I went here for the Bridgestone afternoon tea and it was an overall good experience. If anything, go here for the scones/rolls!!! Best I've ever had and I love bread. I give the staff a 10/10 for their politeness and friendliness. The building is also super beautiful. It really felt like royal dining. Another fun plus - The bathrooms have lotion and a concierge. They also have washcloths for the hand towels. All of the tea I tried was very good. I got the rhubarb and vanilla and the white apricot teas. You can get unlimited refills and try other flavors which is great considering the £89 price/person. They also had no problem substituting the pastries to accommodate allergens. The pastries themselves were like a 7/10. They were good but not mind blowing. And I probably wouldn't go just for the pastries. The sandwiches were good too. I did think the decorations on the pastries were so cute as they were all Bridgerton themed. read more

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Intimate after dinner drinks at a classy hotel. Went for a glass of wine at their Library Bar after dinner. Quite a bit of choice, but opted for a few French wines by the glass. A quiet and reserved place where you can actually hear yourself talk. Would definitely be back. read more

The Lanesborough - Hotels Near Me - London, XGL

Favorite hotel that I've stayed at in London. Service is over the top. The rooms are spacious, with very traditional British decor, and even Roja bath products. They have great soundproofing. We ate breakfast here each day and service was spectacular. So many good food options but I loved the eggs benefit, croissants and fresh orange juice. My favorite part was the resident house cat Lilibet! I got so many pictures with her. She is so sweet and lets you pet her. I even bought the Lilibet plushie for a souvenir. Definitely will stay here again just for Lililbet! read more

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The experience, ambiance and the service was amazing! I really enjoyed engaging with the staff. The food was ok, but think it was VERY overpriced for the Bridgeton tea experience at $105. While it was nice to get unlimited sandwiches, the sweets were just ok. Nothing to share with a friend as a must try. I think the cost was truly for the high-end experience, beautiful architecture in the dining room, and the pianist. read more

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Lovely afternoon tea spent with cousins at this place. The pastries and desserts were delicious.

Such a lovely afternoon tea, and I love Bridgerton!My family and I were fortunate to snag a reservation, and we were immediately tended to upon walking through the front doors of the beautiful Lanesborough hotel. Amongst the variation of sandwiches and desserts, my favorite sandwich was the Roast Beef Slider and favorite dessert was the cheesecake. Their scones with jam and clotted cream were absolutely delicious as well! Everything, of course, was just lovely from the service to the ambiance. Thankfully we were able to take our leftovers home because we were stuffed. I've already recommended this great experience to our family and friends! read more

The Lanesborough - Hotels Near Me - London, XGL

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5 stars for the ambiance! This reservation was made for us by my sister's coworker. How very kind of her to do so! I absolutely loved the presentation of the tea and food. The menu was adorable. And the dining room in general was so beautiful. They give you welcome champagne as you are seated. But the chocolate brownie tea was the star of the show here. If they sold it to take home, I'd have purchased the lot! read more

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Really cool experience for afternoon tea! The inside decor and ambiance was so cool and the servers were unbelievably nice. The tea itself was pretty good, but it was not the best tea I've had in my life (tea tasting in China takes the cake on best tea I've ever had hands down). The finger sandwiches came with unlimited refills and the tea was also unlimited. You're allowed to change tea as well so that you could try as many as you wanted. I don't think the price was totally worth the experience but it was a really cool thing to do if not just once. I don't think I'll be back due to the price tag but I'm really happy I did try it. read more

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Had a wonderful afternoon tea here with a friend. The decor is elegant, the room is sunny and bright, and the service was nice. This month, the tea service is Bridgerton themed. We had 5 different finger sandwiches- roast beef, cucumber, egg salad, chicken salad and smoked salmon. Two different scones with clotted cream & jam. And 5 different pastries / chocolates to try. Unlimited pots of tea. I enjoyed the Afternoon Tea blend- delicious black tea with floral notes. Everything was delicious. We had a great relaxing time chatting and trying out everything. There is a dress code- most people adhered to it. I called in advance and they specified the following: No trainers/sport shoes/sneakers No ripped jeans, but jeans are acceptable Please dress nicely- it adds to the ambience and experience. We saw a group of business people, families with kids, older friends, a couple of friends, and couples enjoying the afternoon tea. We had a 1:30pm reservation on a Friday afternoon and it was 1/3rd full, but by 2:30pm it was quite full. So keep that in mind if you try to drop in without a reservations. read more

The Lanesborough - Afternoon tea sandwiches and desserts - Hotels Near Me - London, XGL

Class high tea setting. Service is excellent as well as the attention to detail. Different options for wine and cocktails. Standard scones, sandwiches, and pastries. We all loved the scones read more

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This afternoon tea was amazing. I have never had experienced a high tea before and this blew my mind away. I think any other high tea i attend after this one will be difficult to beat. The food was amazing. The little sandwiches and dessert were so cute and so delicious. The tea was amazing. The service was amazing. The atmosphere was breathtakingly beautiful. I would love to go back. read more

The Lanesborough - Hotels Near Me - London, XGL

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Took a Taxi to the Lanesborough hotel for the Queen Charlotte afternoon tea. The afternoon tea was marvelous complete with salmon and cucumber sandwiches and assorted desserts. We each had a pot of tea: mint for him, Jasmine for her and a chocolate brownie tea for the boy. After tea we walked to Buckingham palace and took pictures outside. read more

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Such a cool experience, Afternoon Tea here is a must for visiting London! The room is stunning, the staff are so kind and helpful with tea recommendations. The food is beautifully put together and tastes incredible. An array of sandwiches and desserts and so many teas to pick from. Truly a beautiful experience and worth the amount! read more

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The Lanesborough grill Went above and beyond my expectations. I had my first high tea experience here and it will be very hard for another establishment to compete. The food was phenomenal! I had both the rooibos and the rhubarb and vanilla teas and I can safely say it was the best teas I've ever tasted. I typically drink rooibos but this blend was especially tasty. The sandwiches and cakes were both divine, decadent and beautiful flavours. The service was 5 star all the way from the door man to everyone who served me. I was especially pleased that I received the exact table I requested, even though I haven't been there before and just explained to them via email where I wanted to be seated. All the staff were lovely but my server Aambrosi was phenomenal and helped to create a lovely experience I will always remember. This place is worth every penny, money well spent to experience the famous traditional English afternoon tea. The decor is so beautiful, the ambience was just perfect. I will definitely be back at the lanesborough grill. read more

The Lanesborough - The lanesborough grill for high tea - Hotels Near Me - London, XGL

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Update - June 19, 2019: Curious change in service. We've had afternoon teas at The Lanesborough for years now and have always enjoyed exceptional service with only the occasional folly in service. Today there was another blemish on their exquisite attentiveness that one usually expects. I sense a change in management over the last year that has adversely affected the attitude and atmosphere of the tea service. Happily, the live piano music is spot on from previous experiences. Impressive lack of care in the presentation of the sandwiches. I've seen better presentations at tourist venues or cafeterias. We opted to not get the salmon sandwiches, the cucumber sandwich was heavily ladened with celery, the egg sandwich was mainly mayonnaise and lacked any flavor, the comté cheese and cooked onion sandwich is good, and the coronation chicken salad (although quite a vibrant yellow) is a pale comparison to either Claridge's or Fortnum and Mason's versions. Please be aware that all sandwiches are pre-made and ANY deviation throws them into a tizzy.; consequently, the bread is dry. Our waitress was unaware of any but two vegetarian options, which in previous years they were very accommodating to any vegetarian requests. RARELY are they busy, so maybe a good last minute substitute for afternoon tea. Sad to see the fall from grace. Small selection of teas. The Snow Bud tea is pleasing, as is the lemon verbena. The jasmine tea is disappointingly not fragrant for which most jasmine teas are known. They are accommodating on tea selection changes without fuss. Additionally, when my husband requested that we sit at the table for which we had asked, the waiter visibly did a complete eye-roll and then cheerfully faked a smile and said, "of course, sir". Please keep in mind that there were only five tables seated in a 30 plus table room. The manager and most of the waiters often congregate just shooting the breeze and not checking on the patrons. There was one notable exception with the service. The waiter, Max, whom actually served the tea and brought out the pastries was very pleasant and efficient and exemplifies the service one would expect from The Lanesborough. There's no shortage of afternoon tea options in London. One of our daughters studied abroad here for seven months and went to a new afternoon tea room every week and had so many more on her list to try before she left - avail yourselves to one of those. For 91 pounds a person, one can find happiness elsewhere. We may give it a go on our next trip here to see if the management is in step with its customers, but then again.... ----------------------------------------- Previous review June 2018 Incomparable service and the food quality for tea is exquisite. For a twist try the vegetarian option when ordering sandwiches. You can always order the meat options when they come back around. Delightful live piano music completes the atmosphere. read more

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Excellent British restaurant. We had the Queen Charlotte Afternoon Tea. Everything was fresh and tasty. Not as expensive as some of the famous Hotel's Afternoon Teas but just what we were looking for, very enjoyable. read more

My purpose of coming here was for there high tea. . During my research I have come across a killer deal for this hotel dinner. If your looking for a Michelin star dinner, a fancy dinner, look no further too bad I didnt have enough time to come back. . So we had excellent service for most of the high tea, til the end where they just left us sitting there and didnt come back to ask how was it or need more hot water for our pots of teas, so one star down. Otherwise this whole tea service was great but not perfect. . The high tea service, we started with our choice of tea. I got the fancy presentation tea which was jasmine green tea blooming flower tea. They served it in a glass tea pot so you can see the flower ball bloom into a flower. My bro got the white peach green tea, which had a nice aroma of the peach and was more smoother than mines, but I didnt like how the taste was kind of artificial peach in the tea. . We started with the savory high tea little bites random selection. It was so good! I loved this more than the sweeter pairings. Each bite was savory and refreshing, and leaving you satisfy or wanting more. The only thing I critique for this fancy hotel, and price of this Michelin high tea service, the serving of this savory plate was not grand entrance or in other terms not fancy enough placement, they should have raised the plate on a pedal stool or cake stand to make it stand out in presentation. The savory plate was served on a fancy plate but with no height or like wow when they brought it out, just being left so low on the table. . The sweet selections was served in a three tier, which was way more social media or in other terms photo worthy compared to the savory plate. The sweet plate was good up to half the plate eaten, our taste buds got overwhelmed and was way too sugary leaving us thirsty. There was no one who came to check up to see If we needed more hot water for our tea until we had to wave the server down. Like I said service was attentive in the beginning, til the food was served then no one was back to check up, so one star down. . Overall . The vibe was elegant and quiet to have a peaceful and zen time for high tea. The environment was fit to have tea because of the decor. The dress code was smart casual which I liked. I loved how their kitchen is michellin star rated so the food pairings cant be bad. We loved how classy this hotel was, and the people who stayed here was bougie. Would I recommend tea here, yes of course! Thanks for reading and have a yelptastic day! read more

The Lanesborough - Tea time somewhere is 2pm. - Hotels Near Me - London, XGL

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Absolutely perfect. This is the deluxe afternoon tea experience you're looking for. The space is elegant and a bit over the top - you kind of feel like you're in a beautiful birdcage. The tea and food were impeccable. I got the Lanesborough Afternoon tea, which had a wonderful balance and rose after taste, and the Chocolate and Gold tea was unique and decadent. The food was amazing. I could not pick a favorite of the sandwiches, but they really made the purest sandwich - cucumber and mint - taste like heaven. The pastries were beautiful and delicious, and, while I barely had any room, the scones were perfect. Don't forget the Devonshire cream! A wonderful splurge and memorable experience. read more

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This is a review for the afternoon tea at The Lanesborough. THE LANESBOROUGH TEA Your preferred choice of tea, A selection of finger sandwiches, pastries, toasted teacakes and homemade scones Served with homemade fruit preserves and clotted Devonshire cream £38.00 per person A very classy and elegant hotel in a great location right off the tube stop. The tea room is gorgeous with a glass ceiling that brings in tons of natural light and chandeliers adding to this. Service here is impeccable as expected! We tried the earl grey and the apple and mango tea and both were so good. The apple and mango tea smelled and tasted wonderful! All of the little bites provided were good but the best was the quiche. Warm flakey pastry read more

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My go to in London. Easily the beat hotel and the best deal in London...all things considered. This is not the type of hotel where the guests leave reviews on Yelp. Most of the guests own the hedge funds that own Yelp. Still manages to not be too pretentious. The Library bar is awesome and always has beautiful women hanging about. Personal Butler and the bath talc are worth the price of admission. read more

Absolutely amazing. I don't usually leave reviews but this place was so spectacular I WANTED to. The decorations and ambiance is a true 10/10. Everything down to the very finest detail is impeccable. Very good food (we went for the afternoon tea). And staff is truly extraordinary. They made the whole experience something I will never forget. They really went above and beyond to make you feel happy and welcome. Love this place. read more

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What a beautiful and elegant restaurant inside the hotel in London, England. From the decor to the attentive staff catering to your needs this is truly one of the top breakfast spots to add to your itinerary. Now let's talk about our breakfast. The most popular "English breakfast " is a must it includes eggs any way you request, delicious sliced bacon, black pudding aka blood sausage, hash brown, bake beans tomato and toast. Next was the smoke Isle of Man kipper , poached egg to perfection herb butter and watercress read more

Best Afternoon Tea in the whole country? That was the verdict of the sages at the UK tea council and until I see better, I'm not going to disagree. This is top class, the veritable pinnacle of pinky-finger dining. Tea is taken in the glasshouse central atrium of the stunning luxury hotel. Light pours in onto your white clothed-tables and comfortable bepillowed chairs. A relaxing piano plays out of sight and sleek waiters and waitresses effortlessly glide between tables somehow without raising a single decibel. The usual canapes, petit fours, scones and finger sandwiches are presented to the highest class, and with a few interesting twists too that are politely described when each selection is brought. Walnut bread slices filled with coronation chicken? Yes please. It's sublime picturesque snacking well-worthy of it's 30 quid price tag. What else? Oh yeah... the tea of course doofus! You're not going to forget that. Why? Because the Lanesborough pulled out their secret weapon last year to win the hotel afternoon tea battles by a country mile - and the weapon of choice was a tea sommelier. It sounds a bit-over-the-top, but why shouldn't tea be chosen and paired up carefully by an expert? After all, there is far more variation in how different green teas taste than different white wines. The attention to different blends and different classes is excellent and will make choosing your tea more difficult than an A-Level. But that's ok, because they let you change your mind when your pot needs refilling. Sigh... I want to go again today. Relax under the chandeliers, sip tea, eat scones and sandwiches and feel pampered by the world-class waiters. I'll just look at the photos instead and drool all over my laptop. read more

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The Lanesborough is a nice choice to experience a high quality afternoon tea experience. There are 2 seatings daily at 4pm and 4:30pm. The basic set is £38, with more pricier options including champagne. The tea room is at the hotel's restaurant, the Apsleys, a very elegant dining room with a high glass ceiling. The service was attentive and not snooty. A pianist provides a nice musical background. The pianist was also nice enough to let a few of the kids, including ours, play a few tunes. The set comes with the standard finger sandwiches and a selection of scones and sweets. The quality of the food was very good but none was spectacular which was a little disappointing. The wife did love their clotted cream though. There are no children menu options so we had the boys share one setting which was more than adequate. We did order an extra pot of tea so each would have their own and they didn't charge for the extra pot. Overall a nice experience which the whole family enjoyed. read more

I'm not personally an aficionado of "High Tea," but my lovely wife claims to be, so I surprised her with a visit to The Lanesborough during our brief stay in London. All the little finger sandwiches and scones and sweets made me feel like a little boy forced to play house/tea time with my sister but it was all worth it... instead of pretending to eat a toy plastic cake, i was biting into deliciousness of all varieties... smoked salmon and bbq chicken sandwiches, buttered scones, housemade jams, mousse cakes, macarons... Best of all, as a man of decent heft and of healthy appetite, the trays kept coming, whether savory or sweet. Most, if not all, higher end establishments of "High Tea," like the Lanesboruogh of The Ritz, provide endless amouts of tea and treats. They don't actually advertise themselves as "ALL YOU CAN EAT" but that is essentially what High Tea provides... I had to point this out because its not written anywhere and the servers don't tell you either. You just ask for more of whatever you like and they bring it. It may not be so at all places so the best way to find out is to ask. If you happen to be in London, and have the inclination to try High Tea, The Lanesborough is a must go. read more

The Lanesborough - the glass roof from our table! - Hotels Near Me - London, XGL

Well it's no secret that I'm partial to a cup of tea, so when a couple of American expats announced they had not yet experienced afternoon tea in London I booked us in at The Lanesborough. My sister and I brought my mum here a few years ago for her birthday and we had an excellent afternoon tea experience so I was hoping this would be replicated for my American ladies. It really was! I booked us in for 4pm on a Saturday afternoon and we opted for the Belgravia Tea which comes with a glass of champagne. Sat in the beautiful, bright Apsleys restaurant with glass roof and comfy sofas we enjoyed the decadent surroundings and cute waiters. Bowls of strawberries and cream, finger sandwiches, cakes, petit fours, fresh toasted teacakes with butter and warm fresh scones with clotted cream, lemon curd and jam. And of course, a glass of champagne and plenty of tea! The tea menu is extensive and once you've chosen they will bring it to you in a beautiful silver tea pot and top you up until you have tea coming out of your ears! Flawless service, fabulous surroundings and great company, we had a really wonderful afternoon. A great option to spoil someone you love. A real treat! read more

The Lanesborough - Hotels Near Me - London, XGL

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LOL One of the few times my wife demanded she accompany me on a business trip. I loved the Cigar Garden, service and room all top notch and here is the rest of the story. Best Afternoon Tea in the whole country? That was the verdict of the sages at the UK tea council and until I see better, I'm not going to disagree. This is top class, the veritable pinnacle of pinky-finger dining. Tea is taken in the glasshouse central atrium of the stunning luxury hotel. Light pours in onto your white clothed-tables and comfortable bepillowed chairs. A relaxing piano plays out of sight and sleek waiters and waitresses effortlessly glide between tables somehow without raising a single decibel. The usual canapes, petit fours, scones and finger sandwiches are presented to the highest class, and with a few interesting twists too that are politely described when each selection is brought. Walnut bread slices filled with coronation chicken? Yes please. It's sublime picturesque snacking well-worthy of it's 30 quid price tag. What else? Oh yeah... the tea of course doofus! You're not going to forget that. Why? Because the Lanesborough pulled out their secret weapon last year to win the hotel afternoon tea battles by a country mile - and the weapon of choice was a tea sommelier. It sounds a bit-over-the-top, but why shouldn't tea be chosen and paired up carefully by an expert? After all, there is far more variation in how different green teas taste than different white wines. The attention to different blends and different classes is excellent and will make choosing your tea more difficult than an A-Level. But that's ok, because they let you change your mind when your pot needs refilling. Sigh... I want to go again today. Relax under the chandeliers, sip tea, eat scones and sandwiches and feel pampered by the world-class waiters. I'll just look at the photos instead and drool all over my laptop. read more

Solid afternoon tea!!!! I visited for their festive tea and it was very well done. The price is worth the every penny. Service - 5 stars (very friendly and well trained staff, they were constantly making sure we had everything we needed) Atmosphere - 5 stars (beautiful room and lovely live piano music - I just with the room had been decorated for the holiday since it was the festive tea! There were no decorations in site) Tea Selection - 4 stars (not too many choices and served too quickly with not enough time to steep but the Afternoon blend was delicious. They constantly top up your cup and refill your tea with a fresh pot when needed) Sandwiches - 5 stars (great variety and they replenish them if you want them in one portion or two) Scones - 5 stars (warm & light and served with delicious clotted cream and fruit preserves) Pastries - 3 stars (very well presented but underwhelmed with the flavors) read more

Simply outstanding hotel, and outstanding service. The hotel is gorgeous and you are treated like royalty the minute you walk in. I would recommend for anyone in town to come to the bar patio where it is an outdoor patio that is absolutely outstanding. Cigar smoking is allowed on the outdoor patio and it was an absolute gorgeous evening and you definitely pay for it. I have never had so many doors opened for me before in my life. read more

One of the highest high teas in the kingdom. Immaculate service, an amazing variety of teas, excellent pastries and savory snacks. The scones clotted cream and jam were top notch. The ambiance is opulent but not over the top like Dubai or Vegas. Excellent service - not snooty or sniffy. Worth every pound :) read more

The Lanesborough - All gone! - Hotels Near Me - London, XGL

I'd pleasure having breakfast and lunch there for both biz and leisure, very much enjoyed the services - French accent, tux, smiles, and a touch of humor. The Apsleys Restaurant is perfect hanging out spot for a weekend brunch with small groups or the romantic two. The restaurant itself got a lot of natural sunlight w/ post modern wall décor and classy plates. It's situated across Wellington Arch, just south of Hyde park, a stroll post brunch will carry on the perfect late summer afternoon. P.S. they have good deals, check it out - credit to Suyoung K. read more

The Lanesborough - Apsleys Restaurant - Hotels Near Me - London, XGL

This is the hotel where I experienced my first butler. They have motion sensors connected to the butler's station and every time you enter your room, after a proper pause, your personal butler will call you and see if you need anything. This is the hotel where I first met Oprah. Did I stutter. . that's right, me and Oprah had a meaningful moment in front of the roaring fire in the lobby. Oprah. Me. A-ha moment. This is where I was staying when I found out that Kurt Cobain was dead. I remember the butler turning on the television and it being on BBC1 - Kurt Cobain. Dead. I actually cried. My butler brought me Nevermind to listen to on the CD player in my bathroom. This is the hotel where I flooded my bathroom with bubbles. They had this really lovely honey bubble bath complete with a little dispenser like a honey dripper. . .it was so inviting that I kept dripping more bubble bath into the super deep tub. My phone rang (I am sure it was my butler calling) and when I returned to the bath tub. .. I had to wade through billowy clouds of bubbles to turn off the tap. Oops. I do not think my butler was amused but he smiled through my apologies and squeegeed the never ending bubbles with aplomb. As I ate breakfast one morning, I commented to my butler that the granola was one of the best things I had ever eaten. When I returned from a meetiing, a five pound bag of granola awaited me in my room with a note from my butler telling me to "enjoy". I carried that bag of granola throughout Europe. . .cursing it daily but unwilling to part with it. It may have changed but they used to make custom stationery - "In Residence - Lainie L." OMG! I thought this was absolutely the cats pajamas! I still have my stationery. A totally different time in my life. .. a totally different life. I will never forget it. I sometimes long to return but am not sure it will live up to my memories. I'd sure like to find out. read more

Here, at the Lanesborough, tea is an art form, a ritual, a tradition... Something one does. The waitstaff is warm and friendly and flutter about in a dance, to pour tea (the only place where I don't feel cheesy raising my pinky and saying "just a spot of tea!") and, for hours, bring the most sumptuous and gorgeous desserts to the table. Here, the tea is like wine, something to be lingered over... With menu or sommelier descriptions to match. Do you want tea with chocolate notes? Or something fruity and aromatic? How about earthy and robust? Hold the sugar... Let the surprising complexity wash over your tongue. The ornate tea room is like a fairy tale befitting of Marie Antoinette (before she, you know, lost her head) -- with soft and intricate live piano music to complete the illusion. There are silky pillows, rich fabrics, sumptuous flowers and sparkling chandeliers. You will leave feeling as full as an aristocrat, even though the finger sandwiches are delicious and lite and it's hard to believe that little bon bons could fill one up so efficiently. Frankly, I ate the best Madeleine I've ever had in my entire life. Like, what have I been eating this entire time?! Crap, apparently. read more

I never had tea parties with my stuffed animals growing up, but if someone had told me there would be scones and clotted cream involved, goodness knows things would've been different. Apsleys is located in the Lanesborough and the atmosphere is appropriately fine and classic. The dress code is definitely on the formal side - collars, prim shoes, pinkies up, and stop shaking that foot. I don't generally prefer this sort of ambience with my food, but this was afternoon tea in the heart of London. Prettiness and manners were a part of the package. My mother and I opted for the Lanesborough Tea, the most economical option at £33.00 per person. For my tea I opted for the Rose of the Orient, a light and floral green tea blend. She chose the house signature Lanesborough Afternoon Blend, a good black tea meant to be sipped without milk. Both were lovely, and came in charming silver teapots. I adore teapots. The actual "tea" portion of the afternoon tea, however, was entirely secondary to the food. Soon after we sat down we were presented with little glasses of chestnut mousse with apricot compote and chocolate mousse on top. Then came the quiches of goat cheese and leek and the three-tiered tower of goodies. The large bottom tier held several mini sandwiches - smoked salmon on brioche; roast beef, stilton cheese, onion chutney, and rocket salad on granola bread; tomato bread with cucumber and cream cheese; Cornish hen chicken curry with raisin on plain white; and finally, tuna. The top two tiers offered toasted teacakes and pastries - tea bread marbled with chocolate, plum cheesecake, lemon cake, Coca-Cola chocolate cake, apricot cream and fresh raspberries on macaron, and passionfruit pound cake with coconut jelly. Each bite was delectable and the presentation delightful. The quiche, the roast beef sandwich, and the Coca-Cola cake were especially memorable. When the tower of food was done, we moved onto the best part of the tea - marvelous, buttery scones with pots of lemon curd, home-made strawberry jam, and clotted Devonshire cream. I had two types, one white and one brown with raisins, and they were both out of this world. I'd always thought of scones as hard, dry, and unappetizing, but these were moist yet crumbly little biscuits loaded with butter and deep bracing flavor. They were good alone but even better with dabs of cream, curd, and preserves. I wanted to eat them forever. Which brings me to my one big complaint about Apsleys. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I was under the impression that our scones and sandwiches and everything would be replenished throughout the tea. I didn't expect immediate reinforcements every time a tray emptied, but I was surprised and a bit dismayed that our server didn't at least check in with us on occasion to see if we wanted anything more. (To be fair, he asked early on if we needed more sandwiches - once.) I saw other tables served with brand new scones when their plates emptied, but we had our two each and got no love thereafter. In fact, our waiter disappeared for the entire second half of our tea. When I finally thought we were being checked in on, it turned out he was only trying to clear us out before seating started for dinner. Now how fat American of me is it that I ignore the poised tea-pouring and the straight backs and slicked hair to complain that I wanted more scones? Very fat American, yes, that's correct. That said, £33.00 should buy better service at a place like Apsleys. That said again, the overall experience was excellent and I would love to go back. In the meantime I will try every scone recipe on the internet in the hopes of duplicating the Lanesborough version in my State-side kitchen. read more

I came here with my parents for tea. They were visiting, so I'd done a lot of research on the best teas in London before deciding where to take them; the Lanesborough was awarded several "best tea room" awards - and I can see why. The Lanesborough Hotel is perched right on the end of Hyde Park Corner. As we entered the hotel, the doormen were really warm, and directed us to the tea room, which is toward the back of the hotel - past the lounge area and reception. We still had a bit of a wait when we got there, even though we'd made reservations, but the hostess was really nice about this and the wait lasted no more than 10 minutes before we were seated. The tea room is *beautiful*... nicer than Berkeley or Claridges... it's like an atrium with ultra-high ceilings... just being in this gorgeous room, you feel that this is indeed a *grand* tea place. Tons of people were there, but you didn't *feel* like tons of people were there... the tables were set far enough apart that you weren't in anybody's space. The ambiance was lovely - fantastic flower arrangements, someone playing a harp... Amazingly, despite the splendid surroundings, the feel of the place was very unpretentious... the staff seemed to understand that teas are a special occasion, and you felt encouraged to relax and enjoy. Once we ordered, our tea and tea service was brought out promptly. Your typical array of little sandwiches (chicken curry, cucumber), scones with preserves, and of course, cakes; everything was incredible. And if you wanted anymore of anything, you were instructed to let the staff know... they would happily indulge requests. I've been to other tea rooms, but this is a real treasure... so much more than hot water and sandwiches. The setting and service was 5-star. I'd go back in a heartbeat. read more

Pristine with high ceilings, Apsley is the perfect place to take a lady posse. Mummy M was in town, and I decided to treat her to a true English experience. We opted for the basic £38.00 service, which came with a mango mousse starter, tea, sandwiches consisting of cucumber, ham and cheese, egg salad, chocolate pastries, fruit tarts, mini onion quiche, and scones. Service was a bit busy so there were moments when our tea cups were empty and we gazed longingly at the full pots on the table next to us, debating whether it would be uncouth to get up and serve ourselves. They were very accommodating to Mummy M's dairy free needs though, and brought dairy free alternatives to everything. With the piano next to us playing I Dreamed a Dream (brings tears to my tender eyes every time), the experience was relaxing and perfect for a lazy Saturday afternoon. read more

Now known as Apsleys, this was once a quite charming locale for taking afternoon tea. The refurbishment is still luxurious and comfortable, but a much more sterile affair in the airy conservatory. Crystal chandeliers, subtle colours, cushy chairs and sofas, soft piano in the background to relax as one is served finger sandwiches, tea cakes, fresh scones, clotted cream and jams. An option is to take champagne or Kir Royale, and the experience is finished off by juicy strawberries and cream. Certainly a pleasant experience, but I'm holding off on the five star review for the moment. I miss the old The Lanesborough and wasn't truly knocked out. read more

An outstanding high tea - that I would easily recommend to any friend looking to celebrate a special occasion (or to take a Mum / Mum-in law out for a weekend treat). The service was something of a crescendo, in that it kept getting better and better with each course: a lovely mango and berry mousse to start us off, followed by a stilton and onion tart, a variety of outstanding finger sandwiches (egg salad = my favourite), three small cakes (chocolate, red velvet, and white chocolate), and then... petit-fours, tea cakes, and scones! The clotted cream and strawberry jam both stand out as highlights. The selection of tea and attentiveness of the staff were both unparalleled amongst other afternoon teas I have been too. And I thought that the venue, in the middle of the beautiful, light-filled Heinz Beck restaurant of hotel, was top-notch. Any complaints? I thought that the waiter could have been a bit more engaging on a discussion of what tea to choose. He immediately forwarded the Lanesborough blend after my asking him for a black tea to recommend. It was delicious, but I would have enjoyed drilling a bit deeper into tea terroir. For those craving a traditional, opulent tea experience, I think that this one is hard to beat. read more

Wonderful experience. Great tea and service was as you would expect. Great time taking my 3-yr old for her first real afternoon tea experience on London. Worth every penny. read more

The Lanesborough - Afternoon tea - Hotels Near Me - London, XGL

The Lanesborough knows their clientele- well-heeled ladies who lunch in Chanel. So the geniuses who run the place have hired the most gorgeous waiters on this planet. Mine was a fair-skinned blue eyed French version of Cristiano Ronaldo. Seriously. Like Brown's you have unlimited access to all the goodies served to you. Frankly, I just ordered additional scones just to talk to my Cristiano. Thank goodness the food is really great. They are also very attentive with the tea, adding more water, pouring it for you lest you get some on your 300 pound Givenchy blouse or a Petite Bateau jumper, in my case. read more