Tea in William Kent House
From £95, children £73, 5 sittings a day; jacket and tie for men. Tea has a page of its own.
The Ritz London
The Ritz London, on Piccadilly beside Green Park, opened in 1906 and has a restaurant with 2 MICHELIN stars. It has 7 kinds of room and suite, and since June 2026 serves tea in the 18th-century house next door.
For London’s big occasions, The Ritz starts at £962 a night in January 2027: the lowest price any seller showed on Google for one night, for 2 adults. It has neither spa nor pool, and it is being refurbished in 2026: ask which works fall on your dates.
Ritz afternoon tea: prices, times, dress code and the new rooms Book tea on the official site Check rooms and rates on the official siteWould you go?
Keep it among your hotels and see it on the budget globe, month by month.Like a regular
The suite for a family
With children under 12, I would ask for a Junior Suite: a bedroom with a sitting room, and a sofa bed that sleeps up to 2 children at no extra cost.
The week to consider
Consider 5–11 January 2027: single nights for 2 adults ran from £985 to £1,075 on Google, read 13 October 2026. The dearest week, 17–23 November 2026, ran from £1,850 to £3,450.
Parking at the door
Valet parking costs £50 for 4 hours or £75 per vehicle for 24 hours. For a longer stay, tell the doorman on arrival, to avoid a penalty charge.
The Rivoli Bar from 11am
The Rivoli Bar opens at 11am and serves until midnight, with last orders at 11.30pm. Reservations are taken every day, and there is a minimum spend of £30 per person.
What The Ritz is
César Ritz opened it on 25 May 1906 on Piccadilly. In 2005 the hotel bought William Kent House, a 1740s mansion next door, which today holds the private dining rooms, the Prince of Wales Suite and, since June 2026, afternoon tea. It is an independent hotel and has held a Royal Warrant for banqueting and catering since 2002.
The Ritz Restaurant, beneath its glass roof, won a second MICHELIN star in 2025 and was Restaurant of the Year at that year’s National Restaurant Awards: tasting menus from £215, a 3-course weekday lunch from £98, and dinner with dancing on Fridays and Saturdays. The Rivoli Bar opens from 11am to midnight; in summer there is the Secret Garden.
Guests reward it: 4.6 out of 5 on Google from 7,888 reviews, 4.7 on Tripadvisor from 5,406, 9.4 on Booking.com, 2 MICHELIN Keys. In 2026 there are works under way, and at tea and in the restaurant the dress code asks men for jacket and tie.
To write this page we read, on 4 October 2026, 40 official pages and the PDF menus, the Google Hotels card with a year of prices, Booking.com, Tripadvisor, the MICHELIN Guide and the 2,000 most recent Google reviews. Tea comes up in 431 of them, averaging 4.40 stars.
In the Lumina Guide
Lumina Guide 2027
At The Ritz London, on Piccadilly beside Green Park since 1906, tea is taken in jacket and tie, dinner comes with dancing on Fridays and Saturdays, and the restaurant holds 2 MICHELIN stars.
How we choose the hotelsOur reading, point by point
What we found reading the hotel’s own pages, one thing at a time.
Location
Piccadilly, on Green Park: the Underground 2 minutes away, the Royal Academy 5, Buckingham Palace 13.
Character
César Ritz’s 1906 grand hotel and an 18th-century house next door, with its salons.
Rooms
7 categories, from the 42 m² Deluxe to the 216 m² Prince of Wales Suite; 2026 reviews praise the new rooms, but works are under way.
Food and social life
The 2-star restaurant, tea, the Rivoli Bar and the Friday and Saturday dinner-dance.
Wellness
Neither spa nor pool: Google Hotels names a spa the website does not describe.
The stay as a whole
From £937 in early January to £3,450 at Christmas; tea at £95 to know it in an afternoon.
What makes it rare
A badge is an experience travellers look for, that is really here and that few hotels in the guide have.
A table worth the trip
Here: the 2-star restaurant, tea, the Rivoli Bar and the Friday and Saturday dinner-dance.
From the hotel’s restaurant pages. 30 hotels of 335 hold it.
Every hotel with this badgeA story inside
Here: César Ritz’s 1906 grand hotel and an 18th-century house next door, with its salons.
A history that goes back to at least 1906. 31 hotels of 335 hold it.
Every hotel with this badge
The 5 things that matter, as guests tell them
What do Ritz’s guests say? They write it in their reviews, even those who only came for a drink or dinner: we read every one and tell the 5 things that matter, from the location to the bill.
Location
Nearly every guest who mentions it is happy with it. Green Park 2 minutes away and Piccadilly outside the door: guests write of a location from which nearly everything is a walk, with the Underground on the doorstep.
Room
9 in 10 guests who mention it are happy with it. Of the wing redone in 2026, guests write that the rooms have kept the charm of the old ones and added the technology that was missing; elsewhere they praise the space and the attention to detail.
Staff and service
8 in 10 guests who mention it are happy with it. Tea waiters and pianists are thanked by name, as are the doormen and the reception team; many guests write of birthdays and anniversaries looked after with care.
Breakfast
Breakfast is served at the table in the Ritz Restaurant, beneath the glass roof: those who remember it speak of the room and the attentive service.
Price
Tea, above all, is what guests pay gladly for.
The numbers, and how we count them
| What | Score out of 10 | Guests who mention it | Happy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Location | 8.4 | 26 | 96% |
| Room | 7.9 | 34 | 85% |
| Staff and service | 7.7 | 376 | 77% |
| Breakfast | 7.4 | 17 | 71% |
| Price | – | 52 | 40% |
The scores come from 500 Google reviews with text, left from 31 July 2025 to 4 October 2026. The other hotels are the ones weighed for a stay in London: for each we read its latest 500 Google reviews with text, or all of them where there are fewer, as of 4 October 2026. The score is the average of what they say, from 0 if they speak of it very badly to 10 if they speak of it very well. Where only a few mention something, the score stays close to the guide’s average: a handful of voices does not make a reputation.
The hotels we weigh it against in London:
- Claridge’s
- Langham
- Connaught
- The Savoy
- The Dorchester
Price: for two on the night of 20 January 2027, from £962 (seen on Google Hotels on 13 October 2026).
What a night costs, season by season
Single nights for 2 adults run from £962 to £1,646 between 5 January and 4 March 2027, and from £1,850 to £3,450 between 13 November and 31 December 2026. I would start with 20–22 January 2027, at £962 to £982 a night.
| Period | Pounds a night |
|---|---|
| 15 Oct. to 12 Nov. 2026 | 1,076–1,800 |
| 13 Nov. to 31 Dec. 2026 | 1,850–3,450 |
| 5 Jan. to 4 March 2027 | 960–1,646 |
| 5 March to 22 Aug. 2027 | 1,250–1,500 |
The lowest price any seller showed on Google Hotels for one night searched alone, for 2 adults, read 13 October 2026; no room or meal plan is specified. The calendar stops on 22 August 2027, and many nights inside it carry no price.
What to expect
Tea in an 18th-century house, a 2-star restaurant where people dance, an Art Deco bar and a summer garden.
The Ritz Restaurant
2 MICHELIN stars since 2025: tasting menus from £215, weekday lunch from £98, the Beef Wellington at £150 carved at the table.
Live at the Ritz
On Friday and Saturday nights dinner comes with an orchestra and dancing; with à la carte or tasting menus, £58 a head is added.
The Rivoli Bar
Daily from 11am to midnight, with a £30-a-head minimum spend; smart casual, bookable.
The Secret Garden
The summer garden, outdoors, with Mediterranean food and cocktails; smart casual will do here.
Good to know before you book
Afternoon tea costs from £95 a head, £73 for children, plus 12.5% service, in 5 sittings a day of 1 hour 45 minutes. Source: theritzlondon.com
Works under way: reviews from February, July and August 2026 describe noise and building sites the website does not announce. The Sun reported in January 2025 a 2-phase refurbishment to 2028, and on 4 October Google Hotels showed no prices after June 2027.
Since June 2026 tea is no longer served in the Palm Court but in the rooms of William Kent House; many photos and reviews online still place it in the Palm Court.
At tea and in the restaurant men wear jacket and tie, and nobody wears jeans or sportswear; elsewhere smart casual will do. Under-16s are exempt at tea.
There is no spa and no pool, so no spa access for outside guests either; Google Hotels names a spa, the website does not.
Breakfast has a minimum spend of £55 per person and a glass of Champagne at tea starts at £26, according to the hotel’s breakfast and afternoon tea pages, read on 15 October 2026.
Between August and September 2026, 5 Google reviews describe mice among the tables of the Secret Garden, the open-air garden.
The 7 rooms and suites
Getting there
By Underground, get off at Green Park, on the Piccadilly, Victoria and Jubilee lines, and the door is 2 minutes away.
| Address | 150 Piccadilly, London W1J 9BR, overlooking Green Park. |
|---|---|
| Underground | Green Park, 2 minutes’ walk (122 metres); Piccadilly Circus 8 minutes and Hyde Park Corner 12, by the hotel’s count. |
| By car | Valet parking: £50 for 4 hours, £75 for 24 hours. |
| By Rolls-Royce | The hotel’s Phantom costs £500 an hour in town, 2 hours minimum, and from £850 an hour to an airport, plus 10%. |
Times, prices and parking from the official site; the walk is measured on OpenStreetMap’s streets. Sources read on 4 October 2026.
Beyond the hotel
Green Park beneath the windows, Buckingham Palace at the far end of the park, the Royal Academy and Piccadilly’s arcades across the road.
Green Park
The park the hotel overlooks; at its far end, Buckingham Palace, 13 minutes on foot.
Burlington Arcade
Piccadilly’s covered arcade: 4 minutes’ walk, 300 metres.
Royal Academy of Arts
The exhibitions at Burlington House: 5 minutes’ walk, 346 metres.
From The Ritz to Green Park and Piccadilly
The hotel on Piccadilly, Green Park, Buckingham Palace, St James’s Park, the Royal Academy, the Burlington Arcade and Fortnum & Mason. Tap a place to see the walking route.
Loading map…
Recommended for you
A day at The Ritz
7.30am
Breakfast under the glass roof
Breakfast in The Ritz Restaurant starts at 7.30am for residents, with light flooding through the soaring glass roof.
The morning
Walk to Buckingham Palace
Cross Green Park on foot to Buckingham Palace, 13 minutes away.
12.30pm
Lunch in the restaurant
Lunch is served in the restaurant from 12.30pm; gentlemen wear a jacket and tie.
3.30pm
Tea in William Kent House
Take the 3.30pm tea sitting, with a live musical ensemble, in William Kent House.
6.30pm
Dinner and dancing
On Friday and Saturday evenings the dinner-dance in The Ritz Restaurant runs from 6.30pm to 9pm.
The Ritz reviews
Platform scores, the 2 MICHELIN Keys and what guests write, from tea to the works.
Scores read on 4 October 2026
Guest voices
From the hotel’s Google listing: a birthday dream, a pianist taking requests, a new room and a summer of building works.
GoogleA birthday dream
Tea at The Ritz had long been a dream, realised on a birthday: a vegan menu handled well and water brought unasked on a hot day.
Google · October 2026Read the review
GoogleThe pianist
A birthday tea made special by the pianist, who played beautifully and took requests; the guest’s son, a pianist too, came away inspired.
Google · September 2026Read the review
GoogleThe new wing
Regular guests stay in the newly redone wing: the rooms have kept the old ones’ charm and added the technology that was missing.
Google · June 2026Read the review
GoogleThe works of summer 2026
Rooms, service and location worth 5 stars, but the rest of the hotel was mid-renovation and the website did not say so: the grand spaces closed, replaced by smaller temporary ones.
Google · August 2026Read the review
GoogleA jacket in summer
Tea in the Palm Court on a hot day: summer dresses for the women, jacket and tie for the men with no exceptions, even when asked.
Google · July 2025Read the review
Questions before you go
Answers from official pages and menus read on 4 October 2026; prices and availability need checking for your dates.
How much does a night at The Ritz London cost?
Google Hotels, read on 4 October 2026 for 2 adults, asked for one night £1,450 on 19 October, £1,349 on 12 November, £1,850 on 1 December, £937 on 6 January 2027, £1,052 on 17 February, £1,200 on 1 March and £1,250 on 4 April. Christmas rises to £3,450 and New Year’s Eve to £2,450. After June 2027 the calendar showed no prices. It does not say which room, or whether breakfast is included.
How much is afternoon tea at The Ritz, and where is it served now?
From £95 a head, £73 for children, plus 12.5% service; 5 sittings a day, at 11.30am, 1.30, 3.30, 5.30 and 7.30pm, each 1 hour 45 minutes. Since June 2026 it is served in the rooms of William Kent House, the 1740s house next to the hotel, no longer in the Palm Court.
What is the dress code at The Ritz?
For tea, and for lunch and dinner in the Ritz Restaurant, men wear jacket and tie, and neither men nor women wear jeans or sportswear. At breakfast, in the Rivoli Bar and in the Secret Garden smart casual will do; at tea the dress code does not apply to under-16s.
Is The Ritz London being renovated?
Yes, judging by guests: Google reviews from February, July and August 2026 describe noise and building sites, and in June 2026 some mention a newly redone wing. The Sun reported in January 2025 a 2-phase refurbishment due for completion in 2028. The website, read on 4 October 2026, says nothing; Google Hotels showed no prices after June 2027.
Does The Ritz have a spa or a pool?
No: the official pages read on 4 October 2026 describe neither a spa nor a pool, so there is no spa access to include in the rate and no day pass for outside guests. Google Hotels mentions a spa; The Sun reported that the refurbishment plans one, with a 20-metre pool.
Does The Ritz have offers or packages, golf included?
There are no golf packages. The website’s offers are Bed and Breakfast; Dinner, Bed and Breakfast, with a 3-course dinner in the 2-star restaurant; Puttin’ on the Ritz, with a bottle of Champagne in the room, afternoon tea and breakfast; and Simply Sunday, a Sunday night with Champagne and dinner. Beyond 2 guests there is a supplement.
Can you hold a wedding or a private event at The Ritz?
William Kent House’s rooms host private dinners and, on New Year’s Eve, a black-tie gala dinner; wedding capacities and prices are not on the pages read on 4 October 2026. With tea now in those rooms and works under way, ask which will be free on your date.
Is breakfast included at The Ritz?
With the Bed and Breakfast offer, yes, an English breakfast in the Ritz Restaurant; with other rates it depends. It is served 7.30am to 10.30am for residents and to 10am for others, with a minimum spend of £55 on the breakfast page and £46 in the FAQ.
How much is a meal at The Ritz Restaurant?
The tasting menu costs from £215 for 5 courses and from £235 for 7; the 3-course lunch from £98, Monday to Friday; the Beef Wellington £150. On Fridays and Saturdays, with à la carte or tasting menus, £58 a head is added for the orchestra.
Can you bring a dog to The Ritz?
The official pages read say nothing about pets. Booking.com says they are not allowed and Google Hotels marks them as not allowed.
Is The Ritz good for a family with children?
Yes: children under 12 sleep free on the sofa bed in their parents’ Junior Suite, up to 2; there are children’s menus in the restaurant at £65 and £75, tea at £73 and babysitting through the concierge. Booking.com charges 15s and over as adults.
Does The Ritz have parking?
Yes, valet: £50 for 4 hours, £75 for 24 hours.
What time are check-in and check-out?
Check-in from 3pm, check-out by noon, according to Google Hotels.
Is The Ritz open all year, including Christmas and New Year?
Yes, Christmas and New Year are packed: Christmas tea from 14 November 2026 to 6 January 2027, at £120 (£135 on Christmas Day), Christmas dinner at £460 and a black-tie gala dinner on 31 December. But on 4 October 2026 Google Hotels showed no prices after June 2027.
Is The Ritz London a Ritz-Carlton?
No: it is an independent hotel, its FAQ says so. The name comes from César Ritz, who opened it in 1906.
How many rooms does The Ritz have, and is it worth the price?
136 according to the MICHELIN Guide; the site lists 7 categories. A night runs from £937 in early January to £3,450 at Christmas. What guests write about the bill in Google reviews varies, and it is tea, from £95, that they pay for most gladly.
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