Visiting The Shard, London – Your Complete Guide
Luxury Hotel & More With Best Views in London, Top Restaurants, Bars & More
The Shangri-La London: A Breathtaking Luxury Hotel in The Shard
If you want a luxury hotel in London with the best views, The Shard in London is where you go. Located in bustling London Bridge, The Shard is London and Western Europe’s tallest building with a luxury hotel, The Shangri-La London on floors 34 – 52, 125m+ above ground, guaranteeing every hotel room has stunning views.
But that’s not all. The Shard is also home to: popular restaurants, penthouse apartments, offices and a viewing platform.
With the hotel swimming pool, sauna, gym and spa, The Infinity Sky Pool (the highest swimming pool in West Europe) and Shangri La The Shard Spa, located above the rooms on floor 52 and its restaurants and bars on floors 34, 35 and 52, the Shard offers a truly special stay in the City of London with breathtaking views everywhere you go.
The Shangri La London’s 2 restaurants, Ting and Sky Lounge, and 2 bars, Gong and Sky Lounge, are very popular and open to the public. The public can also use the Shangri La The Shard Spa, sauna and swimming pool but you can’t just walk in, you need to book your spa treatments or swimming or sauna session in advance.
The Shard Restaurants & Bars, London
The Shard Restaurants, London:
The Shard has 5 popular restaurants (if you include Sky Lounge) and two bars, with 3 of the outlets belonging to the Shangri La The Shard Hotel but open to the public. Of course, each restaurant has beautiful views across London.
Ting at The Shard, London
Open all day, Ting at The Shard in London is a very popular fine dining restaurant serving everything from breakfast and brunch to afternoon tea and dinner.
Food is Asian-inspired with a British breakfast and brunch menu followed by an Asian-inspired menu for the rest of the day littered here and there with British classics. Ting also serves up a popular afternoon tea, the pretty St Germain afternoon tea, featuring tasty British flavours which draw inspiration from the St Germain Elderflower cocktails that are an optional accompaniment. Located on floor 35, Ting is part of the Shangri La The Shard hotel but open to the public and has beautiful views across the city.
From noodle dishes to Vietnamese-style baked sea bass, tamarind prawns, braised short rib and Waygu beef, there’s a delicious range of options with a plant-based menu, including a vegan afternoon tea. Be sure to book because Ting at The Shard, London is very popular. The dress code is smart casual, so no hoodies, gym wear etc. – think work smart.
Ting is open from 7am – 9pm, with late night closing at 9.30pm on Fridays and Saturdays. Ting is closed between 3.30 and 5.30pm every day.
Breakfast service finishes at 10.30 on weekdays and 10.30 on weekends. Afternoon tea is served between 12.30 and 3.30pm. Dinner services begins at 5.30pm.
Aqua Shard at The Shard, London
Part of the much loved Aqua Group restaurant collection, Aqua Shard is an exciting, innovative fine dining restaurant serving contemporary British dishes. Located on floor 31 of the Shard, Aqua Shard has beautiful views.
From Orkney scallops to roasted sea bream, cauliflower cheese and Yorkshire rhubarb and ginger crumble, this is the best of British served up in style.
Serving up brunch, lunch, afternoon tea, dinner and Sunday roasts, Aqua Shard’s beautiful, creative Peter Pan themed afternoon tea has also caused quite a stir.
Aqua Shard is a very popular restaurant and bar open from 12 – 10pm on weekdays and 10.30am – 10pm on weekends. Aqua Shard’s dress code is also smart casual so no hoodies, gym wear etc – be work smart appropriate. Again book to avoid disappointment.
Oblix at The Shard, London
Oblix The Shard is a dynamic restaurant and bar on the 32nd floor. The restaurant, Oblix West, serves up grilled meats, seafood and veggies, cooked on an open fire. whilst the bar, Oblix East, dispenses delicious innovative cocktails.
From aged rib eye steak to roasted prawns, dover sole, triple cooked chips, lobster, baked sweet potato, tenderstem broccoli and roasted cauliflower, Oblix The Shard serves up a complete range of grilled meats, fish, shellfish and veggie options with a range of salads, vegetables, chips and more for sides.
Oblix afternoon tea features traditional British flavours with a contemporary twist and the option to add some of their exciting cocktails. Oblix also do brunch on weekends and Sunday roast on Sundays.
Oblix is open from 12 – 9.30pm and 12 – 10pm on Fridays and Saturdays. Weekend brunches are from 12-2.30pm whilst lunch is served from 12 -2.30pm on weekdays (incl. Sunday lunch), afternoon tea daily from 12 – 4pm and dinner daily from 6 – 9.30pm with late closing at 10pm on Fridays and Saturdays. Again, book ahead because Bollix is very popular and the dress code is smart casual so no gym wear, hoodies etc – be work smart.
Hutong at The Shard, London
Hutong The Shard is a very popular, high-end Chinese restaurant and bar with great views across London from its location on the 33rd floor.
From Sichuan lobster to seared halibut, Chinkiang ribs, stuffed Waygu beef, dim sum and deep fried charcoal tofu, there’s plenty of north Chinese delights to enjoy. Meanwhile, Hutong’s Shanghai Bar serves up delicious cocktails. For brunch with a difference, check out Hutong’s 3-course Dynasty Brunch on weekends, featuring Chinese delights, cocktails and a live dj, it’s the perfect start to Saturday and Sunday. Be sure to book ahead.
Hutong also does afternoon tea, Tea Time Whispers, this is not traditional afteenokn but a Qing Dynasty Chinese tea room inspired menu with dim sum, spring rolls, mochi, tea, cocktails and more.
Hutong The Shard is open from 12 – 1am with dinner finishing at 10.30pm and the Shanghai Bar remaining open till 1am. On weekends Hutong is open from 11.30am with brunch served until 3.30pm. Be sure to book ahead and the dress code is smart casual – so work smart, no gym wear, hoodies etc.
The Shard Bars, London
Gong Bar The Shard, London
Located on floor 52, Gong Bar The Shard, which belongs to the Shangri La but is open to the public, is the highest hotel bar in West Europe. Located at the top of the Shangri La, as well as drinks, Gong Bar also sells a range of bar snacks, including: sushi, tempura, gyoza, mochi, ice cream and more plus sake. Gong bar is open from 12pm – 1am from Thursday to Sunday with early closing at 11.30pm on Sundays. From Monday to Wednesday, Gong Bar is open from 3pm to 11.30pm.
Sky Lounge The Shard, London
Sky Lounge is a relaxed bar on the 34th floor, belonging to the Shangri La but open to the public. Located at the beginning of the hotel, the Sky Lounge is a gorgeous space where you can chill out, take in the views and enjoy cocktails as well as comfort food such as lobster roll and chips, Caesar salad, smash burgers, arancini, brunch and more.
The Shangri La The Shard Hotel Rooms: Uninterrupted, Stunning Views
Every hotel room at The Shangri La London has floor to ceiling windows with every attention paid to ensuring you have completely uninterrupted, incredible views across the city from morning to night, ensuring you can capture the magic of one of the world’s most famous city’s as it wakes in the morning and pulsates with twinkling lights and pulsating energy at night.
Rooms at The Shangri La Shard come with heated floors, marble bathroom fittings, body contouring beds and embedded televisions. Drawing inspiration from Asian decor, high-grade furnishings are finished with silk, light wood and marble and accompanied by state of the art technology. With a wide range of room sizes to choose from, you can book the perfect option for you.
A Sought-After London Hotel in A Brilliant Location
From your location in London Bridge, you have easy access to so much of London’s best sights. In this historic location, where historic and contemporary architecture and attractions sit side by side, with the silky stream of the River Thames’ waters always by your side.
Next door, is bustling London Bridge train station giving you fantastic transport links with many other options close by. From tubes to trains, boats, taxis and bike, it’s super easy to travel around London, and in fact the UK, from here.
A short walk along the river in either direction will take you to Tate Modern, Shakespeare’s Globe, Borough Market, Tower Bridge, City Hall and so much more.
Cross over London Bridge at the foot of the Shard and you have everything from Monument to St Paul’s Cathedral, Sky Garden and so much more to enjoy.
The area is full of bars and restaurants so you can enjoy yourself both day and night. A little further on is Covent Garden, Oxford Street, The National Gallery, The West End for London’s best theatres and lots more.
The Residences: Penthouse Apartments at The Shard
The Shard’s 72 floors stretch a record-breaking 309.6m high, 240m above ground, and this popular, iconic building is more than just a luxury hotel. Some people are lucky enough to call the Shard home, residing in its exclusive penthouse suites, known as The Residences, on floors 53 - 62. Offering unrivalled views across the city, apartments at The Residences, start from £40million + and are managed by the Shangri-La.
The Shard Viewing Platform: The View From The Shard
Located at the very top of the building, the Shard’s viewing platform, The View From Shard, is spread over 3 floors with 360 degree views of London and both indoor and outdoor space. At the very top, on the 72nd floor is the outdoor viewing deck whilst indoor viewing areas with a bar and interactive history presentations and telescopes are on the 68th and 69th floor.
Although you will have stunning views from 244m above ground, The View From The Shard is no longer London’s best viewing platform. As happens when you’re a first, the Shard has now been outperformed by Horizon 22. Horizon 22 is now London’s highest viewing platform - and it’s free whilst The View From The Shard costs upwards of £35. Horizon 22 vs The View From The Shard
About The Shard (London Bridge Tower), A Landmark Building For the City
Designed by esteemed Italian architect, Renzo Piano, The Shard’s official name is London Bridge Tower.
Stretching 240m above ground, the Shard’s 72 floors famously get narrower as they get higher creating the iconic shard shape. Brits are proud of London’s beautiful skyline which isn’t crowded with skyscrapers like so many capital cities so the Shard’s shape was specially designed to ensure its height didn’t disrupt the city’s skyline.
The Shard, which Renzo Piano designed to be a vertical city, remains a stunning structure with each floor’s width perfectly matching the purpose it was designed for. For example, the Shangri La The Shard’s swimming was purposely located on the 52nd floor.
The Shard’s landmark height, at 309.6m, was significant back in 2009 when it was built but it does now does have an increasing number of rivals – which is inevitable. So for example, Horizon 22’s viewing platform is higher and better than the Shard’s. However, the Shard remain London and Western Europe’s tallest building and there is no other hotel in London like it, it remains a very popular hotel, restaurant hub and office space, synonymous with the city.
And London’s stylish offerings don’t stop there, check out our gorgeous gifts, clothing, bags, greeting cards, wedding invitations and on the day stationery for all your celebrations and treats. Go
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