For that price you don't have tatty doors and dirty mattresses, it should be perfect, they don't expect Tim there going underneath the covers but they need to be called out on the things you find. The rest was obviously spectacular. Would hate it if the lift broke though😂
My husband took me here for my 45th birthday, it was a bucket list stay. The view was incredible, the stay was definitely bucket list tick. We aren't wealthy, just save and work hard. It was the most amazing stay. We sat by the windows overlooking the river, drinking wine, eating snacks before dinner just having a wonderful time. ❤
Wow that sounds like you had such a perfect birthday! I haven’t been in a good mood today and reading what you wrote made me genuinely smile with happiness for you. Thank you!
@@jacquelinebray4199 thank you. I have been blessed with a wonderful husband for 30yrs. We don't need a lot of elaborate things to make us happy. But when we arrived at the hotel I teared up because I knew it was special and a core memory to take us to our elder years 🥰
@@marywrenn5262That’s so lovely. I reckon if you were wealthy and did this kind of stuff all the time, it would no longer be special anyway. Like you, I’m not wealthy. I go to a five star hotel every year around the Christmas period. I give up what would be my summer holiday to do this, because Christmas is my favourite time of the year and summer is usually too hot to enjoy anything anyway.
Mary, and that is why you chose to be together ❤ it could be the shard or the Hilton or even Pontins together you make the ultimate team 😊 congratulations. True love always wins 😊. OH by the way lucky YOU 😊
I just started following you, and I absolutely LOVE your videos. I love how you detail everything especially the bathroom and toiletries - i just love that! I also really like it when your wife Gabbi joins - she's so real, beautiful and nice. Gorgeous couple and family! ❤
The terrible state of those doors is unforgivable in a hotel that charges that much money. And the state of the mattress is also unforgivable. I certainly would not pay to stay there even if I could afford it. I really would expect more from such an expensive hotel. And I can’t scan anything on my phone so that would be a big problem!
@@verenamaharajah6082 because it’s yours. Nobody cares about hotel. When you get in , where do you put your suitcase? I can bet on a bed. Do you realize people sleep under bedspreads? Do you realize how many germs are picked with your suitcase on your trip until it reaches you ? Yes. That’s us. Every single day different people who don’t care because it’s not theirs. Look at Tim , how respectful young man he is. Always takes off his shoes before he tries any mattress. That’s something to admire in our spoiled world.
Pre booking the swimming pool? No thanks! You've got to be able to rock up to these things on a whim. I feel like this urge to pre-book lots of stuff kills some of the fun.
Tim, as nobody else seems to have mentioned it, the copy of Lost Horizon in the room is because that's where the hotel gets its name from. Shangri-la is a mysterious paradise in the Himalayas that the characters go to.
The views are beyond amazing. Thank you for sharing something that many of us will probably never get to experience. The colors of the city lights are just so gorgeous. Safe travels!
Can't stand QR code restaurants and bars. Seeing people out with family and friends and all whipping out their phones and not talking is bad enough, but when these places actually force people to bring their phones and use them. No thanks. I miss the old days of just going out or even on holiday and not being contactable for however long. So peaceful and more relaxing.
I'm with you... prefer a 'proper' menu to browse over than be forced into using using my phone. Unfortunately, more places are doing it these days, along with some establishments not taking cash & only accepting plastic.
I’ve stayed at the Premier Inn Gatwick a couple of times and thoroughly enjoyed it, lovely comfy beds, good food and helpful staff. Can’t say the same for the PI Stanstead though. Recently stayed at the Swan Hotel in Lavenham, Suffolk. Luxurious, great breakfast, would definitely go there again.
Hi Tim and Gaby what an excellent video and I really enjoyed watching the video. The Hotel looks amazing and what a lovely room you had and view of the London Sky Line just wow. The Restaurant did look amazing and the food and you could not beat that view. The price to expensive for me but thank you for staying at the hotel and showing it to us. You both deserved a stay at that hotel and i think you are both a lovely couple.
The room was super and of course the view. Apart for the stained Mattress. Doors were very scruffy for a 5star hotel and the loose tile in the restaurant, didn't look great. It certainly looked relaxing and luxurious. Thanks for the video Patricia Xx
Definitely a room with a view! Lovely to see Gaby there with you and all glammed up(I normally watch her on her coffee morning🙂) You do make a lovely couple and the hotel looks an amazing place to stay.
That is the nicest modern room I have seen. it has a warmth about it, and the views are amazing. The Bar is nice and the Pool room is fantastic too. Jeff❤
Thank you for providing prices! So often travel videos do not cover as well. Some might think your coverage of the prices would turn people away but you did a really good job of showing what you get. New subscriber
Just a little bit different to fireworks on Great Yarmouth seafront! We all have our own price range, this would suit different tastes. Glad Gaby enjoyed it along with you! Keep 'em coming!
Love this video. I've almost stayed here so many times, but always talked myself out of it. This answered all my questions and now I don't have to part with a grand! I'd have been fuming about the bath. That was probably the biggest selling point for me.
Update in case anyone else reads this. I recently booked a couple of nights in an Iconic City View room a few floors higher. The room looked identical to this, but the bathroom was much larger and had full height/width windows at the front and a freestanding bath tub. It was also spotlessly clean and well maintained, so I wonder if they've got their act together since this vid. In the booking notes, I did specifically ask for the best possible views so I wonder if that made a difference.
I absolutely love the Shard. Wherever I'm down in London I always go upto the top of the Shard. I've always been curious to see what the hotel side was like as I know it is out of my price range and would be a bucket list item.
I was considering this for my wife’s 60th birthday early in the new year. I was planning to spend a grand (£1k) on a nice hotel with breakfast, plus an evening meal and a theatre show (another ~£500), but after this review it won’t be the Shanghai-La. The mattress is something that room staff should be checking every time they change the bedding with the current spate of hotel bed-bug infestations; so they really can’t claim they didn’t notice (or more worryingly, they are not checking!) The door leather damage is a clear example of letting a designer run wild with an idea, without ever considering the practicalities of real people bringing their oversized suitcases to the room - and that’s before the room staff scuff it with their trolleys when servicing each room. Finally, in a beautiful moment of spell checker irony, it autocorrected the hotel name to “shabbily” 🤔🤔🤔
There are plenty of hotels in london that are worth the higher price tag, look the part and give great service so you wont have to look very far. Id definitely give this one a miss though. Some 4 or even 3 star hotels would be more worth it than this it seems.
@annehunt787 My wife decided that she wanted to spend this birthday with family, myself and our two adult boys. We booked to all go and see the Harry Potter (Cursed Child) show in London and stayed at the nearby Raddison Blu in Mercer street - 3 nice rooms instead of one mega posh one. After the show we walked to see the new year fireworks on the Thames. Not what I had envisaged, but my wife's choice and she loved it. Later in January, my wife and I had 10 days in Gran Canaria at a 5* hotel, so we had the best of both worlds; family and luxury.
@@theonlywoody2shoesFamily is the best for me! It sounds like you got your wife everything she wanted! I’m trying to get vacation ideas together. Thank you so much for your reply. It sounds like an amazing time!
Oh wow Tim amazing view from the room you were in. The room entrance door leaves a lot to be desired as did the mattress! Your assessment, as usual, was spot on. I’m with you Gaby re menu, can’t beat a paper/book type menu. All so much money. The closest I will ever get to this is watching your channel Tim. Thank You for sharing
I was in London this week! I went to Sunborn which you covered in a previous video, but also the London West Novotel, which was a mixed experience on my end. If you ever get the chance one day, you should check it out. Lovely video.
@@WalkWithMeTim I would have loved to hear Gaby's version of going down that mine!! Ha! Ha! Glad the two of you got to spend a special night together in the Shard...I only ever see it from the outside when I get off at London Bridge to take my husband up to Moorfields Eye Hospital! Not quite the same!!😂🤣
Wow! …you certainly go from one extreme to another …!! By the way Gaby , I eat with fork in right hand , and used to wear a watch on right wrist until I was ‘strongly persuaded’ as a child to change it to the left ! Fascinated by what we do by instinct ! 🤔 ….fantastic vid Tim…thx ….😘
All I can say is WOW, I won't be going as I hate heights but it is amazing !!! I Agree with you about the doors Tim , food looked amazing , great video and thank you
When you mentioned the price at the end i loudly said Wow! I wasnt expecting it to be that expensive considering the state of some of the things there, for 1 night hitting upwards to almost £1400 i guess its better going abroad. As always love your videos tim 👍
I would think the standard in other countries would be considerably higher than here in the UK where we are wallowing in mediocrity in pretty much all things.
Looks like the lower leather panels have been replaced since they don't seem to match the upper door panels. What I have learned is commercial building designs don't always factor in durability and maintenance, such as the doors and the lacquer-finished brass handles which wear and scratch over time. In the long run, chrome is much more durable material.
I think you summed it up Tim.. you're paying for the view, which is stunning . The hotel itself wasn't that impressive, what with the doors, the dogey damp matress and the decor was blah..Great review as always. Glad Gabby got to experience Shangri -lah with you.😊
Wow such an amazing hotel shame that it’s let down by the doors and mattress, so expensive but I guess that the people who stay there are rich and not bothered about the cost, great video thanks for showing us how the other half live👍🏻❤️
So nice that Gabby could stay as well. I love corner rooms. Your view was really good. The Hotel needs to lift its game if it wants to keep charging that much, it begins to get a reputation that isn't good. Shangri la's are usually better looked after.
I stayed at the Shangri La in Singapore a few years ago. It was one of the most amazing hotels ever back then, hope it still is. While our room wasn't a suite, it was lovely, comfortable and spotless. The service really made it special. I had to leave early to fly home to the USA while my husband stayed on for another 2 weeks on business. I'll never forget the staff telling me "Don't worry, we'll take good care of him". And they did, even reminding him to leave clothes in a basket for laundering. He came home with all clean clothing, perfectly packed.
My favourite hotel so far in London is actually the Premier Inn- Westferry. The windows are sadly very narrow however get a Premier Plus room and you get somewhere from floors 22-26 and can get a really good view of the London skyline especially if you're facing Canary Wharf!
Stayed in a Shangri-la hotel this year in Kuala Lumpur for 3 nights. It was the all inclusive Horizon room including food and alcoholic drinks, a lovely city view and fantastic staff. All for just over £550 for the 3 nights. London Shangri-la won't be on my list, although spent a few hours in the bar a few years ago instead of paying to go to the top, that was pretty special for a special occasion and seeing a helicopter fly past you was a bit surreal.
I am ❤so glad you brought your beautiful wife along and looks a lovely hotel .Well save for door and bed its looks very nice also the night view is beautiful.
Hi Tim….just found your channel and have watched several of your videos. Excellent. Going to subscribe, which I do not do that often, however, I know excellent UA-cam content when I see it, and you are spot on. Thanks.
The silly little pots of milk in the mini bar (120 units for £4.43 + Vat) are a disgrace, this is the stuff of seaside B&B's. There is a documentary on UA-cam following the opening team of this hotel, its full of BS, some guy tells a meeting ' we are / we will be the hotel the rest of London hotels follow 🤣🤣' (or similar). Good review as always Tim.
As a 19 year old I'd be pretty pissed to have to get out my phone everytime I go to a restaurant, just to see the menu, I already don't use my phone when hanging with family, I guess they're trying to be more environment friendly??
Hi Tim - This one looks good. Lovely views from the room but the interior - perhaps a touch of Feng Shui - i.e. T. V. by the side window & settee to catch the view - good you noticed ! Food just amazing. Think I like the scene - pricy - yes! Bless Badger.
Love your work. I like how you and your missus give honest reviews, even of luxurious places like this. Seems like you both manage to make money out of this while maintaining your integrity.
I absolutely get the whole menu thing but just to put a slight twist, being someone who is vision impaired I love when there is a QR Code menu. I normally take photos of menus to enlarge them but when you have a QR code taking you to a website I can easily read it or even use screen reading technology to read it out to me.
U guys are just simply wonderful. Great to see a channel, where I can enjoy the content & host at the same time. Great video Tim as always. Thank you both
Good on you Tim for your eagle eye!! I notice the "eye sores" wherever I go too. Just as you say, if the hotel is five star, scuffed doors are NOT acceptable anymore than grubby mattresses are. The room itself is attractive but its draw is definitely the view. The swimming pool must have been one of the highlights, that was a lovely area. I think even I could enjoy London from up there!!!! And yes!! The photos don´t always match the reality, do they? That was a nice choice of hotel to showcase.
It's interesting how even the fanciest hotels have the same problems. I went to a conference once at The Langham opposite Broadcasting House (sadly did not get to stay the night) and the same kind of damage that was visible on the hotel doors was visible in many places there too.
I remember staying at a 5 star in London. Everything about it was lovely, but the carpets in the hallway were worn through. It looked like an abandoned building. I'm guessing they're run by people with spreadsheets.
😊I'm guessing that the people who can afford to stay there can afford lots of drink and/or recreational drugs, so much scuffing and kicking of doors going on. Old Etonians apparently love to damage restaurants and hotels
Wow you have done it again, you are fast becoming the one with the best content on UA-cam. Yet another excellent video. Thank you, it must take a lot of time in planning what to do next that will be both different and entertaining.
Maybe I’m spoiled but I didn’t think the room decor was that special 😎. Many 5* hotels have a tendency to all look the same for some reason. The view and the snacks though was great and the hotel is probably a great stay in terms of comfort and services.
@@littlevoice_11 I don’t really have a favorite. Rarely go back to the same twice. Much more fun to try something new. I do tend to stay clear of hotels that advertise themselves as “modern”. That usually just means they have cut back on any service they can. Usually replacing it with a kiosk or something like it.
@@littlevoice_11my favourite 5* hotels are all in Manchester. The Lowry is good, but recently became a lot more expensive so I started using the Kimpton Clock Tower. Amazing hotel for an average of £200 a night. Tip: Email the concierge and request a plant in your room, it’s a free service and includes a free bee bomb to take home.
Nothing like leaving a gorgeous restaurant and still hungry. The views are so worth it. Wow the price of the hotel! I would definitely do it. Thanks fir showing us a great place in London.
An interesting vlog Tim and the hotel has great views, but I don't think I would spend that much on a 1 night stay. Just to compare, I had a week in Austria half board at a 4 star hotel including flights for a similar cost. I know where I'd rather go!
Excellent review Tim.Did you complain or provide feedback re:doors,breakfast etc?I think for the price you paid,the standard is not where it should be.Hello from Dublin.
OMG I can't tell you how disappointed I was when we stayed at a nice hotel last month and thought we were getting a particular style room because of the pictures on their website, but once we got there, it was different and not at all what we were expecting. Horrible stiff mattress on the bed too :( awful. Only good parts of the stay were the spa and salon.
Tim! I couldn't justify paying £240 for food and drink at a restaurant, I think I will stick to the Weatherspoons 😂😂 But thanks for sharing your experience and I'm sure it was a lovely treat for Gaby too. 👍
I love it when your lovely bride is with you and Casper ❤️ you are the best travel channel on YT. I don’t like to travel but love doing it vicariously. I agree with others about QR ordering. I like the interactions with the staff. I might have a question or need to leave an ingredient out but the important part is being unplugged for a while. People need to interact with other people. The only burger place I went to was Steak and Shake because they had servers. When they reopened after the pandemic they had replaced people with a screen. I don’t go there any more. The one near me isn’t busy so I might not be the only one.
You got robbed! That is no way a five star experience. The mattress, the doors, the exposed wiring, the cheap appliances, the general wear and tear of the whole place, and the bizarre egg situation. That is at best a three star hotel with an incredible view.
Entirely in agreement with @robertekins5928. They are fleecing people due to their heritage name and location, but certainly short changed Tim in the bargain. Great British Rip-off.
It was a very good travel day blog today when you chilling out and staying in shangri - LA the shard London 5 star hotel for the holiday vibes tim and gaby / Casper aswell
Awwww lovely hotel, but being 5 star you were not expect a dirty mattress, I don’t like the idea of a QR code for the restaurant menu, I like looking at paper/card menu. Hope you enjoyed your stay.
Top tip for viewers - when a waiter pours you a small amount of the wine from the bottle, this is not to "try" it to see if you like the taste of the wine (and therefore decide if you will buy it!). It is to check /confirm the wine has not corked (reacted with the cork and gone off). You are supposed to just smell the wine (you can tell just by smelling). That's why this only happens with wine, and they don't ask you to try beers / spirits / cocktails. It is assummed you already know you like the wine, as you ordered it. If they open an expensive bottle of wine for you, and you try a little and say you don't like it, that could go on all night! It is simply to check it has not reacted with the cork and gone off to stop people drinking half the bottle then claiming it is corked (common in London). Please just smell the wine and confirm it is OK or not. Some low-end places don't even realise this and actually ask you to taste the wine as they think they are being posh in some way, without realising the consecquences if the customer decides they don't like it, so want a different bottle opening! Next time you order a £100 botle of wine and they do this, tell them you don't really like it, and see what they say ;-)
Sometimes when wine is being served by the glass, you can taste it to see if you like it. The wine is already open, so no harm. It happened to me recently. I was just getting one glass of red [hubby wasn't having any wine] and the waiter asked me if I'd like to try a couple to see what I wanted with my meal ... why yes! 🤪
That may be the case where you went, but it's not the point of "testing the wine". Otherwise you could try every wine on the list then leave. this is why you can't try every beer or spitit+mixer before paying.@@hatchling88
@@intruder313, Obviously it's for tasting: see the color, swirl the glass a little, smell it and drink a little by rolling it around with your tongue. A good sommelier presents the cork and is only sniffed. In France, in several 3-star Michelin restaurants, the first tasting is done by the sommelier, and only after approval is it served to the customer or customers.
GREAT vlog good to see a bit of posh, my brother in law worked on the shard when they were building it. Afraid I wouldn't like it,far too high for me,although that London view was amazing, thanks for sharing,good you took Gaby,nice treat for you both. ❤😊
Thanks Tim for all these 5 star hotel reviews ,love your honesty and that you pay your own money to stay I’ve been thinking of trying a London one for a while find your reviews so helpful s9 I can make an informed choice 👍👍 , I guess you don’t complain about issues for the benefit of the vlog , but I think I would of had to complain about that bed 😮🤢 keep up the great vlogs
![Lp. Сердце Вселенной #60 РОЖДЕНИЕ ЛОЛОЛОШКИ [Финал] • Майнкрафт](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/YoR0pAV9FVQ/mqdefault.jpg)
IS it worth the price I paid?
For the pool/view experience 100% for the breakfast egg situation 🤔perhaps not 😂great video really enjoyed it!
Not with the stains on the.Mattress and other areas and having to wait for your eggs at Breakfast
Yes for the experience. Views exceptional
For that price you don't have tatty doors and dirty mattresses, it should be perfect, they don't expect Tim there going underneath the covers but they need to be called out on the things you find. The rest was obviously spectacular. Would hate it if the lift broke though😂
Nope.
The doors! 🫣😳 The mattress🤯 Cleanliness is the most important thing in a hotel , be it 3 or 5 stars…
My husband took me here for my 45th birthday, it was a bucket list stay. The view was incredible, the stay was definitely bucket list tick. We aren't wealthy, just save and work hard. It was the most amazing stay. We sat by the windows overlooking the river, drinking wine, eating snacks before dinner just having a wonderful time. ❤
its the best view of the capital
Wow that sounds like you had such a perfect birthday! I haven’t been in a good mood today and reading what you wrote made me genuinely smile with happiness for you. Thank you!
@@jacquelinebray4199 thank you. I have been blessed with a wonderful husband for 30yrs. We don't need a lot of elaborate things to make us happy. But when we arrived at the hotel I teared up because I knew it was special and a core memory to take us to our elder years 🥰
@@marywrenn5262That’s so lovely. I reckon if you were wealthy and did this kind of stuff all the time, it would no longer be special anyway. Like you, I’m not wealthy. I go to a five star hotel every year around the Christmas period. I give up what would be my summer holiday to do this, because Christmas is my favourite time of the year and summer is usually too hot to enjoy anything anyway.
Mary, and that is why you chose to be together ❤ it could be the shard or the Hilton or even Pontins together you make the ultimate team 😊 congratulations. True love always wins 😊. OH by the way lucky YOU 😊
I just started following you, and I absolutely LOVE your videos. I love how you detail everything especially the bathroom and toiletries - i just love that! I also really like it when your wife Gabbi joins - she's so real, beautiful and nice. Gorgeous couple and family! ❤
Her own channel - gabystarbuck
Newly disabled. Enjoy all your vids and seeing places I will never get. Love to you both and sweetheart Casper. Enjoy your lives. Julie xx
how are you getting on Julie?
Myself to. On Dialysis’s
Me too. Just spent 3 months in the hospital from a bad fall so this is a treat.
Cheers. Thoughts to you all.
The terrible state of those doors is unforgivable in a hotel that charges that much money. And the state of the mattress is also unforgivable. I certainly would not pay to stay there even if I could afford it. I really would expect more from such an expensive hotel. And I can’t scan anything on my phone so that would be a big problem!
I agree.
I would have marched out, demanding a better room.
I've done this a few times.
This is us. We stain mattresses. A mattress can’t be replaced every month. Even in a richest hotel.
@@utahdan231 er…. I’ve had my mattress 9 years and there’s not a stain on it!
Those doors were in very bad shape and put me off, right away. Not a good sign!
@@verenamaharajah6082 because it’s yours. Nobody cares about hotel. When you get in , where do you put your suitcase? I can bet on a bed. Do you realize people sleep under bedspreads? Do you realize how many germs are picked with your suitcase on your trip until it reaches you ? Yes. That’s us. Every single day different people who don’t care because it’s not theirs. Look at Tim , how respectful young man he is. Always takes off his shoes before he tries any mattress. That’s something to admire in our spoiled world.
Pre booking the swimming pool? No thanks! You've got to be able to rock up to these things on a whim. I feel like this urge to pre-book lots of stuff kills some of the fun.
Covid killed spontaneity
Agree
Tim, as nobody else seems to have mentioned it, the copy of Lost Horizon in the room is because that's where the hotel gets its name from. Shangri-la is a mysterious paradise in the Himalayas that the characters go to.
Nope they haven't
It's always nice to have someone like you lend their knowledge ❤ to benefit others
The views are beyond amazing. Thank you for sharing something that many of us will probably never get to experience. The colors of the city lights are just so gorgeous. Safe travels!
I still find it amusing how Tim measures the size of showers with the amount of people you can fit in them 😂😂
How else would u measure it? 😂
@@clt2744 London buses?
I just said the same LOL
It always make me chuckle too! 😂
@@clt2744tape measure
Can't stand QR code restaurants and bars. Seeing people out with family and friends and all whipping out their phones and not talking is bad enough, but when these places actually force people to bring their phones and use them. No thanks. I miss the old days of just going out or even on holiday and not being contactable for however long. So peaceful and more relaxing.
I very much share your sentiment.
I'm with you... prefer a 'proper' menu to browse over than be forced into using using my phone.
Unfortunately, more places are doing it these days, along with some establishments not taking cash & only accepting plastic.
QR codes seemed to appear during Covid when you weren't given menus or had to read a code to get into a pub.! Technology went too far then.
I love them if I'm getting a cheap meal, but in a 5 star I want to ask questions.
I mean are you gonna cry about it now or later?
Love to see more London 5-star hotel reviews.
I think I would just sit up all night sipping wine and soaking up that view. Sunrise/sunset must be stunning if it’s not cloudy. What an experience 🤩
If you could afford the wine.
@@saffronsolo9668 I might have to sneak some in 😂
Couldn't agree more!
The saving grace tim is your lovely lady was with you.god bless.
I’ve stayed at the Premier Inn Gatwick a couple of times and thoroughly enjoyed it, lovely comfy beds, good food and helpful staff. Can’t say the same for the PI Stanstead though. Recently stayed at the Swan Hotel in Lavenham, Suffolk. Luxurious, great breakfast, would definitely go there again.
Hi Tim and Gaby what an excellent video and I really enjoyed watching the video. The Hotel looks amazing and what a lovely room you had and view of the London Sky Line just wow. The Restaurant did look amazing and the food and you could not beat that view. The price to expensive for me but thank you for staying at the hotel and showing it to us. You both deserved a stay at that hotel and i think you are both a lovely couple.
Thanks bobby
The room was super and of course the view. Apart for the stained Mattress. Doors were very scruffy for a 5star hotel and the loose tile in the restaurant, didn't look great. It certainly looked relaxing and luxurious. Thanks for the video
Patricia Xx
Definitely a room with a view! Lovely to see Gaby there with you and all glammed up(I normally watch her on her coffee morning🙂) You do make a lovely couple and the hotel looks an amazing place to stay.
That is the nicest modern room I have seen. it has a
warmth about it, and the views are amazing. The Bar is nice
and the Pool room is fantastic too.
Jeff❤
Thank you for providing prices! So often travel videos do not cover as well. Some might think your coverage of the prices would turn people away but you did a really good job of showing what you get. New subscriber
Very true! Thanks for watching
Just a little bit different to fireworks on Great Yarmouth seafront! We all have our own price range, this would suit different tastes. Glad Gaby enjoyed it along with you! Keep 'em coming!
Very true!
Brilliant review Tim, you are always very fair and informative and tell it how it is. I would love to stay at the Shard.
Thank you pete
Love this video. I've almost stayed here so many times, but always talked myself out of it. This answered all my questions and now I don't have to part with a grand!
I'd have been fuming about the bath. That was probably the biggest selling point for me.
Yes was so gutted that's why I picked the room
Update in case anyone else reads this. I recently booked a couple of nights in an Iconic City View room a few floors higher. The room looked identical to this, but the bathroom was much larger and had full height/width windows at the front and a freestanding bath tub. It was also spotlessly clean and well maintained, so I wonder if they've got their act together since this vid. In the booking notes, I did specifically ask for the best possible views so I wonder if that made a difference.
I absolutely love the Shard. Wherever I'm down in London I always go upto the top of the Shard. I've always been curious to see what the hotel side was like as I know it is out of my price range and would be a bucket list item.
I was considering this for my wife’s 60th birthday early in the new year. I was planning to spend a grand (£1k) on a nice hotel with breakfast, plus an evening meal and a theatre show (another ~£500), but after this review it won’t be the Shanghai-La.
The mattress is something that room staff should be checking every time they change the bedding with the current spate of hotel bed-bug infestations; so they really can’t claim they didn’t notice (or more worryingly, they are not checking!)
The door leather damage is a clear example of letting a designer run wild with an idea, without ever considering the practicalities of real people bringing their oversized suitcases to the room - and that’s before the room staff scuff it with their trolleys when servicing each room.
Finally, in a beautiful moment of spell checker irony, it autocorrected the hotel name to “shabbily” 🤔🤔🤔
Agree I know and spoke to cleaners who don't check or been told to do so
There are plenty of hotels in london that are worth the higher price tag, look the part and give great service so you wont have to look very far. Id definitely give this one a miss though. Some 4 or even 3 star hotels would be more worth it than this it seems.
@@theonlywoody2shoes I’m reading your comment a year later. What a nice husband you are. And I have to know, where did your end up taking your wife?
@annehunt787 My wife decided that she wanted to spend this birthday with family, myself and our two adult boys. We booked to all go and see the Harry Potter (Cursed Child) show in London and stayed at the nearby Raddison Blu in Mercer street - 3 nice rooms instead of one mega posh one. After the show we walked to see the new year fireworks on the Thames. Not what I had envisaged, but my wife's choice and she loved it. Later in January, my wife and I had 10 days in Gran Canaria at a 5* hotel, so we had the best of both worlds; family and luxury.
@@theonlywoody2shoesFamily is the best for me! It sounds like you got your wife everything she wanted! I’m trying to get vacation ideas together. Thank you so much for your reply. It sounds like an amazing time!
Oh wow Tim amazing view from the room you were in. The room entrance door leaves a lot to be desired as did the mattress! Your assessment, as usual, was spot on. I’m with you Gaby re menu, can’t beat a paper/book type menu. All so much money. The closest I will ever get to this is watching your channel Tim. Thank You for sharing
Sweet couple. Thanks for sharing your meal. Place looks incredible.
I was in London this week! I went to Sunborn which you covered in a previous video, but also the London West Novotel, which was a mixed experience on my end. If you ever get the chance one day, you should check it out.
Lovely video.
I really like your attention to the details of cleanliness.
Goodness which to choose??...An underground mine or a room with a view?! Glad Gaby got to sample this with you Tim. Great video. x J x
of course she would choose this lol
@@WalkWithMeTim I would have loved to hear Gaby's version of going down that mine!! Ha! Ha! Glad the two of you got to spend a special night together in the Shard...I only ever see it from the outside when I get off at London Bridge to take my husband up to Moorfields Eye Hospital! Not quite the same!!😂🤣
Wow! …you certainly go from one extreme to another …!! By the way Gaby , I eat with fork in right hand , and used to wear a watch on right wrist until I was ‘strongly persuaded’ as a child to change it to the left ! Fascinated by what we do by instinct ! 🤔 ….fantastic vid Tim…thx ….😘
Great Vid! The best 5 Star yet for me! That view would be worth it! Thank you, you are the best out there with traveling the world!!!
All I can say is WOW, I won't be going as I hate heights but it is amazing !!! I Agree with you about the doors Tim , food looked amazing , great video and thank you
Thanks judy
Thanks!
Thanks so much for this , so sorry i didnt get the notification either! sorry jade
When you mentioned the price at the end i loudly said Wow! I wasnt expecting it to be that expensive considering the state of some of the things there, for 1 night hitting upwards to almost £1400 i guess its better going abroad. As always love your videos tim 👍
You and me both! I thought it's going to be amazing so to see the faults I did was like wow
I would think the standard in other countries would be considerably higher than here in the UK where we are wallowing in mediocrity in pretty much all things.
Stayed there numerous times, normally £600 ish per night
Your videos are super enjoyable and informative! I love the brisk clip and great pacing! Very motivating! 🎉Thank you for your hard work!
Thanks so much! 😊
Looks like the lower leather panels have been replaced since they don't seem to match the upper door panels. What I have learned is commercial building designs don't always factor in durability and maintenance, such as the doors and the lacquer-finished brass handles which wear and scratch over time. In the long run, chrome is much more durable material.
love gabby and little casper… love seeing the family perspective at these high-end hotels
I think you summed it up Tim.. you're paying for the view, which is stunning . The hotel itself wasn't that impressive, what with the doors, the dogey damp matress and the decor was blah..Great review as always. Glad Gabby got to experience Shangri -lah with you.😊
Absolutely
I absolutely LOVE when the two of you are together in your videos. Very sweet, handsome and lovely couple. 💜
Wow such an amazing hotel shame that it’s let down by the doors and mattress, so expensive but I guess that the people who stay there are rich and not bothered about the cost, great video thanks for showing us how the other half live👍🏻❤️
Thanks Linda
Great video again looks amazing but very expensive hope you and Gaby had a fantastic time xx
Thanks so much! 😊
You should try Prince Akatoki in London! 5 Star Japanese themed hotel near Hyde Park. I think you’d like it.x
Thanks for another honest and balanced review. Great channel.
So nice that Gabby could stay as well. I love corner rooms. Your view was really good. The Hotel needs to lift its game if it wants to keep charging that much, it begins to get a reputation that isn't good. Shangri la's are usually better looked after.
I stayed at the Shangri La in Singapore a few years ago. It was one of the most amazing hotels ever back then, hope it still is. While our room wasn't a suite, it was lovely, comfortable and spotless. The service really made it special. I had to leave early to fly home to the USA while my husband stayed on for another 2 weeks on business. I'll never forget the staff telling me "Don't worry, we'll take good care of him". And they did, even reminding him to leave clothes in a basket for laundering. He came home with all clean clothing, perfectly packed.
@@hatchling88 Lucky you. They have lovely hotels.
Blimey what a price lol. Looks lovely and you seemed to have enjoyed yourselves. A nice treat. Thank you for sharing xx
My favourite hotel so far in London is actually the Premier Inn- Westferry. The windows are sadly very narrow however get a Premier Plus room and you get somewhere from floors 22-26 and can get a really good view of the London skyline especially if you're facing Canary Wharf!
Yes, I have also been to that hotel. Really nice for a Premier Inn, cosy and comfortable. Brilliant views too
Agree! Great price and view! With no pretence to it being a 5star hotel 👌🏻😃👍🏻
Hi Tim and Gaby Wow beautiful views . My god you need a mortgage to stay there. Thanks for sharing with us. Love to you both as always Tracey 💕Xxxx
About to watch the video now and all i can say is i could never stop living vicariously through you Tim haha 😂❤
What a view... That truly was the highlight!
Stayed in a Shangri-la hotel this year in Kuala Lumpur for 3 nights. It was the all inclusive Horizon room including food and alcoholic drinks, a lovely city view and fantastic staff.
All for just over £550 for the 3 nights.
London Shangri-la won't be on my list, although spent a few hours in the bar a few years ago instead of paying to go to the top, that was pretty special for a special occasion and seeing a helicopter fly past you was a bit surreal.
Fabulous experience…thank you Tim and Gabby 👌x
I am ❤so glad you brought your beautiful wife along and looks a lovely hotel .Well save for door and bed its looks very nice also the night view is beautiful.
Hi Tim….just found your channel and have watched several of your videos. Excellent. Going to subscribe, which I do not do that often, however, I know excellent UA-cam content when I see it, and you are spot on. Thanks.
The silly little pots of milk in the mini bar (120 units for £4.43 + Vat) are a disgrace, this is the stuff of seaside B&B's. There is a documentary on UA-cam following the opening team of this hotel, its full of BS, some guy tells a meeting ' we are / we will be the hotel the rest of London hotels follow 🤣🤣' (or similar). Good review as always Tim.
I actually remember watching that .. and yes that stood out to me too
Can’t fault someone for trying though.
I did watch the program again a few days ago. the guy actually said the hotel would be in the best ( single figure number ) in the world.@@lbco5229
I have to say this is the most beautiful hotel view I had ever seen even in real life. Incredible! I really didn't pay much attention to the rest.
Agree with the ridiculous demise of physical menus. Makes dining out stressful for people of a certain age.
The restaurant I work at tried this for a bit during the pandemic (with printed menus still available). Guests were having none of it.
I'm 31 and I hate the QR code stuff just give me a menu I also work in hotels and would rather hand guest menus 😂
As a 19 year old I'd be pretty pissed to have to get out my phone everytime I go to a restaurant, just to see the menu, I already don't use my phone when hanging with family, I guess they're trying to be more environment friendly??
@@VTWam How they assume everyone have an smartphone? I just were living 2years without smartphone. Its racism..
I'm a millennial and I don't like it either. I don't want places trying to force-feed using phones and tech to you. I want a real menu and real stuff.
What a view, that was Epic, glad to see Gabby on this as well, loved her tactic for more champagne 😂
My conclusion is that no hotel is absolutely perfect. But, for that price I am having a week in Fuerteventura in January! 😂
For the price paid it should have been.😁
Try the Greenwich in NYC.
Well if the hotel would pay enough for the workers things would be different.
I have been to so many places, because of you. Thanks!!
Hi Tim - This one looks good. Lovely views from the room but the interior - perhaps a touch of Feng Shui - i.e. T. V. by the side window & settee to catch the view - good you noticed ! Food just amazing. Think I like the scene - pricy - yes! Bless Badger.
Love your work. I like how you and your missus give honest reviews, even of luxurious places like this.
Seems like you both manage to make money out of this while maintaining your integrity.
Thank you very much!
Stunning night time views & the food looked amazing.
I absolutely get the whole menu thing but just to put a slight twist, being someone who is vision impaired I love when there is a QR Code menu. I normally take photos of menus to enlarge them but when you have a QR code taking you to a website I can easily read it or even use screen reading technology to read it out to me.
Lovely hotel Tim . I have a lovely view of London including the Shard from upstairs
Glad you enjoyed it
U guys are just simply wonderful.
Great to see a channel, where I can enjoy the content & host at the same time.
Great video Tim as always. Thank you both
Thanks so much!
Good on you Tim for your eagle eye!! I notice the "eye sores" wherever I go too. Just as you say, if the hotel is five star, scuffed doors are NOT acceptable anymore than grubby mattresses are. The room itself is attractive but its draw is definitely the view. The swimming pool must have been one of the highlights, that was a lovely area. I think even I could enjoy London from up there!!!! And yes!! The photos don´t always match the reality, do they? That was a nice choice of hotel to showcase.
you should try claridges its amazing
Went here Christmas 2018, seen it, done it, loved it, ticked off the list, onto the next ones!!!
It's interesting how even the fanciest hotels have the same problems. I went to a conference once at The Langham opposite Broadcasting House (sadly did not get to stay the night) and the same kind of damage that was visible on the hotel doors was visible in many places there too.
I remember staying at a 5 star in London. Everything about it was lovely, but the carpets in the hallway were worn through. It looked like an abandoned building. I'm guessing they're run by people with spreadsheets.
😊I'm guessing that the people who can afford to stay there can afford lots of drink and/or recreational drugs, so much scuffing and kicking of doors going on.
Old Etonians apparently love to damage restaurants and hotels
@@neilgodwin6531 Either that or on expenses I suspect
Wow you have done it again, you are fast becoming the one with the best content on UA-cam. Yet another excellent video. Thank you, it must take a lot of time in planning what to do next that will be both different and entertaining.
Wow, thanks!
Do you pay for the Hotels out of your Own Pocket?
I can see you on BBC doing hotel reviews your a great presenter remind me of Matt Baker
they should bring back the tv show holiday .. I loved that
Yes! Get this guy a contract! ❤️
Hello Tim 😊The views were fantastic Tim. The room was lovely sad about the bed etc. Thanks for the video 😊
Glad you enjoyed it
Maybe I’m spoiled but I didn’t think the room decor was that special 😎. Many 5* hotels have a tendency to all look the same for some reason. The view and the snacks though was great and the hotel is probably a great stay in terms of comfort and services.
@@littlevoice_11 I don’t really have a favorite. Rarely go back to the same twice. Much more fun to try something new. I do tend to stay clear of hotels that advertise themselves as “modern”. That usually just means they have cut back on any service they can. Usually replacing it with a kiosk or something like it.
@@littlevoice_11my favourite 5* hotels are all in Manchester. The Lowry is good, but recently became a lot more expensive so I started using the Kimpton Clock Tower. Amazing hotel for an average of £200 a night. Tip: Email the concierge and request a plant in your room, it’s a free service and includes a free bee bomb to take home.
Nothing like leaving a gorgeous restaurant and still hungry. The views are so worth it. Wow the price of the hotel! I would definitely do it. Thanks fir showing us a great place in London.
An interesting vlog Tim and the hotel has great views, but I don't think I would spend that much on a 1 night stay. Just to compare, I had a week in Austria half board at a 4 star hotel including flights for a similar cost. I know where I'd rather go!
Totally agree
Wow that was so interesting, thank you both for that, can't wait for the next vlog already xx
Our pleasure!
Wow, I'm quite shocked by the little scuffy details! If I was paying those prices I'd expect everything to be perfect and top end luxury.
Me too.
Been watching most of your videos last few weeks...loving the concept
Excellent review Tim.Did you complain or provide feedback re:doors,breakfast etc?I think for the price you paid,the standard is not where it should be.Hello from Dublin.
It's absolutely fab there Tim 😊
you can imagine all the wheeled suitcases scraping along the doors. They need kickplates.
OMG I can't tell you how disappointed I was when we stayed at a nice hotel last month and thought we were getting a particular style room because of the pictures on their website, but once we got there, it was different and not at all what we were expecting. Horrible stiff mattress on the bed too :( awful. Only good parts of the stay were the spa and salon.
I missed this one .. must go and catch up now. Looks amazing Tim. 👏🏻
Tim! I couldn't justify paying £240 for food and drink at a restaurant, I think I will stick to the Weatherspoons 😂😂
But thanks for sharing your experience and I'm sure it was a lovely treat for Gaby too. 👍
These videos are fantastic. I've watched so many of them!
Excited
I love it when your lovely bride is with you and Casper ❤️ you are the best travel channel on YT. I don’t like to travel but love doing it vicariously.
I agree with others about QR ordering. I like the interactions with the staff. I might have a question or need to leave an ingredient out but the important part is being unplugged for a while. People need to interact with other people.
The only burger place I went to was Steak and Shake because they had servers. When they reopened after the pandemic they had replaced people with a screen. I don’t go there any more. The one near me isn’t busy so I might not be the only one.
You got robbed! That is no way a five star experience. The mattress, the doors, the exposed wiring, the cheap appliances, the general wear and tear of the whole place, and the bizarre egg situation. That is at best a three star hotel with an incredible view.
Yes, a strange mix of polished and worn. Is it really a posh restaurant with QR-code online menus?
Entirely in agreement with @robertekins5928. They are fleecing people due to their heritage name and location, but certainly short changed Tim in the bargain. Great British Rip-off.
@@truxton1000they shouldn't claim it as a 5 star then ... especially at those prices ...you certainly shouldn't have a dirty mattress ...
Good luck finding a mattress w no stains on it.
It was a very good travel day blog today when you chilling out and staying in shangri - LA the shard London 5 star hotel for the holiday vibes tim and gaby / Casper aswell
Awwww lovely hotel, but being 5 star you were not expect a dirty mattress, I don’t like the idea of a QR code for the restaurant menu, I like looking at paper/card menu. Hope you enjoyed your stay.
In love with those views! 😍😍
Top tip for viewers - when a waiter pours you a small amount of the wine from the bottle, this is not to "try" it to see if you like the taste of the wine (and therefore decide if you will buy it!). It is to check /confirm the wine has not corked (reacted with the cork and gone off). You are supposed to just smell the wine (you can tell just by smelling). That's why this only happens with wine, and they don't ask you to try beers / spirits / cocktails. It is assummed you already know you like the wine, as you ordered it. If they open an expensive bottle of wine for you, and you try a little and say you don't like it, that could go on all night! It is simply to check it has not reacted with the cork and gone off to stop people drinking half the bottle then claiming it is corked (common in London). Please just smell the wine and confirm it is OK or not. Some low-end places don't even realise this and actually ask you to taste the wine as they think they are being posh in some way, without realising the consecquences if the customer decides they don't like it, so want a different bottle opening! Next time you order a £100 botle of wine and they do this, tell them you don't really like it, and see what they say ;-)
All well known now but he did say ‘would you like try it first?’
Try it, to make sure it hasn't corked, yes.
@@intruder313
Sometimes when wine is being served by the glass, you can taste it to see if you like it. The wine is already open, so no harm. It happened to me recently. I was just getting one glass of red [hubby wasn't having any wine] and the waiter asked me if I'd like to try a couple to see what I wanted with my meal ... why yes! 🤪
That may be the case where you went, but it's not the point of "testing the wine". Otherwise you could try every wine on the list then leave. this is why you can't try every beer or spitit+mixer before paying.@@hatchling88
@@intruder313, Obviously it's for tasting: see the color, swirl the glass a little, smell it and drink a little by rolling it around with your tongue. A good sommelier presents the cork and is only sniffed.
In France, in several 3-star Michelin restaurants, the first tasting is done by the sommelier, and only after approval is it served to the customer or customers.
GREAT vlog good to see a bit of posh, my brother in law worked on the shard when they were building it.
Afraid I wouldn't like it,far too high for me,although that London view was amazing, thanks for sharing,good you took Gaby,nice treat for you both. ❤😊
You guys could win the most beautiful youtube couple award. Love your videos.
Thanks Tim for all these 5 star hotel reviews ,love your honesty and that you pay your own money to stay I’ve been thinking of trying a London one for a while find your reviews so helpful s9 I can make an informed choice 👍👍 , I guess you don’t complain about issues for the benefit of the vlog , but I think I would of had to complain about that bed 😮🤢 keep up the great vlogs
I would stay there if someone else paid, but would not pay for that myself. Far better standard hotels out there.
Was lovely to see you guys, and get to say I loved your videos. Sorry I couldn't stay for a proper chat!
5 star hotel - cheapest Argos kettle. 😂😂😂
Nice Hotel! Nice view!! They need to pay attention to detail!!
Awww, when the camera turned to Gaby I was so happy. btw Tim, those 'prunes' were actually dates 😉