The Langham London “SesonaliTea afternoon tea with Wedgwood” is among the most well-known in London. Let’s see if it’s worthy of the fame:
SeasonaliTea Afternoon Tea / High Tea with Wedgwood at the Langham London ★★★☆☆
Langham London Afternoon Tea with Wedgwood price: £62/person
Savoury bites, Scones & Sweets with your choice of Hot beverages
Langham London High Tea with Wedgwood price: £68/person
Savoury bites, one Savoury dish, Scones & Sweets with your choice of Hot beverages
Langham London Afternoon Tea Pairing price: £72/person
Savoury bites, Scones & Sweets paired with expertly paired Wedgwood teas
extra £21 for a glass of Perrier-Jouët Champagne
Food refills: Yes (Sandwiches & Scones); Tea refills: Yes; Alcohol refills: No
Service hours: Every day from 12 to 5:30 pm in the Palm Court
The Setting ★★★★☆
The hotel faces the All Souls Langham Place in Marylebone, just a 3-minute walk away from the Oxford Circus tube station. The Langham London opened its doors in 1865 as Europe’s first “Grand Hotel”, which pioneered many innovations in the hospitality industry (hydraulic lifts, electric lights, etc…).
It has switched ownership many times until the BBC sold it to an HK based investment fund, who made it the flagship of the Langham Hospitality Group.
The interior is gorgeous, as expected of a fully renovated five-star hotel of this calibre. Everything is predominantly white: quite pleasant but also lacking in warmth and colour.
The Palm Court ★★★★☆
Afternoon tea has been served in the Palm Court since the hotel’s opening in 1865. The Lounge itself is gorgeous, with a huge flower tree in the middle.
The absence of natural light might be an issue for some guests, though I honestly don’t mind.
The Tea & Beverage Selection ★★★☆☆
The tea is supplied by Wedgwood. While the company is famous for its teaware and tableware, it is less known as a tea supplier. There are a whopping 36 teas and infusions to choose from, with almost all tea varieties on offer. Allow me to recommend the Gyokuro tea ♥.
Though the choices are plentiful, I wasn’t that impressed with the quality of the brew: the tea overbrews quickly and there is no way to regulate it; except asking for a pot of hot water, which I recommend doing. You may also order a glass of Perrier-Jouët Champagne (brut or rosé) for an extra £21.
The Langham had a few books on display, including a very apt read for an afternoon tea: “The tiger who came tor tea” by Judith Kerr.
Classic teas offer 36 (1 signature blend, 12 black, 7 green, 3 white, 3 oolong & 10 infusions)
Brewing method: At the table; in a ceramic teapot containing a removable tea strainer
2 hot beverages per afternoon tea; 9€ per extra teapot
The Savouries ★★★★☆
The afternoon tea starts with five Sandwiches, which I’d call revisited classics:
- Smoked chicken and Mimolette ‘caesar’ on granary bread ♥
- Burford brown egg and summer truffle brioche bun
- Classic cucumber, cream cheese and fine herbs on white bread
- Scottish smoked salmon, horseradish cream on beetroot bread
- Peppered beef pastrami, dried tomato, rocket, purple pesto, basil bread ♥
The sandwiches are very satisfying and generously refilled at the table. I recommend re-ordering the Pastrami and Salmon sandwiches 🙂
Guests who choose the “High tea with Wedgwood” option can choose one extra dish from the following list:
- XL Orkney scallop, dill beurre blanc
- Chicken liver and foie gras parfait, toasted brioche
- Isle of Wight tomato and goat’s cheese-tart
I did not try any of these as the selection was different when I came to the Langham. I had a Tuna Tartare which was deliciously spicy (see the second picture below) ♥
The Scones★★★☆☆
Each serving of afternoon tea comes with two scones. They are served with clotted cream, strawberry jam and a scrummy apricot-vanilla jam ♥.
The first batch of scones was undercooked, resulting in an odd aftertaste. The second batch was much better, but that doesn’t justify anything; I expect it to be good from the start, no matter how tasty that jam was.
Speaking of jams, you can buy a jar for £6 a piece, flavours listed in the second picture below.
The Cakes & Sweets ★★★☆☆
The Langham London pastries look great, but the taste does not match the looks:
- Precisely Prescillia! – Light raspberry sponge rolled with raspberry confit and jasmine cream
- Pure Caraibe – Caramelised puff pastry thins, Caraibe, Maldon salt and vanilla cream
- Cherry knickerbocker – Lightly poached kent cherries, vanilla ice and cream
- Tart of the day (Strawberry for me) – Crunchy almond sable and the finest fruit of the day
- Chocolate cake ♥
The strawberry tart had an odd aftertaste. Otherwise, the cakes were decent but quite disappointing for a premium afternoon tea starting at £62 per head.
The Service ★★★★★
The staff is very attentive and the Italian gentleman who served me was the highlight of the afternoon tea. Below is a video detailing the contents of the afternoon tea:
Conclusion & Overall Mark ★★★☆☆
The Langham Afternoon Tea / High Tea with Wedgwood is decent but definitely not worth £62 per person. If you’re willing to pay that price, I recommend you go to the Connaught or the Mandarin Oriental, both are much better in every aspect.
+: Beautiful hotel
+: Nice atmosphere
+: Large choice of teas
+: The savouries
+: The service
-: The tea brewing
-: Disappointing scones & sweets
-: Poor value for money
Langham London Afternoon Tea Official Website
Langham London Afternoon Tea Official Menu
Email: info@langhamhotels.com
Phone: 44 (0) 20 7636 1000
Address:
