Suite dreams for Diplomat on level 39 of The Shard in the Shangri-La Suite

Completed in 2012, The Shard stands at 309.6 metres high, making it Western Europe’s tallest building. Located on floors 34 to 52, the Shangri-La Hotel, At The Shard is the city’s first high-rise hotel, offering unrivalled views of London from its floor-to-ceiling windows. The hotel has 202 guest rooms that occupy levels 36 through 50. But the jewel in the hotel’s crown is the Shangri-La Suite.

Towering above St Paul’s Cathedral, the Shangri-La Suite is on level 39, offering gobsmacking 180-degree views, including the iconic Walkie Talkie and Gherkin buildings. The suite has to be one of the largest and most extraordinary in the capital.  At 188 square metres, guests are greeted by a sumptuous living area with huge wraparound sofas, plus a dining/ board table to seat ten. Designed and produced by a team of over 250 highly skilled craftsmen from around the world, the suite features exquisite custom-made furniture, carpets and silk wallpaper. Rooms are filled with beautiful art works, glassware and books.

In the bedroom, the specially designed enormous Shangri-La bed features patented body-contouring technology and is fitted with 1,000 thread count Frette linen with gold embroidery. A grand marble-clad bathroom has his and hers integrated television and mirror screens, heated floors, a steam shower and Jacuzzi bath. The expansive walk-in dressing chamber has space to store many months’ worth of clothes, and there are silk robes for dressing gowns.

We renamed the study ‘the desk of dreams,’ as the views are so distracting.  A further desk in the sitting room would work well for a PA. For those travelling with staff, the suite can be connected to an adjacent room, creating a massive 232 square metres of living space.

Additional Shangri-La touches include an extensive pillow menu, Toto washlet loos, and a Bose sound system that played music throughout the suite. The telescope was almost powerful enough to provide clear shots of city workers at their desks in the buildings below!

Watching the light change over the capital through these windows was a dreamy experience.

A well-equipped private pantry allows for Shangri-La’s Dine by Design dining experience.  We, however, ate at Ting restaurant, where the chefs use the best of British artisanal and locally sourced market produce, often from Borough Market. Elegant and relaxing, dinner here is an absolute pleasure, with excellent staff taking care of your every need.

With a 24-hour personal butler and private chauffeur service, the guest experience when staying in the Shangri-La Suite is a cut above the rest. And photographs simply cannot do it justice. It must be seen to be believed. Completely staggering, the Shangri-La Suite will impress even the most seasoned of travellers and VIPs.