High Tea Afternoons: Tea Lounge at Mandarin Oriental

"Where will it be today ma'am?" I was asked as I pulled up to the Mandarin Oriental. I responded, "The Tea Lounge", unsure as to why he needed to know where I was going. Shortly...I found out. 

We were escorted inside the posh hotel to the elevator that ushered us up to the 23rd floor. Yup, you heard that right--23 floors up with an amazing view of the Las Vegas Strip to drink afternoon tea! Talk about swanky (my new favorite word)!

If there is one thing that Vegas is known for other than the bright lights and one million and one casinos, it is the luxury. Being one of the only places in the world where 5 dollar sign restaurants on Yelp are nothing out of the ordinary (on the Strip of course), one of the main reasons people come to Vegas is to live large, live in the moment and spend recklessly. Now I've lived in Vegas for almost 9 years and while I have been to my fair share of fancy restaurants and places, I have never experienced something quite like this...until now that is.

Atmosphere The atmosphere of any place really sets the tone and determines your first impression...and well you can say I was pretty impressed. The killer views as I drank my afternoon tea may or may not have influenced this impression. 

Upon arrival, I immediately noticed the gold accents and the Mandarin inspired decor--get it because Mandarin Oriental...ha ha ha? The decor was simple, yet very classy--incorporating subtle hints of red and gold and a beautiful oriental rug!

They were very accommodating of our fairly large party (compared to everyone else--there were 8 of us), but I will tell you that this place has a very quiet atmosphere...yes I know, not your typical loud and rambunctious Vegas experience. 

Food

Ahh the food...if you know me--aesthetically pleasing foods win my heart any day, everyday. While I must admit that the food was a little (very) pricey. It did not disappoint. If you are wondering how much it cost the Classic English Afternoon Tea cost $40 before tax and gratuity. This tea set includes:

• Your choice from a selection of freshly brewed loose leaf teas
  • I chose the Mandarin Blossoms Loose Leaf Tea 
  • It was very light, a lot lighter than I expected
• Signature Scones
  • Served with imported Devonshire clotted cream and Chef Philippe's house made marmalades and jams
• Sandwiches
  • Smoked Salmon and tartar cream on homemade brioche bun
  • Curry chicken, trumpet mushroom and Asian persimmon on sesame cone
  • Egg salad and chives on croissant bread
  • Black Forest ham sandwich
• Tea Pastries
  • Chef's selection of assorted tea pastries

You also have the option of ordering a la carte if you just want tea or if you just want pastries--their macarons were only $2!

Our food was served to us on a neat little stand (see photo below) and our server gave us a presentation of our food before we began eating, which I really appreciated because I otherwise would not have been able to guess what I was eating.

And of course, what is a high tea afternoon experience without some fancy pictures?

Til' Next Time,