Afternoon tea at the Rose Lounge at the Sofitel in London

On our fourth day in London, my girlfriend and I wanted to experience afternoon tea. I was recommended many places for tea time, including the Ritz and Claridge’s. But on this day, we’d been roaming around London in shorts and sneakers, and we just didn’t feel like trekking back to our airbnb to change into high tea-appropriate wear, so we ended up at the Rose Lounge, mostly because we were already in the area.The Rose Lounge turned out to be exactly what we were looking for: true afternoon tea without the pretention nor the price tag.Our men perched uncomfortably on the plush sofas, so we excused them, and they gladly left for their own version of afternoon tea: a pint at a nearby pub.Roughly 30 pounds ($50 USD—gratuity included) got me a pot of tea (I chose Darjeeling, finger sandwiches, scones, and dessert pastries. This was a fraction of what it would’ve cost at the Ritz.Tea time can seriously be an all-afternoon affair. Around us were mostly men conducting business meetings over cups of Earl Grey and plates of crustless cucumber sandwiches. The lighting was dim, the background music ambient, and the service pleasant and unintrusive.It’s not something I’d do regularly, but the girlfriend and I enjoyed our ladies’ afternoon tea very much, if only as a respite from the pavement pounding and crowds o’er yonder. When in London…Are you a coffee or tea person? Which teas are your favorite? Where do you like to take your afternoon tea?The Rose Lounge at the Sofitel6 Waterloo PlaceLondon SW1Y 4ANEnglandPhone: +44 0207 747 2200