The Royal Lancaster Hotel, based on the edge of London’s Hyde Park, has recently collaborated with the Natural History Museum, for a Blooming British Afternoon Tea – a floral-inspired twist in celebration of British flowers and fauna. The tea takes inspiration from the Museum’s archives, as well as its newly transformed gardens – an idyllic source of nature within the city’s bustling centre.

As part of bridesmaid duty (hard life, I know!), I recently treated the bride-to-be to a Saturday afternoon well spent, indulging in this quintessential tradition and I thought I’d share my experience, as well as a few afterthoughts.

The Menu

The Royal Lancaster was the first hotel in London to install beehives on the roof, there since 2009, so it will come to no surprise that honey was a key ingredient in our afternoon, which consisted of:

  • A selection of traditional sandwiches, including chicken with bee pollen on white bread and a classic egg mayonnaise with flowering chives.
  • Two variations of scone, plain and fruit, with clotted cream and jam.
  • A selection of ‘pollinator-themed’ sweet bites:
  • Toffee and saffron cheesecake
  • Vanilla sponge with lemon curd and gooseberry marmalade (in the shape of a bee!)
  • Honey cake (in the shape of a beehive – very cutesie!)
  • Mixed berry compôte with orange blossom chocolate ganache

The food was accompanied by two bespoke teas to choose from, or coffee, as well as the option to have a glass of something stronger.

The Review

This was one of my favourite afternoon teas (spoken like a lady who goes regularly, I if only!) The atmosphere, and service, were second to none, accompanied by along with truly delicious food. Each sandwich, crusts cut off, of course, was exquisite and I may have even been converted to a smoked salmon lover.

The scones, served warm, were some of the best I’ve had. Bonus points for being a nice size that meant you didn’t finish them off and be too full for cake.

But, the cakes… The cakes were truly something special.  Daisy & The Bee – the vanilla sponge with gooseberry – was a standout for me. It was expertly designed to look like a bee and was super light and fluffy. I don’t know about your experiences with gooseberry, but I’ve often thought it to be too sour, but this was certainly not the case here. The Toffee and Saffron cheesecake was equally incredible and left me wanting more!

Overall, a truly extraordinary afternoon.

Some Afterthoughts

  • We often hear that sustainability is front of mind for hospitality decision makers[1], so it’s interesting to see this concept brought to life through a menu, that at the same time raises awareness for consumers about the efforts businesses are taking. Tea-goers are able to access a range of resources as part of this collaboration – from tips to make ladybird and bee hotels, grow wildflowers or make a mini pond – great for educating kids.
  • Value & quality – at the latest Lumina Intelligence debrief, research showed that while value is still important, quality is quickly growing as a priority as the cost-of-living crisis eases.[2] The latest forum also discussed cost value versus brand values (from sustainability, ethical sourcing etc). As the need for quality increases, it’s no surprise that consumers, like me, are happy to spend more on occasions that are special and align with their own personal values.
  • Lastly, with experiential dining on the rise, it’s no surprise that themed teas and brand collaborations are on the rise, offering diners an Instagrammable experience.

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[1] Lumina Intelligence, Top of Mind Business Leaders Survey, August 2024

[2] Lumina Intelligence Eating and Drinking Out Panel, data collected 12 w/e 07.08.22 – 12 w/e 04.08.24