Corinthia Hotel London Afternoon Tea Review: Five Star Service in The Crystal Moon Lounge

I think I’ve probably told this story time and time again but for those who haven’t come across my repetitive spiel, I want to tell you a little bit about the birth of afternoon tea – especially as Corinthia London offer just that when you sit down, in the form of “The Tiny Book of Tea“.

Once upon a time, in 1840, a lady named Anna, the seventh Duchess of Bedford noticed she felt a ‘sinking feeling’ around mid-afternoon. Once served with a pot of Darjeeling tea, bread, butter and a few biscuits – Anna realised she felt much better. It was from here onwards (as far as we know) that the traditional afternoon tea we all know and love was born. While the history continues and the offerings of afternoon tea have changed over the many years, its quintessentially British tradition remains very much intact.

One place in particular where all of that tradition can be found, in terms of food, service and decor is The Crystal Moon Lounge at the Corinthia Hotel London. Arguably one of the most stunning rooms in London, expect to be whisked away to a timeless world of glamour. Illuminated by a spectacular Baccarat chandelier and looking through to the adjacent Garden Lounge, the effortless style of The Crystal Moon Lounge makes it the perfect venue for Afternoon Tea. A live pianist is even playing throughout the afternoon to create that extra special atmosphere.

For me one of the most exciting things about this afternoon has to be the trolleys. Not just one, but two. The most fabulous of them all is the huge, silver trolley filled with only the finest brut and rose Laurent-Perrier Champagne which can be enjoyed as part of your afternoon tea package. We started with a glass of rose while our peppermint tea was being brewed by the resident in-house tea sommelier. Not to mention lusting over those gorgeous Champagne glasses which are cut from the same Baccarat crystal as the chandelier above you and the beautiful crockery from Richard Brendon which everything is served on.

While my favourite thing in the world is cake, I actually lovely the savoury items during an afternoon tea and I always make that classic mistake of ordering a second round and having to take half of my sweat treats home. Here we tucked into a fine selection of finger sandwiches, all of which were excellent. Cucumber with radish and cream cheese. London smoked salmon with gherkins, capers, crème fraiche and spring onion. Tandoori chicken mixed with green apple & raisin. Plus some moist roast beef with caramelized onion and wholegrain mustard. Our personal favourite was the egg mayo with truffle and watercress on spinach bread.

The plain and raisin scones were some of the lightest you’ll ever likely to come across, each crumbling to the touch but still firm enough to spread the delicious jams and clotted cream over. Cornish clotted cream to be precise and the most heavenly rhubarb and tonka bean jams. They went perfectly with a top-up of Champagne, this time a glass of the Laurent-Perrier Brut.

The main spectacle of course had to be the absolutely stunning dessert trolley which is again a brand new addition to the Corinthia afternoon tea. A floor standing tier is placed next to your table and you’re given the choice to pick your favourite patisserie creations, or like we did – try one of everything. I must also mention that throughout this afternoon tea, service was immaculate and each items was meticulously described to us.

Chocolate peanut spheres, rhubarb & strawberry tartlets, exotic fruit baba, Irish coffee eclair and a thick few slices of lemon rose drizzle cake. The best surprise yet was an addition of something that wasn’t on the menu but which is my absolute favourite and mostly eaten on my trips to Bordeaux in France – the humble canelé.

For me the real favourites were that Irish coffee eclair which was so light and delicate, but still rich & satisfying in flavour. The exotic fruit baba was also another winning creation for us. I love rum baba at the best of times but having it during afternoon tea was a first – and I certainly hope it won’t be the last.

We had a really stunning afternoon here in the The Crystal Moon Lounge for their afternoon tea and while I can’t comment of the quality of their previous offering, this shiny new afternoon tea is now one of London’s finest. The attention to detail with each creation is meticulous, the service from the team is faultless and the huge silver trolleys are absolutely fabulous. Book now, before everyone finds out.

NB: Our meal was complimentary. All views are as always, my own. My views are not influenced by anyone other than my own palate and slightly poor eyesight.