Wellington Lounge at InterContinental London Park Lane — Restaurant in London

For me, afternoon tea isn’t just about eating and drinking. It’s an entire sensory experience, in which I get to relax and socialize with my friends while enjoying seasonal delicacies and the finest choices in British tea. Thanks to the magnificent collaboration of Executive Chef Ashley Wells and Edward Bodenham of Floris London, the Scents of Summer Afternoon Tea at the InterContinental Park Lane was exactly what afternoon tea should be.

Since I love to smell everything before I taste it, I have to admit the combination of distinct flavors infused with natural, herbal scents excited me. I was surprised at how much care was put into how the courses of the Scents of Summer Afternoon Tea were served.

We were served a selection of small sandwiches, starting with smoked salmon and bergamot cream cheese in a lemon bread, which was hearty but subtle in flavor, and ending with a strong honey-roasted pumpkin on spinach bread, crumbled with rich and creamy feta cheese. This one was my favorite.

After the savory dishes, the sweet scents of summer wafted through, in the form of deliciously decadent desserts. I loved the light flavor of the Jasmine tea cake, and thought it paired nicely with a warm cup of tea. One of my friends was partial to the grapefruit tart and violet cream, as she said the citrus flavor balanced the floral exceptionally.

The tea service was delightful, and this is more than just tea and cookies. This truly is a journey, both culinary and fragrant. Between each course, we were served a form of palate cleanser, which made enjoying the next flavor even more intense. The atmosphere of the Wellington Lounge makes the whole experience regal and relaxing. The British summertime speaks volumes to your senses I can only imagine how amazing their Chocolate Afternoon...

Visited to celebrate a friend’s birthday. The entire afternoon tea experience here is outstanding. We received exceptional service from Sasanker and the food was delicious. Head and shoulders above my last afternoon tea experience at the Palm Court in the Sheraton Grand (will review separately).

The salmon sandwich on turmeric bread was a standout for me. I asked for a refill of that and a coronation chicken brioche which was fulfilled with a smile.

The scones were perfect. Crisp on the outside and warm and fluffy on the inside. The only improvement here would be for the clotted cream to have been served at room temperature. It had clearly come from the fridge and made it difficult to spread as it was still solid and as a result the scones were breaking up when trying to spread it on.

The delicate pastries were as good as they looked. We didn’t manage to eat them all so they gave us a box to take the leftovers away. We were also gifted a caddy of tea and a charbonnel at walker chocolate.

The icing on the top was the acknowledgment of my friend’s birthday. She was touched by the gesture and it was lovely of Sasanker to offer to take a photo of the occasion without us having to ask.

I can honestly say this is one of my top 3 afternoon tea experiences (and I’ve been to plenty!) The ambiance was perfect for a leisurely catch up with a friend over the beautiful sounds of the live piano in the background. The seating is also not too cramped that you can hear your neighbours conversations.

I would highly recommend and hope to...

We did the afternoon tea at Wellington Lounge and it was the worst experience. I've been to several afternoon/high teas in London and expected more from the Intercontinental brand.

The lounge location is in the lobby, a busy foot traffic area with no privacy. The entire area is loud and disruptive with hotel guests walking around and talking on the phone. The fire alarm testing happened halfway through our meal.

There is no dress code or guidance so the entire experience feels very casual and lackluster. Staff are not attentive and do not care about service. The entire experience was extremely slow and we did not feel taken care of.

The food is mediocre and presentation is basic. There is no thought put into the tea experience - everything was served on normal plates with no explanation and staff let our teas overbrew and get bitter without telling us how long we should steep it. I would expect this to be customary at an afternoon tea experience. To top it off, the afternoon tea was expensive and not worth the price.

A good suggestion for improvement is changing the ambiance and staff knowledge and effort around tea service. I honestly don't understand why this lounge received good reviews - perhaps the lunch or meal service is better but we were very disappointed with the experience and will not...