The team at Shangri-La Hotel at the Shard, London looks to whisk skiers who can’t get away from the city this year to a whimsical Alpine wonderland, at what is of course, the highest elevation in the British capital. We scored a virtual lift-pass to what’s in store at the Shangri-La London ski lodge.
While the Shangri-La Hotel at the Shard, London may only be a tenth of the elevation of Zermatt (the highest ski resort in the Alps), it is the highest point in London. But whether you’re a black run, green slope or perhaps even professional après skier, we can all revel in the magic of a traditional Alpine holiday thanks to this London landmark hotel. It’s particularly heartwarming to see something like this at a time when OutThere ski-bums can’t get away, to raise a smile and get us in the spirit for a bigger and brighter ski-season next winter.
The hotel, known lately for its grand themes, is making the most of a missed winter-wonderland at Christmas. It has transformed its hallowed halls into a multisensory Alpine experience, that boasts a ski lodge reception area, cosy winter chalets, ski gondola displays, gingerbread village and much more – all in a sustainable way, with recycled or upcycled materials used throughout the installation to promote responsible consumption.
While London is still under Tier 5 lockdown regulations indefinitely at time of press, the decor and piste theming will stay up all winter, according to the hotel’s Austrian GM, Kurt Macher-Yeo. We think perhaps he may be missing home, which could be why he commissioned the installation to start with.
In any case, the Shangri-La London ski lodge sparked some joy for all of us here at The Experientialist, keeping us inspired at a time when we’ve got our head down helping OutThere travellers navigate what is possible by way of ski and snowboard holidays this year. The hotel hopes to reopen by March, so if you’re not sick of snow and ice by then, pop-in as soon as they do to catch a glimpse of it all in real life. We’ll see you there, either at the GŎNG bar for a hearty après ski session with their gorgeous cocktails, or in the sky-high Finnish sauna and pool with a view.
Photography courtesy of Shangri-La Hotel, at the Shard, London
