The Ritz London

We visited to enjoy a cocktail and light lunch to celebrate our anniversary. Sadly the hotel is having some pretty major refurbishment so once we found the entrance to the hotel we then relaxed. From the first step into the building every single person was polite, greeted us appropriately and represented the hotel very well. Exceptionally clean considering the disruption to the facade of the building. We booked the secret garden as it’s lovely and relaxing having visited a few years ago too. Sadly the noise from the building works wasn't the soundtrack to our anniversary we expected. However we were advised we could move indoors to get away from the noise but as it was a warm early autumn sunny day we chose to enjoy our cocktails and charcuterie outside. Outstanding service from all. As we went to leave we were presented with a wonderful anniversary cake too which was a super treat.

A family of 4 adults. My daughter arrived on time for our 3.30 tea, we arrived at 4pm because of delays on our train from Chester. My daughter & hubby had started their tea as we didn’t want them waiting for us. You would have thought with a hotel wanting such a quick turnaround of tables that they would have served us latecomers immediately. After waiting 10 minutes for service we asked to be served. Sandwiches were plentiful and flavoursome. When it came to the scones they did not taste pastry chef made but mass produced, very dense and definitely not light and fluffy. The cakes on the stand were very underwhelming with just two different types. When it came to 5.15 we started to be rushed out. When I asked a member of staff who was standing in the hallway if there was a lounge where we could sit so that I had a bit of time with my daughter I was told only the bar downstairs. As if we wanted to sit in a stuffy bar after coming out of afternoon tea. Definitely not worth the price. I would recommend Fortnum & Mason afternoon tea, top notch service and cakes also half the price and no rushing us off of the table at a certain time.

I was very excited to have tea at the Ritz in London but unfortunately was turned away for wearing trousers that were a jean material. While I completely understand being turned away for this reason, the Ritz insisted on charging us the full amount for tea (85 pound per person). We had only made the reservation an hour beforehand and did not see the dress code before booking. I explained all of this to the reservation team but they were completely unmoved by the circumstances. It was a truly embarrassing and rude experience and I will never stay or dine at a Ritz because of it.

This is not the "quintessential luxury experience" you pay for. I visited for afternoon tea on September 17th, 2026, and it ended with me suffering acute diarrhea within two hours of dining. What is far worse than the illness is the appalling way the hotel handled it: 1. Shockingly cold staff: When I reported my severe discomfort to the restaurant staff, they did not ask if I needed help. Instead, a staff member typed on their phone screen asking if it was "too fast" for me to get sick. Two hours is a medically textbook timeline for foodborne illness. This lack of empathy was horrifying. 2. Ignored evidence: I cooperated fully and provided management with a detailed 48-hour food and drink log as requested. They completely ignored it in their investigation. 3. Passing the buck: They used an FCIEH report (which merely proves no systemic outbreak that day) to deny all responsibility, refusing any refund or formal apology. A manager, Rosarie, even stated in writing they would not compensate me and welcomed me to leave public reviews. I chose not to go to the hospital, hoping to endure the discomfort in my room, which ruined my entire evening and the following day's plans. Yet, the hotel took this as an excuse to avoid accountability. The Ritz London enjoys a great reputation, but their food safety protocols and complaint management are deeply flawed. If you care about your health and basic respect as a guest, please think twice before booking. I have filed formal complaints with the UK Food Standards Agency (FSA) and Westminster City Council Environmental Health.

Staying at The Ritz had been a dream of mine for many years. The welcome was absolutely wonderful. The bellboys made a particularly strong impression, making you feel genuinely welcome from the moment you arrived. The room was spacious and beautiful, elegantly decorated for Christmas. On the mantelpiece stood a photograph of Sophia Loren, almost as if to create the impression that she had once stayed in that very room. The bed was exceptionally comfortable. However, there were several negative aspects that need to be pointed out. The room was clearly showing signs of wear and tear. The floor was covered with a carpet, but underneath it, several sections of the flooring were loose. You could both hear the movement when walking across the room and see the outlines of the uneven floorboards through the carpet. It was difficult to escape the impression that the carpet had been placed there to conceal these defects. In the bathroom, there was also an exposed wooden structure beneath the sink, something that seemed entirely out of place in a bathroom of this standard. Once again, it gave the impression of a makeshift solution intended to conceal an underlying problem. The whole experience reminded me of a film set, where everything looks perfect from the front, but behind the façade, it is all temporary and hastily put together. Unfortunately, the same impression extended to the service. Rather than feeling genuine and heartfelt, it often came across as rehearsed and artificial. Considering the exceptionally high price and the reputation of The Ritz, the overall experience was