Claridges hotel named top venue in London for afternoon tea

Claridge’s hotel has won the Tea Guild’s Top London Afternoon Tea 2006 award.

It beat some of the capital’s top hotels to the title, including the Dorchester, the Four Seasons and the Wolseley.

For the first time this year, the Tea Guild, part of the Tea Council, also presented Awards for Excellence. These went to the Four Seasons at Hamilton Place, the Savoy and the Milestone hotels.

Last year’s competition winner, the Lanesborough, also received an Award for Excellence.

The Top Tea awards are in their 21st year. A team of mystery tea drinkers visited each hotel using a checklist with 17 criteria, ranging from décor and crockery to varieties of teas available, to choose a champion.

Claridge’s impressed the judges with staff’s excellent knowledge and attentive manner, as well as excellent tea and a “deliciously delicate” range of accompanying cakes.

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By Chris Druce

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