I was in the Mandarin Oriental in London opposite Harrods and noticed that during the past year the hotel has redecorated as promised the new light, bright tea room. I was wondering whether I had missed out and should have had coffee in there, rather than lingering around the bar both before lunch and afterwards, and staying at the lunch table with my coffee-quaffing family and friends cum colleagues in Dinner by Heston Blumenthal.
Many restaurants and hotels want to move you out of their main restaurant's tables at the end of the meal to make way for the next sitting who will be ordering something more expensive than a coffee, Some menus actually suggest that you take your after dinner coffee in a coffee corner or coffee corridor. The staff are glad, positively keen, to move you to another area and bring your after dinner or after lunch coffee and even the bill to the coffee lounge or new location. That way they accustom you to patronising not just one but two of their food and drink serving outlets.
However, it seems that the Mandarin Oriental tea lounge only really caters for customers willing to buy cocktails and drinks, or a full high tea. After I got back to my work desk I googled the tea lounge menu, thinking maybe I could try it out next time I am in London and have a spare half hour between meetings or want to treat an overseas visitor to something special.
According to the website the tea lounge serves a set tea with savouries and sweet items plus a drink which can come as it is or with additional champagne- not just one champagne but at a choice of three qualities of champagne and escalating prices. You can order extra teas and coffees at about five pounds or under. However, I noticed the sign minimum charge £25.
The hotel does not cater for drop-in visitors. Two seats at the top of the entrance stairs are suitable for waiting for taxis.
Many restaurants and hotels want to move you out of their main restaurant's tables at the end of the meal to make way for the next sitting who will be ordering something more expensive than a coffee, Some menus actually suggest that you take your after dinner coffee in a coffee corner or coffee corridor. The staff are glad, positively keen, to move you to another area and bring your after dinner or after lunch coffee and even the bill to the coffee lounge or new location. That way they accustom you to patronising not just one but two of their food and drink serving outlets.
However, it seems that the Mandarin Oriental tea lounge only really caters for customers willing to buy cocktails and drinks, or a full high tea. After I got back to my work desk I googled the tea lounge menu, thinking maybe I could try it out next time I am in London and have a spare half hour between meetings or want to treat an overseas visitor to something special.
According to the website the tea lounge serves a set tea with savouries and sweet items plus a drink which can come as it is or with additional champagne- not just one champagne but at a choice of three qualities of champagne and escalating prices. You can order extra teas and coffees at about five pounds or under. However, I noticed the sign minimum charge £25.
The hotel does not cater for drop-in visitors. Two seats at the top of the entrance stairs are suitable for waiting for taxis.
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