Absolutely it's one of those "been there done that". That said i still realy like A T at harrods.

I have observed this thread for a while and had assumed that for some reason the Ritz had been ignored deliberately. Now it has been mentioned it is worth noting that 'Tea at the Ritz' is a must-do if you want afternoon tea done properly. You will be selling yourself short if you substitute any thing else. You probably won't want much more to eat for the rest of the day and it is worth putting your best bib and tucker on for. My sister took my parents there for a significant wedding anniversary celebration and they still talk about it.

Missing it is the afternoon tea equivalent of visiting NYC and not going to the Empire State Building.

The Ritz is the one place I would advise AVOIDING. Because it is one of those 'must do' things it is often crowded (mainly with Japanese coach parties) and the staff are under pressure to turn tables. Plus it's stupidly expensive (And you are putting money in the pocket of that fat crook Fayed).

I took my mum to Fortnums recently and a good time was had by all.

"You probably won't want much more to eat for the rest of the day" - doesn't work for me, I have borderline hypoglycemia, and would have to eat something in the evening. Anyway, there's no way I'd spend that much on tea, even if I were traveling with the right kind of clothes.

I lived in London for a couple of years, and I certainly didn't feel I was missing some kind of "must-have" experience by never visiting a particular hotel! And wouldn't the NYC equivalent be somewhere like the Waldorf-Astoria, rather than the Empire State Building?

Let's get this clear. The OP asked about afternoon tea. The 'thing to do' is tea at the Ritz. I was surprised it hadn't been mentioned. It IS a tourist tick. It has to be done if you want the perfect English afternoon tea, which in reality is an Edwardian upper class fantasy. Of course it's too expensive and crowded, lots of tourists want it.

Most tourist ticks are cons. A Singapore Sling at Raffles is disgusting and expensive, but it has to be got out of the way. The Empire State Building was a huge disappointment due to overcrowding, but I've done it now. Bath, Stratford-on-Avon, Windsor Castle, Hampton Court Palace, are all expensive and throbbing with tourists because they are on the tourist trail. And blasted Stonehenge. That's what happens when people travel overseas and what most of the questions on these boards are about. Mohammed Fayed doesn't interest me.

thursdaysd, I wasn't intending to provide specialist medical advice. You are aware that 'afternoon tea' consists of a little bit more than Lapsang Souchong?

The OP didn't want to get dressed up, so the Ritz wouldn't work for them.

Lee Ann

"You are aware that 'afternoon tea' consists of a little bit more than Lapsang Souchong?" Since I posted that I get my clotted cream fix at the Orangery, that would indeed be a reasonable deduction.

But what on earth is this mythical authority that is dictating where you go and what you eat and drink? I had a perfectly fine afternoon tea at the Raffles in Singapore, but I saw no need to drink an overpriced cocktail I wouldn't enjoy - why did you?

Why is this so difficult?

Popular tourist destinations have places where just about all tourists go. Eg, the Empire State building, or Raffles for a Singapore Sling and so on. Most of us go because that is all we know on arrival and they are recommended by apparently authoritative guides. Nobody HAS to go. However, some of these experiences are disappointing because reality does not match expectation.

For those who wish to experience what they think is a classic English afternoon tea, the Ritz is considered de rigeur by most. For most healthy adults it is sufficient for many hours afterwards. I can't put this any more simply.

I think there is a huge difference between the Empire State Building being a tourist attraction and afternoon tea being a tourist attraction. I can understand the experience of seeing Manhattan from atop the Empire State buidling being rendered unpleasant by overcrowding, but there truly is something to see from up there, especially at night or twillight. You can learn something and understand something about NYC from seeing it from atop a skyscraper (any tall one will do).

If I may be annoyingly wishywashy, I'd like to mostly agree with most of you, as long as I don't have to take on the Empire St. Bldg.

If I had to choose between the two I'd go to the Orangery: calmer, more beautiful architecturally, and tons cheaper. But you order a la carte there, and they bring you those things and that's it. The Ritz is like a pampered gentry experience, where they come out with the tiered trays of beautiful little sandwiches and then the sweets, and generally hover in a feudal manner. Certainly there are other posh places that do that too.

No coach parties at the Ritz -- simply not done :)

OK -- Tea at Mr Muffin is absolutely fine, Tea at the Orangery is fine, Tea at F&M is fine -- Tea at the Ritz (or a few other very high end hotels) is more than fine. Those who say "I'd never spend £37 on tea" probably wouldn't spend £37 on dinner either. That is <u>perfectly</u> OK. But do understand that £37 (I actually spend more because I usually add a glass of champagne) gets you a hecka lotta food and impeccable service (BTW - I've never been rushed at the Ritz or any other of the up market venues) You are not just getting a bit of tea and a scone - you are getting a full meal.

No - a posh tea is definitely not an every day event, just like a $100 dinner isn't. I generally do one afternoon tea every trip to London - but I also eat chinese takeaways and cheap Indian (and at Simpsons or Rules or someplace like that)

All the posh teas are over £30 and they are full meals - just in little portions . . . . .

"Why is this so difficult?" Seems to me you are the one having difficulties - drinking things you don't like and visiting places you don't enjoy because they are "tourist ticks"! You're guidebook is supposed to be just that, a guide, not marching orders.

BTW, I would consider spending 37 GBP on dinner, but for me the whole point of afternoon tea is the clotted cream, and I don't need the Ritz for that.

Actually, now I think about it, I'm a bit puzzled as to how this idea that you have to go to the Ritz for a "proper" afternoon tea got started. When I was growing up in England, afternoon tea meant clotted cream and scones, and probably a piece of cake, with a drink, in a little tea room (maybe outside if we were having nice weather) down a lane in Cornwall, or in a village in the Cotswolds, or Kent... It wasn't some dress-up deal in a posh hotel in London, and I suspect my sisters, who still live in England, would have a good laugh at the idea. I think this is the result of savvy marketing.

So it ain't your "cuppa" - No one ever said one HAS to go to the ritz for a "proper tea" -- no more than you have to go to to the Fat Duck or French Laundry for dinner.

There have been high end "posh" afternoon teas for generations - as well as more typical tea/clotted cream/scones in village tea shops. One doesn't preclude the other . . . .

janisj - I was reacting to stfc's: "The OP asked about afternoon tea. The 'thing to do' is tea at the Ritz." If someone wants to spend 37 GBP for tea at the Ritz, that's their choice, but I don't think that someone who doesn't should feel their afternoon tea experience is somehow less authentic.

OK, I surrender. This is like pulling teeth.

I agree with you old bean. That's why I said that tea at the Ritz is shite. It's a tourist trap and isn't all that nice an experience. However you might as well try to stop people going to Tussauds, London Dungeon, The Moustrap etc etc. They know they're crap but they want to the photos to show Wilbur and Myrtle back in Palm Beach.

Although Wilbur and Myrtle in Palm Beach probably don't have time to look at the photos- they are too busy trying to get their money back from Bernie Madoff...so they can continue to afford to live in Palm Beach!!!

My niece, who lives in London, says that she hears that Claridges is currently out-Ritzing the Ritz for afternoon tea. I got my fix for this trip yesterday - v. large scone, choice of jam, clotted cream, and French press coffee for 5.20 at the V&A, my favorite escape from bad weather, and I got to consume it in the Gamble room, which is a museum exhibit itself.

Did you get photos for Wilbur and Myrtle?