The Lanesborough

I was originally attracted to the Lanesborough by the fact that they have a tea sommelier. Obviously a hotel this passionate about tea ought to understand how to create a wonderful afternoon around it. Accordingly the tea decision took quite a long time as we perused the impressive list of over 25 teas and 4 herbal infusions. There were personal favourites on the list such as Moroccan Mint Tea as well as intriguing options such as Dragon Well Green Tea - apparently one of the most sought after Green Teas in the world. Each leaf is individually picked, shaped and roasted in a wok. It is apparently emerald green and tastes of chestnuts. Another time perhaps! Afternoon tea in my opinion really does call for a black tea so I chose the Lanesborough Breakfast Blend - a blend of top quality Assam and Darjeeling which was smoky and smooth and went well with milk, while my friends went off on adventurous tea journeys of their own. Four teapots and some glasses of Taittinger Rosé champagne later we were ready for something to eat!

Tea is served in a lovely conservatory with a glass roof open to the sky. There was seating for about 12 tables, some on a raised walkway and some tucked away behind draped corners to give a sense of privacy. We sat opposite our friends on a rather stylish, but thankfully also comfortable Baroque couch.

The Lanesborough have a slightly more practical approach to afternoon tea which deals neatly with the "how do you keep your scones warm but start with savoury" quandary. We were brought a lovely plate of sandwiches first as well as a selection of mini-quiches hot from the oven. I'm not convinced quiche really has a place in an afternoon tea but they were so tasty I couldn't object!

Only once you have munched this far are the scones brought out. Agreeably warm and of course with clotted cream. The patisseries are creative and the addition of a dessert amuse bouche (in our case a mango sorbet in a shot glass) added a certain touch of class. One demur - I had ordered the extended tea that included strawberries and cream and the strawberries were not at their best - disappointing given that we were in England in summer - the home and season of the best strawberries in the world. Still this was a small fault and frankly the tea was generous enough to leave us regretting the strawberry option at all. A kindly waiter brought us some more hot quiches après scones and again they were too delicious to resist. We left feeling well satisfied. Full of tasty tea and happy to come again.