The Landmark London is a vast five star hotel on the Marylebone Road which forms part of the Thai owned Landmark Group and is a member of the Leading Hotels of the World.
Afternoon tea at The Landmark London follows the best of British traditions. What sets it apart is the remarkable setting and architecture of the hotel.
The Landmark London is a stone’s throw from Marylebone railway station, which is one of London’s smallest mainline railway stations and the last to be built by the Victorians.
Whilst Marylebone lacks the grandeur of St Pancras, it is perhaps the quaintest of London’s mainline stations and provides swift access to Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire, including Bicester Village and Hughenden Manor, the home of former Prime Minister Benjamin Disraeli.
The history of The Landmark London has been intertwined with that of Marylebone railway station since birth. It first opened in 1899, as the “Hotel Grand Central”, in the same year as Marylebone railway station, with the aim of serving as a grand railway hotel.
Indeed, it was the brainchild of Sir Edward Watkins, who was the chairman of nine British railways companies during his career and an early proponent of a tunnel under the English Channel.
Colonel Robert Edis was responsible for the original design of The Landmark London. He sought to rival the grandeur of The Savoy, which had opened a decade earlier in 1889, by creating a soaring glass covered courtyard, faced with Gothic Revival style masonry. To this day, many of the hotel’s 299 bedrooms overlook this courtyard from elegant balconies.
Colonel Robert Edis even placed a cycle track on the roof of the hotel to permit guests to atone for their indulgence including, no doubt, afternoon tea. The hotel no longer offers this perilous activity.
The central courtyard was originally used for the parking of motor cars for hotel guests. In the first decade of the twentieth century, it was converted into an enormous winter garden, which had become fashionable in London, complete with a large dance floor.
It struck me that it would be fun if The Landmark London were to install an interesting motor car from times past in the entrance to the courtyard in the fashion of the Royal Automobile Club in Pall Mall.
Remarkably, for over thirty years from 1856 until 1988 the hotel was the headquarters of the British Transport Commission and its successor British Rail, when it was known as the “Kremlin”. It left state ownership and returned to its former glory as a hotel in 1988.
The Landmark London now dedicates its central courtyard to a wonderful Winter Garden, filled with light and enormous palm trees, where a sumptuous afternoon tea is served in spacious surroundings to the accompaniment of a talented pianist.
Lieutenant Airey Neave, the first British solider to escape from Colditz in 1942, was debriefed at the hotel by MI9 upon his return to Great Britain. Airey Neave was familiar with the hotel and reminisced fondly about its afternoon tea, which he described as having been “massive” in the pre-war years.
The same is true today and afternoon tea at The Landmark London is of a generous and pleasing extent. It is also more affordable than afternoon tea at its old rival, The Savoy Hotel in the Strand.
For example, the sandwiches are delicate, filling and fresh and served in liberal quantities. They are also varied, from smoked Scottish salmon (brushed with horseradish cream, black truffle and chives) to poached chicken (with herb mayonnaise and crème fraiche) and traditional cucumber (which require no introduction).
The scones – plain and lavender – are baked to perfection and served with Cornish clotted cream, lemon curd spread and an array of jams.
The Landmark London has, of course, a dedicated pastry kitchen and pastry chefs who produce a colourful selection of cakes, including an almond swiss roll with yellow peach mousse and honey, a funky chocolate choux with a black cherry and spearmint flavour, and a raspberry tartlet dipped in pink peppercorn cream (from Chantilly not England).
The tea selection is extensive, and I would particularly recommend the Winter Garden Blend which combines Chinese and Indian black teas and has a subtle vanilla flavour which complements the pastries. As ever, a glass of Nyetimber Classic Cuvee Brut did not go amiss.
Also available 1st October the hotel is offering a special tea experience in conjunction with luxury skincare and fragrance brand ARgENTUM which draws on ARgENTUM’s signature elements — earth, air, fire and water — to inspire a quartet of beautifully crafted pastries by Head Pastry Chef Matteo Sargentelli. From a water-inspired spearmint-spiked Valrhona chocolate and cherry choux to a rose and raspberry tartlet with a fiery kick of pink peppercorn, and an airy cloud-like Bergamot pavlova each patisserie captures the spirit of its element.
Delicate finger sandwiches, warm scones and a flute of Nyetimber English sparkling wine or an alcohol-free ‘Lover’ cocktail per person complete the offering — alongside a unique tea pairing menu that mirrors ARgENTUM’s twelve alcohol-free archetype fragrances. Each tea blend embodies one of the brand’s archetypes, inviting guests to sip in sync with their personality — whether that’s the nurturing CAREGIVER (velvety Rooibos) or the adventurous EXPLORER (spiced chai).
What’s more, on 6th September (2–5pm) guests coming in for afternoon tea can enjoy a complimentary fragrance and tarot reading. Guided by one of ARgENTUM’s luminaries, the session blends intuitive archetype card reading with the brand’s philosophy of expression and emotional connection through fragrance, helping guests uncover the scent — and corresponding tea blend — that aligns with the characteristics unique to their personality.
The Landmark London, 222 Marylebone Road. London NW1 6JQ.
Afternoon tea is served is served on Monday to Friday from 2.30pm – 5pm and on Saturday and Sunday from 1pm – 5pm and costs £75 per person without champagne, £85 per person with a glass of Nyetimber Classic Cuvee Brut and £90 with a glass of Nyetimber Rosé NV.
Reservations may be made at [email protected] or by telephone on +44 (0) 20 7631 8000. The seating time for afternoon tea is one hour and forty five minutes.