Lobby Lounge at Shangri-La, Toronto

Review summary

1. L

   Lesley

   Toronto

   3 reviews

   1.0

   3 reviews

   Dined today

   1. Overall 1
   2. Food 2
   3. Service 2
   4. Ambience 1

   The overall set up needs to be improved. There is no obvious reservations desk designated to the Lobby Lounge. There needs to be separation created between the general public and the seating area for the afternoon teas. Random people on multiple occasions sat down at reserved tables or walked through the space. The food was also disappointing. The savoury was the best part. The scones were not what I know to be scones. The desserts, although creative and festive, were not very tasty. Overall, I feel someone should greet you as you enter for this experience and make the space more private/separate from others not attending the tea.
   

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2. OT

   OpenTable Diner

   Toronto

   1 review

   3.0

   1 review

   Dined 1 day ago

   1. Overall 3
   2. Food 3
   3. Service 4
   4. Ambience 3

   Scones and other food items that should’ve been hot were room temperature (we ate them quickly). The chairs were decrepit and ripped.
   

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3. S

   Sarah

   Toronto

   2 reviews

   3.0

   2 reviews

   Dined 3 days ago

   1. Overall 3
   2. Food 3
   3. Service 3
   4. Ambience 4

   Overall experience is just ok - service felt a bit slow but were attentive when they came to serve us. Food was also ok!
   

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4. V

   Viyada

   VIP

   Toronto

   12 reviews

   3.0

   12 reviews

   Dined on December 14, 2024

   1. Overall 3
   2. Food 3
   3. Service 4
   4. Ambience 3

   When you book an afternoon high tea, you expect a quiet and relaxing environment. Unfortunately, it was quite loud as the setting is set in a lobby open to the public. Additionally, two teas on the menu were out of stock, including the signature Shangri-La tea . I understand supply chain issues, but it’s disappointing that preparations weren’t made well in advance like 8-9 months ahead, especially knowing high tea is offered during the holiday season. The savory treats could have been better. They lacked creativity—items like sausage rolls or chicken pot pie tasted quite basic, similar to what you might find at a grocery store. The scones, which should have been served warm, were not. However, the sweet pastries were excellent. Each dessert were impressive and creative , and the flavors were outstanding. The service was professional and pleasant, though the wait for a second serving of hot water was long. Overall, this experience was disappointing, especially considering the high price for high tea. Having experienced high tea at several hotels in Toronto and France, the quality here didn’t meet the same standards. I hope improvements are made in the future. Thank you for listening
   

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5. R

   Riti

   Toronto

   1 review

   5.0

   1 review

   Dined on December 13, 2024

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 5

   We were there celebrating my mom’s 60th birthday and we had such a wonderful time! Thank you for hosting us! The food was so cute and so yummy!
   

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   Lobby Lounge at Shangri-La, TorontoResponded 4 days ago

   Dear Riti, Thank you for your 5-star rating and excellent feedback! We are truly grateful that you chose to join us for such a special occassion, it was our pleasure joining you in celebration of your mom's birthday. Your kind words have been shared with our teams as we are delighted to hear your praises. We look forward to creating more memorable experiences with you in the future, and welcome you back to The Shangri-La, Toronto very soon! Sincerely, Director of Restaurants & Bar
   

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6. D

   Dianne

   Toronto

   1 review

   1.0

   1 review

   Dined on December 12, 2024

   1. Overall 1
   2. Food 1
   3. Service 1
   4. Ambience 1

   The service was terrible, and the cost was way too high for what you received. We were looking forward to a holiday experience. Other than the nutcracker they placed on the table, it lacked ambiance. We could never find our server, and she didn't offer water or anything other than our one cup of tea. Given that it's a high tea service, it is ridiculous to include only one tea. You could request additional hot water but we could never find a server to do so. The food offered was equally disappointing. There is not a lot of flavor and small portions (I only mention this because the cost of the experience came to $288 with an 18% tip). For the price, you could have gone to a nice meal at one of Toronto's amazing restaurants, likely with better service. Save your money and time and go to King Eddie's High Tea. They offer unlimited teas during your stay and the food is amazing with ample selection. We know for next year!
   

   Lobby Lounge at Shangri-La, TorontoResponded 2 days ago

   Dear Dianne, Thank you for your patience and for taking the time to share your experience as it is only through such valuable comments that we can improve our level of service. We strive to deliver an exceptional dining experience, however, we apologize that our afternoon tea did not meet your expectations. I understand the that menu and service you received, impacted the overall experience during your time at The Lobby Lounge. Rest assured that your comments have been shared with each of our teams and immediate improvements will be put into place. We hope that we will have the pleasure of welcoming you back, so that we can provide you with the Shangri-La hospitality we are known for. Sincerely, Director of Restaurants & Bar
   

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7. M

   Mary

   VIP

   Toronto

   9 reviews

   5.0

   9 reviews

   Dined on December 3, 2024

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 4
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 5

   Lovely attention to customer service. Relaxing atmosphere.
   

   Lobby Lounge at Shangri-La, TorontoResponded on December 14, 2024

   Dear Mary, Thank you for your amazing feedback of The Lobby Lounge! We are pleased to learn that you enjoyed your recent visit with us. We would be thrilled to have the pleasure of hosting you again soon. Warm regards, Director of Restaurants & Bar
   

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8. J

   Joanne

   Toronto

   2 reviews

   5.0

   2 reviews

   Dined on November 30, 2024

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 4
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 5

   Great service..pianist Christian provided wonderful music. Victoria was an excellent friendly knowledgeable server.
   

   Lobby Lounge at Shangri-La, TorontoResponded on December 14, 2024

   Dear Joanne, Thank you for taking the time to share about your past visit! We are thrilled that you had an excellent afternoon tea experience with us. It is certainly our people that make the difference. Viktoria and the team are delighted to hear your praises. I am glad you had a chance to visit our vibrant Lobby Lounge and enjoy the live entertainment. We look forward to hosting you again in the near future! Kind regards, Director of Restaurants & Bar
   

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9. C

   Cathy

   VIP

   Toronto

   6 reviews

   5.0

   6 reviews

   Dined on November 28, 2024

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 3
   4. Ambience 5

   A beautiful Nutcracker Tea was the perfect way for us to celebrate a very special occasion. The food was elegant, charming and delightfully delicious. This is a unique tea that follows the pattern of a traditional Afternoon Tea in the British style, but one that is delicately and artfully infused with Asian favours. All of this is served in a setting that is contemporarily stylish with an understated elegance. It is always a privilege to hear the wonderful Fazioli piano being played beneath the gorgeous chandelier. The chef was incredibly kind in preparing 2 substitute items to accommodate a very serious food allergy. If I could change anything, it would be the actual tea. For an event of this magnitude, fresh tea rather than bagged tea should be brewed and boiling water must be used. Sadly, our tea arrived only lukewarm. It is also impossible to revive a teabag with more not-hot-enough water (which we had to ask for and which took forever to arrive). Surely, at this pricepoint an additional bag could have been spared. I must admit that our service was very, very minimal. 45 minutes after we had finished every crumb and every sip, my partner finally went in search of someone to bring our bill. We were very happy to linger, truly, but that was quite a long bit of lingering, even in the lovely, lovely setting. We do look forward to another tea in the future.
   

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   Lobby Lounge at Shangri-La, TorontoResponded on December 14, 2024

   Dear Cathy, Thank you very much for your patience, and for taking the time to share your outstanding feedback! We are truly appreciative that you chose to join us for our annual Nutcracker Afternoon Tea experience. Our teams work hard to create unique menus and curate the ambiance here, thus, we are grateful for your kind words. Your comments on where our service requires improvements, and regarding the tea itself, have been reviewed with our teams and we shall be putting immediate solutions in place. Thank you for your feedback, as it is a crucial part of our plans to enhance our services. We apologize for the inconvenience this caused during your experience, and look forward to welcoming you back for a refined high tea experience. Sincerely, Director of Restaurants & Bar
   

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10. y

    yaru

    Toronto

    1 review

    4.0

    1 review

    Dined on November 22, 2024

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 4

    The afternoon tea quality is good. But plenty of people there and a little bit crowded I think. But the environment is nice and overall is good.
    

    Lobby Lounge at Shangri-La, TorontoResponded on December 11, 2024

    Dear Yaru, Thank you for taking the time to share about your past visit to The Lobby Lounge! We are truly grateful to know that you chose to join us for our afternoon tea service. Our teams strive to curate experiences for each of our guests, thus, we are pleased to learn that you enjoyed your overall dining experience. Your comment on where our attention is required for improvements has been noted, and we shall be discussing possible solutions with our team. It was our pleasure hosting you, and we look forward to welcoming you back again soon. Sincerely, Director of Restaurants & Bar
    

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