The Goring Hotel

Living my best life with afternoon tea at the lovely Goring Hotel. I have been to many 5 star hotels in London, Paris, Madrid, Rome, Japan for tea and my tea at the Goring exceeded my expectations! It was a birthday gift to myself and friendly staff wished me happy birthday when I arrived and servers also helped me celebrate. My window corner table was wonderful! Food and drinks were delicious and beautiful. I had tea at the Goring several years ago and had lovely breakfast there a few years ago so it was nice to be back for another elegant dining experience. Thank you so much! Will try to book a stay next time! No wonder the Royal family loves the Goring!

Stayed here many years ago and in between we stayed at the Lanesborough (amazing). Decided to come back to the Goring and were so disappointed. Not a five star hotel anymore. The rooms need to be updated. All bathroom amenities were in small plastic bottles. Tea and fruit service were never refreshed - had curdled milk in our room by end of trip. Requested ice in our room which was never refreshed. Had to request daily. Breakfast was cold. Utensils and set ups just thrown onto tray. The final day we were served breakfast on a trolley and couldn’t even move our chairs to it because there were rails around the bottom. Light bulbs out in the bathroom. One light fixture over an odd empty alcove in the room was just hanging down by the wire. All of these things could be overlooked if it was a 3 to 4 star hotel but the rates are comparable if not more than the Dorchester (also amazing) and the Lanesborough. Tea time was very disappointing. We had a later seating and you could tell the sandwiches had been sitting out. Table had no presentation etc. And finally, the staff seemed exhausted. Overall, for the amount, stay elsewhere.

Came here for the afternoon tea but was not impressed. The chicken and egg sandwiches were very good, the other sandwiches were average, the scones were decent, and the pastries were average. The service was generally polite but cold, and the tea refills took an unreasonably long time. However, I do appreciate the handwritten birthday note, and the veranda was a beautiful setting.

We had a fantastic stay at The Goring with my wife and her parents. From the moment we arrived, the experience felt very “proper English” in the best way—warm, polished, and genuinely welcoming. The service was excellent across the board. The staff were consistently kind, attentive, and professional without ever feeling over the top. The concierge team really stood out—they went above and beyond to arrange tickets for Olivia Dean and set us up with amazing seats, along with seamless car service. It made the whole evening effortless. The location is hard to beat. We loved being able to walk to so many great spots around London, yet still feel tucked away in a quieter, more refined part of the city. If you’re into exploring, the Leake Street Tunnel (graffiti tunnel) is a very cool stop if you like street art. Also nearby, Vagabond Wines is highly recommended—you can keep it casual with a drink or stay for dinner with great small and sharing plates. We also had an excellent meal at Bantof, which ended up being one of our favorite spots of the trip. What really makes The Goring special is its family-owned feel. It doesn’t feel like a big corporate hotel—it has character, charm, and a sense of history, while still delivering top-tier service. Overall, a memorable stay and one we’d absolutely return to. Highly recommend.