A multi-sensory history lesson served with gold standard customer service at London’s iconic Waldorf Hilton with the Tea Tasting Afternoon Tea.
What images float to your mind when thinking of the word ‘Waldorf’? To us, it conjures up sepia-toned memories of opulence and glamour; the hotel stays of the rich and famous. Indeed, The Waldorf Hilton, first opening it’s doors in 1908, has indeed homed a fair few celebrities in it’s time, as well as thousands of stays from the fabulously wealthy from all four corners of the globe.
Despite its historic credentials, The Waldorf Hilton certainly does not rest on its reputation alone. Clearly, as felt through the feeling of the bright, shiny lobby upon first entering, the Hilton group knows it has to keep both aesthetics and experiences relevant to today’s discerning visitor. Continually looking to offer guests a unique and special experience, The ‘T-room’ is one of the recent rejuvenations, and we felt very lucky to be able to visit to celebrate the launch of the Tea Tasting experience afternoon tea.
The T-room is an intimate space consisting of just 6 or so tables, 8 if the outdoor seating is included, and is connected to the main lobby on the ground floor. We were pleasantly struck by how quiet and calm it was, even though we were able to gaze through the floor-to-ceiling windows looking out onto the bustling Aldwych street. The furnishings luxuriously comfy and home-like to the touch, so first impressions were very positive. We were greeted ever so warmly by our host, the resident ‘Tea Sommelier’ Dominigo who already knew our first names and greeted us as if we were visiting family!
The Tea Tasting experience begins with a fascinating lesson that spans hundreds of centuries of Tea history, including the origins of different teas over the years, trade routes, and how certain leaves are grown in different climates. London being the history hub that it is, this in itself is an essential must-do for culture vultures visiting the capital to enrich their knowledge. Happily, too, the tasting experience went down even more pleasingly than the knowledge itself, and we tasted four different blends, brewed to the exact right temperature, for the exact right time, and served in delicate crystal cups. This is an afternoon tea for purists – there wasn’t a raspberry ripple or vanilla infusion in sight, this was the real deal!
One of the fabulous things about the tea tasting experience is that the menu is fully buildable by the consumer. One does not have to get served a tiered tray of goodies that they wouldn’t necessarily suit one’s unique tastes, and we were able to choose a plate of delectable finger sandwiches including a soft, fresh salmon and cream cheese, alongside a daring smoked ham and dijon filled croissant. A warm blanket tumbling with scones came served with both rhubarb and strawberry jams. As a summery touch, we selected the strawberry and mascarpone tart for ‘afters,’. It was difficult to choose from the selection of cakes on offer, but we thought we’d give a nod to the traditional British Summertime dessert on the hot London afternoon and we were delighted.
Sometimes, the afternoon tea occasion is a private affair, a special time to enjoy just with one treasured person (or, indeed, totally alone as a tasty self-care activity). We were not ashamed to say that on this occasion, we chose to chat pretty much the whole time with Dominigo our host who was so gregarious and knowledgeable about our favourite topic! After our table was cleared, we stayed chatting a while before drifting off back into the London afternoon, promising earnestly to return at our earliest convenience another cuppa and, hopefully, another generous slice of history!
Afternoon Tea London – find more experiences in our High Tea Venue Directory
