Four Seasons Hotel London at Tower Bridge in London

We recently visited the Four Seasons for afternoon tea and, unfortunately, the experience was disappointing and fell well below the standard expected of a five-star hotel.

Upon arrival, we waited approximately 45 minutes for the tea & food to arrive, which significantly affected the overall experience.

When the food was finally served, the savoury selection was very limited in quantity compared to the sweet items, creating an unbalanced offering. Additionally, all items were served at the same time. While this made for an attractive presentation, it resulted in hot items such as the scones and sticky toffee pudding with sauce becoming cold by the time we reached them.

That said, the food itself was very delicious, which made the service and timing issues particularly disappointing. Additionally, if you are expecting a traditional afternoon tea experience, this is not the one — it felt more like all snacks being served at the same time, rather than a paced afternoon tea service.

Throughout the experience, no additional hot water for the tea was offered, which is a basic expectation for afternoon tea service. Furthermore, when we enquired about the possibility of a small savoury top-up, we were informed that this would be chargeable. This is not standard practice at most afternoon tea venues and is particularly surprising at a hotel of the Four Seasons’ calibre.

Overall, the experience did not meet the expectations associated with a five-star establishment. We hope this feedback is taken constructively and helps improve the service for future guests.