:-: 5 Quick Tips for Planning an Afternoon Tea in London :-:
Before you even get to enjoy your oh-so-lovely afternoon tea experience, you have to actually get there. Afternoon tea is serious business in London, so I’ve rounded up 5 quick(ish) tips to help you reach your goal of however many tea times you plan on enjoying the next time you’re in London.
TIP #1 : DO YOUR RESEARCH
So you obviously want to have afternoon in London. But there are SO. MANY. OPTIONS. Which one do you choose? That’s completely up to what type of experience you’d like to have.
Do you just want a simple, casual tea? An Alice in Wonderland themed tea? Classic? Modern? Elegant? A combination of the above?
I know it’s easy to read other people’s blogs and news articles with the “must visit” afternoon tea rooms and feel pressured to check all of them off your list, but if what they’ve selected isn’t your vibe, then why bother? Do your research and decide if you want to use other people’s lists as hard recommendations or as inspirations for the type of tea setting that will make you happy.
TIP #2 : PLAN IN ADVANCE
Figure out your plans for the day when deciding what teatime works best. Try to plan an afternoon tea in the area where you’ll be sightseeing (or just spending time if you’re local) for the day. Or vice versa - you can plan your day around where you want to have afternoon tea if that’s your priority. This will also ensure you’re able to fit your teatimes into your schedule and that you’re not backtracking through the city each day to get to whatever afternoon tea you’ve planned.
TIP #3 : CHECK THE DRESS CODE
Some tea rooms have strict dress codes. Check the venue’s website and understand the requirements before deciding if it’s right for you. For example, were you planning on wearing your leggings or ripped jeans and sneakers? That might be a no-no. Do you want to pack a suit jacket and tie for possibly one afternoon tea? If yes, then go for it. If not, then you can cross that afternoon tea off your list and search for another that better suits your needs (get it? “suits” your needs - haha - did you miss the cheesiness?? don’t lie. you know you did).
TIP #4 : ALLOW FOR TRAVEL TIME
Are you familiar with where everything is located in London and how long it takes to get from Point A to Point B? I recommend using Google Maps Directions to get an estimate of how long it will take you to walk, take the Tube, taxi, etc. - and be sure to check around the time you’ll actually be traveling. For example, if you live in California and search travel times at 3pm, that’s really 11pm in London, so that probably won’t be the best estimate.
If you haven’t traveled around London before, be sure to add extra time so that you have a cushion in case there’s traffic or you get lost.
Something else that can greatly increase your travel time is realizing that there are no elevators at the train station and needing to collapse the stroller, take out all your baby gear, and the baby (of course) and carry everything down down down the stairs, across trains, and back up up up again [thanks and sorry, M!]. Or maybe you just decide to make a few Uber drivers richer by driving you near and far to make your afternoon tea reservations. Just maybe.
TIP #5 : MAKE A RESERVATION
You’ve done a great job planning! Well done, you. Now don’t forget to make a reservation!
Afternoon teas can get booked months in advance, so make reservations as soon as possible. If you wait until right before your trip or when you’re already there, it may be fully booked and you’ll miss out.
Note that many tea rooms charge you a fee - usually per person - if you’re too late or don’t show up at all. So keep this in mind before overcommitting yourself to reservations. Read the fine print regarding cancellation fees before booking.
Oh, and if you’re tea timing it up with your little ones, think about when they nap at home. What time is that in London? Is it teatime? If so, they may be a little bit (or super) cranky during what should have been a peaceful teatime. Just something to consider…
Were these tips helpful? Let me know in the comments section below!
:-: Teatime Tidbit :-:
The Transport for London is working towards making more Tube stations step-free. You can check here for updates before your trip if you’re interested.
Thanks for stopping by.
See you next teatime,
C
