The Westin Hamburg at Elbphilharmonie has just opened and serves a high tea with a view at a very reasonable price.
March 2020 update: no reference to the afternoon tea on the Westin Hamburg’s website. I recommend calling/booking online to be safe.
High Tea / Afternoon Tea at The Westin Hamburg at Elbphilharmonie
Overall Mark: ★★★☆☆
Price of the High Tea: 19€/person (Includes a glass of Champagne)
Tea Refills: No (5€ for an extra pot of tea); Food refills: No
Service: 2 to 5 pm in the Plaza Foyer or The Bridge Bar
The Setting ★★★★☆
The Westin Hamburg is located within the Elbphilharmonie concert hall, a building designed by world-famous architecture firm Herzog & De Meuron. It is now among Germany’s most famous buildings, both because of its daring design and its price tag of 789 Million €. Whether you find the wave / hoisted sail-shaped glassy construction aesthetically pleasing or not, the Elphi (as nicknamed by the locals) is quite a sight. It is visible from the Landungsbrücken piers, should you wish to see it while staying away from cold glassy HafenCity.
The hotel has just opened up and everything is brand new, with a modern decoration which matches the building’s architecture. Its location is far from ideal since it is quite far from any point of interest, with the notable exception of Miniatur Wunderland.
Both The Bridge Bar and the Plaza Foyer have a nice view of Hamburg but neither venue offers the privacy and relaxed feeling I’d expect when having high tea.
While Elphi’s beauty is subject to debate among Hamburgers, its vantage point over the Elbe is second to none in HafenCity Hamburg. The view of Harburg at sunset and Landungsbrücken at night are especially stunning.
The Tea & Beverage Selection ★★★☆☆
The tea selection is from JING, which is far from my favourite brand. The teapot is made of glass and comes with an hourglass so guests can brew the tea at the right strength.
As in the Westin Dublin, the tea is not always brewed at the right temperature so green and white teas will be excessively bitter. I recommend sticking with temperature insensitive teas such as the Earl Grey or the Rooibos.
There are no refills so each extra pot of tea will cost you 5€. The High Tea also includes a glass of Piper Champagne, which makes this high tea even more worthwhile for fizz enthusiasts.
The Savouries ★★☆☆☆
The sandwiches are rather ordinary and obviously not fresh. Think of these as appetizers to accompany your glass of Champagne.
The Scones ★★★★☆
The scone comes with jam and clotted cream. The sweet black bread is a nice touch, actually way tastier than the scone itself.
The Cakes & Pastries N/A
The pastries are not included in the afternoon tea, which is understandable considering its price tag. It is possible to order some from a pastry tray but I did not try any.
The Service ★★★★☆
The hotel staff is polite and efficient. Due to the popularity of the Elphi, I recommend booking ahead since the place may be full on weekends.
Conclusion & Overall Mark ★★★☆☆
This afternoon tea somehow reminds me of the afternoon tea at the Shangri La at The Shard London: it’s all about the view and not really about the food.
At 19€/person with a glass of Champagne, The Westin Hamburg high tea is still great value for money and definitely worth a try, especially if you wish to visit the Elphilharmonie concert hall.
+: The Elbphilharmonie
+: The view of Hamburg
+: The Champagne
+: Good value for money
-: The tea
-: The food
Email: Bar.TheWestinHamburg@Westin.com
Phone number: +49(0) 40 8000 – 10 3113
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