Afternoon tea at The Hotel Ritz by Belmond was first introduced to Madrid when the hotel opened in 1910. Served in the opulent surroundings of the hotel´s Lobby Bar, afternoon tea at The Hotel Ritz by Belmond is still to this day the most famous and glamorous place to take tea in the city.
As we passed through the hotel and into the Lobby Bar we were struck by its grandeur. Decorated in an ornate baroque style, it is easy to see why this is the hotel of choice for royalty. We were greeted warmly by our waiter and seated at our table on elegant, baroque style sofas before been quickly handed menus to select our teas and cakes. The hotel offered plenty to choose from, and in addition to the traditional afternoon tea there was also a choice of Spanish sweets and desserts, including churros and chocolate, famous in Spain and made at The Hotel Ritz by Belmond to their own special recipe. Tempted as though we were, we thought ordering anymore food might be ambitious of us, and so instead treated ourselves to a glass of bubbly Spanish cava. Both tea and food arrived shortly after, perfectly presented on silver trays complete with silver tea service. After taking a moment to serve our tea and marvel at the elegance of the presentation, it was time to eat. The hotel had given the classic, crustless finger sandwiches a more modern twist, serving them on an a variety of generously sized, soft, fresh breads. The fillings had stayed traditional, and we enjoyed a selection of ham, smoked salmon, egg, and classic cucumber. We couldn’t wait long before we moved onto the cakes, a beautiful presented selection of petite French style pastries. Dainty almond tarts, very traditional in Spain, were accompanied by a selection of fruit flavours, including cherry filled white chocolate bites, and our favourite, petite lemon desserts, which were refreshingly light after we had indulged a little too much in our delicious sandwiches. Our traditional scones, still warm from the oven, were accompanied by large pots of clotted cream and a selection of homemade jams and preserves, which we of course managed to find just enough room for!
As the pianist played in the background and our waiter attended to our every need, we sat back on our plush sofa to relax, enjoy our beautiful surroundings, and people watch as Madrid’s high society came to spend an afternoon taking tea and sipping champagne. Although not a Spanish tradition, The Hotel Ritz by Belmond made the perfect location to enjoy traditional afternoon tea, and with its decadent and glamorous decor, we had no problem feeling very at home!
Afternoon tea is served from 4-8pm starting at 32€ per person.