London’s luxurious Claridge’s Hotel is the winner of the Tea Guild’s Top London Afternoon Tea 2011 Award.

Claridge’s has seen a recent shift in afternoon tea clientele as the hotel is frequented more and more by business men and women from the art, fashion and media world who book afternoon tea for their meeting as an alternative to lunch and breakfast.

“As a proud member of The Tea Guild we are delighted and honoured to receive this hugely prestigious award,” stated Claridge’s General Manager, Thomas Kochs.

The Tea Guild event, now in its 26th year, is considered the ‘Oscar’ of the tea world, with London hotels and tea rooms competing for the highly coveted honour.

A team of Tea Guild experts take tea in the hotels and tearooms of London and across Britain in order to find the finest tea experiences.

All visits are anonymous in order to ensure that the declared results are completely fair and accurate.

Judges awarded points for the variety, flavour and knowledge of the teas offered, together with the quality of food, service, décor, ambience, and presentation.

With 125 points to be lost or gained on the judge’s scorecard, only those tea establishments achieving the very highest standards across a number of categories make it to the top.

Claridge’s was voted into the top spot after its tea room, The Foyer, gained a near perfect score from The Tea Guild’s inspectors.

Claridge’s award-winning afternoon tea is a mouth-watering and utterly English meal of pastries and savouries, light, crusty scones and rich clotted cream.

Patrons indulge in a choice of 30 teas from all over the world a delicious array of finger sandwiches, a selection of sweet pastries, freshly baked raisin and apple scones with tea-infused jam and Devonshire clotted cream.

Claridge’s Afternoon tea is served daily at 3.00, 3.30, 5.00 or 5.30pm.