Sky Sauna, level 52
Beside the pool and, like it, booked by slot, 6am to 6pm, free for guests. Visitors staying elsewhere come in through Spabreaks: breakfast at TĪNG, then pool, sauna and gym until noon, Monday to Friday, from £197 a head.
Shangri-La The Shard, London
Shangri-La The Shard, London occupies levels 34 to 52 of The Shard, beside London Bridge station: 202 rooms behind floor-to-ceiling glass and an infinity pool on the top floor.
A week here, month by monthFor a London stay chosen for its view, where the side of the tower decides the room, Shangri-La The Shard starts at £460 a night for 2 adults over consecutive nights in January 2027: the lowest seller’s price on Google. With children, for a holiday built around the pool, it suits less: they may swim only at set hours, in the morning and the afternoon.
Official siteDoes it suit you?
5 pairs of hotels, and the guide tells you whether this one suits you.Like a regular
The corner room to request
I would ask for an Iconic City View Room: 43 to 60 m² on a corner of the floor, with 180 degrees of view taking in Big Ben, the Houses of Parliament, Tate Modern and Shakespeare’s Globe.
The week that costs less
Consider 8 to 14 January 2027: single nights for 2 adults ran from £464 to £500 on Google, read 15 October 2026. The dearest night shown, 30 June 2027, was £1,064.
Taxis and the service charge
From the London airports a taxi costs £45 to £95, depending on where you start, by the hotel’s count. At TĪNG, menu prices include 20% VAT and a discretionary 15% service charge is added.
Sunset at GŎNG
For sunset cocktails, go up to GŎNG on level 52, the bar the hotel suggests for that hour: its windows look west, north and east across the London skyline.
What Shangri-La The Shard is
Here the side of the building decides the stay. The Shard rooms face south, over Southwark towards Kent, Surrey and Sussex; the City View rooms look north and east, to the river and the City’s towers; the Iconic City View rooms take the corners, with 180 degrees of glass. Every room has a pair of binoculars and a skyline guide, and the Southwark, Westminster, London and Shangri-La suites a telescope. Anyone who wants Tower Bridge from bed books the City side.
Level 52 is the floor people come for: the Sky Pool, the highest in London by the hotel’s account, the Sky Sauna beside it and a gym open around the clock. Swimming is by booked slot, free for guests: adults from 6am to 6pm, children from 9 to 11am and from 3 to 5pm. A guest writing in October 2025 found the pool small and busy on arrival, and calmer after 5pm.
Food and drink take 3 floors. TĪNG, on level 35, serves breakfast, Asian dishes for sharing and the St-Germain afternoon tea at £78; Sky Lounge, on 34, does Sunday brunch; GŎNG, on 52, is the cocktail bar, for over-18s only after 8pm. The bill adds a discretionary 5% to the room and 15% in the restaurants and bars.
In the Lumina Guide
Lumina Guide 2027
Shangri-La The Shard, London occupies levels 34 to 52 of The Shard, beside London Bridge station: 202 rooms behind floor-to-ceiling glass and an infinity pool on the top floor.
How we choose the hotelsOur reading, point by point
What we found reading the hotel’s own pages, one thing at a time.
Location
London Bridge station 3 minutes on foot, Borough Market 4
Character
18 floors of The Shard, open since May 2014
Rooms
11 types from 30 to 232 m², all facing out over London
Food and social life
TĪNG on level 35, GŎNG on level 52
Wellness
Sky Pool, Sky Sauna and a 24-hour gym on level 52
The stay as a whole
For travellers who come for the view and book their side of the tower
The 5 things that matter, as guests tell them
What do Shangri-La The Shard’s guests say? They write it in their reviews, even those who only came for a drink or dinner: we read every one and tell the 5 things that matter, from the location to the bill.
Location
9 in 10 guests who mention it are happy with it. Guests write above all about the view, from Tower Bridge to St Paul’s, and about London Bridge station 3 minutes’ walk away; Borough Market is a walk away.
Room
8 in 10 guests who mention it are happy with it. Of the rooms, guests recall the floor-to-ceiling glass and the city below, then the cleanliness, the bed and the bath by the window.
Staff and service
8 in 10 guests who mention it are happy with it. Guests recall the welcome on level 35 and the touches for birthdays and anniversaries; the hitches they describe are mostly at check-in.
Breakfast
7 in 10 guests who mention it are happy with it. Breakfast at TĪNG comes with the view over the city; those who write less well of it would like more choice at the buffet.
Price
The bill is weighed against the view: the satisfied write that the view is worth the price, the others find the rooms and service below that level.
The numbers, and how we count them
| What | Score out of 10 | Guests who mention it | Happy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Location | 9.0 | 218 | 94% |
| Room | 8.5 | 192 | 84% |
| Staff and service | 7.5 | 317 | 75% |
| Breakfast | 7.0 | 50 | 68% |
| Price | – | 84 | 36% |
The scores come from 500 Google reviews with text, left from 1 November 2023 to 3 October 2026. The other hotels are the ones weighed for a stay in London: for each we read its latest 500 Google reviews with text, or all of them where there are fewer, as of 15 October 2026. The score is the average of what they say, from 0 if they speak of it very badly to 10 if they speak of it very well. Where only a few mention something, the score stays close to the guide’s average: a handful of voices does not make a reputation.
The hotels we weigh it against in London:
- Four Seasons Hotel London at Tower Bridge
- The Ned
- The Savoy
- Raffles London
Price: for two on the night of 4 January 2027, from £460 (seen on Google Hotels on 15 October 2026).
What a night costs, season by season
From 2 January to 1 March 2027 single nights for 2 adults run from £450 to £629; from 1 June to 2 October 2027, from £569 to £1,064. I would ask for dates before June: from 2 March to 31 May 2027 nights stay between £491 and £710.
| Period | Pounds a night |
|---|---|
| 16 Oct. 2026–1 Jan. 2027 | 500–896 |
| 2 January to 1 March 2027 | 450–629 |
| 2 March to 31 May 2027 | 491–710 |
| 1 June to 2 October 2027 | 569–1,064 |
The lowest price any seller showed on Google Hotels for one night searched alone, for 2 adults, read 15 October 2026; no room or meal plan is specified. The calendar stops on 2 October 2027; 31 December 2026 and 18 nights between 10 September and 1 October 2027 have no price.
From level 35 to the pool on level 52
A room on the City side, the view to Tower Bridge, the bath at the glass, the Sky Pool and breakfast at TĪNG.
YouTube
0:01
YouTube
8:10
YouTube
2:11
YouTube
0:42
YouTube
1:04
YouTube
6:30
From TĪNG to the 52nd floor
TĪNG, level 35
Breakfast from 7 to 10:30am on weekdays and to 11am at weekends; rates with breakfast are served here, and breakfast in the room costs extra. Lunch and dinner are Asian dishes for sharing, among them A5 Kagoshima wagyu at £39, wild seabass at £42 and a roasted cauliflower curry at £29.
The St-Germain afternoon tea
Every day from 12:30 to 3:30pm at TĪNG: £78 with tea or coffee, £88 with a St-Germain cocktail, a mocktail or a glass of Veuve Clicquot Rosé, £109 with Louis Roederer Collection 246. A discretionary 15% is added.
GŎNG, level 52
Named after the dougong, the interlocking wooden brackets of Chinese buildings. Open from 3pm Monday to Wednesday and from noon Thursday to Sunday, until 1am Thursday to Saturday; tables are held for 90 minutes, and after 8pm only over-18s are admitted.
Good to know before you book
A discretionary 5% service charge is added to the room rate, as the hotel explained in a reply on Tripadvisor; guests in 2025 and 2026 found it on the bill at check-out. The menus add 15% in the restaurants and bars.
The Sky Pool and Sky Sauna work by booked slot, free for guests, at booking or on arrival. Adults swim from 6am to 6pm; the children’s times are 9 to 11am and 3 to 5pm.
The room name says the side: Shard rooms face south, towards Kent, Surrey and Sussex; City View rooms face north and east, towards the river and the City; Iconic rooms sit on the corners.
GŎNG admits only over-18s after 8pm, holds a table for 90 minutes and does not promise a window.
A stay does not include The View from The Shard, the viewing gallery higher up: it is a separate ticket with its own entrance, as travellers on Tripadvisor explain.
11 types, from 30 to 232 m²
Getting there
From London Bridge station the hotel door is 201 metres away, 3 minutes on foot on our route; the hotel says under 5.
| Address | 31 St Thomas Street, London SE1 9QU: the entrance is at street level, and the lifts go up to the lobby on level 35. |
|---|---|
| Train and Underground | London Bridge, on the Jubilee line; the direct train from Gatwick takes about 37 minutes and is a different service from the Gatwick Express. |
| Heathrow | About an hour by taxi, up to an hour and a half at peak times; or the Heathrow Express to Paddington, then 30 minutes by taxi or on the Bakerloo and Jubilee lines. |
| Taxi | From the London airports GBP 45 to 95, depending on where you start, according to the hotel. |
| Parking | Paid valet parking; the official site does not publish the price. |
Airport and train times from the official site; the walks are measured on OpenStreetMap’s streets.
Around London Bridge
Borough Market and the cathedral are a few minutes away; the river path leads east to HMS Belfast and Tower Bridge.
Borough Market
The covered market under the railway arches, with fruit, cheese and street food: 4 minutes’ walk, 315 metres.
Southwark Cathedral
The Gothic cathedral beside the market, with The Shard behind it: 5 minutes’ walk, 354 metres.
HMS Belfast
The museum cruiser moored on the Thames, along the south bank: 8 minutes’ walk, 596 metres.
Tower Bridge
Reached along the river, past Potters Fields: 14 minutes’ walk, 1,052 metres.
From The Shard to Tower Bridge and Tate Modern
The hotel beside London Bridge station, Borough Market, the cathedral, the river east to the Tower and west to Tate Modern. Tap a place to see the walking route.
Loading map…
Recommended for you
A day at Shangri-La The Shard
7am
Breakfast on level 35
Have breakfast at TĪNG, the restaurant on level 35.
The morning
Walk to Borough Market
Walk 4 minutes to Borough Market, then on to the Gothic cathedral beside it.
12.30pm
Afternoon tea at TĪNG
Sit down to the St-Germain afternoon tea at TĪNG, from £78 with tea or coffee.
5pm
Swim on level 52
Take a booked slot at the Sky Pool, free for guests; adults swim until 6pm.
The evening
Share plates at dinner
Go back to TĪNG for Asian dishes for sharing, among them A5 Kagoshima wagyu at £39.
Shangri-La The Shard, London reviews
Scores read on 15 October 2026 for Google and on 4 October 2026 for Booking.com and Tripadvisor.
Guest voices
GoogleA corner room on level 37
In July 2026 a guest who splurged on one night describes a corner room on the 37th floor: the Shard Quarter from the sofa, the railway tracks and Tower Bridge from the bath. The pool, the sauna and GŎNG all had to be booked.
Google · July 2026Read the review
GoogleThe pool before and after 5pm
Writing in October 2025 after a stay for a 10th wedding anniversary, a guest found the pool area small and too busy on arrival, calmer after 5pm, with the staff keeping to the slots; breakfast was good.
Google · October 2025Read the review
Google8 nights in the London Suite
Back from 8 nights in the London Suite on level 38 in June 2026, a guest lists what the windows hold: Tower Bridge and the Tower in front, St Paul’s, Canary Wharf, Parliament and, on clear mornings, the Emirates Stadium; the deep tub faces the view.
Google · June 2026Read the review
Questions about Shangri-La The Shard
What kind of hotel is Shangri-La The Shard, London?
A Forbes Travel Guide Five-Star hotel of 202 rooms and suites on 18 floors of The Shard, from level 34, 125 metres up, to level 52. It opened on 6 May 2014; the hotel’s awards page lists One MICHELIN Key for 2024 and 2025.
What are the rooms like, and which side has which view?
There are 11 types in the official catalogue: 5 rooms from 30 to 60 m² and 6 suites up to the 232 m² Shangri-La Suite. Shard rooms face south, towards Kent, Surrey and Sussex; City View rooms face north and east, towards the river, the Tower and the City; Iconic City View rooms take the corners. Every room has floor-to-ceiling windows, binoculars and a skyline guide.
How much does a night cost?
Google Hotels, read on 15 October 2026, for 2 adults: £500 for 14 November 2026, £542 for 17 December 2026, £450 for the single nights of 7 January and 7 February 2027, each cheaper than the nights either side (3 nights in a row from 3 January 2027 start at £460), and £1,064 for 30 June 2027, the dearest night of the year read. The calendar names no room and does not show whether the discretionary 5% service charge is included.
Where is the hotel, and how far is it from London Bridge station?
At 31 St Thomas Street, SE1 9QU, in Southwark, on the south bank beside London Bridge. From the station the door is 201 metres, 3 minutes on foot on OpenStreetMap’s streets; the hotel says under 5. Borough Market is 4 minutes away, Tower Bridge 14.
What spa and wellness does it offer?
On level 52, the Sky Pool, the Sky Sauna and a Technogym gym open 24 hours. Treatments are ELEMIS facials and massages, with manicures, pedicures and hairdressing, in treatment rooms or in your room; the spa brochure gives £185 a treatment on weekdays, £200 at weekends and £225 in the evening, VAT included. Nobody under 18 is treated.
Are the pool and sauna included, and can visitors use them?
For guests they are free, with a slot booked when you reserve or on arrival. Visitors staying elsewhere book through Spabreaks, read on 15 October 2026: breakfast at TĪNG followed by pool, sauna and gym from 10am to noon, Monday to Friday, from £197 a person.
What is the Sky Pool on level 52 like, and when can you swim?
An infinity pool along the windows of level 52, which the hotel calls the highest in London and Western Europe, with the Sky Sauna beside it. Adults swim from 6am to 6pm; children from 9 to 11am and 3 to 5pm. Guests describe it as small; one found it calmer after 5pm, another recommends the 7am slot.
Where are breakfast and dinner served?
There are 3 restaurants and bars. Breakfast is at TĪNG on level 35, 7 to 10:30am on weekdays and to 11am at weekends; lunch on weekdays and dinner every day are Asian dishes with British produce, smart casual. Sky Lounge on 34 serves Sunday brunch from 11am to 4:30pm. GŎNG on 52 pours cocktails until 11:30pm, and until 1am Thursday to Saturday. Room service runs 24 hours.
Is there parking, and how do you arrive from the airports?
Parking is paid valet; the official site does not publish the price. From Heathrow or Gatwick a taxi takes about an hour and costs GBP 45 to 95, according to the hotel; a direct train runs from Gatwick to London Bridge in about 37 minutes.
Which room suits a family?
The interconnecting rooms: the City View Family Room, 99 m², joins a Premier City View and a Deluxe City View room for 4, up to 6 with extra beds; the other pairings take 5 to 7. For Shangri-La Circle members, up to 2 children under 7 eat free at the buffet with a paying adult; further children under 7, and those from 7 to 11, pay half. Babysitting is offered, and the pool has children’s hours.
Can you hold a wedding or a private event?
Yes: the hotel is licensed for weddings. The wedding brochure gives Ren for up to 100 at the wedding breakfast, Li for 30 and Yi for 12, all on level 34, whose whole floor can be hired; events take up to 140 guests. The «Dine in the Sky» proposal dinner costs £375 a person.
Is there a New Year’s Eve package?
Yes: «New Year’s Eve at The Shard», available from 13 December 2026 to 10 January 2027, promises a stay with front-row views of the fireworks. Its price is shown in the currency of the visitor’s country.
What offers does the hotel publish?
Read on 15 October 2026, the offers page lists, among others, Stay & Save in London (3 nights or more, 15% off), New Year’s Eve at The Shard, The London Icon Experience, Suite Indulgence, Love is in the Air and the St-Germain afternoon tea.
Is the hotel open all year?
Yes. No closure is published, and guests were writing about their stays at the end of September 2026.
What do guests say?
Google, read on 15 October 2026, gives 4.6 out of 5 from 2,891 reviews; Booking.com and Tripadvisor, read on 4 October, 9 out of 10 from 1,637 and 4.8 out of 5 from 7,908. Guests write most about the staff and the view, and often about the Sky Pool; those less happy write about the discretionary 5% added to the bill and the size of the pool.
How much is afternoon tea at TĪNG?
Every day from 12:30 to 3:30pm on level 35: £78 a person with tea or coffee, £88 with a St-Germain cocktail, a mocktail or Veuve Clicquot Rosé, £109 with Louis Roederer Collection 246. There is a vegan version at the same prices; a discretionary 15% is added.
Is a service charge added to the bill?
Yes: a discretionary 5% on the room rate, which the hotel explained in a reply on Tripadvisor in April 2024 and which guests found on the bill in 2025 and 2026; you can ask for it to be removed. Restaurants and bars add a discretionary 15%.
Are dogs allowed?
Yes, on request: Booking.com says pets are allowed on request and that charges may apply. The official site does not publish the fee.
Does a stay include The View from The Shard?
No. The viewing gallery higher up the tower has its own ticket and its own entrance, as travellers on Tripadvisor explain; the bar and the pool on level 52 already look over the city.
More hotels in the guide
Claridge’s
Tea among the Foyer’s striped china, the art deco bars and 203 rooms behind Mayfair’s red façade.
The Langham, London
Europe’s first grand hotel, of 1865: tea in Palm Court, Artesian and a pool in an old bank vault, 5 minutes from Oxford Circus.
The Connaught
The Carlos Place hotel with the Connaught Bar, 10th in The World’s 50 Best Bars 2026, Hélène Darroze’s 3 stars and an Aman pool below the street.
The Ritz London
The 1906 grand hotel on Green Park: tea from £95, since June 2026 in William Kent House, a 2-star restaurant and a refurbishment still under way.
Rosewood London
The former Pearl Assurance headquarters on High Holborn: in through a courtyard, dogs stay free and Scarfes Bar is one of London’s most decorated bars.
The Ned London
Lutyens’ Midland Bank at Bank: 8 restaurants in the hall, a spa with a 20-metre pool for direct bookers, and a rooftop kept for members.
Raffles London at The OWO
Churchill’s Old War Office on Whitehall: 9 restaurants, Paper Moon among them, and a Guerlain spa with a 20-metre pool included with the room.
The Savoy
Tea under Gallery’s dome, the American Bar of 1893 and 263 rooms between Covent Garden and the Thames.
The Dorchester
Tea under Liberace’s piano, Alain Ducasse’s 3 stars and 241 rooms and suites renewed opposite Hyde Park.
Estelle Manor
A private club with 108 hotel rooms near Oxford: staying guests book the 4 restaurants and the Roman-style Eynsham Baths, at £155 a person.
Cliveden House
The Astors’ house of 1666 and the Profumo scandal, above the Thames 40 minutes from London: 2 pools, tea over the Parterre and 376 acres of National Trust land.
Chewton Glen
The 18th-century house on the edge of the New Forest: 14 treehouses with hot tubs, a 17-metre pool and a woodland path to the sea.