Shangri-La The Shard, London

"Never has a traffic jam on the Old Kent Road looked so enchanting – everything seen from The Shangri-La looks enchanting. The hotel occupies floors 34 to the 52 of Renzo Piano's 87-story London landmark. The rooms (contemporary, creamy, Asian-influenced), restaurants (especially the romantic Ting) and bar (gin and rosemary—divine) are all fantastic, though nothing can compete with the extraordinary views over London, which turn every guest into a slack-jawed infant, lost in wonder, gazing out, palms to the window, all day long. At night, sitting cross-legged on the bed with the blackout blinds open is like being on a magic carpet, floating high above the ceaseless glow of the great city. Price: Rooms from around $811 per nightAddress: 31 St Thomas St, London SE1 9QUClosest tube station: London Bridge" - Condé Nast Traveller, Steve King

"Offers themed afternoon teas with Instagrammable bites like Big Ben–shaped pastries and a mousse-filled replica of the Shard, with panoramic views of the Tower Bridge."

"How did it strike you on arrival?Located in the tallest building in London, this hotel doesn’t need to try very hard to make a jaw-dropping impression. Occupying floors 34 to 52 of a glass stalagmite designed by Renzo Piano, it looms over the rest of the city, guaranteeing views that might make sleep difficult. What’s the crowd like?This is special-occasion-trip territory—some of your fellow guests will be celebrating engagements, anniversaries, milestone birthdays (any excuse). The good stuff: Tell us about your room.All 202 rooms have a view. Décor is opulent albeit a bit bland—silks and marble in blues and beige—but it doesn’t really matter because you’ll be looking out of the floor to ceiling windows rather than in. The bigger the room, crucially, the more window—Premier Shard rooms and above can have more than one, but make sure you specify. How about the little things, like mini bar, or shower goodies. Any of that find its way into your suitcase?Nespresso coffee machines and Chinese tea sets make for pleasant in-room lounging, and free binoculars make snooping obligatory. Please tell us the bathroom won’t let us down.Bathrooms have heated marble floors, bathtubs, and walk-in rain showers, along with a TV hidden inside the mirror, and, best of all, a heated toilet seat. Maybe the most important topic of all: Wi-Fi. What’s the word?Free. Anything stand out about other services and features? Whether it’s childcare, gyms, spas, even parking—whatever stuck with you.The Skypool on floor 52 is the highest indoor swimming pool in western Europe and has some of the best views in the building. Ting restaurant does European food with an Asian twist, but cocktails among silvery furnishings in Gong bar are equally, if not more, enjoyable. What was most memorable—or heartbreaking—about your stay?Make sure you’re back at base for sunset, which, from up here, is often spectacular, even on a drab day. Bottom line: worth it, and why?This isn’t the sort of hotel you pop into on a regular basis, and, as such, most people here are having the time of their lives—it feels like a treat" - Laura Goulden

"That sort of local connection can lead to experiences you’d never find on your own. 'We will always have the most up-to-date knowledge,' says Salvatore Bartolone, head concierge at Shangri-La The Shard, London. Bartolone has been known to arrange everything from helicopter tours to guided visits to the Tower of London that access hidden corners not open to regular ticket holders." - Travel + Leisure Editors

"For example, Shangri-La The Shard, London, the No. 3 winner and a perennial World’s Best Awards favorite, occupies 18 floors of the tallest building in Western Europe. We’ll argue there’s no better way to see London than from the edge of an infinity pool 52 flights above its maze of streets." - Travel + Leisure Editors