I had the poshest afternoon tea at London's oldest hotel. Here's what it was like, and how the very English tradition has changed post-COVID

Kate DuffyJun 12, 2021, 16:04 IST

Agatha Christie's favourite seat at Brown'sKate Duffy

I went to Brown's Hotel, the oldest and one of the fanciest hotels in London, for afternoon tea.
Queen Victoria, Theodore Roosevelt, and Agatha Christie were among the big names who dined here.
Afternoon tea has gone through some changes post-COVID. Here's how it's served differently.

Brown's Hotel is the first and oldest hotel in London which has welcomed many royals, politicians, and celebrities over the years

Outside of Brown's hotel Brown's

The room designs at Brown's have barely changed since nearly 200 years ago

The Drawing Room at Brown's Hotel Brown's Hotel

I sat in Agatha Christie's seat where she used to enjoy afternoon tea at Brown's

Reporter Kate Duffy tastes Brown's tea Kate Duffy

The majority of Brown's guests come from the United States

Main reception at Brown's Kate Duffy

Brown's had to change how it operated and introduced new innovations to keep the hotel COVID-safe

QR code to scan for the menu Kate Duffy

This was the menu that Brown's gave to their guests pre-pandemic

Brown's menu Kate Duffy

The waiter gave me a small bottle of hand sanitizer when I sat down at the table

Hand sanitizer handed to every table Kate Duffy

First, I was served Moët champagne, hot tea, and sandwiches on a Victorian tea-stand

Table setup at Brown's Kate Duffy

Here's a close-up of the five different sandwiches

Sandwiches on top of the tier Kate Duffy

Brown's offer 25 different kinds of tea. The first tea I tried was called Afternoon Blend

Afternoon Blend tea Kate Duffy

After the sandwiches, I was served cakes and scones with jam and clotted cream

Afternoon tea setup at Brown's Kate Duffy

There were five different cakes to choose from on the top tier of the cake stand

Selection of cakes on top of the cake stand Kate Duffy

The real question is: does the jam go on the scone first, or the clotted cream?

Brown's scones Kate Duffy

The third tea I tried was a Chinese Jasmine tea which changed flavor after five minutes

Chinese Jasmine tea Kate Duffy

I even got to take home a goodie bag!

Reporter Kate Duffy holding a Brown's goodie bag Kate Duffy

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