The Tasting Room — Local services in London

I decided to try out The Tasting Room, which recently opened. The design is both pleasant and expensive, yet the space isn’t very big. The chairs aren’t as comfortable as you’d expect in a cigar lounge. The prices are steep, even compared to other 5-star hotel lounges—probably about 20% more than what seems reasonable. I had a list of 5-6 Cuban cigars I wanted to try, but none were in stock. They blamed a UK shortage, but I don’t see this problem at other lounges I frequent, so maybe they need better connections and foresight in stocking. The sommelier was pleasant and knew his stuff. The waiters, though, weren’t around when needed. I had to get up and look for them twice, and they weren’t exactly friendly. The place does have a great view of Hyde Park, but it was too cold to go out on the balcony. The design is meant to make you feel like you’re in an airplane—you’ll get what I mean when you step out of the elevator. All in all, it was a disappointment; I was honestly expecting more. You’re better off trying The Lanesborough or The Wellesley hotels’ cigar lounges, just a...

This is one of my go to stops for cigar sessions, being situated on the 8th floor of the Peninsula hotel offering scenic views of London, highly recommended in the night time for the best experience and view of city lights.

What stands out is the 5* customer service, as expected from this grading of hotel category, you will be looked after and feel welcomed from the get go.

The place is great to visit with friends, an option for networking or business discussion over a cigar.

Highly recommend...

We absolutely love this place!! From the welcoming and friendly gentlemen manning the hotel entrance to the superb staff of the Tasting Room, we enjoyed everyone and everything about this experience. In fact we stayed until 2am on Saturday and came back on Sunday! The ambiance is relaxing and the cigar selection was very nice. We recommend the Tasting Room. We...