I initially reviewed the Mandarin Oriental London Saké & Teamaster’s choice afternoon teas in 2017. Here I go again 2 years later, to update this article and review the two newcomers: the Beer afternoon tea and Alsatian wine afternoon tea – Article updated in June 2019
The 1920’s MO London Afternoon Tea Cakes & Mignardises
1920’s Afternoon Tea at the Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park London, UK ★★★★★♥
Traditional Afternoon tea price: £56/person (Savouries, Scones & Sweets paired with your choice of hot/cold beverages) Beer Afternoon tea price: £70/person (Savouries, Scones & Sweets paired with your choice of hot/cold beverages and three beers) Alsatian Wine Afternoon tea price: £73/person (Savouries, Scones & Sweets paired with your choice of hot/cold beverages and three Alsatian Grand Cru wines) Saké Afternoon tea price: £75/person (Savouries, Scones & Sweets paired with your choice of hot/cold beverages and three Saké wines) Champagne Afternoon tea price: £70-80/person (Savouries, Scones & Sweets paired with your choice of hot/cold beverages and one glass of Ruinart Champagne)
Service hours: Daily from 12 to 6:30 pm (closing time: 8 pm) in the Rosebery; Seating time: 2-3 hours (credit card booking required)
The Setting ★★★★★
The hotel is located in Knightsbridge, just one street away from Hyde Park. It sits in a historic Edwardian style building and was originally opened up as the “Hyde Park hotel” in 1902.
Now a Mandarin Oriental property, this gorgeous hotel had to be renovated twice in a row due to a fire that occurred last year. The damage was minimal but the property had to close for a little while until the repairs were completed. Now that both façades have been completed, the interior is also blessed with plenty of natural light (unlike 2 years ago).
The Mandarin Oriental London (Hyde Park)
The Mandarin Oriental London (Hyde Park)
The Mandarin Oriental London (Hyde Park)
The Mandarin Oriental London (Hyde Park)
The inside of the hotel is gorgeous and I encourage you to take a stroll around the hotel if you have the time, especially so if you’re a flower enthusiast.
The Mandarin Oriental London (Hyde Park)
The Mandarin Oriental London (Hyde Park)
The Mandarin Oriental London (Hyde Park)
The Mandarin Oriental London (Hyde Park)
The Rosebery ★★★★★
The afternoon tea is served in the Rosebery, one of the best venues I ever had the pleasure to visit. It is very tastefully decorated, with designer metal trees decorated with amber mandarines (see pictures below) and gorgeous pieces of contemporary art by Orlanda Broom.
The tables are very cleverly placed and give out a much-appreciated sensation of privacy.
The Rosebery Lounge – Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park, London
The Rosebery Lounge – Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park, London
The Rosebery Lounge – Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park, London
The Rosebery Lounge – Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park, London
The Rosebery Lounge – Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park, London
The Rosebery Lounge – Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park, London
There are plenty of mirrors and chandeliers that contribute to the brilliant atmosphere. I’m especially fond of the smell: the combination of precious teas, the infused oshibori towels and the many flowers blend together for a true olfactory delight.
On a downside, there is no live music and it is quite a stroll to the lavatories, so I hope you don’t mind taking a little walk during your afternoon tea. Parties can stay at their table for 2-3 hours and may be required to vacate their table on busy days, which is pretty standard in London.
The Rosebery Lounge
The Rosebery Lounge
The Rosebery Lounge
The Rosebery Lounge
The Tea & Beverage Selection ★★★★★
Saying that the Mandarin Oriental London 1920’s afternoon tea offers plenty of choice beverage-wise would be an understatement. Between the non-alcoholic drinks (teas, ice-teas, coffees, chocolate…) and the alcoholic drinks (champagne, beer, saké, wine, cocktails…), you’ll end up being overwhelmed with options and maybe even tipsy if you go with one of the Mandarin Oriental London’s boozy afternoon teas.
Due to the special nature of these afternoon teas, I will add a paragraph with each of the three courses to detail which tea or alcohol is paired with which stage of the afternoon tea, as well as give a quick opinion about each drink.
Tea & Sweets
The non-alcoholic drinks: Tea, Ice-tea & Coffee ★★★★★
Now, this is where the Mandarin Oriental London hotel truly shines, with the beverages. The Rosebery Lounge’s hot drinks selection is among the best I have ever seen. If you don’t fancy tea, you can always order coffee, hot chocolate or even the ice teas and summer specials ♥
Most of the teas are from the very reputable “East India Company”, while some of the rare connoisseur teas are sourced individually from independent suppliers, such as “Canton Tea”.
The quality and attention to detail are on par with the Ritz Paris, if not better. I often visit hotels who source their teas from excellent suppliers but end up ruining it with improper brewing, something that never happens at the MO London: the tea sommeliers are on watch.
East India Company Oolong Tea
East Indian Company Pu’er tea
The Ice Teas
Each table gets a visit from Dominique and Isabella, the Rosebery Lounge tea sommeliers. I haven’t seen that level of passion for tea since visiting the Fairmont Hamburg and the tea drinker in me is really pleased to meet people who go the extra mile to educate their guests on the art of tea tasting.
I’d say that my favourite of the lot was the “Eight Immortals Dan Cong”, which may even be the best Oolong tea I ever had. Otherwise, there is no point in me issuing any further recommendations on this aspect. Simply trust the in-house experts as each of her pairing choices were spot-on: recommending the pu’er Mini Tuo Cha to open the palate (a sort of “tea amuse-bouche”) was a brilliant idea. I just love to sit back and tell the staff “I trust you, bring me whichever tea is the most appropriate!”
24 Classic teas (10 black, 5 green, 2 white, 1 yellow, 3 oolong, 2 pu’er & 11 infusions); 7 Connoisseur teas for a surcharge of £5-15 (1 green, 2 white, 3 oolong, 1 pu’er) Brewing method: Brewed loose-leaf by the kitchen team then transferred to another teapot to prevent over-brewing (best technique)
Choice of coffee, smoothies, ice teas, summer specials & cocktails
Da Hong Pao Oolong Tea – Mandarin Oriental London Afternoon Tea
East India Company Teas – Mandarin Oriental London Afternoon Tea
The alcoholic drinks: Beer, Alsatian Wine, Saké & Champagne ★★★★★
If you fancy your afternoon tea with a bit of alcohol, the Mandarin Oriental’s got you covered: you can choose to have your afternoon tea with a glass of Ruinart Champagne or you can have a tasting of three Sakés, Beers or Alsatian wines. Just as with the teas, these alcohols are designed to accompany the food and thus each course (savouries, scones, sweets) comes with a specific drink that has been expertly paired by the team ♥
Each drink is carefully selected: you can tell that a great deal of research has been put into the sourcing of these beverages. Overall, I have a slight preference for the Saké Afternoon tea over the Beer and Alsatian afternoon teas though that’s more a matter of personal taste 🙂
Ruinart Champagne – Mandarin Oriental London Afternoon Tea
The sandwiches are magnificent; each of the six savouries is delicious and light. The most memorable sandwich is marked with a heart (♥):
Roasted chicken shawarma, pickled turnip, lettuce
Finest Cotswold egg with black truffle
Confit tuna, spring onion, piquillo pepper, green olives, oregano
Teriyaki salmon, asparagus with pickled ginger
Portland crab, wasabi tobiko, crayfish, miso, coriander with yuzu
Braised beef, watercress and horseradish ♥♥
I’ll get straight to the point, these are amping the tastiest and most original savouries I have ever had in London. It even beats the Connaught’s excellent sandwiches on the originality front, while equalling it in terms of taste.
The Savouries
The Savouries paired with Tea, Alsatian wine, Beer & Saké
The savoury bites are paired with:
Darjeeling Second Flush Tea ♥
Golden Larger, Austria, 5% (A full-bodied beer with a gentle bitterness brewed using indigenous ingredients, wonderfully refreshing and very agreeable
Riesling, Grand Cru Saering 2014 (A classic Alsatian Riesling with distinctive elegance and power, tremendous amounts of freshness and complexity
Akitabare “Shunsetsu” Honjozo (Spring Snow) Languishingly dry with rarefied flavour notes that impart a declasse elegance
The Darjeeling tea and the beer are light flavoured, which goes very well with the subtle aroma of the savouries. The wine is very refreshing and opens the palate quite well, while the Saké’s floral fragrance makes it perfect for the fish-based savouries (e.g. the Crab).
The Savouries paired with Tea, Alsatian wine, Beer & Saké
Golden Larger, Austria, 5% (A full-bodied beer with a gentle bitterness brewed using indigenous ingredients, wonderfully refreshing and very agreeable)
Riesling, Grand Cru Saering 2014 (A classic Alsatian Riesling with distinctive elegance and power, tremendous amounts of freshness and complexity
Akitabare “Shunsetsu” Honjozo<(Spring Snow) Languishingly dry with rarefied flavour notes that impart a declasse elegance
The Scones ★★★★☆
The Rosebery lounge staff will serve the scones after you’ve finished the savouries unless you ask otherwise. The plain and raisin scones are served warm and on request, which is usually a very good sign.
The Scones, Toppings & paired Drinks
There are four toppings to choose from: clotted cream, lemon curd, rose jelly ♥ and strawberry jam.
The scones are tasty and the toppings generous. I especially love the rose jelly jam, which I remembered very fondly from 2 years ago.
The Scones & Toppings
Scones (plain & raisin) – Mandarin Oriental London Afternoon Tea
Scones (plain & raisin) and Clotted Cream
Toppings (lemon curd, rose jelly and strawberry jam)
The scones are paired with:
Lapsang Souchong
Partizan Porter, England, 6.0% Roasted caramel and coffee notes in the aroma move into the taste with some dark dried fruits.
Gewürztraminer, Grand Cru Kessler 2014 Bright golden yellow colour with notes of sweet peaches and rose petals ♥
Dewazakura “Oka” Ginjo (Cherry Bouquet) Delightful, a flowery bouquet with a touch of pear and melon.
I’m not a massive Lapsang Souchong fan so I had my scones with the “Amber Mountain” Yellow tea. The “Partizan” dark beer (odd name for an English beer!) is quite strong, like a sweeter/chocolaty version of the Guinness so those of you who don’t enjoy strong flavours should stay away.
The Kessler wine and the Sakés fruity aroma do go very well with the scones, especially that lovely rose petal jelly, whose flavour is reminiscent of a Spring day in Japan (or is it just my imagination going wild?) :p
Scone & paired Drinks
Partizan Porter, England, 6.0% Roasted caramel and coffee notes in the aroma move into the taste with some dark dried fruits.
Gewürztraminer, Grand Cru Kessler 2014 Bright golden yellow colour with notes of sweet peaches and rose petals.
Dewazakura “Oka” Ginjo (Cherry Bouquet) Delightful, a flowery bouquet with a touch of pear and melon.
The Cakes, Pastries & Mignardises ★★★★★
The MO London afternoon tea is a sweet tooth’s dream come true, with 5 pastries and 3 mignardises to boot:
Apricot and verbena ♥
Cherry and pistachio streusel
Banoffee
Espresso dome ♥♥
Apple Tatin
Raspberry and coconut Pavlova
Wild strawberry Religieuse (puff pastry) ♥
Chocolate éclair
It’s obvious that a lot of effort was put into designing and imagining these sweets, as this selection is a tribute to originality and imagination. No macarons, no cupcakes, no fruit tarts… Just creativity at its best.
The Mignardises are a nice touch towards the ends, they are less sophisticated but much lighter on the stomach.
The Cakes, Pastries & Mignardises
The Cakes, Pastries & Mignardises
The pastries and mignardises are paired with:
Oolong Mi La Xang ♥♥
Tynt Meadow English Trappist Ale, England, 7.4% Clear, bright deep red to dark brown in appearance with a beige head ♥
Gewürztraminer, Grand Cru Kessler 2014 Bright golden yellow colour with notes of sweet peaches and rose petals.
Ume No Yado – Aragoshi Umeshu あらごし梅酒 Sake based plum wine with rich fruity flavour from its blended pulp. This plum wine promises you a refreshing taste and texture.
I absolutely loved that Oolong tea and the Trappist ale (it’s quite amazing to think that monks still make beer in this day and age).
The wine and saké’s sweet notes might feel a bit redundant with such a whopping quantity of sweets so watch out for that sugar rush 😉
The Cakes, Pastries & Mignardises and paired Drinks
Tynt Meadow English Trappist Ale, England, 7.4% Clear, bright deep red to dark brown in appearance with a beige head ♥
Gewürztraminer, Grand Cru Kessler 2014 Bright golden yellow colour with notes of sweet peaches and rose petals.
Ume No Yado – Aragoshi Umeshu あらごし梅酒 Sake based plum wine with rich fruity flavour from its blended pulp. This plum wine promises you a refreshing taste and texture.
The Cakes, Pastries & Mignardises and paired Drinks
The Service ★★★★★
This is probably the best service I have ever experienced in England, not only because of the tea sommeliers but thanks to the Rosebery Lounge team as a whole: it’s like clockwork. The staff is polite, efficient and passionate. They’ll happily share their expertise about saké, tea or the afternoon tea itself.
Whether it’s Isabella (the tea sommelier) or Mathieu (our waiter) everyone was at their best and took great pride in their work. The staff is also very proactive and made sure I had everything I needed throughout the whole afternoon.
The booking policy is the only downside, guests are required to book with a credit card (it’s becoming more and more common in London) and may be charged if they cancel less than 24-72 hours in advance. Booking online is easy and the reservation team is highly responsive via email.
Below is a video detailing the contents of the afternoon teas. Bon appétit!
Conclusion & Overall Mark ★★★★★♥
The Mandarin Oriental afternoon tea is still my favourite in the UK in the luxury segment, much like the Crillon Paris is my personal favourite in France (both are probably ex aequo). I am sorry to see that the Teamaster’s choice afternoon tea has been discontinued but the two newcomers, the beer and Alsatian wine afternoon tea, along with the renewed Saké afternoon tea are a delight for boozy afternoon tea aficionados (full confession: I’m normally a big teetolater so my opinion on the alcohols should be taken with a pinch of salt).
It’s not just the excellent quality of the food and beverages. There is a feeling of passion and expertise that resonates among the whole team and this makes the overall experience feel extraordinary. Therefore, I’m (once again) awarding the Mandarin Oriental London with this website’s “Golden Teapot”, an award only meant for the best afternoon teas in the world.
The Mandarin Oriental London afternoon tea is a must-try for any tea lover who’s willing to spare £56 and bear with the slightly restrictive booking policy. Let me assure you it’ll be worth every penny!
+: The Rosebery lounge atmosphere
+: Excellent tea & beverages selection
+: The boozy options (Beer, Wine & Saké) +: Delicious food
+: Gorgeous cakes & mignardises +: Brilliant service +: Value for money
+: Long service hours
+: Best luxury afternoon tea in London
-: Short-ish seating times (2-3 hours)
-: Restrictive booking policy (credit card bookings)
-: Premium price (starting at £56 + 12.5% service charge)
Click here to read the initial review of the MO London Sak& & Teamaster’s Afternoon Tea:
For my last days in the UK, I decided to make my ultimate Sunday in London extra special by grabbing one of the most luxurious afternoon teas in the city. My choice fell on The Mandarin Oriental London, as I was curious about their Saké and Teamaster’s choice afternoon teas:
Cakes & Sweets (Cherry sphere, pistachio mousse and kirsch baba; Cheesecake, Yorkshire rhubarb and raspberry)
The Cakes & Sweets, paired with Shiraume Umeshu Saké 浦霞梅酒 (Plum Liqueur)
Saké & Teamaster’s Choice Afternoon Tea
The Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park, London (map)
Overall Mark: ★★★★★♥
Afternoon Tea price: £53/person; £63 with a glass of Champagne
Teamaster’s Choice Afternoon Tea price: £73/person The Roseberry Saké Afternoon Tea price: £84/person
Tea Refills: Yes; Food refills: Yes
Service: from 12 pm to 10:30 pm in the Rosebery Lounge
The Mandarin Oriental London Hotel Setting ★★★★★
The hotel is located in Knightsbridge, just one street away from Hyde Park. It sits in a historic Edwardian style building and was originally opened up as the “Hyde Park hotel” in 1902.
Now a Mandarin Oriental property, it is undergoing some extensive renovations which started last year. The hotel is gorgeous but does not look much from the outside now: the Knightsbridge street façade is being renovated and the Hyde Park façade will soon follow.
The Rosebery Lounge – Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park, London
The Rosebery Lounge – Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park, London
The Rosebery Lounge – Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park, London
The Rosebery Lounge – Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park, London
The Rosebery Lounge – Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park, London
The Rosebery Lounge – Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park, London
Gorgeous teacup
The Tea & Beverage Selection ★★★★★
Whether it’s for the tea or the saké, the team has been very thorough when it comes to pairing each drink with a stage of the afternoon tea (savouries, scones & sweets). The tea sommelier will happily recommend the right drink depending on what you’re eating, and each saké will be brought to you to at a specific time.
The Teas & Hot Drinks ★★★★★
Now this is where the Mandarin Oriental London hotel truly shines, with the beverages. The Rosebery Lounge’s hot drinks selection is among the best I have ever seen, with 23 fine teas, 10 infusions, 3 lattes and 10 coffees to choose from (all of which are included with the standard £53 afternoon tea).
On top of this, there are 6 rare & limited teas to choose from, for which guests can pay a £3-9 supplement (all rare & limited teas are included with the teamaster’s choice £73 afternoon tea). These teas are quite extraordinary, from the famous “Da Hong Pao” (Oolong tea) to the England grown “Tregothnan Estate” (Cornish black tea).
The quality and attention to detail are on par with the Ritz Paris, if not better. Most fine teas are from the very reputable “East India Company”, while rare & limited teas are sourced individually from independent suppliers such as “Canton Tea”.
Each table gets a visit from Chiara, the Rosebery Lounge tea sommelier. I haven’t seen that level of passion for tea since visiting the Fairmont Hamburg and the tea drinker is me is really pleased to meet people who go the extra mile to educate their guests on the art of tea drinking.
I’d say that my favourite of the lot was the “Eight Immortals Dan Cong”, which may even be the best Oolong tea I ever had. Otherwise, there is no point in me issuing any further recommendations on this aspect. Simply trust the in-house expert as each of her pairing choices were spot-on.
Da Hong Pao Oolong Tea – Mandarin Oriental London Afternoon Tea
East India Company Teas – Mandarin Oriental London Afternoon Tea
You may give a chance to the Barista lattes, such as the nice and flavourful “Chai latte”. Do stay away from the hot chocolate though, it’s not good enough to risk losing your appetite over it.
Chai Latte – Mandarin Oriental London Afternoon Tea
Hot Chocolate – Mandarin Oriental London Afternoon Tea
Teas & Hot Drinks Menu – Mandarin Oriental London Afternoon Tea
The Saké & Champagne ★★★★★
Aside from the traditional Champagne afternoon tea, non-teetotalers may also choose to sample three different sakés, raising the price of the afternoon tea to £84 per person.
Even the lightweight in me couldn’t resist the temptation to try out the Sakés, it would have been criminal to miss on such an unusual opportunity. Each saké is brought with its own course for pairing purposes:
Urakasumi Saké 浦霞 (Misty Bay)
Masakura Saké 真桜 (True Cherry Blossom): A premium saké served with the savouries. Its creamy flavour pairs really well with the sandwiches and it may also serve as a transition towards the sweets.
Urakasumi Saké 浦霞 (Misty Bay): A classic style saké served cold or warm with the scones. Both choices are equally valid and it’s mostly a matter of preference (If cold: fruity/mango flavour; If warm: nutty/chocolatey flavour)
Shiraume Umeshu Saké 浦霞梅酒 (Plum Liqueur): This luxurious plum liqueur is served with the cakes and sweets. Since it’s not saké per se, it is quite sweet and thick compared to the other two. The Umeshu is poured on the rocks to balance the flavours and reduce its sweetness.
People who prefer something a bit more traditional can choose to have a glass of Ruinart Champagne with their afternoon tea (£63/person). It’s the oldest established Champagne house in the world and it is bound to please even the most demanding Champagne drinkers.
I’m a profane when it comes to anything even barely alcoholic, but both the Champagne and the Sakés were marvellous. The effort that was put into pairing each saké with a specific course is palpable and that alone makes the Saké option well worth a try.
Ruinart Champagne – Mandarin Oriental London Afternoon Tea
The Savouries
The Savouries ★★★★★
The sandwiches are magnificent; each of the six savouries is delicious and light. The most memorable sandwich is marked with a heart (♥):
Slow roasted organic chicken and buttered corn
Smoked salmon tartare, dill and crème fraîche
Cotswold egg, white asparagus and black truffle ♥
Compressed cucumber, spring peas pannacotta and mint
Portland crab, baby prawns, palm heart and tobiko
Wiltshire cured ham and heritage tomatoes
I’ll get straight to the point, this is hands down the best egg sandwich I ever had. The asparagus is really a nice touch and it adds a distinctive flavour, while the truffle adds subtlety to the equation.
The cucumber & mint sandwich is the strongest taste so I recommend keeping it for the end. The sandwiches are light and scrummy and this afternoon tea does offer refills, so do not hesitate to ask for an extra plate of these lovely savouries.
Reminder for Saké afternoon tea, the savouries are paired with Masakura Saké 真桜 (True Cherry Blossom) and its creamy flavour combines really well with the sandwiches.
Savouries – Mandarin Oriental London Afternoon Tea
Saké & Teamaster’s Afternoon Tea (served on its metal tree) – Mandarin Oriental London
Masakura Saké 真桜 (True Cherry Blossom) – Scones (plain & raisin) and Toppings (Clotted cream, Strawberry jam, Rose jelly & Lemon curd) – Mandarin Oriental London Afternoon Tea
The Scones ★★★★☆
The Rosebery lounge staff will serve the scones last unless you ask otherwise. Old habits die hard so I asked for them after the savouries, but that is up to you.
The plain and raisin scones are served warm and on request, which is usually a very good sign. There are four toppings to choose from: clotted cream, lemon curd, rose jelly and strawberry jam.
It’s a bit odd but the first batch was undercooked, which resulted in an unpleasant aftertaste. I ordered a second batch which tasted fine, I’m going to assume that it was a one off but do keep it in mind if yours are undercooked and order another plate straight away.
Reminder for Saké afternoon tea, the scones are paired with Urakasumi Saké 浦霞 (Misty Bay). It is a classic style saké which may be served cold or warm. Both choices are equally valid and it’s mostly a matter of preference (If cold: fruity/mango flavour; If warm: nutty/chocolatey flavour).
Scones (plain & raisin) and Urakasumi Saké 浦霞 (Misty Bay) – Mandarin Oriental London Afternoon Tea
Scones (plain & raisin) – Mandarin Oriental London Afternoon Tea
There are 7 cakes & pastries, more than enough to satisfy any respectable sweet tooth.
Cherry sphere, pistachio mousse and kirsch baba ♥
Strawberry and vanilla chiffon roll
Cheesecake, Yorkshire rhubarb and raspberry
Pina colada choux, roasted pineapple and fresh coconut
Hazelnut praline snack bar and chocolate chantilly
Confit lemon cake
Almond and chocolate cake
It’s obvious that a lot of effort was put into designing and imagining these sweets, as this selection is a tribute to originality and imagination. No macarons, no cupcakes, no éclairs… Just creativity at its best.
Cakes & Sweets (Strawberry and vanilla chiffon roll; Pina colada choux, roasted pineapple and fresh coconut; Hazelnut praline snack bar and chocolate chantilly) – Mandarin Oriental London Afternoon Tea
Cakes & Sweets (Confit lemon cake; Almond and chocolate cake) – Mandarin Oriental London Afternoon Tea
Each cake is a delight for the senses: they are all as beautiful as they are tasty. I actually find it difficult to express a preference based on taste, so I’ll give my vote to the “Cherry Sphere” which is the most beautiful sweet of the lot (below).
Reminder for Saké afternoon tea the cakes and sweets are paired with Shiraume Umeshu Saké 浦霞梅酒 (Plum Liqueur). Since it’s not saké per se, it is quite sweet and thick. The Umeshu is poured on the rocks to balance the flavours and reduce its sweetness.
Cakes & Sweets (Cherry sphere, pistachio mousse and kirsch baba; Cheesecake, Yorkshire rhubarb and raspberry) – Mandarin Oriental London Afternoon Tea
The Cakes & Sweets, paired with Shiraume Umeshu Saké 浦霞梅酒 (Plum Liqueur) – Mandarin Oriental London Afternoon Tea
The Service ★★★★★
This is probably the best service I have ever experienced in England. The team is polite, efficient and passionate. They’ll happily share their expertise about saké, tea or the afternoon tea itself.
Whether it’s Chiara (the tea sommelier), Dominique (the waiter who served the Saké) or Siegfried (the Lounge manager), everyone was at their best and took great pride into their work. The staff is also very proactive and took the initiative to sit me close to a power outlet and gave the Wi-fi code straight away, as I mentioned I’d be on my own and work at the table.
The booking policy is the only downside, guests are required to book with a credit card and guests may be charged if they cancel less than 24-72 hours in advance. Booking online is easy and the reservation team is highly responsive via email.
Below is a video of Dominique detailing the contents of the afternoon tea. Bon appétit!
Conclusion & Overall Mark ★★★★★♥
As of now (May 2017), this is the best afternoon tea I ever had, all criteria and countries considered. Not only is it on par with the Bristol Paris tea time, it also surpasses the Lanesborough London, which up to now had been my favourite in the UK on the luxury segment.
It’s not just the excellent quality of the food and beverages. There is a feeling of passion and expertise that resonates among the whole team and this makes the overall experience feel extraordinary. Therefore, I’m awarding the Mandarin Oriental London with this website’s very first “Golden Teapot”, an award only meant for the best afternoon teas in the world!
The Mandarin Oriental London afternoon tea is a must-try for any tea lover who’s willing to spare £53 and bear with the slightly restrictive booking policy. Let me assure you it’ll be worth every penny!
+: The Rosebery lounge atmosphere
+: Excellent tea & beverages selection
+: Choice of Saké & rare teas +: Delicious food
+: Gorgeous cakes +: Brilliant service +: Value for money
+: Long service hours (12 to 10:30 pm)
+: Best luxury afternoon tea in London
-: The hotel façade is being renovated (no natural light)
-: The undercooked first batch of Scones
-: Restrictive booking policy
-: Premium price (£53 – £84)
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