High Tea at The Dorchester
You cant take in London without taking tea. And if you’re going to do it, you might as well do it right! The Dorchester Hotel provided the perfect afternoon, embodying all the elegance and pomp and circumstance you’d imagine of high tea in London. A special girls trip to celebrate my mothers birthday, set the scene for the ultimate tea party! We sought out the most luxurious hotel to celebrate this special occasion because of course, you only celebrate 70 once!!
Avid fans of Downton Abbey, The Crown and all things posh and pretty, The Dorchester was exactly the high society British afternoon we had anticipated. Waistcoated doormen greet you at the revolving door through which you are welcomed into the Promenade, an extravagant parlor circled by marble columns and illuminated by elegant lanterns. Tables are laid with fine linens and lavish sprays of fragrant salmon colored roses enhance the beauty of the exquisite parlor interior. Live piano music set the mood for a leisurely afternoon as we checked our coats in the cloak room and settled into our leather sofa seating around a table for four and “took tea”, in style!
A celebratory champagne toast initiated our afternoon followed by a careful tea selections from an extensive menu of both rare and traditional choices ranging from oolong to green tea, herb and black, white and my personal favorite – peppermint!
The assortment of tea sandwiches served exceeded our expectations with creative variations on classic favorites! Our waiter was charming answering all our questions and patiently explaining the ingredients of each delicate and delicious savory snack. After a palate cleansing marigold-peach tea, our sweets treats were served. Warm raisin scones were offered alongside thick clotted cream and assortments of rhubarb and strawberry preserves. Ill admit, I had (ahem) not one but two scones. Consequently, I wasn’t exactly hungry by the time our sweets were served on tiered tea trays, but that didn’t keep us from enjoying handcrafted cakes and pastries. Just too good to resist!
The Dorchester went above and beyond presenting mother with a personalized birthday cake and special serenade from the live pianist. Unarguably an unforgettable afternoon with laughs and memories and photographs we will cherish forever!
