The Rubens at the Palace in City of London, Westminster

We recently stayed at the Rubens at the Palace Hotel and it was such a pleasure. From the cleaning staff, front desk, concierge, doorman, and all of the personnel in the restaurants and bars, every single person was very polite very helpful and very accommodating throughout the 10 days that we stayed there. Each evening after we returned from our daily activities, we were greeted like family. Soroosh was waiting in the restaurant eager to get us beverages and any late snacks we might want, even near closing time. I would highly recommend staying here not only because of the great location but mostly because of the great people you will meet there.

Was taken for Royal afternoon tea as a birthday treat and it was fabulous! Lovely atmosphere and excellent service. A wonderful selection of teas to choose from, which complemented various components of the tea. Sandwiches well made and various combinations, all delicious. Scones cheese, fruit and plain served with clotted cream, jam and lemon curd. Various delightful sweet treats, vegan tea was exceptional and they do various dietary teas including vegetarian, gluten free and halal. Overall a fantastic experience at this establishment very close to Royal Mews, Buckingham Palace and Kings Gallery.

What a great experience!! The service, the tea selections and the menu selections were all fantastic. I think anyone who visits London should check out this place. We could have filled up on the pastries because they serve so much; and they were delicious. The staff was attentive and made sure you had as much tea and food as you could handle. There are other places for high tea but this is a great location and everything was five stars.

My wife booked afternoon tea for my bdy. The whole experience and service was great. A lot of vareity and options and the afternoon tea quantity was more than sufficient! The whole experience was enhanced by exceptional service provided by Grace. I have to say people often write reviews for poor service but dont highlight great service. Grace was friendly, professional and made great reccemendations and had great knowledge on the menu.

An amazing stay at the Rubens. Staff were fantastic and couldn't do enough for you. Location was brilliant. Great bar on the side. Would definitely recommend

Absolutely brilliant! We went for Royal Tea and it was worth every penny. Service, food, tea and champagne. Highly recommend...

We came to the New York Bar for the Royal Cocktail Experience. Greeted by Frank who made the whole experience even better. Small eats were exceptional and the cocktails were fantastic. Beautiful environment and will Definitely recommend the whole experience

We stayed for six nights from 10 August. The facilities are old and the rooms are small compared to similar hotels. However, this was more than compensated for by the excellent and accurate response to various requests, and there was always a follow-up call in the evening to see if there were any requests. The Royal Mews View Room only had a W bed, but we had it changed in advance to twin beds. At other hotels, this was often not changed when We went on the day, but at this hotel they had it ready for us. The room was well cleaned down to the smallest detail and it was interesting to note that the USB wiring was tightly organised. When I asked for a taxi, they caught in the street and directed to the hotel. I was surprised that he didn't call, but that must have resulted in a quicker catch. The service at this hotel is outstanding.

It simply doesn't get any better than this. My wife and I booked Royal Afternoon Tea as a treat for our 10th Wedding Anniversary. The hotel's Palace Lounge offers opulent surroundings directly overlooking Buckingham Palace Royal Mews. Food and service absolutely out of this world. Lemon Crown is the best thing I've ever tasted. Ever. Worth every penny. Highly recommend 11/10

I've never written such a long review, but we enjoyed our stay at the Rubens Hotel in London so much that I had to share our experience. Our group of three spent six magnificent days at the Rubens Hotel. Upon arrival, we noticed an exceptionally beautiful chandelier in the lobby—a promising start. Each of our rooms was beautifully decorated, completely unique, and showed exceptional attention to detail, from the amazing beds and bedding to the beautiful wall tapestries, chandeliers, and other ornaments. Despite the hotel having 161 rooms, it felt like staying in a boutique hotel. When we expressed our appreciation to one of the attentive staff members, we learned that each room is uniquely decorated. This level of individualization in a large hotel was a delightful surprise. After a long flight, we were too tired to venture out for dinner, as we usually do, so we booked a meal at the hotel's English Grill. The dinner was so good that we ended up eating most of our meals there—something we've never done before. The dining room itself was extraordinary, with stunning chandeliers and wall sconces made of Murano glass, grand candelabras from Buckingham Palace, and many other unique decorations that created a magical ambiance. I sensed that this unique space must be a work of love. I shared my impressions with a staff member and learned that Ms. Tollman, the owner, is the heart and soul behind the hotel's beauty. This family-owned hotel is part of the Red Carnation Hotels group (never heard about before) and Ms. Tollman visits the hotel monthly. The staff's love for their work and their respect for Ms. Tollman was evident. We heard stories about her unique attention to her team, including thousands of personal gifts she gives each employee yearly. The food at the hotel was exceptional. We had the best cod fish, its freshness was evident in its amazing taste, green peas risotto with aroma of exceptional quality and freshness of the green peas, and other superb food every day. The cheesecake was so outstandingly good that we asked for the recipe. We learned it is a recipe by Ms. Tollman. A waiter even brought out a wonderful cookbook and memoir by Bea Tollman, who started her career as a chef and remains passionate about the quality of food in her hotels. I requested to purchase a copy but the book was out of stock. I was able to take a picture of the cheesecake recipe. Breakfast the next day was fantastic as well, with top-quality omelettes, smoked salmon toast with avocado and poached eggs. The eggs had unique quality with vibrant orange yolks and tasted fantastic, (this makes the omelettes color is deep orange, not yellow, with fantastic taste) and the smoked salmon was of top quality with very low saltiness that usually is too strong that masks the taste of the fish, not at the Rubens.The poached eggs yokes dripping down slowly on the salmon and avocado, were so beautiful and delicious that it was a wonderful way to start a new day. The hotel's Curry Room also serves superb Indian food, which I reviewed separately. Lastly, we enjoyed a fantastic Royal Afternoon Tea. We had four types of tea, each exceptionally excellent. The sandwiches and pastries were fantastic, with the epitome being the smoked salmon sandwich served with a touch of caviar. Even the cucumber sandwich was superb. The pastries were fantastic and not too sweet, better than those from a typical excellent French patisserie. The sconces (three types) were served with fantastic crème fraiche and amazingly good jams. Bravo to the pastry chef! The Ruben’s hotel Royal Afternoon Tea is highly recommended. The hotel’s Location is the best possible. The hotel's enormous outside green wall, covered with plants from bottom to top, is incredible. The service and attention from all the hotel team were beyond excellent. The Rubens Hotel exceeded our high expectations in every possible way. We left with happy memories and would love to return.

I had a Royal Afternoon Tea at The Ruben’s at the Palace, and it was a lovely experience from start to finish. The sandwiches were delicious, with fresh ingredients and well balanced flavours, but it was the dessert selection that really impressed me, the cakes were amazing, each one beautifully crafted and bursting with flavour. We were lucky to have a table with a view facing the front, so we could enjoy people watching and soak in the surroundings while sipping tea. The service starts early, which was perfect for easing into the day. All in all, it’s well worth checking out if you’re looking for a refined but relaxed afternoon tea experience.

Tea was ok. It was more of a shuffle in and shuffle out. We were immediately told how long we had. While staff smiled and were pleasant, they were not overly friendly. I guess for our one high tea in England, we would have expected a little better (more professional) service. There was a lot of food. Scones were excellent. Sandwiches and desserts were ok. The desserts didn’t look freshly prepared which was a huge disappointment. The fun of being on that particular street was taken away because all you saw were tourists walking around. It was not horrible but not as exciting as we expected. It was just ok.

Enjoyed a meal at the Curry Place in Ruben’s hotel It was a wonderful experience. Food was absolutely delicious and presentation amazing. Lovely room and ambience with very comfy chairs which really made the day !

It was an excellent treat from start to finish. They had a completely gluten-free option for myself and normal for my husband.

Had royal afternoon tea at Ruben's at the palace, the food was exceptioanl, champagne was lovely! only downside for us was you could not swap from tea to coffee or once you had coffee you couldn't have tea, I think for the price this should be included I have never come across this during afternoon teas before. But overall a lovely experience

My friend and I went to the Afternoon Tea at the Rubens. As luck would have it, King Charles was having his afternoon tea for invited guest. So as we sipped our wine and had tea, we watched the invited guest head to Buckingham Palace. The sandwiches and pastries were good. I would definitely recommend this place for high tea.

The staff here is amazing!!! Specially Kamal; Grace, Kalpita and Muna!! They really took care of of us and help d make our first high tea experience so memorable. Highly recommend s visit to this place :)

The hotel is centrally located and utterly fantastic. The rooms are up to date and very comfortable without losing the old world charm. But the real star of this hotel are the people who work there. The concierge is very friendly and knowledgeable about anything you want to know about. The door man greets you with a smile and a "welcome back folks". The front desk staff always checks that everything is okay and when I ask anything of them they have the exact answer. My wife and I felt truly pampered by our stay there.

Beautiful 5 star hotel. Excellent location opposite Buckingham Palace and close to Victoria Station. All of the staff were super friendly, especially Joe who knew how to guide us with each query. Spacious, neat rooms. The generous and hot shower. Every afternoon we were asked if the service had been good. Recommendable!

Superb location reflected in prices

Luxury hotel with very good service. Great location. The rooms are small but very comfortable.

Doorman was fabulous! Clerk's were kind and helpful. Hotel was quaint.

We had the pleasure for staying at the beautiful Rubens last night to celebrate our 10 year wedding anniversary. The service was phenomenal from start to finish beginning the lovely welcome After a long day travelling from Scotland and taking in the wicked show. We returned to some special touches in our room to celebrate our special occasion. The room was lovely and very comfortable. We also dined in the fabulous English Grill and the service was impeccable. My wife is coeliac and after reassurance that her needs could be catered for the meal arrived and it was special. The steak cooked to perfection and the desserts were also lovely. Again they presented some special anniversary treat during service. It was also nice to be seated next to the kitchen to see all the hard work going into the meal.

Fantastic hotel right in the heart of London. Staff is absolutely amazing. Paschal the Doorman should be a national treasure! Location is amazing as you are close to all modes of transportation to get around the cityscape. Much you can walk to as well! Our room was pretty tight, but we expected that coming to Europe. Otherwise, absolutely top notch place to stay!!! Cannot recommend any higher!!

Attended a meeting today at the Ruben. Excellent personal service, good location and delicious food.

Fantastic hotel near the palace. Rooms are nice, lots of space

If you like an old, kitschy bunker near the royals, this is the place for you. Otherwise I would say stay away - tourist stall. The best thing was the funny and helpful doorman. The difference between the photos on the website and the reality of the rooms is striking. The bar smells like fish. If you're lucky, you'll be served at some point and get poor quality at completely exorbitant prices. Luckily we booked without breakfast. Never again….

Beautiful, elegant and chic. Excellent service provided by the staff. Well located, walking distance to Buckingham Palace and many restaurants/cafes and metro station. Rooms are good size, comfortable and fully equipped. They also have a restaurant with live music in the evenings by a very talented singer.

My wife and I booked a 4-night stay at The Rubens for our first trip to London and we thought it was lovely. A very old school hotel with wonderful doormen and a homey atmosphere. We arrived several hours before check-in, and they were able to accommodate our belongings without hassle and even gave us a free room upgrade. The staff were all extremely helpful and friendly. The room was well kept, very clean, and the amenities thoughtful. Located in a great area, just a 4-min walk from the Underground and within walking distance to many of London's best attractions. I would absolutely stay at The Rubens again for the location and the charm.

## The Rubens at the Palace: Fancy Without Feeling stuffy The Rubens at the Palace blew me away. This place isn't your average hotel. Sure, it's posh - right across from Buckingham Palace and all - but the staff make it feel super welcoming, not stuffy. The doormen in their snazzy red uniforms greet you like royalty (minus the crown, of course). The rooms are comfy, and the restaurants - especially The English Grill - are amazing, especially for breakfast. They have everything from fancy afternoon tea to proper British grub. But the real star of the show is the staff. They're not just friendly, they seem to genuinely care about making your stay epic. Need help finding that hidden gem pub? They've got you covered. Want to know the best spot to catch the Changing of the Guard? They're your personal London experts. Basically, The Rubens at the Palace is like staying at a fancy friend's place in the heart of London. They've got the posh touches down, but without the uptight vibes. You won't regret treating yourself to this place! It would take too long to single out any particular staff as they are all incredible…. But shout out to the front desk and the wait staff. We never heard “no” or “we can’t”. An incredible team. Thank you.

In the US we'd consider this hotel to be a combination of Motel 6 and Spirit Airline. Although the service was good and a good location, central to public transportation and exhibits, the room was absolutely horrible! If I could rate the room a 0, I would have. Where to begin. As you open your door, your immediately greeted by a bed and a swivel chair making it difficult to maneuver luggage through. The "chandelier" is plastic and cheap. The TV provided minimal channels. If you want water in your room, be prepared to pay extra for water, hence Spirit Airline. No mini fridge and very minimal closet space. Thin walls, could hear your neighbor's. Let's talk about the bathroom. If you prefer a steam room, you've found one! No exhaust fan for the bathroom which leaves your entire room moist due to the hot shower steam. The bathroom sink was backed up and slow to drain. And of course, I've got to mention the pubic hair that was found on our bed covering. I can assure you, it didn't come from either my wife or me. Think twice before booking here.

I was in the smallest room ever when I visited this hotel :D Never seen one the size of a closet before. But the food and service was great. Just make sure to get one of the bigger rooms.

We stayed on a trip to the theatre and it was positively amazing. The decor was classic and beautiful, the service was exceptional, the doorman in particular was delightful and so helpful, the breakfast was simply the best hotel breakfast I've ever had and to make it even better they catered so well for my wife who is both gluten free and pregnant. We're now looking for a good excuse to go back up to town so we can stay again and enjoy the sheer luxury that this place provides!

After passing through the front door held by very gentlemenly doorman, it all goes downhill. Specifically a concierge that mocks his guests and fancies himself a comedien.

My husband and I stayed at the Rubens for 4 nights. Tom the front office manager works so hard and he deserves to get promotion. He went above and beyond. Fadi the Night guy was SUPER friendly and sweet. Arghavan and Jason at the restaurant are absolutely FANTASTIC and PROFESSIONAL. Thanks The Rubens Team and thanks for making our stay very memorable and smooth. Oh by the way Pascal the Bellman was super cute!

We went there for afternoon Tea, We paid for bottomless champagne afternoon Tea, which turned out to be just a few glasses of champagne and then they stopped serving us, so it was a con and cost a extra £50 each on top of the normal afternoon tea price so £230 for me and my Daughter for a afternoon tea with a couple of glasses of champagne, the doorman at the front of the hotel was quite aggressive in his welcome, challenging and questioning us as to why we was trying to get into the hotel us which as a woman and her daughter was quite embarrassing , so all in all this afternoon tea was or is right at the bottom of all the afternoon teas we have had in London so far, certainly not worth the hassle and did we feel special no certainly not, Keep away there is so many other much much nicer places for afternoon tea all over London,

Beautiful hotel. Very friendly staff. Fantastic location. British class!!! You will be pampered from check-in to check-out.

Very good just poorly soundproofed

Not cheap but they really work at pleasing you and providing too notch service. Food terrific. Fresh squeezed orange juice for breakfast! Location near Buckingham Palace in one direction and Victoria station in the other.

I have eaten in excess of 80 afternoon teas and the Rubens at the Palace is definitely in my top 3! We enjoyed the Winter Wonderland afternoon tea with lovely panoramic views overlooking the Royal Mews of Buckingham Palace. We were served an exquisite selection of finger sandwiches, an array of heavenly cakes and a choice of three scones: plain, spiced fruit and cheese, with pear preserve, lemon curd and clotted cream. All the food is freshly prepared and every single bite was a burst of incredible flavours that can only be described as pure culinary bliss. The staff were so very attentive and friendly, we were made to feel so welcome and looked after. The afternoon tea is priced from £70 per person and I would say it is worth every penny. I really could not recommend this afternoon tea any higher!

We originally had a booking for 2 people for afternoon tea. Several days before our reservation, we called to see if they could add a third person. At the time they said no. We were already doing some touring with our friend prior to afternoon tea and decided to give a try anyway and showed up with 3 people and asked if they could accommodate us, and said we absolutely understood if they couldn't but figured we would give it a try. Well what do you know, they were able to make some adjustments to make it work! I do wish they had been more flexible over the phone, but we were so pleased that they managed to shift things around so our friend could join us after all. The staff was so pleasant and helpful, we were truly grateful! Aside from the exceptional and attentive service, the lounge where tea is served is decked out in red flourishes. It feels very regal and luxurious. It doesn't hurt that the windows overlook the Royal Mews! The food was plentiful and delicious. They asked us if we wanted seconds of any of the sandwiches and we each picked our favorites for a second round. I would have eaten about a hundred of the roast chicken with stuffing and gravy mayonnaise on charcoal bread if my stomach could handle it. Although I liked all the sandwiches, for me that was the standout and something truly unique. The scones were lovely, and the desserts were each more beautiful and elegant than the next. Our favorites were the crown and the berry violet tart. Both were outstanding while the other two were tasty but just a touch less exciting for us. After the culmination of an elegant and delicious afternoon tea experience, there are more treats by the door that you can take home with you! There is really not enough I can say about how warm and welcoming the staff were to us, and how much we loved this quintessential London experience. Although there are many places around town where you can have afternoon tea, Rubens at the Palace is definitely a top choice!

Great front of the house staff. I had a problem unrelated to the hotel and Charlie spent considerab le time and effort helping me find a way out of it. In addition, Kevin saw to our every need and was brilliant in being congenial and helpful.

The best service, the guy at the door, the Mr taking care of my belongings, the waitress, everything was amazing!

I visited the hotel previously for work few years back. Today i was passing by with my parents and thought we would pop in for an afternoon tea. The hotel now has a bouncer at the door, I suspect he spotted we were not british. He interrogated us and insisted to closely follow us up to the restaurant and verify what time we had reservation. Once discovered we just walked in he chased us to the door. We were treated like criminal suspects, the guy was obnoxious. It wasn’t because of the way we looked, i am sure it was because of our nationality. I would never say with them again. I felt profoundly embarrassed and offended. If Rubens has an ambition to come across as a decent hotel they’d better start with a decent porter, not a retired nightclub bouncer.

Charging 70 gbp for an afternoon tea is expensive, but can be ok. What is ridiculous is to charge for an afternoon tea for a four year old kid as well 70 gbp (except there has been a reservation done more than one day earlier). There are better and fairer places in London than this one.

From the moment you are curb-side, the initial experience is impeccable. The doormen, porters etc provided a superior customer experience - which they maintained throughout my 7 night stay. The staff at Reception and Guest Services were equally professional and ‘on top of it’ and provided great assistance with organising car services. Housekeeping did an excellent job and were courteous. The evening turn down service was wonderful. Coming back to your room to find a chocolate, glass & bottle of water on your bedside table, slippers by the bed and music softly playing is lovely - along with the occasional gifts of bath elixir and pillow spray. The hotel decor and my room decor was just ‘made for me’. I loved the red! The warmth of the colour palette throughout and the various textures (even the wallpaper). Over the period of the stay I had the Coronation High Tea - which was the blemish on my stay. The person who greeted me told me to wait in the bar area until the extra dining area was opened. I was left sitting there for 15 minutes past my booking time, at which time I walked out. Maisy from guest services asked me about the High Tea experience and I explained the situation - which she remedied. But it still was less than what I’d expect / accept anywhere. I had dinner at the Curry Room one night. The atmosphere and decor was lovely, the service was excellent and while the menu options were limited they were well executed. I also did the Cocktail Masterclass. I was surprised that it still was held given I was the only person registered for the time slot. Matt was very knowledgeable and personable - and I enjoyed the bespoke cocktails!

Amazing bottomless afternoon tea. Most delicious food. Incredible service from all but a specific thank you to Jakob. Would highly recommend

We went for afternoon tea with two teen girls. Disappointed to be seated in what felt like the lobby and not the main dining area. While the food was okay the service left much to be desired. We were never checked on and asked if we needed anything. We had to ask twice for the clotted cream and jam and twice for additional milk. By the time the milk arrived our tea was cold. The pastries looked beautiful but lacked taste. We were hoping this would be a highlight of our London vacation. For the price I wish we booked the Ritz or Fortnum and Mason. The experience did not meet our expectations.

I must say that spending eight nights in a property should be enough time to get an impression of that hotel. In the case of the Rubens at the Palace that was ample time for us to make comments. The full english breakfast was wonderful. You had the opportunity to order off the menu and also enjoy the continental breakfast as well. The staff were efficient and polished in customer service. We want to mention that Arnaud a recent hire of the dining room was a delight. He made conversation with many of the patrons and you got the feeling that he really enjoyed his position in the dining room. There were other staff that also made this a wonderful way to start your day. The food was exceptional; the staff a pleasure to meet each day; and the overall atmosphere of the room was exemplary. Thanks for making us feel at home for our eight night stay! I also want to mention that there were plenty of options for vegetarians and vegans, too!

I have been coming to Rubens for afternoon tea for over 7 years now and I'm disappointed to be writing a review of a visit that left me not wanting to come back anymore. I visited the hotel for afternoon tea on Sunday and despite having emailed my dietary requirements more than 5 days prior to my visit (and receiving confirmation from the hotel that it had been received), there was no note on the booking detailing the requirements and therefore straightaway I was nervous about what would be provided. In the past, the hotel has catered wonderfully for me and I have recommended many people who share my dietary requirements to this hotel for afternoon tea however on this visit, I was bitterly disappointed. To provide someone with simply bread and cucumber slices as one of their sandwich options is simply not good enough for the price that Rubens charges for afternoon tea, especially when prior notice had been given. The other option was cheese and tomato which wasn't much better. Also it should be noted that when members of the party requested the vegetarian afternoon tea menu, they were asked if they were ok with fish gelatine as this was part of one of the desserts?? This should be clearly noted somewhere on the menu as a number of vegetarians would be unhappy if they found out they had eaten fish gelatine without knowing it. The turn around time of one and a half hours for afternoon also is somewhat of a joke considering the time it takes for the tea orders to be taken and the food itself to arrive. You are almost having to inhale your food otherwise you are asked to take the food in a doggy bag and rushed out. Members of my party had only just got onto the scones when were asked if we wanted to take the rest of the food home which I think is very poor. I do appreciate that weekends are fully booked and therefore a time cap needs to be in place but an hour and a half is too short to enjoy the food and the luxury experience I've noticed a steady decline in the afternoon tea experience at Rubens and will unfortunately not be coming back nor will I be recommending it as a place that can cater for dietary requirements.

Ah so disappointing! The donuts were so stodgy, the scones were like rocks… cucumber sandwiches were soggy.. it’s really not that hard to do an afternoon tea. Really the M&S bakery scones are better. Please don’t waste your money on this abomination. Absolutely nothing ‘Princessy’ about the children’s tea! Why oh why does this even make any list of best afternoon tea’s for children.

If you are looking for a family-friendly experience then look no further than Afternoon tea at The Rubens at the Palace Hotel which was an exquisite experience. The elegant atmosphere, attentive service, and delightful pastries made for a memorable occasion. The sandwiches were beautifully presented and had a variety of flavours to choose from, ranging from traditional cucumber to a more adventurous smoked salmon. The scones were warm and fluffy, served with clotted cream and preserves. The desserts were the real showstopper, with an array of petit fours that were both beautiful to look at and delicious to eat. The pastry kitchen at The Rubens is led by their talented pastry chef Sarah Houghting The tea selection was extensive, with a wide range of blends to choose from. It was an indulgent and enjoyable afternoon that I would highly recommend to anyone looking for a special treat. A big thank you to Jakub and Junior. These guys were great. We opted for the Halal Sparkling Wild Idol Afternoon Tea £87 and Prince & Princess Afternoon Tea £35 With Mothers Day coming up this would be an ideal gift for her.

I visited The Rubens at The Palace Hotel for afternoon tea with my mum and didn’t have the best experience. My mum has been here before and enjoyed herself, but this time we were both very underwhelmed. The women who sat us down was very rude, and made us feel uncomfortable. The food also wasn’t very good, especially the sandwiches. No one checked in on us at all, and we had to keep on finding staff to fill up our refreshments. I am really upset with the experience we had.

Myself, my sister and our aunt visited for afternoon tea and were disappointed overall. On arrival we stood for several minutes before having to get the attention of a staff member who told us to wait while they finished setting tables. At that point another staff member came out and saw us to our table straight away. Our tea and sandwiches arrived quickly and staff had remembered a dietary request we'd emailed about on booking which was great. I absolutely loved the coronation chicken brioche! And the roast beef was so tasty. The staff ensured we were happy and got extra sandwiches for us. Our cakes were brought over and I think the staff member was new and a little nervous. She seemed sweet but kept asking us to move things around to make room on the table, which sounds like I'm being snobby, but as part of the experience is to feel completely pampered, it was a bit annoying. The scones unfortunately were a big disappointment, they had that smooth, shiny finish that usually means they've been made with self raising flour rather than plain, giving a spongy texture rather than the shorter, almost crumbly texture of a really good scone. They reminded me of packet mix scones. The homemade jam was delicious. The cakes were lovely with a great variety of different flavours and textures. When booking, my aunt had received confirmation of the price (£60pp) but we were charged £70pp. This was quickly rectified by asking a staff member, who advised that their prices had just changed recently, but we felt that this should have been noted beforehand to avoid the confusion. The decor was a bit tired and dated looking, it probably looked amazing 15 years ago but could do with freshening up. I think some refinements to staff training and recipes would help improve the experience but based on our visit I wouldn't recommend.

I was staying at the 41 hotel next to the Rubens. The bell hop was cool and was dressed up as an old style bell hop. Restaurant is a very pleasant experience with good service and good food. The pictures on the walls are good old war art. Worth checking out!

Went for afternoon tea and will not be returning. We arrived on time and part of the greeting was to tell us we only had 1 hr 45 mins to leave .. It did not get much better from there. Tea we wanted was out...

After a very disappointing previous visit we decided to give The Rubens the benefit of the doubt and visit again, this time for a meal in the New York Bar. Really happy to say this was a much better visit. The staff were attentive and...

We were 4 friends who had booked the Royal Afternoon Tea on a Sunday. There was a great selection of teas. The sandwiches, scones and cakes were delicious. The waiters were attentive and topped up both food and tea when required. We couldn't eat all...

My friend on crutches and a boot on her foot needed to sit down so we decided to have a drink in the Ruben's after seeing the flowers left for her Royal Highness Queen Elizabeth II. Sadly after having an enthusiastic greeting on entering the...

Fabulous location and a lovely room to have afternoon tea in, we were given a table looking across to The Royal Mews, so everything got off to a good start. Initially the staff were attentive, our tea arrived fairly quickly, but then had to wait...

We booked this through Luxury Escapes and we were thrilled to discover its fabulous location, right at the side of Buckingham Palace. We had booked a queen bed and walked in to what looked like a large single. Knowing a bed that size would lead...

We had the best experience at The Rubens! The hotel was in the perfect location, was so clean and the staff were incredible! I especially want to highlight Mohamoud! He went above and beyond in making sure we had everything we needed! I wanted to...

I was in London for one day and booked in for afternoon tea at Rubens at the Palace because I wanted to do something special. The hotel is beautiful, but sadly the quality of the food and the treatment by some of the staff did...

I booked a way in advance when the lady answered the telephone she said we could change the menu a little bit so I spent 30 minutes on the phone catering for needs, E.g. vegetarian child etc when I got to the venue they had...

it was my mums birthday so my sister decided to surprise my mum by taking her to the new york bar at the rubens hotel. what an amazing night. my mum had a special birthday due to your amazing staff. thank you to Frank for...

went for afternoon tea, the cakes are to die for, lovely room to eat and drink in, the staff are excellent , could not be more helpful

We went to Rubens as a treat for a special birthday after visiting the palace.The renowned pastry chef has created some really special afternoon treats that were simply stunning . The 4 finger sandwiches were nice but so few meant the balance of savoury to...

Vale la pena di fare una volta nella vita l'esperienza di un tè accompagnato da tramezzini, scones,... in un hotel...

I booked a champagne afternoon tea for my husband's birthday treat i did state at the time of booking it was his birthday. We had a seat at the window and the service was good, the food was lovely and we ordered a few more...

We stayed at the Rubén’s for 2 nights in July. Great location, really friendly and attentive staff. We had breakfast both days and it was faultless. Had a meal in the Curry Room on our first night and the food was superb. It was the...

A satisfactory, rather than very enjoyable, time at the Rubens for the 'bottomless champagne' version of their afternoon tea. Whilst we were looked after reasonably well,, the quality and content of the Tea was inferior to that of other major London hotels. Be aware that...

The staff at the Ruben was friendly and helpful. A special thanks to Mohammoud for assisting my family with dinner recommendations. He went above and beyond to make sure we had a great experience. Thanks!

Très beau lieu feutré empreint de classisisme, groom très avenant nous ayant placés au new York bar pour le tea...

I work in the corporate jets industry and I always have very limited time to experience some relaxing and amazing lunch/ tea time unless you’re with clients .. I really liked the aftenoon tea at Rubens. I was travelling with a coworker heading to Wimbledon,...

Had a one on one gin tasting here one afternoon with the bar manager. Very informative. Ordered some quick bites and all were very tasty. Prices reflect that this is an elegant hotel bar. Had a G&T later and enjoyed the ambiance. Would highly recommend.

I booked this experience at the Ruben for my anniversary, and I can rate it 5-stars and outstanding. The position of the table in front of the Royal Mews allowed me to see the royal carriage and horses exiting the Royal Mews while I was...

I celebrated my birthday with my fiance at the rubens and I couldn't wish for better! The champagne and the food were delicious, but what made me feel special were the sweet attentions of Lucrezia, to whom I want to say a special thank you!...

What a dismal experience. My friend and I were squeezed tightly together on a tiny sofa overlooking The Royal Mews, the view of which was almost completely obscured by a row of Bay Trees. The sandwiches were were meanly filled and unimaginative. The salmon bagel...

We came to The Rubens for our 1st wedding anniversary and we were gifted a voucher by some relatives to come to your hotel and celebrate with an Afternoon Tea. Sadly, it didn't meet our expectations and we came away very dissapointed. I shall explain...

This was far from the luxury treat we were looking forward to. We were surprised we had to push open the lobby doors ourselves, as no doorman was evident. It set the tone for the afternoon. No one offered to take my husband's jacket. The...

Red Carnation Hotels has many exceptional properties around the world and several in the heart of London. The Rubens is our preference as it's across the street from the Royal Mews and around the corner from Buckingham Palace. The staff is above and beyond and...

We tried to book afternoon tea here by phone for the next day. We called around 11am / 12noon and got put through to I assume a F&B phone line to no answer but was offered a voicemail. I left a message and no one...

This is one of those afternoon teas that I will recommend to a lot of people. It is perfect in many ways. We really enjoyed being sat on the two-seater sofa with a great view into Buckingham Palace Road. The service was swift and friendly...

We could not visit London without experiencing Afternoon Tea, and Rubens at the Palace was exceptional. our lovely server, Petra, made us feel as though we were the only people there that day. This was an elegant environment with exceptional food--so much we took some...

Review for afternoon tea only. Absolutely disgusting and big disappointment. Never thought anyone would charge 60£ for bland sandwiches with tasteless fillings. Desserts were bland at best. Don’t go here. By a better sandwich at mark and spencer any day!

This was my second time visiting Rubens for afternoon tea, this time we paid with a gift voucher and found the sandwiches and desserts to be average. As we looked over to other tables, we noticed that we didn't get the same desserts as others...

Yesterday my friend and I paid sixty pounds each for afternoon tea at Rubens and were both extremely disappointed. The bread used for the sandwiches was hard and cold and very dry. Very few scones and we were not informed of the ability to replenish...

We went their for my partners birthday and upon arrival were seen to our chair and given our food. After which is appeared the staff had disappeared for the next 90mins. Never asked for any more tea or food, how was everything and even when...

I came here with my partner last week Friday let me tell you i had the best day every and the waitress who gave me my tea was fantastic and the food was amazing nothing like it. The sandwiches was not boring they where Creative...

There was 4 of us who went for the tea and we have all said we would NOT recommend to anyone! We arrived on time and where seated and served drinks which was all lovely, But we turn waited over 30 mins for our food...

A very relaxing enjoyable break in a lovely hotel. The staff were all second to none ! We enjoyed an exceptional meal in the Curry Room. Look forward to returning soon.

We have been lucky to try many afternoon teas in London but decided on here this time . We had some special dietary requests which were dealt with very promptly by email. The sandwiches and cakes were very good but only one cup of tea...

At the insistance of my daughter, we booked a 'royal afternoon tea' at the Rubens. For almost 60 GBP per head you get to sit in a nice dining area and get served a pot of tea, four fourths of a thinly sliced crustless sandwich...

We experienced amazing customer service at the Rubens at the Palace! Every member of the staff was genuinely friendly and helpful. In particular, Craig, a member of the concierge/bell staff was a true highlight of our stay. He was excellent in guiding our experiences during...

I have just had an afternoon tea at the Rubens with my family celebrating my 5yr old Great Granddaughter’s birthday. We have had many afternoon teas at London Hotels and in comparison this was very disappointing. The actual food was lovely but the way it...

Had a wonderful Afternoon Tea at the Ruben's Hotel, sampling the Winter Wonderland menu. Food was absolutely delicious, it was one of the party's birthday and an additional cake was brought out for her, which was a lovely touch. Menu includes mulled wine, which was...

I stayed here with friends and family to celebrate my 60th birthday. The hotel and its staff did not disappoint, the rooms were spacious a luxurious, I had a lovely view of the Mews. The front of house staff could not have done more to...

We collected our tea in a cute little box & settled ourselves on our picnic rug in the grounds of Buckingham Palace. We were expecting a bit more food- one tray for 2 people and yet we had requested one normal and one vegetarian option....

After waiting 3 months to visit I was very disappointed. The afternoon tea and food was just average, certainly not good value for money. The service was very poor, we were kept waiting for 15 minutes before we were greeted by anyone and taken to...

Advertised as on the grounds of Buckingham Palace, it is not you can see a wall, do not go here thinking you will be on the grounds of Buckingham palace. Not impressed with the quality and quantity of food. We were told that the pastries...