Between the elimination of COVID journey restrictions and an in depth alternate fee between the U.S. greenback and British pound proper now, many People are touring to the UK in droves this yr. London, particularly, is a major alternative for vacationers visiting for each enterprise and pleasure as “bleisure” journey strikes from pandemic pattern to being integrated into the brand new regular.
Positioned inside The Shard, a now-iconic (and as soon as divisive) skyscraper on south aspect of the river Thames and the tallest constructing in the UK at 309.6 meters (1,015.7 toes) excessive, the Shangri-La London has discovered itself on the crux of a variety of pandemic journey traits, from staycations to digital nomads, and it’s in a major spot to serve each vacationers and enterprise vacationers being close to the monetary middle of London in addition to a few of the metropolis’s most well-known websites, together with the Tower of London, St Paul’s Cathedral, the Tate Fashionable, and Borough Market.
Philip Reed
Shangri-La London was in a position to stay open for many of the pandemic, exterior of obligatory lockdown durations, particularly catering to home vacationers and staycationers in 2020 and 2021. And whereas London did begin to see a rebound in tourism this yr (airport meltdowns, apart), the demographics round who’s visiting modified dramatically this yr, particularly as Asia is just slowly reopening to coming and going now. On the similar time, Shangri-La London’s administration says it has been welcoming an rising variety of American vacationers over the past a number of months.
Shangri-La Motels and Resorts has greater than 100 luxurious accommodations and resorts with greater than 40,000 rooms throughout Africa, Asia, Europe, the Center East, North America, and Australia since launching out of Singapore in 1971. The hospitality big is now primarily based in Hong Kong. First opened in 2014, the London location was Shangri-La’s first property in the UK, occupying the thirty fourth to 52nd flooring of Renzo Piano’s iconic high-rise.
Courtesy of Shangri-La Motels and Resorts
Whereas every particular person Shangri-La location is designed to weave in native touches and customs, the lodge group does try to keep up a signature theme throughout all of its places in order that repeat visitors develop a way of house on every keep. This features a signature scent of lotus and jasmine within the lobbies in addition to signature music within the foyer and on the business taking part in on the visitor room TV upon arrival.
Lottie Fisher, assistant director of promoting and communications at Shangri-La London, says it’s a matter of what the lodge group can champion at every location, between each the model’s heritage and the tradition native to the respective lodge or resort. And the outcomes are refined, with out being overpowering or kitschy.
Courtesy of Shangri-La Motels and Resorts
And given its location to The Metropolis, London’s monetary middle, it’s a major spot for enterprise vacationers. The lodge additionally hosts a variety of company occasions on its Sky Terrace on the thirty fourth ground with an impressive view overlooking the Thames. Native workplace employees make up many of the buyer base for Bar 31, the lodge’s all-day café and bar on the bottom ground, simply exterior London Bridge Station. The informal eating spot serves pastries, pizza, cocktails, and extra, and through the coming vacation season, the bar might be establishing chalet-style seating on the outside terrace, the place visitors can imbibe sizzling chocolate or mulled wine.
Philip Reed
Shangri-La truly acquired in on the floor stage, each actually and figuratively, because the lodge group went to the Shard’s builders whereas the now-iconic glass construction was already being constructed. That made it simpler for the lodge group to construct out greater than 200 visitor suites (every with a panoramic view—no inside “courtyard-view” rooms right here), an infinity pool, a health middle, and three eating venues (and their large kitchens) with extra freedom.
Courtesy of Shangri-La Motels and Resorts
Together with Bar 31, the lodge has two onsite eating places within the higher ranges. TĪNG, on the thirty fifth ground, serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner, however the very best purpose to go to is for afternoon tea. The restaurant has an intensive menu of teas from each England and throughout Asia, together with blends proprietary to Shangri-La. Company shouldn’t skip out on the sandwiches and pastries—with vegan and vegetarian alternate options accessible. Servers heighten the expertise with a particular table-side expertise, beginning with a white chocolate reproduction of The Shard, on prime of a platter full of dry ice. When the server pours sizzling water over the ice, it creates a magical impact as clouds unfold all through the desk.
Courtesy of Shangri-La Motels and Resorts
Shangri-La additionally has a signature restaurant, Shang Palace, a advantageous eating institution specializing in Cantonese delicacies, which is at most Shangri-La accommodations. The Paris website, notably, is the one Michelin-starred Chinese language restaurant in France. Open since 2011, Shang Palace on the Shangri-La Paris was Europe’s first outpost and has stored its Michelin star since 2012. Whereas London doesn’t have a Shang Palace, it does have GŎNG, a Japanese restaurant on the 52nd ground, with a really unique and eclectic cocktail menu and a dinner menu that features a wide range of sushi, gyoza, and tempura.
Room charges range all year long. Going into the winter season, charges begin at roughly $785 (£700) per evening primarily based on two folks sharing a Premier Shard Room on a room-only foundation.
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