The blurb
Located in the heart of London’s spirited theatre district, The Waldorf Hilton London, known for its Edwardian architectural aesthetic and accommodating service, have announced their plans to deliver a little piece of British luxury to Londoners’ doors, with the launch of their new ‘ Afternoon Tea delivery service ’. Designed by Rennie Mackintosh’s brother-in-law, Sir Alexander Marshall Mackenzie, The Waldorf Hilton has an iconic Edwardian façade bookended by two of the West End’s most prestigious theatres.
Inside, the hotel houses 298 rooms including 19 suites, four restaurants and bars including Homage Restaurant, Good Godfrey’s Bar & Lounge, Private Homage and Waldorf Tea Room, as well as a stunning art deco entertainment space, Palm Court – which lays claim to London’s first Tangos in the 1920s. I was invited by The Waldorf Hilton, to review their new Afternoon Tea in their Palm Court.
The Style
On arrival, I was shown the beautiful palm court, coined the centre magical piece of the Waldorf Hilton Hotel. This room is best known for having exceptionally great, natural daylight. Additionally, I was quite stunned at how big the court was: it is impeccably spacious, and I was told by my lovely waiter that the space is used to host industry events, wedding receptions and private hire parties from time to time. The décor had a timeless feel to it, the detail on the balcony, the velvet seats, and an old gold clock are some of the things that stood out to me.
The food and drink
On arrival, I was welcomed with a glass of POP Pommery Champagne and presented with the Afternoon Tea menu. I was pleasantly surprised to see a generous selection of teas which I could choose from. The teas ranged from your traditional English Breakfast and organic Earl Grey to more fruity and spicy tea blends. I sampled two teas from the ‘Special & Unique’ selection – the Organic Red Velvet and the Organic Masala Chai. The Red Velvet had a lovely aroma, although I found the taste a little too sour for my liking. The Masala Chai on the other hand, which was a mixed spice tea, I thoroughly enjoyed. It had a subtle taste and combined with the smell of the spices, made for an interesting juxtaposition. For those who don’t like strong-scented teas but would like to try a more unconventional blend, I would highly recommend the Masala Chai.
Of the sandwich selection, I enjoyed the smoked salmon, cucumber and lime crème fraiche and the cucumber, mint crème fraiche and watercress sandwiches the most: The salmon was exceptionally light and soft, each bite melted onto my tongue. The cucumber sandwich was a nice variant to the meat/fish options. I had never had mint crème Fraiche in a sandwich before, and I was pleasantly surprised that I fully enjoyed each bite.
The sweet treats selection was beautifully presented and offered a variety of choices. However, most of the treats available had a mousse-type consistency and unfortunately, I’m not a fan of mousse-type desserts; it would have been nice to have some alternatives such as a traditional sponge cake or a couple of chocolate brownie or crumble bites within the selection. Freshly baked plain and raisin scones served with clotted cream and strawberry jam saved the day, however; I enjoyed them immensely.
The Crowd
The guests in attendance appeared to vary from couples, friends, mothers and daughters. The atmosphere was very relaxed, I felt a sense of calmness. If you’re ever in doubt or stuck on a place to have afternoon tea, I would highly recommend visiting The Waldorf Hilton, for a truly first-class service.
The Details
Bookings for Waldorf’s Afternoon Tea delivery service, £50.00 for two people, can be done through the Supper app. Delivery is only available within a three-mile radius of the hotel.
The Hilton Waldorf, Aldwych, West End, London WC2B 4DD; www.hilton.com/en/hotels/lonwahi-the-waldorf-hilton-london; +44 20 7836 2400
