and reservations are required. Enjoy the photos I’ve taken inside the Shangri-La Suite, the GŎNG , in the SPA area and the gorgeous cityview!