A paradise at The Shard

 Located on the historic South Bank of the River Thames in the 306-metre-high, glass-clad Shard, Shangri-La Hotel is a brand new hotel from Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts.

The new hotel – which makes its official debut on 6^th May 2014 – is the Hong Kong-based luxury hotel group’s third site in Europe, following the opening of hotels in Paris and Istanbul in 2010 and 2013 respectively.

As the tallest hotel in Western Europe and the first high-rise hotel in London, the Shangri-La occupies levels 34 to 52 of the 72-storey Shard. The hotel will include a contemporary interior design which complements Renzo Piano’s masterful architecture, whilst breathtaking views will take in such iconic landmarks as St. Paul’s Cathedral, Tower Bridge and the Houses of Parliament.

Every detail of the hotel environment has been taken into consideration – from the extensive collection of original artworks on display to the spectacular grand staircase sweeping across double length floor to ceiling windows, linking levels 34 and 35 within the hotel’s sky lobby.

Shangri-La President and Chief Executive Officer Greg Dogan, said:

“Our continued expansion in Europe reflects the growth opportunities for the brand and portfolio.The Shard is a landmark synonymous with London and we hope to encourage visitors to our hotel, and the surrounding area. We are truly excited to be an integral part of the ongoing development of the South Bank community and the borough of Southwark.”

Executive Vice President and Hotel General Manager of Shangri-La Hotel, At The Shard, Darren Gearing, said:

“We are thrilled to be opening our doors in May after a number of years of planning and preparation. The hotel’s inspiring views will connect emotionally with guests, while our service hallmarks will position the hotel at the forefront of the world’s finest hotels.

“The work so far is going well and we have already opened up our ground floor lobby on St Thomas Street, to welcome business partners, potential guests and those interested in the hotel to speak to us about what we are doing. The fit-out work on level 35 is going well, as is the work on the banqueting space on level 34 and the guest rooms.”

The hotel’s 202 guestrooms and suites will open from levels 36 to 50 and are amongst the largest in London. Because of The Shard’s spiral shape, each of the spacious guestrooms and suites, which range from 30 to 188 square metres, are individual in layout and design.

All rooms feature floor to ceiling windows and unrivalled views across the city, marble-clad bathrooms with heated floors, separate bathtubs, Acqua di Parma amenities and mirrors with integrated television screens. The jewel in the crown is the Shangri-La Suite, situated on level 39, providing 180-degree views of London, encompassing many of the capital’s iconic landmarks.

Francesca Muzio is the designer on the hotel’s three signature suites. Francesca has over 14 years experience in interior design, during which time she has managed projects in Italy, France, Russia, Greece, Bahrein and Turkey.

The lead interior designer on the hotel is Hong Kong-based practice, Steven Leung & Associates. The practice has a vast experience working on projects within the hospitality industry and has previously completed works on other sites for Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts. Level 52 of The Shard, which houses the hotel’s 24-hour gym, infinity pool and GŎNG bar has been designed by Andre Fu.

Darren commented: “Steven, Andre and Francesca have all worked with Shangri-La before. We tend to work with interior designers who we’ve worked with previously and trust.”

Joining GŎNG are the Shangri-La’s two additional wining and dining venues, TĪNG, derived from the Chinese word for a living room, and LÁNG an artisan deli on the ground floor. Additional highlights of the hotel includes three river-facing event spaces – Ren, Yi and Li – on level 34, all offering state-of-the-art conferencing technology along with catering services. 

Darren said:

“I have been with the company for 23 years and have managed some of our flagship properties including most recently Shangri-La Hotel, Hong Kong. When the opportunity arose to come home after 26 years living abroad, I jumped at the chance. The opening of this hotel means a lot to me.”

Although Shangri-La Hotel, at The Shard opens in May, advance rooms, events, restaurant and lounge bookings are being taken from 17^th March, with opening room rates starting at £450 per room per night, including VAT. 

For room reservations, please email reservations.slln@shangri-la.com; call +44 (0) 207 234 8088 or visit www.shangri-la.com/london.

For event reservations, please email events.slln@shangri-la.com or call +44 (0) 207 089 5513.

For restaurant reservations, please email ting.slln@shangri-la.com or call +44 (0) 207 234 8000.

 PSSC

PSSC specialise in the installation of solar, safety, security, privacy and manifestation window films for use across a range of sectors, from domestic and residential to commercial and military. The company has been in operation for more than 25 years and within this time has worked with many high profile projects including the Houses of Parliament, HM Treasury, Portcullis House and Billingsgate Market, as well as numerous hotels and RAF facilities.

Working on the Shangri-La Hotel at The Shard, PSSC installed frosty film to bathroom shower cubicles.

PSSC Window Film Fitter, Des Jarvis, said:

“Working on projects like the Shangri-La Hotel at The Shard is very important to us. At PSSC we are reliable and provide a high quality service. We specialise purely in window films, so with 25 years worth of experience we are very good at what we do. Our client base trusts us and believes we can do what we say we can do.”