Dined on October 26, 2024
- Overall 1
- Food 4
- Service 1
- Ambience 1
I had eagerly anticipated afternoon tea at the Ritz-Carlton, booking months in advance for what we hoped would be a highlight of our vacation. Unfortunately, the experience was a profound disappointment, failing to meet even basic expectations.
To begin, the ambiance was utterly unsuitable for a relaxing tea service. Despite the presence of a harpist, her music was overwhelmed by loud chatter from the adjoining bar and those indulging in a continental breakfast. A proper partition between the bar and the lounge could have created the calm, elegant setting one would expect at an establishment like the Ritz-Carlton.
Our reservation was for 11:00 AM, and we were seated promptly. However, that is where the attentiveness ended. Our server approached us at 11:07 AM to take our tea and champagne orders. At 11:30 AM, he brought our champagne – but only managed to fill our glasses halfway, as he ran out. We assumed he’d return with the rest, yet he never did. By 11:45 AM, I had to approach the host stand to request his return and inquire when our tea might finally arrive. It wasn’t until noon that we were finally served tea, though the champagne remained elusive.
Our champagne was finally topped off 15 minutes later, and it wasn’t until 12:45 PM – nearly two hours after we were seated – that the long-awaited three tiers of food arrived. The food itself was passable but lacked essential accompaniments; notably, the scones were served without any butter or clotted cream.
To add insult to injury, shortly after receiving the food, our check was presented at 12:48 PM – a premature end to what should have been a leisurely experience. Despite the abysmal service, no portion of the meal was comped, and we were automatically charged a 22% gratuity for service that was practically nonexistent.
This afternoon tea was a regrettable experience. For a luxury establishment, we expected a memorable experience – unfortunately, it was memorable for all the wrong reasons.
