The atmosphere really made me think, "This is so Hong Kong." It was classy. It was historic. There was a beautiful view of Victoria Harbour. There were locals and tourists all gathered in the Lounge to have a great time with friends and enjoy the afternoon.
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| Earl Grey loose leaf tea |
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| Scones |
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| Our tier of sandwiches, savories, pastries, and cakes |
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| The attention to detail |
1. Presentation (4 out of 5) I liked how the tea set was modern. It was beautiful how the tea strainer was silver. The individual bites were so lovely and attention was really paid to the details. Finely cut garnishes were carefully placed and every bite stood proudly like it was a work of art.
2. Taste (4 out of 5) Definitely, a lot of effort was put into having well balanced selections. Everything was enjoyable. And the desserts weren't too sweet.
3. Service (5 out of 5) Right from the beginning, we had incredibly hospitable waiters. They presented us with the menus, asked which tea we would like, and then let us enjoy the afternoon. It was great that they were so attentive in the beginning because they really used that time to settle us in and make us feel really special. It was really great how they also left us to our tea and didn't keep checking back with us (unless we needed more hot water for our tea pots). Really great service.
4. Atmosphere (4 out of 5) This is one of the top things that people do in Hong Kong, I have been told. The Mandarin Oriental is beautiful, has a beautiful view of the Harbour, and is laid out beautifully. There is enough light in the space that you can feel comfortable. People are far enough away from each other to feel privacy.
5. Return-ability (4 out of 5) I would definitely want to go back. High Tea feels like a touristy thing for me, so it is quite fun! It is quite the novelty in my life because, most likely, you'll find me at the local Starbucks getting my afternoon tea. But, for a special occasion, I would definitely select High Tea at the Mandarin Oriental again.
