For first-time visitors to Shangri-La’s London hotel, which occupies floors 34 to 52 of the Renzo Piano-designed Shard skyscraper, the initial guest experience is likely to be familiar.

The Shard and the Southbank Centre don’t feature. I can’t help thinking, as our guests come home lugging mugs marking the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee (bought on their visit to Westminster Abbey ...

more than three times taller than the Shard. It will be around 558ft (170m) higher than the current tallest building, the 2,717ft (828m) Burj Khalifa in Dubai. Construction of the Kingdom Tower ...