Afternoon Tea

[MissWooWoo]

It's my 40th at the end of the year and I would very much like my dp to take me to afternoon tea at a luxury hotel in London. Where is good? Where would you recommend and what did you like about it?

Oh and can anyone shed any light on the location of a lovely place I saw on a tv programme that served a slightly non traditional afternoon tea, all I can remember was that it was very posh and that you had to go down stairs and I think the lighting on the staircase was blue (it may have been on a masterchef prog, I'm sure Michel Roux jnr was there ... or was this just one of my sordid dreams?)

These look good to me ...

Browns

The Berkeley

The Ritz

The Langham

We went to the Langham last year at Christmas and loved it, thre was sooo much food and it was gorgeously presented it felt a sin to eat it. Would definitely go back. I don't think thats the place in your dream though!

A good friend has been to Claridges twice and raves about it.

drools at Claridges

The Langham does look tres chic no?

C'mon foodies, give me your vote

I like Browns. It's very old fashioned, but that's what I like about it. The pastries and food are delicious and the service is excellent.

The Langham does look good though.

The Langham was divine. The toilets were so beautiful I could have cried [outs herself as a saddo]

The only thing which (irrationally) irritated me was that some people were there in jeans/casual wear. They purport to have a dress code but I guess it isn't enforced if you are rich

I don't mind scruffs, I of course will be dressed to the nines (in as much as one can be at 23 weeks pregnant) in dress but probably not heels

It was Sketch that was the location for the afternoon tea round of Masterchef for professionals, last year. I long to go there. It looks very glam.

glam and uber cool. yikes! thanks Mummagumma it's been bugging me for ages.

So I reckon either Sketch or the Langham. Hmm, decisons, decisons ... Notasize10 did say that tea at Langhams was on the hefty side and I'll be looking to be rolled out. Mind you Sketch is just such a fantastic setting. Might start a new thread and see if anyone's been.

I went to the Ritz and was fab. But I have nothing to compare it to to be honest! You could have as many sarnies, tea and scones as you wanted. Only the uber-fantastic cream cake jobbies were rationed - but you still got 2 each. Pianist playing 'Nightingale Sang in Berkley Square' type music. Formal dress code. Lovely toilets/cloakroom. Treated very nicely - not like the poor Northern plebs on a grand day out that we were. Staff happy to take pics of DH & I on steps of Palm Court where tea is served.
Happy memories.

I was taken to the Lanesborough for my birthday. Was so lovely. The person who took me has a nut allergy and they were so careful about it. Loved it there.

Dorchester is really good - the room you have it in is huge and gorgeous and you get to sit on squashy sofas (whereas in some places it's a smaller room and table and chairs ... a bit less decadent)

sofa sounds good. ugh! too much choice ... how "big" is the tea at the Dorchester minipie?

Gosh, can't quite remember I must admit as it was a few years back, but I went with 3 good eaters (and I am a hungry person myself) and there was plenty! (in fact as I recall we didn't have dinner that night).

I think there are some blogs that focus on afternoon tea and things like that - might be worth a bit of a google?

good idea minipie will do that

Browns is gorgeous - the tea room isn't huge so it feels quite intimate. The food is amazing, beautifully presented and they keep bringing out more of it, the more you eat! It's worth it for the cake trolley alone.

The Langham is grander and utterly beautiful - it has all been renovated recently and it shows. Service exceptionally good - unobtrusive but attentive. Tea isn't quite such a big meal as at Browns. But they use Vera Wang Wedgewood china [faints with pleasure]

IMO choosing where to go is almost half the fun ...

Time Out had an afternoon tea review round up last year.

perfect Lilymaid I shall look forward to reading that, and yes notrightnow choosing is all part of the fun

I have had afternoon tea at the Lanesborough - it was what I would call traditional, very nice. I would have loved to go to Sketch instead though......

My friend has been to Sketch for afternoon tea and wouldn't go back again.

The Ritz is nice and the oldies like it, looking a bit jaded to me though. Service fantastic.

Claridges is my fave so far, have been twice now.

I like the look of the Pret a Portea at the Berkeley

My friend went to the Langham and said it was lovely BUT who wants to sit on stools for afternoon tea?
That was the only bad point but frankly it was rather a big one and would put me off.

i've been to claridges, it was lovely

Pret a Portea at the Berkele was lovely a couple of years ago - went with my sister and had champagne afternoon tea. Though more of a ladies experience than for a couple I think.

Sketch supposed to be v nice.

Claridges was wonderful, but I too long to go to Sketches for afternoon tea!

Sketch is brilliant for afternoon tea, but would recommend you stay AWAY from the black bread/mozzarella/tomato concoction. Ugh.

But yes, it's gorgeous, and the loos are great. Canot believe I said that.