London
Afternoon tea in London: eight hotels where tea is worth the journey
Finger sandwiches, warm scones and a tier of cakes, with a pianist somewhere behind the palms. These are the eight London hotels where afternoon tea deserves a weekend of its own, and a room upstairs.
At ten past three on a wet Thursday, the queue for the Palm Court at The Ritz reaches back past the cloakroom. Nobody minds. Inside, a waiter tips Darjeeling from a silver pot while the pianist eases into Gershwin.
The custom is usually credited to Anna, Duchess of Bedford, who in the 1840s found the gap between lunch and a late dinner too long to bear. London's grand hotels turned her habit into theatre, and the best of them still treat it as the main event of the day.
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In short
The classic afternoon tea in London is served at The Ritz, The Savoy, Claridge's and The Langham, each with live piano and fixed sittings. Allow two hours at the table and book four to eight weeks ahead for a Saturday. Staying at the same hotel means a short walk to bed afterwards.
Our first choice: The Langham, which claims to be the first hotel in London to serve afternoon tea, and whose Palm Court sits five minutes from Oxford Street.
Book your stay: See rooms at The Langham, London (Paid link)
Before you book a table
Timing: Most hotels run set sittings from early afternoon. Weekends go first, so a Tuesday or Wednesday is far easier.
Dress code: Smart casual works almost everywhere. The Ritz asks men for a jacket and tie, and trainers will not get you into the Palm Court.
Food: Sandwiches and scones are usually replenished if you ask. Mention allergies when you reserve rather than at the table.
Rooms: Tables are booked with the hotel directly. Book the room through our link and you have somewhere to lie down afterwards.
The Langham, London
The terrace behind the hotel is a green pocket a block from Oxford Circus. Photo: Hotels.com (Expedia Group)
The grand rooms
The Ritz London: tea by appointment
César Ritz opened his hotel on Piccadilly in 1906, and the Palm Court has barely changed since. There are gilded mirrors, a fountain and a grand piano, and the sittings are kept to a strict timetable.
It is formal, and that is the point. Go if you want to see the original once and enjoy dressing for it. If you prefer to linger, other rooms are more relaxed.
Book your stay: See rooms at The Ritz London (Paid link)
The Savoy: light from the glass dome
The Thames Foyer sits at the centre of the hotel beneath a glass cupola, so tea here feels lighter than in the older salons. A white gazebo stands in the middle, and the pianist plays from it all afternoon.
The Savoy opened on the Strand in 1889, and river-facing rooms look across the Thames to the London Eye. A natural choice if you have theatre tickets in Covent Garden that evening.
Book your stay: See rooms at The Savoy (Paid link)
The Langham, London: where hotel tea began
The Langham opened on Regent Street in 1865, opposite the site where the BBC later built Broadcasting House. The hotel tells the story of serving London's first hotel afternoon tea, and its Palm Court is designed around that claim.
The room is bright, high-ceilinged and generous with space between tables. It suits anyone combining tea with Oxford Street or a wander up Marylebone High Street.
Book your stay: See rooms at The Langham, London (Paid link)
The Dorchester: a long promenade by the park
The Promenade runs the length of the ground floor, lined with marble columns and deep sofas. The Dorchester opened on Park Lane in 1931, and west-facing rooms look straight into Hyde Park.
The pace is slower than at The Ritz, and the seating is softer. Choose it if you want a walk across the park first and plenty of elbow room at the table.
Book your stay: See rooms at The Dorchester (Paid link)
The English Tea Room at Brown's
Wood panelling, an open fire and low armchairs, a few streets from Piccadilly. Photo: Hotels.com (Expedia Group)
Quieter rooms
Brown's Hotel: Mayfair at a murmur
Brown's opened on Albemarle Street in 1837 and is often described as one of London's oldest hotels. The English Tea Room has oak panelling, an open fire and armchairs low enough to sink into.
Agatha Christie is said to have drawn on it for 'At Bertram's Hotel'. Good for a long conversation, since you rarely hear more than one other table.
Book your stay: See rooms at Brown's Hotel (Paid link)
The Goring: a private garden behind the palace
The Goring has been run by the same family since 1910 and sits a short walk from Buckingham Palace. The Princess of Wales stayed here the night before her wedding in 2011.
Tea is served in the lounge or on the veranda overlooking the hotel's own garden, which is rare in Belgravia. A calm base for St James's Park and Westminster.
Book your stay: See rooms at The Goring (Paid link)
Glass, art and cake
Claridge's: art deco under a glass chandelier
A chandelier of blown glass by the American artist Dale Chihuly hangs in the foyer at Claridge's, above a black and white marble floor. Tea is served right there, in the flow of the hotel.
That makes it livelier than the closed-off salons. Ideal if you enjoy watching people come and go, with Bond Street a few minutes away.
Book your stay: See rooms at Claridge's (Paid link)
Rosewood London: cakes that borrow from the galleries
Rosewood occupies an Edwardian insurance building on High Holborn, entered through a former carriage courtyard. In the Mirror Room, the pastry team shapes each cake after a well-known work of art, and the menu changes with the exhibitions.
Pick it if gilt and palms are not your style, and you want to stay close to the British Museum. Holborn is also quieter at night than the West End.
Book your stay: See rooms at Rosewood London (Paid link)
The veranda at The Goring
Tea comes with a view of the hotel's private garden, a rarity in Belgravia. Photo: Hotels.com (Expedia Group)
When to book
December: Festive teas at the big hotels fill from October. Book the table and the room together.
Spring and summer: Weekdays in May and June are easiest, and several hotels create special menus for the Chelsea Flower Show.
The rest of the year: Four to eight weeks ahead for a Saturday is usually enough, less for a weekday.
Frequently asked questions
Where is the best afternoon tea in London?
The most traditional afternoon tea in London is at The Ritz, The Savoy and The Langham, with live piano and silver service. For a quieter table, Brown's and The Goring are smaller and calmer. Rosewood London suits anyone who would rather have cakes modelled on works of art.
How long does afternoon tea last?
Afternoon tea at a London hotel usually lasts around two hours. The larger rooms run fixed sittings, so staff will tell you when the table is needed again. Keep lunch light, because most people find they can skip dinner.
What should I wear for afternoon tea in London?
Smart casual is fine at most London hotels. The Ritz is the strictest, asking men to wear a jacket and tie, and it does not allow jeans or sportswear in the Palm Court. Check each hotel's own guidance when you reserve.
Do you have to stay at the hotel to have afternoon tea?
No, afternoon tea at London hotels is open to anyone with a reservation. Staying over still helps: you avoid racing across town to make your sitting, and you can take a last pot of tea up to your room.
How far ahead should I book afternoon tea?
Book four to eight weeks ahead for a Saturday table at the larger hotels. Allow longer in December and around Mother's Day. Weekday tables are easier and can often be arranged a week or two before.