A Luxurious Afternoon Tea at The Metropolitan Hotel, London

Last week I was lucky enough to tick another point off my ‘Live Like A Tourist London Bucket List‘, which was to experience afternoon tea at a 5* London Hotel. The lovely people at The Metropolitan Hotel invited me to come and try their afternoon tea menu, and being a girl with a serious sweet tooth, I couldn’t have been more excited. As one of the most luxurious hotels on London’s salubrious Park Lane and home to the original A-List haunt of Nobu, there was no doubt in my mind it was going to be an incredibly indulgent experience. Here’s what went down…

Walking into the white, light and bright marble lobby of The Metropolitan hotel there are two things that strike you. Firstly, the heavenly and exotic scent of the hotel’s signature Como Shambala products. Secondly, the ever-welcoming team on the front reception desk. I immediately felt a sense of calm and tranquility and this ambience oozes throughout the whole hotel. The contemporary yet luxurious style and decor of the Metropolitan Hotel London makes for a refreshing change from the more traditional hotels along Park Lane.

The main event took place in the hotel’s ground floor Met Bar, which has a separate entrance for non residents (great to know if you’re ever in the Mayfair area). The deep woods and sumptuous orange shades make it a chic and sexy place to be day and night. We kicked things off with some drinks. Champagne was on offer but I know what that taste likes! So I went for a non-alcoholic berry breeze cocktail which was super fruity and refreshing. A great choice if you’re wanting to stay away from alcohol.

The Savoury

Smoked salmon,  dill cream cheese and cucumber sandwich  on carrot bread
Egg mayonnaise with Kirkham’s cheddar & spring onions on Mediterranean bread
Potted grilled chicken sharwarma with coriander crumble
Dingley Dell pork pie with homemade piccalilli
Confit duck wrapped with kataifi, chives, citrus caramel

 After 30 minutes or so of enjoying our drinks, out came the incredibly impressive 3-tier platter. The menu included modern twists on more classic traditional , fitting with the hotel’s style perfectly. The highlight of the savoury for me was the confit duck. The duck was slow cooked to perfection and totally fell apart. When the food came I ordered a fresh mint tea which was lovely and refreshing along side both the sweet and the savoury.

The Sweet

Orange scented scones with strawberry jam & clotted cream
Met cherry & ginger cake
Pistachio & green tea macaroons
Chocolate & cardamom slice

Now for what we were all waiting for, the sweet! No afternoon tea is complete without some scones, but The Metropolitan Hotel really went to town here, serving up freshly baked orange scented scones. They were so fresh they were still warm!  We ate these with lashings of cream and jam – there was no holding back! The second tier also had Pistachio and Green Tea macaroons. I have never really been a fan of macaroons but after trying these ones, I realised it was because I have never had a decent one! These macaroons were absolutely delicious with a perfectly creamy and gooey centre. Total indulgence.

After the scones, the second highlight of the sweet menu were the chocolate and cardamon slices. These were the ultimate treat for chocoholics and had a biscuity, cheesecake like layer on the bottom. Being a cheesecake fan, I died and went to heaven with these. So much so that I went back for a second portion!

Afternoon tea the the Metropolitan Hotel London was a heavenly experience from start to finish. The tranquil atmosphere, creative savoury and impeccable desserts were spot on. It was the perfect way to kick off my weekend in style and if you’re also looking to tick off afternoon tea at a 5* hotel from your bucket list, you’ve hit the jackpot!

Thank you to Maria and the team at COMO Hotels for making our afternoon tea experience so fabulous!