The Shangri-La London has created a whole new interpretation to the meaning of sky-high hotel vacationing.
Ascending to a soaring 125 metres to elevate their guests into a floating heaven on earth, this architectural icon stands proud within its towering habitat of Western Europe’s tallest building of The Shard. Saluted as one of London’s most celebrated skyline beacons, the building is served by a colossal 44 lifts to send their glitterati guests and visitants up into a bona-fide, panoramic ‘Shangri-La’.
With the hotel continuing to rise up to fresh pinnacles with their prestige as Best Hotel in the UK and Europe by Tripadvisor last year, the celestial powers that be had chosen to fly me up to the clouds to #findmyshangrila, whilst revelling in 24 hours of serene lodgings, airy fine-dining and artistic cocktail concoctions to savour at a europhic 182 metres above deck.
Hotel
This elevated London abode joined the luxe Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts family in 2014, snugly nestled as the second European establishment behind its palatial Parisian sibling, which had graced ‘The City of Light’ in 2010. Influenced by the chapters of James Hilton’s novel of the Lost Horizon where a discovery of a mythical nirvana is uncovered on Earth (Shangri-La), it was up to billionaire baron and philanthropist Robert Kuok Hock Nien to transform this fictional utopia into a real-world heaven on Earth with the world’s first resplendent genesis of the Shangri-La Singapore in 1977.
The marriage of tropical tranquility and unparalleled hospitality, interlaced with a dalliance of epicurean delicacies, has no sooner paved the path for global supremacy, with the Shangri-La title lavishly christened around the sphere, from the extravagant spectacle of Dubai, white sands sanctum of Fiji to our beloved bustling UK Capital. Settled minutes from London Bridge above an escalator on St. Thomas Street, the Shangri-La flourishes in its vibrant, shabby-chic neighbourhood at the cusp of a sea of tourist hot spots, thriving start-ups and homely taverns, not to neglect the historic fresh food and delicatessen haven of Borough Market.
A shimmering crafted masterpiece, Renzo Piano’s mountainous hotel made for a dazzling spectacle adorned in 11,000 gleaming glass pane embellishments, before the sharp-suited doormen escorted me to baggage x-ray to comply with the Shard’s rules, and to the Shangri-La’s dedicated elevator and have me hoisted up a 30 second voyage to the dizzying heights of the lobby’s 34th floor.
A one-time modest corporate setting on its initial reveal, the spotless pocket doors unearthed a double split marble garnished foyer evoking a subtle, yet impeccably pure Asian aura with wooden features, antique gold accents, and vivid hued displays by our treasured floral magician that is McQueens Flowers, whilst enfolded in the floor-to-ceiling window frames showcasing London’s classic scurrying commotions.
Released from the enchantment of the hotel’s bird’s-eye oasis, the embracing reception team made it their mission to have me hastily whisked to the hovering heights of my five-star abode in the clouds, and ready to commence this indulgent sky-high staycation.
Rooms and suites
Divided between levels 36 to 50, The Shangri-La London rejoices in playing host to 185 monumental rooms, and 17 scenic suites reflecting a cross-cultural medley of sacred oriental heritage, entwined with the Shard’s pioneering constructional innovation, all the while unlocking a harbour to those riveting views on tap.
Overlooking our prized London landmarks, the deluxe city view room seeks to provide a soothing and sleek shelter, stretching 32-47 sqm with lacquer doors and contours of cherry-blossom chinoiserie plus a jewel in the crown of a freestanding, white marble bath nuzzled by the window, parading an assemblage of bespoke, fragrant amenities courtesy of Jo Loves by Jo Malone CBE. An equally blissful quarters, the 72 sqm sanctuary of the Iconic Shard suite offers extraordinary cityscapes of the River Thames and Tate Modern, cocooning a chic private dining room and mini kitchenette.
Eternally blessed with the golden crowning trophy, my personal habitation of the Shangri-La Suite illustrated the paradigm of splendiferous lofty living. Comfortably settled in the lion’s share of the 39th floor with a bedroom measured to epic royal proportions, my grand dwellings held no bars in brazenly luxuriating in its debonair superyacht aesthetics. Doused in an arresting colour ensemble of soft creams, crisp white, and rich caramel furnishings over a blue toned carpet, this exquisite décor has been crafted at the meticulous hands of ultra-luxe design duo, Francesca Muzio and Maria Silvia Orlandini.
Not satiated with supplying their winsome residents a rather sizeable office space kitted with your own personalised stationary or a walk in wardrobe befitting a glittering soirée, the Shangri-La team hold no bars in showcasing the utmost in sleek gallant elan with a mirror-embedded television and custom super-king bed sheathed in feather-soft 1,000 thread covers, and not to neglect a glossed up telescope setup to gaze away at the capital’s 180-degree vistas.
In the know of having been reunited with my plus one guest after a brutal half decade, the team made little efforts in dropping their subtle hints of a ‘possible’ suite surprise in my living room; think of maybe a little ‘welcome to the clouds’ greeting neatly engraved on the window, followed by pink helium balloons, craft like cake treats and chilled rosé champagne brought over by our private butler, sparkling with gusto in elaborate crystal flutes to set the tone for our evening soirée, of elevated discerning dining.
Food and drink
Residing inside this Herculean palace, the urbane cocktail refuge of Gong thrills in being Europe’s highest hotel bar, taking immense elation of its menu demonstrating the Grandes Marques of cocktail medleys, champagnes and wines to savour, whilst gazing at the ethereal tapestry of the city’s skyline visions.
Gong claims its name from ‘dougong’, one of the most important elements in traditional Chinese architecture, of a structural facet of interlocking wooden brackets. Rising to the drifting azure of the 52nd level, cocktail enthusiasts will find themselves encircled in the bar’s symbolic design feature of wooden brackets harmonised with the dusky dragon red velvet seating, dimmed lighting, and a marbled backlit space to create a sultry penthouse like ambience.
The team have never ceased in failing to capture their beverage connoisseurs with their ever-evolving menu, bustling with both a saporous sundowner and nightcap assemblage of photogenic concoctions, on this occasion adopting the theme of the ‘Hues of Culture’. Honing in on the historical wield of luminous colours with 10 rainbow creations, each shade is uniquely selected by the maestro mixologists to represent their unique artists impression, and their inspiriting voyage stimulated by emotive colour psychology.
Donning a powerful jewel amethyst tint, the elegant amalgamation of the sparkling Regalia showcases a hallmark of sensuous femininity and illustrious opulence, as a tribute to Queen Elizabeth 1 whom unabashedly chose her purple robes to symbolise her dominant authority. The minted floral relish of lavender and manzanilla sherry, weaving into rich clean tinge of grey goose vodka was further boosted with a bubbling zest from the champagne, making for an indulgent drinking experience while sitting back to absorb the full turn scenery of the London Eye and Big Ben.
Where the Regalia embodies a gracefully seraphic yet formidable aura, the Alter Ego encapsulates the seductive mystique spirit from the black swan ballet, where the black swan uses her bewitching dark beauty to lure Prince Siegfried. As forbidden as it is fetching, the ebony hued potion gives rise to a tantalising fruity bold maze with touches of sugary pear and vanilla from the Havana 3 Rum, paired with the Akashi Tai’s bold cherry and prune notes.
Intrigued at the glimpse of their GŎNGstar Martini on the menu, the dashing bartender set upon turning on the mixology theatrics, rapidly having me acquainted with a potion of smooth Elit vodka that married into a palate of velvet cream and vanilla, fused with the tartness of passionfruit and crisp Veuve Clicquot Yellow Label NV before making my way for the dinner festivities.
Aroused by the culture wealthy mainland of Asia, the Shangri-La’s discerning diners are welcomed to indulge in their palatable cravings and discover the pinnacle heights of a gourmet pampering rendezvous at Ting, housing an assortment of flavoursome European delights with Asian panache. Pinpointed on the 35th floor as the hotel’s signature fine dining eatery, the designated title of Ting stems from the Chinese translation of ‘living room’, where the team have devoted themselves to serve up the height of whimsical jovial dining, accompanied with a decorous delivery of the Shangri-La brand’s high-brow yet comforting class of hospitality.
A smart-casual nature forms the foundation for Ting, centred on giving rise to the atmosphere of an intimate front parlour with a plush twang. The design palette adopted a simplistic get-up of dark brown flooring, black garble tables, and charming padded stool adornments for those fresh out the drawer handbags. The spotlight was certainly on those all-encompassing windows unveiling the sight of the twinkling carpet of London’s fascinating skyline exhibitions, not to mention the stunning piano claiming its pride of place.
Dining encounters at Ting aim at zooming in on a dynamic escapade, honouring the far-flung versatile flavours of Asia with the use of quintessential produce, in sync with gravitating towards the revolutionary, 2014 ‘Rooted in Nature’ initiative, devoted to the advocacy of exquisite sustainable and ethically sourced ingredients collaborating with small farmers and producers.
Initiating the appetite with a fetching aperitif, my concoction of the bonny ruby Sweetheart made for a sublime experience – bustling with the ripened sweet piquancy of strawberry, then blending into the earthy floral characteristics of cherry blossom awakened from the splash of Roku gin.
An ardent enthusiast for vegetarian appetisers, the small Jerusalem artichoke had upped the ante for the evening’s gastronomical rendezvous, brought to view in an aesthetically artistic fashion brimming with colourful edibles and delicate flowers. The hearty chunks of tender artichoke fuelled with earth aromas had brought out the moreish profiles of vanilla and sweet nut, meshing effortlessly with the velvet texture of the slow cooked egg, and dainty, golden artichoke crisps to fuse impeccably with my wine pairing of Rabl Gruner Veltliner ‘Langenlois’ Kamptal; refreshingly defined and abundant with green apple and white melon.
Not one to be outperformed by its herbivorous entrant, the entrée of the Kagoshima wagyu sirloin had pivoted with grace ahead of the curve. A sumptuous melt-in-the-mouth texture with an impressive A5 grade, the intense butter like marbling gave rise to a plethora of flavoursome meat juices, all sprung further to life with the silky, deep-bodied bed of soy beef glaze enveloping the smooth creamy textured carrot puree. On hand to subdue the vigorous richness of the wagyu, Luigi Bosca’s offering of the 2012 Malbec proved the perfect matchmaker, dry with a smidgen of tobacco, rounded off with the elaborate union of tangy blackberries, and a sprinkling of heady spices for a clean, pleasurable finish.
Never placated with mediocre morning and afternoon tea liaisons, the breakfast banquets showcase a resplendent lavish banquet of classical Asian and international delicacies of noodles, dimsums and limitless flaky soft pastries, alongside a hot feast of classic English breakfast favourites, and cooked to order eggs.
Oozing of a culinary connoisseur’s photogenic epicurean showcase with their ethereal liquid afternoon teas, the Shangri-La brigade have marked our blooming spring season with the debut of their nature-inspired ‘Bees in Bloom’ Afternoon Tea, creating a buzz with their novel midday offering.
In alliance with luxury jeweller Alex Monroe, guests find themselves in a fairy-tale forest attired in honeycomb installations and mighty golden bees inspired by Alex Monroe’s signature Beehive collection. A stand adorned with floral garnishing displays entrancing, nature-inspired pastries such as The Bee and The Marguerite Daisy, followed by delicious savoury sandwiches finished with the miniature chocolate Shard patterned with honeycomb embellishments, and a berry mousse served over a majestic cloud of dry ice.
With each signature bee pastry made using honey from local Bermondsey Bees, the proceeds from each tea sold will raise funds for Bees for Development, a charity working to reduce poverty and increase biodiversity through beekeeping in some of the poorest nations.
To do
Designed to turn heads and stop their pedigreed invitees in their tracks is the rippling, aquamarine nirvana of the infinity under-lit sky pool. A shimmering blue belle, the beauty of this was nigh eclipsed by the architectural stunner of a chiselled scroll like design, mimicking a floating mirage above the pool. At around a micro 11 metres, this water haven serves more as a posers paradise than a pre Olympics warm-up, with the dashing pool boys at your beck and call for a poolside tipple as you indulge in a luxuriant bath with a view whilst soaking up the sights of London’s wondrous, cloud nine landmark spectacles.
Adrenaline geared clientele also have the pleasure of the fitness gym area, fitted out with cutting-edge gadgets to work those workout grooves with unmatched views, before surrendering into the vapour hideaways of the glass walled Finnish sauna to unlock and erase one’s city hustle tensions.
In a nutshell
It is little wonder why one continues to stop in their tracks to marvel at the towering spectacle of this precious London hotel landmark which has unlocked the barriers of the luxury living cosmos from the heights and continues to persist in their grand reign as a siren for the plutocratic clique.
Not only depicting the image of palatial concrete prosperity with unmatched epicurean odysseys, the Shangri-La team revel in their quest to relentlessly seek to evolve and meet the desires of the modern jet-set wanderer, for a nearcation getaway that will have one walking on air.
Factbox
Room rates start from approximately £550 per night with suites from approximately £1,500 per night. Rates may vary during peak seasons.
Address: 31 St Thomas Street, London, SE1 9QU
Telephone: 0207 234 8000
Website: shangri-la.com/en/london/shangrila/
