insideKENT Magazine Issue 116 - December 2021 | Page 142

LONDON
FAMILY ASSEMBLED ? REACH FOR THE SKY WITH A LONDON STAYCATION LIKE NO OTHER AT

SHANGRI-LA HOTEL

AT THE SHARD
BY SAMANTHA READY
NO STRANGER TO THE UNRIVALLED CULTURAL AND ARCHITECTURAL WONDER OF A STAY AT THE SHANGRI-LA AT THE SHARD , NOTHING COULD HAVE PREPARED ME FOR THE UTTER AWE-STRUCK EXCITEMENT OF CHECKING IN FOR A FAMILY STAY AT ONE OF LONDON ’ S MOST ICONIC BUILDINGS .
Set right in the heart of London Bridge and encapsulating that neck tilting wonder that only gleaming skyscrapers can , the words “ We ’ re staying here ?... In The Shard ?... WOW !” should quite probably sum up the excitement of any guest lucky enough to be whisked skyward in seconds to the magnificent lobby of London ’ s landmark Shangri- La Hotel .
Exiting to the 35th floor is where the true marriage of our great capital and this oriental brand comes alive ; floor-to-ceiling windows on every axis , breathtaking views , and Chinese poise and decadence awaken every sense . As the smalls ran to floor to ceiling windows to see their very first and indeed highest view of the capital below , our check in , which effortlessly offers the first glimpse to Shangri-La ’ s three ‘ S ’ s ’ of distinction ; style , sophistication and exceptional service , was punctuated by delighted shrieks : “ look there ’ s the river and a boat ”; “ I can see Big Ben ”; “ wow look at the trains !”.
Spread from the 34th to the 52nd floors of Renzo Piano ’ s iconic landmark , every guest from first-time smalls to seasoned repeaters all appear to pause in wonder , swept up in the awe of the gleaming mirrored building and the refined and accomplished but never intrusive Chinese hospitality .
Bundling as sophisticatedly as one can when armed with a four-year-old dressed as a knight from the Tower of London , we ascended yet further skywards to our 42nd floor family suite . For those in the know , the points of The Shard align with the compass points and our Level 42 city-facing rooms ( all cleverly designed to make the most of every viewpoint ) are everything you could imagine and then some . Skyline views of The Tower of London , Skygarden and
Tower Bridge were breathtaking in their own right , throw in a windowside freestanding bath and these are some serious staycation goals . Clever design at the corners of the pyramid-esque building means that rooms can be combined behind one ‘ front door ’ taking the concept of interconnectivity to a whole new level of family fun , with the welcome addition of zero compromise on space and privacy for all family members .
With the welcome message of ‘ welcome to the clouds ’ scrawled across the impressive windows , the kids swiftly ensconced themselves into their own corner room , which offered not only unrivalled views of the river and beloved London landmarks below , but also , much to the littlest Ready ’ s delight , a bathtub with full view of the capital ’ s passing trains .
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