The Ritz London

I didn’t come to The Ritz for luxury. Not really. I came because some places don’t feel like hotels. They feel like memory. The moment you step inside, the air changes. The noise from Piccadilly softens. Time slows down, not in a staged way, but naturally, like the place itself has no interest in rushing. The lobby isn’t trying to impress. It’s trying to welcome. Quietly. Softly. As if it knows you. I stayed five nights. Every evening felt like it belonged to a different decade. The lighting in the bar, warm and low. The service, invisible but human. The bartender remembered the way I like my whisky by the second night. I didn’t say much. Didn’t have to. The room had that perfect quiet, not silence, but stillness. You could hear your thoughts again. I kept the lights dim. I read more than usual. Wrote more than I’ve written in months. The corridors… I can’t explain. You don’t walk them, you float. Somewhere between waking and dreaming. I walked them at midnight. I passed no one, except once, a staff member who nodded without speaking. That nod said more than any “sir” ever could. This hotel doesn’t chase trends. It remembers how things used to be. And if you feel like you were meant for another time, this place will feel like it was waiting for you. The Ritz doesn’t try to be special. It just is. And if you know, you know.

Disappointed! Went for afternoon tea to celebrate our 30th anniversary. We paid the extra money to share a signature cake with the couple that joined us for our celebration. We specifically said that the cake should include the words "Happy 30th" otherwise we did not want the cake.. The cake came to our table very plain and with no writing. When it was time to leave we asked that our remaining food be placed in a To Go package. When we returned to our flat only a few scones and one dessert was found in our To Go package - not all of the sweets nor the remaining finger sandwiches. Definitely not worth the expense compared to other afternoon tea experiences.

Well we knew it was going to be expensive We has the Theatre table menus/service It was fantastic Staff very knowledgeable and helpful It was perfect Lovely occasion and they now have AC in the restaurant which makes it far more pleasant Will Wait a few years but we will be back

Went with my husband for afternoon tea which was booked months in advance. Despite telling them of dietary requirements we were served meat sandwiches which needed to be changed. We both ordered orange blossom tea and were given a raspberry fruit tea! This was changed but no apology. The food was excellent despite the initial issues hence my rating. I would like to suggest that whilst a dress code exists for men to wear a shirt, tie and jacket maybe due to the extreme temperatures and no air condition or fans they should allow the removal of the jacket whilst eating. My husband felt he was going to pass out and removed his jacket briefly before being told to put it back on! There is no dress code for women who could sit with strappy dresses quite happily. Overall the food is good but the 5* experience didn’t meet my expectations. The Corinthia was far superior.

Expensive, but worth it. Clean, luxurious room but absolutely excellent customer service from everyone we encountered, especially the assistant manager Rita. We had afternoon tea, which was worth the hype, but breakfast is probably an even better option that’s available to book even if not staying in the hotel. Wonderful.