Claridge’s has won the highest accolade of the tea world by winning The Tea Guild’s Top London Afternoon Tea 2011 Award. This is the second time in recent years that Claridge’s has been awarded this accolade having won before in 2006.
The event, now in its 26th year, is considered the ‘Oscar’ of the tea world, with world-famous London hotels and tea rooms competing for the highly coveted honour.
Claridge’s was voted into the top spot after its legendary tea room, The Foyer, gained a near perfect score from inspectors. The judges praised it for its tasteful art deco style and fine furnishings, as well as friendly and efficient staff, and excellent selection of scones, sandwiches, and cakes.
When it came to the tea itself, once again Claridge’s surpassed expectations with an excellent selection of teas, and knowledgeable and friendly staff who excelled firstly in advising customers on the choice of tea blends on offer and then serving those teas perfectly.
The five-star hotel, an art deco jewel in the heart of bustling Mayfair, has a reputation for fine living and dining that reaches across the globe. The hotel traces its history back to 1812, and over the following 200 years has played host to royalty – including Queen Victoria – as well as stars, statesmen, and a discerning clientele who appreciate its rich heritage.Just some of the guests have included Audrey Hepburn, Brad Pitt, Mick Jagger, and Eva Longoria.
Commenting on the award, Irene Gorman, Head of The Tea Guild, said: “The standard of entrants this year was incredibly high. This was especially true in London, which has traditionally been the home of some of the finest afternoon tea experiences within many of the world’s finest and most elegant hotels and establishments.”
The Tea Guild team of tea experts have taken tea in hotels and tearooms in London and across Britain to find the finest tea experiences and all visits have been anonymous to ensure the results are completely fair and accurate.
The anonymous judges awarded points for the variety, flavour and knowledge of the teas offered, together with the quality of food, service, décor, ambience, and presentation. With 125 points to be lost or gained on the judge’s scorecard, only those tea establishments achieving the very highest standards across a number of categories can make it to the top.
The UK Tea Council has also awarded Awards of Excellence to other London hotels including, Brown’s Hotel, The Dorchester, The Goring, The Lanesborough, The Langham, , The Montague on The Gardens, The Park Lane Hotel, The Savoy, and The Ritz in recognition of their outstanding quality and consistently high standards in tea service.
Claridge’s, Brook Street, Mayfair, London, W1K 4HR T
020 7629 8860
