A saintly reason to have afternoon tea at the Langham

Imagine the scene.

It's the close of the 3.15pm afternoon tea sitting at the Langham.

I am reclining - exhausted, sated, delighted - wondering whether Nicolas, my lovely server, will kick me out soon - they have another sitting at 5.30 and it's past 5pm - or whether he will let me be to sit back and rub my belly with pseudo-pregnant delight.

And just as I think that, Nicolas comes over. My heart sinks: time to waddle.

But, instead, he grins and waves something at me. And no, it is not the bill, or a medical disclaimer to relinquish them of the responsibility of making me ingest copious amounts of sugar and starch, and giving me a sconegasm.

It is a card, saying "rediscover your source" and asking me for my details. It turns out to be a competition to win a spa day for two at the Langham's Chuan Spa which is so swanky that it has its own salt cave.

Nicolas explains that every person who has the Stephen Webster Bijoux Tea (ie not the standard, Wonderland tea) gets one of these.



But, by my calculations, what with the tourist quotient, not so many of them will be around in December, when the competition is drawn, and therefore able to take my the prize.

And then Nicolas brings me two more scones.