The St Regis DC - Afternoon tea

Review summary

1. A

   Anthony

   VIP

   Washington DC

   5 reviews

   4.0

   5 reviews

   Dined 1 day ago

   1. Overall 4
   2. Food 4
   3. Service 3
   4. Ambience 5

   At $120 a person without a tip, this was a treat for me and my family. I'd only booked it because I had seen that the experience also came with a white house ornament and I was disappointed to see that they no longer include this as a benefit. Moreover, they seated our group right by the main entrance to the hotel, which would be fine had it not been winter and being met with a rush of frigid air every single time someone entered or left the hotel (which happened without fail at least 1-2 times every five minutes). A member of our group even wore her heavy winter coat the entire time because it was so cold where we were seated. Finally, at times the wait staff was nowhere to be found, so there were a handful of times throughout the evening when I needed new silverware or waters and had to wait an unusually long amount of time. The space is stunning but this is absolutely not worth the expense or the physical discomfort and inattentive service.
   

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2. H

   Heather

   Washington DC

   1 review

   1.0

   1 review

   Dined 6 days ago

   1. Overall 1
   2. Food 1
   3. Service 1
   4. Ambience 4

   This was the worst $560 I've ever spent in my life. Mediocre food and pretty terrible service. Lovely old hotel, but paying that much for dry scones and tea for 4 people made me feel like a sucker.
   

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3. B

   Brooke

   VIP

   Washington DC

   12 reviews

   4.0

   12 reviews

   Dined on 25 December 2024

   1. Overall 4
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 3

   Really nice tea experience with great food and sweets. The only complaint I have is that it’s in the hotel lobby so half the time there were guests standing around our table waiting to be checked in…not quite the ambiance you want for something that’s over $100 a person. But the lobby itself was gorgeous so do what that what you please
   

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4. J

   Joshua

   Los Angeles

   2 reviews

   1.0

   2 reviews

   Dined on 25 December 2024

   1. Overall 1
   2. Food 2
   3. Service 3
   4. Ambience 2

   The single most disappointing afternoon tea service I’ve ever had, mostly because of the incredibly steep price point ($120). It comes with 4 savory bites, but there’s nothing special or interesting or creative about those bites. It's probably just my preference, but I didn't like that the cucumber sandwich was filled with asparagus. This added a heaviness and earthiness to something that's meant to be light. The cucumber was very much overpowered.The Christmas sweets were cute but sorely disappointing, again given the $120 price tag. One of the sweets is a sugar cookie, which is fair given it’s a Christmas staple, but I think some of the other sweets should’ve made up for that one’s simplicity. The rest of the sweets consisted of a cupcake, a cream puff, and chocolate mousse. There’s no way these even remotely warranted a $120 price tag. I’ve been to several afternoon tea services at various resorts and hotels around the country (and at the Fairmont Empress Hotel in Victoria, BC), and this was easily the most disappointing one. On top of that, maybe it’s just my preference, but I enjoy steeping my tea myself. I also prefer steeping loose tea rather than tea bags. However, they serve the tea pre-steeped. I like making my tea super bitter and dark and looking at the loose leaves. I was disappointed that they took this entire part of tea consumption out of my hands by serving tea kettles with only tea inside. The vibe in the lobby was cute, but there was very little going in terms of ambience. I believe they might’ve been playing live jazz, but it was only playing in the ballroom for the brunch patrons. We, afternoon tea folks, were only left with echoes of music traveling from the ballroom through to the opposite side of the lobby. Again, there’s a thoughtlessness to the experience here. The service was excellent, but I told them it was my birthday and they didn’t do anything special. The table next to me was offered free champagne, but not me. Wouldn't recommend
   

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5. C

   Chris

   Washington DC

   2 reviews

   5.0

   2 reviews

   Dined on 24 December 2024

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 5

   Great time for afternoon tea. Food and service were both very good. If it is cold out, recommend getting a spot away from the door, it can be drafty. Looking forward to coming back for drinks and dinner.
   

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6. C

   Carol

   San Francisco

   2 reviews

   5.0

   2 reviews

   Dined on 24 December 2024

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 5

   Exemplary service by Stephane and Hamza. Every moment was just right.
   

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7. M

   Morgan

   VIP

   Cancun

   1 review

   5.0

   1 review

   Dined on 20 December 2024

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 5

   10/10 holiday experience!! I had such a great time celebrating my birthday and holiday
   

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8. E

   Emilie

   VIP

   Washington DC

   3 reviews

   3.0

   3 reviews

   Dined on 17 December 2024

   1. Overall 3
   2. Food 4
   3. Service 4
   4. Ambience 5

   I loved my annual tradition of Christmas tea at the St. Regis, but this year had me rethinking this tradition. Traditionally, the Christmas tea included a White House Christmas ornament, but this year they stopped doing this. It was very disappointing to find this out at the end of the tea. The price stayed the same. Nearly $300 for 2 people for tea with NO champagne is not a good value in my mind, especially since the desserts were also not as good as in years past. Last year there were adorable gingerbread houses and every dessert was a work of art and super tasty. This year they weren't as good, though I definitely applaud the pastry chef's creativity with the display and visual aspect of the desserts. They are definitely works of art. The savory sandwiches and scones were excellent. The service was really good. And of course the St. Regis is a stunning place for tea, and the Christmas decorations are absolutely lovely. It was still a very enjoyable experience, but I don't think I'll make a special effort to do the Christmas tea anymore. I'll still do afternoon tea there occasionally, but I think I'll be looking for a new spot for my annual Christmas tea.
   

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9. R

   Renee

   Washington DC

   2 reviews

   5.0

   2 reviews

   Dined on 17 December 2024

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 5

   It was the perfect afternoon. An Afternoon Tea for one my at preferred seat by the window. The Christmas blend tea was delightful and the savory treats were my absolute favs, especially the quiche. The vestibule was simply decorated with a beautiful tree and accompanying nutcrackers to go along with this year's tea theme. A classy experience, as always. Thank you to the amazing staff for your attentiveness.
   

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10. W

    Winnie

    Washington DC

    5 reviews

    5.0

    5 reviews

    Dined on 13 December 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5

    Everything was done well, especially the presentation and service. We enjoyed the tea experience and will go back even it’s a bit pricey.
    

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