stargold

Quite OT but the Shilla in Seoul charges even in-house guests USD 100 just to access their outdoor pool (unless staying on a special rate including access). Non-guests can't even pay to enter.

So if that's 8000 JPY for non-guests, it sounds like a great deal in comparison

MikeFromTokyo

Yes... but they occasionally have promotional offers. Being a long time Tokyo resident, and an habitué of fine hotels, I'm afraid I am somewhat desensitized to these things..

I highly recommend it regardless, as well as the other restaurants I mentioned... particularly Nadaman Sazanka-so, but that's an entirely different level of "expensive". Totally worth it though^

Oh and Aux Bacchanales is another great one I forgot to mention. It's a tenant of the hotel down the street and is très sympa indeed.... The crêpe suzette prepared tableside is not to be missed!

In general, it is usually the best idea to stay at the modern luxury hotels, but have some meals and other experiences at the classic Japanese ones. That's how to get the best of both worlds.

Aventine

Review: Shangrila Tokyo afternoon tea set

I dislike Shangrila Tokyo for their stinginess over breakfast but their afternoon tea is easily in the top 3 in all of Tokyo. Well crafted, plated/presented and most importantly - delicious!

Teas: Their selection and blends are inventive and there's something for everyone. We chose the Organic French Lemon ginger tea as it's getting a bit cooler now in Tokyo and found it suited both savory and sweet sections of the tea set. Their coffees aren't a bad choice either.

The set: You can choose between their artistic, modern easel or the traditional birdcage presentation. The scones: a choice between seasonal (yuzu, in this case), whole wheat or original plain ones. They're well-made. Symmetrical. I can't stand scones that look like they're falling apart.

Loved the quiches and sandwiches. Not square or boring. The dried pesto tomato quiche was a delectable treat.

The macarons were right up there with Pierre Hermé and Ladurée. Every sweet item could easily be sold for 1000 yen, if, they decided to open a pâtisserie.

Bring an appetite! We were struggling by the time we got to the top.

Shangrila Tokyo has the perfect balance between a modern and classic tea set. It's worth every single of the 4800 yen/pp.

gengar

5th floor, which is the highest floor available for the Exec Suite.

Aventine

Aman Tokyo’s Black fashion oriented afternoon tea is a feast for the senses. The striking handcrafted Japanese black bamboo trays houses Tokyo’s best tea set. It makes Shangrila's look pedestrian (and that one was something special).



Starting with an amuse bouche (edamame mousse and tomato jelly), then an interesting take on the traditional sandwiches with a lemon dill egg with asparagus and charcoal bun roast beef/eggplant composition, and a generous amount of pastries, including seasonal melon and sweet pumpkin tarts and a Kyoho globe grape chou. You can have them remove the adzuki beans from the top of the very buttery and symmetrical green tea scones. They were gracious enough to bring me plain green tea scones on the side.

The real stars of the afternoon are the high heel and handbag chocolates. 62% Brazilian cacao heel with lime and caramel filling. The delicate and precision crafting. Look at the ornament on the top of the shoe and the delicate shoe straps. The handbag (with handles) is a dark chocolate masterpiece housing fresh cream with top grade fresh berries. The chocolate hat with mint jellies is well-crafted as well but it’s handbags and shoes that elicit the greatest sugois and kawaiis from the numerous tables around us. All are simply out of this world. Hats off to Master Patissier Miyagawa-san for creating Tokyo’s most wanted oba-san tea set.

All of this went well with a delicious warm cappuccino and Lite and Late Ceylon black tea. They also have a selection of non-alcoholic seasonal cocktails that you can add on for ¥1200.

The service at the Lounge is a bit of a letdown, the staff aren’t always paying attention and flagging them down took multiple glances and waves. They did fulfill my special request about the adzuki bean toppers but lose marks for not being so attentive when we needed a hot water teapot refill.

Aman’s lounge is in a beautifully constructed, but sprawling lobby lounge/bar area. Don’t expect to just walk-in and have tea. These slots usually get fully booked up by the ladies who lunch WELL IN ADVANCE so I recommend doing this as soon as you make your hotel booking or weeks before your Tokyo trip.

bhrubin

@Aventine, what was the Aman tea price?

Aventine

¥4900pp +13% service charge.

scented

Absolutely speechless, Aventine... this has to be one of the best Afternoon Teas in Asia, if not the world. Well done, Aman Tokyo. Very reasonable price, hope they get the service right. Any updates on new GM at Aman Tokyo?

Maybe you should forward this to MO Munich?

callmedtop

That is way more reasonable than I would have anticipated.

helvetic

Afternoon tea is one thing I just don't understand at all… why is it so expensive, just to get a tower of sugar when you're already full from lunch and just hours away from dinner?

MikeFromTokyo

On the rare occurrences when I am actually awake early enough to have had lunch before 15:00~, and am hungry between lunch and dinner, I really like an afternoon tea. That does not happen very often at all. Sometimes I have afternoon tea as an inclusion with an hotel booking, and still never avail of it.

The afternoon is usually the time I have my first glass of wine, if I haven't already with lunch

But, that does look like a lovely afternoon tea at Aman Tokyo.

Kagehitokiri

its not just sugar and pastries etc can be costly to make so "expensive" compared/relative to what?

practically any offering that exists has a market. price can be relative to market.

at luxury all-inclusive i appreciate afternoon tea. (normally i might only eat dinner. certainly im not going to do breakfast, lunch, tea, dinner. pretty sure the standard for these teas is that they are an "or" proposition, especially depending on time of day and what region.)

there are also properties which include afternoon tea and or breakfast for guests, sometimes guests-only, while not including anything else in terms of F&B. or club lounge / club style package rate.

MikeFromTokyo

As usual you've hit the nail on the head. On all points.

First of all, it's not "just" pastries as one poster commented. A lot of delicious little bites to eat come with a tea service, some sweet, some savory, some locally inspired, etc... lots of possibilities.

And, most importantly, Afternoon tea in hotels in Japan is a ritual that Japanese ladies in particular enjoy with their friends. So, these teas are priced competitively for marketing reasons. It can generate some buzz around an hotel, and get people in the door and lead to other sales. Spa treatments, staycations, weddings, vacations at sister properties. So, these afternoon teas are very important in all of those ways. Plus, a group of six ladies (or gentlemen, of course) spending ¥5,000 per head, so ¥30,000 per group (more if champagne is ordered) is significant revenue, that fills a gap between lunch and dinner (when tables would otherwise be empty).

In short, it's definitely in an hotel's interest to had a very good and competitively priced afternoon tea. Even the wealthiest guests care about value. And it's also accessible to everyone who wants an afternoon treat.

helvetic

Oh I don't deny that it makes sense for hotels to offer afternoon tea… it's free revenue. What I question is patrons… I don't really understand the appeal of going to afternoon tea.

MikeFromTokyo

In Japan, it's primarily targeted at ladies. They love it. Their husbands are likely either at work, or otherwise playing golf etc... and it's a way for them to get together with friends in the comfortable surroundings of a good hotel. So, there's the answer.

Also, a good cup of tea is really delicious. I'm more of a coffee drinker, but also like Mariage Frères tea quite a lot when I get the chance. I like the "French Blue" Earl Grey or the Lapsang Souchong.

OT, a bit, but one of my favorite things is Chinese pu'er tea. But for that you have to be in China or in a fine Chinese restaurant where they have the best teas and know how to properly prepare and serve it.

So, that's at least my perspective on the "why" question.