The freedom
One of the best things that comes with ditching the corporate life and becoming a female entrepreneur is you can do business exactly when, where and how you want. One of my favourite things to do is to hold meetings over afternoon tea. There is something so decadent about the ritual of an afternoon tea that it just adds style to the meeting.
It also feels a little rebellious, just because this is so outside the world of anything you would do in a job, that whilst afternoon tea as been part of the British tradition since introduced by the Duchess of Bedford in 1840, it feels like you are breaking rules by doing business this way.
So don’t limit yourself to a boring lunch at a network meeting, spice up your one to ones, client meetings and mastermind group by adding warm scones and clotted cream.
You can’t turn your head in London without bumping into a crustless sandwich but here are five of my favourites, with one special addition.
1) The Ham Yard Hotel – Piccadilly
I love the Ham Yard Hotel, tucked away in a little quiet square just off Piccadilly Circus at the bottom of Regent Street. It is a stylish and glamorous place, that whilst busy, you get the sense that you are far away from the madding crowds of London and you never feel and as people are on top of you. The perfect space for you to discuss your business without being overheard. There is room for you to afternoon tea in groups or just for two people. I suggest this place all the time, to people, as a great place for meetings. It is a great venue to do business, you can sit in their gorgeous Orangery, where the staff will leave you alone and you can get on with impressing your client.
Ham Yard Hotel
1 Ham Yard
Soho
WD1 7DT
https://www.firmdalehotels.com/hotels/london/ham-yard-hotel/afternoon-tea/
Prices start at £38 and they also have a healthy option.
Warning though you must book because it does get busy and also one negative, they are a bit tight with their plugs so think about this depending on what type of meeting you want to have.
2) The Sanderson Hotel – Fitzroiva
This is a super hip hotel. The long bar is festooned with the ultra glamorous of an evening and the afternoon tea is beyond stylish and incredibly fun.
The is the place to spend an afternoon masterminding with like minded bad ass women or impressing a client over their award winning Mad Hatters Tea. There are no details that has been overlooked from the Heart Tarts to the Apple and Peach Drink Me potion. This is just an afternoon of gorgeousness that enables you to really feel that you are doing female entrepreneurship in your own way.
The Sanderson Hotel
50 Berners Street
London
Price: £48 per person
Always book but the place is space off enough so you can feel private about your conversations, you can also reserve private areas if you are in a group.
Fortnum and Mason – Piccadilly
This is a classic. The perfect place to show a client what you are all about, especially if London is not their usual haunt. It is just packed with tradition, even the fact that it is held in the Diamond Jubilee Tea Salon tells you of the pom and ceremony that has gone before it. The tea is served from the traditional colours that make up the Fortnum brand and you are treated with such grace, it is as if you have gone back it time. Open in 1707 you feel the history.
Also one you are done you have this whole wonderful store to explore and make some purchases.
Fortnum and Mason
181 Piccadilly
London
W1A 1ER
https://www.fortnumandmason.com/restaurants/afternoon-tea
Prices start at £46
Book this place gets busy also more for a client meeting that a strategy session depending on where you are seated.
Covent Garden Hotel
Again tucked out of the way along a cobbled street, but close to hustle of Convent Garden and there are also some great shops on this street. This is a smaller hotel but is part of the same Firmdale group that The Ham Yard hotel belongs to. This hotel has a more traditional feel and afternoon tea is either served in the Brasserie Max or in the drawing room.
I just have very happy memories of this hotel and probably the place I have had afternoon tea in the most. The food is plentiful, most importantly the scones are gorgeous and the staff are really attentive.
A great place for a one to one client or to have a little brain storming session.
Covent Garden Hotel
10 Monmouth Street
London
WC2H 9HB
https://www.firmdalehotels.com/hotels/london/covent-garden-hotel/location/
Prices start at £27
I like to sit in the drawing room but it is a little cramped, maybe not the best place to try and pull off a deal but still a lovely place to meet and chat business.
Shangri-La Hotel – The Shard
This is all about the glamour and the view. This is the afternoon tea to impress. You can enjoy the Asian inspired afternoon tea, so whilst still sticking to some of traditions such as scones, you can also enjoy Mango Rice Paper Roll and Pandan Exotic Gateau and a selection of over 30 teas.
This is a perfect place to show your clients you mean business, but it is also the perfect outing with some of your tribe to show yourself what you have achieved.
Level 35
Shangri-La Hotel
At the Shard
31 St Thomas Street
London
SE1 9QU
http://www.ting-shangri-la.com/afternoon-tea/
Prices start at £58
A must to book and don’t expect to stay any longer than your allotted reservation
6) Choccywoccydoodah – The Secret Garden
This is a special one on the list and purely for event purposes only. Choccywoccydoodah has a secret garden room on their premises and you can take a group of up to 30 people for an afternoon of chocolate delight.
Each course is served with the usual Choccywoccydoodah quirkiness but purse style and gorgeousness, from the the Champagne glass of Strawberry Champagne ice cream you receive on arrival, to the molten pots of chocolate that you can dip goodies into, finishing with the huge ice cream sundee that finally pus you into a chocolate induced comma.
This is such a special place, that can put the fun into business and really show you that have stepped away from the mundanity of the corporate world.
The Secret Room
Choccywoccydoodah
30 – 32 Fouberts Place
Carnaby
London
W1F 7PS
https://www.choccywoccydoodah.com/secret-spaces/london.html
Prices £300 for 10 people
You will definitely have to book and your reservation is only for two hours.
I hope you get a chance to enjoy all of these gorgeous afternoon teas and more.
Lush! I’ve used the Covent Garden Hotel quite a few times. Another quick delicious ‘best kept secret’ is the downstairs cafe in Ospreys just steps from Piccadilly Circus.
Yes the Osprey cafe is gorgeous but I have not sampled their afternoon tea, but may add it to my list.