Shangri-La The Shard, London
"How did it strike you on arrival?Located in the tallest building in London, this hotel doesn’t need to try very hard to make a jaw-dropping impression. Occupying floors 34 to 52 of a glass stalagmite designed by Renzo Piano, it looms over the rest of the city, guaranteeing views that might make sleep difficult. What’s the crowd like?This is special-occasion-trip territory—some of your fellow guests will be celebrating engagements, anniversaries, milestone birthdays (any excuse). The good stuff: Tell us about your room.All 202 rooms have a view. Décor is opulent albeit a bit bland—silks and marble in blues and beige—but it doesn’t really matter because you’ll be looking out of the floor to ceiling windows rather than in. The bigger the room, crucially, the more window—Premier Shard rooms and above can have more than one, but make sure you specify. How about the little things, like mini bar, or shower goodies. Any of that find its way into your suitcase?Nespresso coffee machines and Chinese tea sets make for pleasant in-room lounging, and free binoculars make snooping obligatory. Please tell us the bathroom won’t let us down.Bathrooms have heated marble floors, bathtubs, and walk-in rain showers, along with a TV hidden inside the mirror, and, best of all, a heated toilet seat. Maybe the most important topic of all: Wi-Fi. What’s the word?Free. Anything stand out about other services and features? Whether it’s childcare, gyms, spas, even parking—whatever stuck with you.The Skypool on floor 52 is the highest indoor swimming pool in western Europe and has some of the best views in the building. Ting restaurant does European food with an Asian twist, but cocktails among silvery furnishings in Gong bar are equally, if not more, enjoyable. What was most memorable—or heartbreaking—about your stay?Make sure you’re back at base for sunset, which, from up here, is often spectacular, even on a drab day. Bottom line: worth it, and why?This isn’t the sort of hotel you pop into on a regular basis, and, as such, most people here are having the time of their lives—it feels like a treat" - Laura Goulden
