Coffee Pots in London Hotels?
Nov 15th, 2003, 10:25 AM
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Coffee Pots in London Hotels?
Do most hotels in London have in room coffee pots like rooms in the U.S.?
What about the chain hotels such as Sheraton, Holiday Inn, Marriotts, Hiltons? Appreciate your time to respond.
What about the chain hotels such as Sheraton, Holiday Inn, Marriotts, Hiltons? Appreciate your time to respond.
Nov 15th, 2003, 10:29 AM
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we have only stayed on one hotel (flemings)three separate trips and they had an electric teapot with assorted tea bags...i think tea pots may be more the standard than coffee pots so you may want to bring instant coffee...
Nov 15th, 2003, 10:34 AM
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Actually, the British probably drink as much, if not more, coffee than they do tea. In my experience, the major chains seem to have some sort of hot water-producing apparatus in selected rooms in their London hotels...you might want to check individual chain or property website(s) to be certain though.
Nov 15th, 2003, 11:19 AM
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My experience has been that most places have the electric pots for water, but yes, the only coffee provided or possible to do is instant, not the drip coffeemakers like we may be used to in the US. As mclaurie says, a few have drip ones, but I can't recall seeing one yet.
Nov 15th, 2003, 12:30 PM
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Every hotel I have ever stayed in in the UK has an electric kettle in the room with sachets of instant coffee, tea bags and sometimes sachets of drinking chocolate.
There will sometimes be a teapot on the tray, but what on earth is an electric teapot? I have never ever come across one.
There will sometimes be a teapot on the tray, but what on earth is an electric teapot? I have never ever come across one.
Nov 15th, 2003, 12:52 PM
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I think the British had tea/coffee pots in the hotel rooms as standard before the US did--they are in almost every price range of hotel. Instead of instant coffee, bring with you the "coffee bags" made just like tea bags and work the same way. Folgers makes them and we take them with us when we know we won't have access to a proper drip coffee pot. The coffee takes almost brewed and certainly better than instant.
Nov 15th, 2003, 08:20 PM
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Interesting. But to me a kettle is a big pan or pot with a handle and no spout. The sort of thing a witch stands over and stirs. Or the big round pan that you make soup or stew in. I agree that normally a teapot is a ceramic or porcelain thing with a lid and a spot and a handle. But those electric things that have a lid and a spout and usually a handle, I guess I call a tea pot as well. Maybe because it more closely resembles a tea pot than it does a kettle. Ah language.
Nov 15th, 2003, 08:41 PM
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Patrick: Have you not seen a stove top whistling tea kettle? That is a "kettle" to most folks. An electric kettle is just a modern version of one of those.
It just turns itself off instead of whistling . . . . .
It just turns itself off instead of whistling . . . . .
Nov 16th, 2003, 03:33 AM
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How odd. When we were in the US we managed to buy an electric kettle. We also managed to buy a nice brown betty type teapot. We were living in the Boston area, and I'm sure the shop called it an electric kettle.
The thing witches use is called a cauldron (remember the Shakespeare witches).
How on earth do you boil water if you don't have a kettle?
I remember Armisted Maupin saying that two of the things he loved about England were the cordless kettles that switch off by themselves and the lights in blocks of flats that switch themselves off.
The thing witches use is called a cauldron (remember the Shakespeare witches).
How on earth do you boil water if you don't have a kettle?
I remember Armisted Maupin saying that two of the things he loved about England were the cordless kettles that switch off by themselves and the lights in blocks of flats that switch themselves off.
Nov 16th, 2003, 04:41 AM
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Webster's online defines "kettle" as:
"1 : a metallic vessel usually used for boiling liquids; especially : TEAKETTLE"
When I make tea at home, I heat the water on the stove in my teakettle, and I then pour the heated water in the teapot and add tea to brew.
My recollection of the tea-making equipment I found in our rooms throughout London was that it consisted of an electric teapot - a vessel used to both heat the water and brew the tea.
Much ado, eh? Bottom line is you'll find hot water available, but if you want real coffee and not instant, you should bring one of those Melita cones and your own coffee and filters.
"1 : a metallic vessel usually used for boiling liquids; especially : TEAKETTLE"
When I make tea at home, I heat the water on the stove in my teakettle, and I then pour the heated water in the teapot and add tea to brew.
My recollection of the tea-making equipment I found in our rooms throughout London was that it consisted of an electric teapot - a vessel used to both heat the water and brew the tea.
Much ado, eh? Bottom line is you'll find hot water available, but if you want real coffee and not instant, you should bring one of those Melita cones and your own coffee and filters.
Nov 16th, 2003, 04:56 AM
#15
I'll add my two bits since this thread has taken an esoteric turn. I grew up with tea drinkers (mother is British) and the thing that was used to boil the water was alternately called a teakettle (one word) and pot. "Put the pot on for tea" was the same as "fire up the teakettle."
Nov 16th, 2003, 06:35 AM
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Didn't realize that my casual use of the term electric tea pot 
(my British husband says there is no such animal although he remembers something called a tea maid that was electric & brewed tea) would kick up such a shindy.
Janis, I think the reason some Americans call a kettle a teapot is because they don't tend to use teapots here-they make separate cups of tea with bags pouring the water straight from the kettle.
As to the original question, I <i>vaguely</i> recall Le Meridien at Gatwick having a drip coffee maker in the room.
And further to the coffee discussion, I was surprised at how many English do drink instant coffee. The french coffee presses are now very common too.
(my British husband says there is no such animal although he remembers something called a tea maid that was electric & brewed tea) would kick up such a shindy. Janis, I think the reason some Americans call a kettle a teapot is because they don't tend to use teapots here-they make separate cups of tea with bags pouring the water straight from the kettle.
As to the original question, I <i>vaguely</i> recall Le Meridien at Gatwick having a drip coffee maker in the room.
And further to the coffee discussion, I was surprised at how many English do drink instant coffee. The french coffee presses are now very common too.
Nov 16th, 2003, 10:52 AM
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Making tea in the kettle, I think the three weird sisters would draw the line at that. My funniest tea and Americans story is from when I had an American guest and made a pot of real tea with leaves. When I strained it into the cups she gasped and giggled and confessed that she had been in the habit of putting tea into a strainer and pouring hot water over it into her cup.
This is how you make tea from Helen's British cooking site.
Http://www.hwatson.force9.co.uk/
A Lovely Pot of Tea
Whatever tea you use, the actual ceremony of making a pot of tea has to be carried out properly!
Serves any number
Tea leaves - 1 tsp per person plus 1 tsp for the pot
Boiling water
Sugar - to taste
Milk or lemon - to taste
METHOD
Fill the kettle with fresh cold water and bring it to the boil.
Meanwhile, swirl hot water around in the teapot (preferably china or earthenware). This warming ensures that the water will remain at boiling point when it hits the tea leaves.
Just before the kettle boils, empty the water out of the teapot and put in the tea leaves. Take the teapot to the kettle and fill it with the freshly boiled water.
Stir the tea briefly, then put the lid on the pot and leave the tea to brew for 3-6 minutes, depending on the size of the leaves (larger-leaved teas take longer).
Pour the tea through a strainer into the cup, and then add milk, sugar etc.
You can serve a second cup from the same pot of tea, but after 15 minutes a new pot must be made - the same procedure all over again - as the tea will not only have cooled, but will have become bitter with excess tannin.
Have ready slices of lemon for those who would prefer their tea weaker and without milk.
This is how you make tea from Helen's British cooking site.
Http://www.hwatson.force9.co.uk/
A Lovely Pot of Tea
Whatever tea you use, the actual ceremony of making a pot of tea has to be carried out properly!
Serves any number
Tea leaves - 1 tsp per person plus 1 tsp for the pot
Boiling water
Sugar - to taste
Milk or lemon - to taste
METHOD
Fill the kettle with fresh cold water and bring it to the boil.
Meanwhile, swirl hot water around in the teapot (preferably china or earthenware). This warming ensures that the water will remain at boiling point when it hits the tea leaves.
Just before the kettle boils, empty the water out of the teapot and put in the tea leaves. Take the teapot to the kettle and fill it with the freshly boiled water.
Stir the tea briefly, then put the lid on the pot and leave the tea to brew for 3-6 minutes, depending on the size of the leaves (larger-leaved teas take longer).
Pour the tea through a strainer into the cup, and then add milk, sugar etc.
You can serve a second cup from the same pot of tea, but after 15 minutes a new pot must be made - the same procedure all over again - as the tea will not only have cooled, but will have become bitter with excess tannin.
Have ready slices of lemon for those who would prefer their tea weaker and without milk.
Nov 16th, 2003, 11:51 AM
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Actually the process for a French press is similar to making tea which is why I think it's popular in England. The major difference is the temperature of the water (and using the press). For tea, the water should be boiling as you pour it in (and I was taught to pour the boiling water from high up over the pot so when it hits the pot it's frothy which aerates the water). For coffee the water should not be boiling-either let it cool a bit after boiling or don't let it reach the boil.
Anyway, for a French press you also warm the (glass)pot with hot water from the tap. Put some cold water up to boil. Remove the tap water from the glass pot, put coffee grounds in the glass pot (1 tbsp for each 6 oz cup) pour hot but not boiling water in the pot. Put the cover on with the press in the up position. Let it steep for about 4 minutes. Then slowly push the knob on the lid down. This traps the grounds at the bottom so you can pour.
Anyway, for a French press you also warm the (glass)pot with hot water from the tap. Put some cold water up to boil. Remove the tap water from the glass pot, put coffee grounds in the glass pot (1 tbsp for each 6 oz cup) pour hot but not boiling water in the pot. Put the cover on with the press in the up position. Let it steep for about 4 minutes. Then slowly push the knob on the lid down. This traps the grounds at the bottom so you can pour.
