It was a wintry 2018 weekend in London when we had the famous visit from the Beast from the East that covered the land in snow. My bestie M and I exchanged several texts trying to decide whether to stay in bed or brave the icy weather for our Afternoon Tea reservation. After much deliberation, we decided to venture out for our long overdue catch up.

The chosen venue was Flemings Mayfair Hotel, which was a short walk from Green Park Underground station. The Afternoon Tea at Flemings was served in their intimate and sophisticated lounge called The Drawing Room. The room was eloquently designed like a formal living room with plush sofas, hand-painted wall panels by de Gournay and artwork by Eileen Shaer. Artfully arranged shelves with books by Assouline framed and drew attention to the roaring fireplace. The whole room had a very homely and cozy vibe.

We had the Beatrix Potter Afternoon Tea to commemorate the release of the animated film Peter Rabbit. It was good to know that we could choose different teas between us and had also the option to switch partway through the course. This really allowed us to pick teas according to our own personal preferences, rather than having to compromise. Another option also allowed us to sample a wider spectrum of the range of teas on offer (all supplied by East India company). I had the Flemings Breakfast Blend which delivered on its promise of robust and deep. M had the Bombay Chai which I also chose for my second round – a warming and spicy blend which went perfectly with the sugary courses.

I don’t have a massive sweet tooth; I prefer savoury. So when it comes to Afternoon Tea, I normally start with my cakes first and then work my way down to the savoury level (saving the favourites for the last). Or worse, I swap my sweets for an extra scone or sandwich. Yes, sometimes I think an Afternoon Tea is wasted on me.

On this occasion, we were treated to an exquisite assortment of tea cakes, all very colourful and almost too pretty to eat. The selection included Carrot Cake, Poppy Seeds & Candy Pecan; Strawberry, Lavender and Garden Mint Pavlova (M’s favourite); Rhubarb, Crispy Raspberry and Vanilla Custard; Beetroot Textures and Dark Chocolate Ganache. Suffice to say, M was very happy to polish the bulk of it without much protest from her end!

Both of us loved our pitch-perfect Scones and carefully guarded our respective shares! They were buttery and crumbly, served nicely warm and slathered with Jersey Chantilly Cream and Strawberry Jam.

The Sandwich selection included retro favourites such as Free Range Egg Mayonnaise and Mustard Cress; Tomato Pesto, Mozzarella and Basil; Smoked Scottish Salmon, Lemon Chive and Cream Cheese and Cured English Ham, Pineapple and Horseradish cream. But the overall winner was the Chicken and Tarragon. It was the maple dressing that added an extra layer of deliciousness.

We ended the Afternoon Tea with my favourite part – a glass of champagne each.

Whilst the ambience was hitting all the right spots, service was up and down. Some of the staff were welcoming, warm and highly attentive; some were hard to attract or lost in their own worlds.

Overall, we had an enjoyable and relaxing experience. Regular readers of my blog will know of my fondness for Small Luxury Hotels brand; it turns out that Flemings is also part of the same group. I would definitely recommend this place for a lovely afternoon catch up with the girls, perhaps to take your mum for a Mother’s Day treat or a family day out over the holiday season. But perhaps less so for a romantic date.

As for us two, we were happily in a sugar coma after our decadent afternoon. After all, there is a certain comfort watching the snowflakes outside whilst being cozy and warm, sipping on a hot cup of tea. Come to think of it, it was perhaps the best way to say a final goodbye to Winter in London.

Location : 7-12 Half Moon Street, Mayfair London W1J 7BH

More information can be found here.