Since hearing that The Goring Hotel was awarded the Top Afternoon Tea in London 2013 by the The Tea Guild, it’s been on my list of places to try. After a slightly disappointing tea at The Ritz in December, I was hoping to be blown away by The Goring. Afternoon Teas at hotels around London aren’t cheap, with options ranging from £15-75 you want to get value for money, whether that’s cheap and cheerful or luxury with impeccable service.

Arriving at The Goring Lounge Bar the setting is less formal than at other hotels, which puts you immediately at ease. You might recognise the name of the hotel as the place that the Middletons stayed before the Royal Wedding a few years ago!

We opted for the Bollinger Afternoon Tea- well, why not? It starts with a glass of champagne and plate of strawberries and cream. Strawberries aren’t a typical addition to Afternoon Tea but were a really lovely touch. And we agree with Richard Gere, they helped bring out the flavour of the champagne! Everything was served on gilded amber and gold crockery matching the decor of the lounge.

Next up was a small amuse bouche; lobster and egg cocktail topped with apple jelly served with tea. Apparently this was a favourite of the Queen Mother. If it’s good enough for royalty… We all opted to try their signature tea, The Goring Afternoon Tea Blend- an subtle and light Assam-Darjeeling fusion.

Then the main event arrived: sandwiches, scones and pastries.

We enjoyed the classic cucumber sardines, alongside ham, chicken caesar and egg mayonnaise sandwiches. Plain and fruit scones with the lightest Cornish clotted cream and jam, plus an amazing array of pastries. My favourite was the Royal Velvet slice with Chocolate and Cream Cheese, as well as the Raspberry and White Chocolate Tea Cake.

I spread my cream first, how about you?

We were actually there for a work meeting, but got the waiter to take a photo anyway! If you read my blog post yesterday, you’ll know that we spotted Hilary Swank enjoying tea in the lounge too. Apparently Dustin Hoffman and Maggie Smith had been there the day before. Make sure to keep a look out for celebs if you visit. We all donned tea dresses for our tea- the dress code is smart casual attire.