Whenever I visit a foreign country, I like to partake in the local traditions. When visiting London with my friend Laura, she was invited to participate in Afternoon Tea and invited me to join her!! Not only were the tea and snacks exquisite, but the hotel where we had the tea was delightful and was directly across from Kensington Palace & Gardens! Welcome to Afternoon Tea at the Milestrone Hotel.

Tea is served in Cheneston’s Restaurant, the Park Lounge or the Conservatory. We had ours in the Park Lounge and had a table close to the front facing windows (which meant we kept our eyes on Kensington palace).

Laura was actually on a writing assignment and her editor took care of all the arrangements for us in advance. You must have a reservation to attend and there are three typical types of tea offered daily.

Champagne Afternoon Tea: Enjoy our Afternoon Tea alongside a pot of tea of your choice (with milk or lemon) and a glass of perfectly chilled Champagne to start. Price: £90 per person

Royal Afternoon Tea for Two: Indulge in our Afternoon Tea selection accompanied by a pot of tea of your choice (with milk or lemon) and half a bottle of Champagne. Price: £190

Royal Rose Afternoon Tea for Two: Our Afternoon Tea selection, accompanied by a pot of tea of your choice (with milk or lemon), is complete with half a bottle of Rosé Champagne for a true indulgence. Price: £200

-Taken from www.milestonehotel.com

They recommend that you book your reservation online. You can book your tea service:

Monday - Sunday
Three sittings
1pm - 3pm, 3pm - 5pm & 5pm - 7pm

Telephone: +44 (0) 20 7917 1000
Senior Executive Manager: Leo Forte

They also offer additional special options such as a Royal Coronation Afternoon Tea in May, Afternoon Tea in Kensington Gardens, etc. Check their website for more details.

The dress code to Tea is smart casual. Guests are asked to refrain from wearing sportswear, flip-flops, and non-tailored shorts. Guest not adhering to the dress code policy will not be permitted entry, so make sure you dress the part.

The website boasts that at tea you will enjoy “a delicious array of delicate finger sandwiches, warm freshly baked scones with Devonshire clotted cream and home-made preserves, and a selection of pastries including éclairs, tartlets, cupcakes, and macarons. Taste a vast collection of loose-leaf teas at your leisure in fine surroundings, or perhaps a glass of Lanson Champagne, holder of a Royal Warrant to the Court of England since 1900”. 

They can accommodate special dietary requirements that you and your party may have, including vegetarian sandwiches, gluten-free bread, pastries, and scones but they require a 24 hours’ notice. They are unable to cater to dietaries that require both gluten-free and dairy-free options.

Our Afternoon Tea experience was the Champagne Afternoon Tea which consisted of a three-tiered tray of sandwiches, French pastries and cakes followed by fruit and plain scones with Cornish clotted cream, homemade preserve and our choice of fine leaf teas, served with milk or lemon, and a glass of perfectly chilled Champagne to start.

Some of the hotel’s awards and accolades:

• Received an Award of Excellence at the prestigious Afternoon Tea Award 2023

• Retained prestigious Five-Star rating - Forbes Travel Guide, 2023

• AA Five Red Star rating with a double rosette award at Cheneston's Restaurant 2022

• Voted No.1 Best Hotel in London & England and No.3 Best Hotel in Europe - U.S. News, 2022

• Voted No.5 in the Top 40 Hotels in London - Condé Nast Traveller Readers’ Choice Awards, 2021 

• Voted No.5 in the Top 10 London City Hotels - Travel + Leisure Awards, 2021

• One of the first hotels to become Sharecare Health Security VERIFIED® with Forbes Travel Guide, 2021

So, if you find yourself in London, I highly recommend taking a few hours out of your afternoon to take in the beautiful surroundings and delicious finger foods at the Milestone Hotel. It is a true English experience, and you feel every bit a king or queen as you enjoy the delicate pastries and sandwiches that they enjoy just a few hundred feet away.