London: The Shard

Renzo Piano. Despite being a favorite of mine, he doesn’t always hit the spot for me. But the The Shard in London is a true winner. From the outside, the sheer scale of it alone is something to admire, but from the inside- its design allowing for minimal obstruction of the view is breathtaking.

My best friend and I stayed in a “family room” set up, which I love about European hotels, at the Shangri-La which occupies about the mid section of the building. With the rooms on the 40th floor wrapping the exterior- the elevators in the center- I can imagine that each room comes with an astounding view.

Tip of the day: if you are staying at the Shard, or trying to get there, is to get dropped off by taxi at the London Bridge bus station top. If you ask for the Shard itself, due to one way streets, it’ll take you an extra 10-15 minutes to get dropped off right at the front.

I digress there, but it was from the London Bridge bus station that I was able to get the best view of the building. Whether day or night this building did not disappoint- from any angle, inside or out, this building is definitely one of my favorite places in London. It’ll be hard to convince me there’s a better place to stay (especially with Borough Market right next door).

p.s. be sure to check the sauna on the 52nd floor!

Address: 32 London Bridge St, London SE1 9SG, United Kingdom

Website: RPBW write up

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