Others pay entry fees just to see the view from The Shard. We prefer to stay in a room at the top at our exclusive Club rates: a night or two here in the Shangri-La hotel is a heady take on sheer bliss To book, call Member Services on 020 7399 2960: For up-to-date details see countryclubuk.com Interiors are chic, slick, super-modern. There’s plenty to dazzle, in- cluding a Champagne Sky Pool and a glorious, glittering chandelier, but it’s still low-key. The Shangri-La’s signature Asian-inspired dé- cor is all around: orchids, herons, golden bamboo, sliding doors. Fa- cilities are top notch, all that you would expect: high-speed wifi, room service, parking, laundry, fitness centre and more. Thoughtful additions include binoculars to survey the scene from your eyrie, and Champagne to greet your arrival. The service is impeccable. Best viewpoint? Either from your own room or suite, or from the bar, the restaurant, or the 52nd floor infinity pool. Beautifully exe- cuted and designed, this diminutive pool boasts unbeatable views of London landmarks, the list of which reads like a guidebook ‘Top 10’: St Paul’s, the Palace of Westminster, The Tower, Big Ben, the River Thames, the London Eye, Buckingham Palace and more. Most of the 202 floor-to-ceiling glass-faced guest rooms offer su- perb views across London—as you would expect from the shape of this architectural tour de force. Rooms with a view are always re- served for our Members (some international visitors actually prefer ‘inside’ rooms). No matter which room you choose, the interior de- sign will be beautiful, the beds supremely comfortable, and the views available even from the bathroom: bathtime overlooking the Lon- don skyline is a bathtime to remember. All have heated marble floors, TVs, rain showers, Japanese facilities with heated loo seats and built-in bidets. An array of luxuries include L’Occitane, Aqua di Parma toiletries, a pillow menu, sound docking systems, Nespresso machines and mini bars. The most spellbinding suites, the Westmin- ster, London and Shangri-La, come with oversized guest bathrooms, Renzo Piano designed The Shard as ‘a spire-like sculpture emerging from the River Thames’. Now a world-famous London landmark, it adds extra meaning to a celebration. 96