The Drawing Room, Prince of Wales

People think I’m nuts because I don’t think so highly of this place. Don’t get me wrong, if we’re talking about ambience and décor this place takes the cake– literally 10 stars if thats even possible! As you walk in you’re bombarded by scenery of ancient times, its absolutely breathtaking and I highly recommend everyone to walk inside this hotel!
Now if we’re talking high tea then that’s a different story. Sure they get points for ambience (how could they not?) the décor and the set up is impeccable! but the actual teas and food is mediocre. I love high tea and i was not impressed with their selection. For such a high price (see, what I did there?) I was expecting details beyond the look of the food– the taste was bland all the way around.
I am happy I can say I did it and got the experience but I won’t be going back (Not for tea).
The Cupcakes were generic
The shortbread and squares were okay
Macaroons were okay
The fruit was almost non-​existent (wish there had been more than just a few blueberries)
The quiche were my favorite! (yum)
The scones (tea biscuits) were good tasting but a little dry.
The sandwiches were very bland and the breads were dry.
Not much selection compared to previous experiences I’ve had.
Here’s the overall: tea was good, ambience was amazing, food was mediocre and pricing was cray: two for tea, one $ 10 ice wine sample (after tax, tip) just shy of $ 100.

One of my very favourite places. They are great with allergies. Such a serene environment and great service.
Today we had the Prince of Wales tea and Princess tea with Marrekesh Mint and Peaches and Cream tea. Love the strawberry jam for the warm scones and the mini quiche.

Really loved having afternoon tea –everyone I talked to before going on this trip told me this is a must while visiting Prince of Wales/​Niagara-​on-​the-​Lake.
We were staying at the hotel so we figured we would have no trouble getting in for tea. Saturday afternoon we wandered down and tried to get a table. The hostess informed us that they are 100% booked all day and the next day, as well, due to a current promo of BOGO tea. We were very disappointed that we were not informed of this when we checked in the previous afternoon. The hotel staff asked all the right questions «Have you stayed with us before?» «Have you visited NOTL before?» Our answers were «No» –would have been a perfect time to let us know about afternoon tea and that it would be a good idea to book ASAP! We put up enough of a fight to try to get in for tea that they eventually told us to come back down the following morning and see if there were any cancellations. At the very least we could still be served tea, but in the dining room instead of the drawing room.
The drawing room is beautiful and ornately decorated. The chairs are comfortable but not for long periods of time. The tea is top notch! Have never had Earl Grey nearly as good as this.
WAY overpriced, though!!! We paid the same as if we had just sat down for a five course dinner at Escabeche next door. Except we walked away with a sugar high from all the sandwiches and cookies but yet not very full. :(
Very glad we had the experience but would not rush back to do it again. Would also be very fun to do with a large group of girlfriends. Not quite the most romantic event we did all weekend.

We had a great time in the drawing room during Xmas season. The place is really pretty and has nice tea set. Perfect for a girls afternoon and get dress up.
They don’t have a lot of selection of teas. But the ones they have are really nice. They also brew the tea for you so they won’t be over brewed if the leaves are in the pot the whole time. For the food, their scone is done just right. But the sandwiches are clearly pre-​made with no surprise. For $ 35, you are getting a really good value out of it compare to $ 50+ in Toronto.
Tips:
–make a reservation a head especially during holiday season.
–the portion is huge try not have food before you go.

Anyone who loves drinking tea needs to come here. It really is that simple. Everything about this place was high end and made me feel like i was royality.
Highly recommend this place if you ever in the area. You wont regret it.

Our first high tea experience.
I can say I was gitty at how wonderful it turned out! We walked in without a reservation with no issues, got seated promptly by a sweet waitress. I ordered peaches and cream tea, husband ordered the niagara fields flavor. Both very good. They refill the teapots (for free).
We ordered the Prince of Wales tea ($ 40/​person) which included the original sandwiches, scones, and sweets but with a cheese and fruit plate. This plate consists of 4 wedges of assorted cheeses, grapes, and crackers. It was wonderful. Then the tiered platter of sweets and sandwiches came! We were so full! My fav part was the SCONE (jasmine tea infused raisins are inside the scone and the raspberry jam on the side was heavenly).
The hotel is stunning, decorated with the ambience of England.
Loved the experience and so did my husband who is a tea fanatic and foodie :)
We recommend this place to all.

I love this place. It’s very quaint. The tea menu has something for every taste. The stuff is friendly and inviting. The scones with the Devonshire cream is amazing.

I experienced my first afternoon tea in The UK earlier this year, and The Drawing Room was comparable to that experience. I felt like I got a taste of what life was like for the rich back in Victorian times.
While the price of the traditional tea service is a hefty $ 34, you get a ton of food (we couldn’t finish it) and bottomless tea (as far as I could tell). The food was very tasty, especially the raisin scones with cream.
The highlight for me and my boyfriend was the tea. The Heavenly Dream flavor is a must try. Our server said this is their most popular tea and I can see why. I’m not even a big tea fan but I LOVED it, it kind of tasted like a creamsicle, with hints of orange and vanilla.
If you’re in NOTL and want a unique experience, be sure to check out The Drawing Room!

The memories I made after visiting The Drawing room at the Price of Wales are something I will never forget. Myself and my five sisters, sister-​in-​law, three nieces, my mother, grandmother and three cousins made a reservation months in advance for a private terrace room in which we could experience high tea. While the experience is one that I will always treasure because of the people I was with, i have to be honest and let you know that all-​in-​all, this really was a three-​star high tea experience. To begin with, the fifteen of us arrive for our early evening reservation and are asked to split into two separate groups (one of five, the other of ten) at two tables directly in the middle of the main «Drawing Room.» Of course, this high tea is about a ladies evening out and the bringing together of family generations, the last thing we want is to be separated. So we squeeze at the table of ten with babies on our laps and three to a couch.
I notice immediately the stained carpet and overall «worn down» feel of the room. I love the eclectic tea pots, saucers and cups, but you can tell the room is well used. We order the traditional Afternoon Tea ($ 34/​person) and a couple Little Princess Teas ($ 16/​person). I loved the large tea selection, although do note that some teas are an additional $ 8 (for «premium reserve»). Many of us order the same type of tea, everything from: Heavenly Cream, Wild Mountain Honeybush Chai, Peaches & Cream and Marrakesh Mint. I think the most popular tea in our party was the Heavenly Cream, but I was very disappointed when our server only brought ONE pot of this out to our VERY spaced out group. His thinking was to «not let each individual pot get cold.» This would’ve been fine if all these tea drinkers were seated by one another instead of across from other another – it can be dangerous to pass a hot pot of tea down a row of people! The other thing that would’ve made this situation fine was if our waiter was more attentive to our group, making sure the pots were full instead of us having to request multiple times for teas to be re-​filled. This was very poor insight on his part, making us have to wait or constantly run out of the most important part of the experience: the tea! I think the waiter was trying, but they seemed to be short staffed, he was not only manning our fifteen person table, but several other tables alone! Poor planning on The Drawing Room’s part when they knew a large group was arriving.
Onto the treats, which could definitely be used as a full, sweet and savory meal. Finger sandwiches, pastries (I LOVED the strawberry crumble bars), little quiches, and scones served with jam, clotted cream and butter. The food was exactly what you’d expect at a high tea, although it wouldn’t be too difficult to replicate everything served at your own house (just time consuming). Overall, great memories were had to be sure, but the price of the tea service doesn’t add up to the the lack of service and attention to our group, general «used» feeling and dirty details in addition to the failure to honor our private room reservation making the experience a three-​star high tea.

I ordered the menu sampler for $ 85 this was solid from start to finish. The best meal I had at the lakes nothing close.

High tea in the Drawing Room at the Prince of Wales is not to be missed. Particularly when you are taking your 10 year old granddaughter. They were even able to accommodate my granddaughter’s dietary needs and still make the event very special and tasty. Beware, one order is more than enough for two people. We had a great time being catered and treated as fancy ladies. A month later my granddaughter is still talking about her experience.
This review was originally posted 3 years ago. Unilocal removed it because they thought «It looks like your review was meant for another listing». Nope, it’s for this listing. I liked our experience so much that I am reposting.

Can not compliment this establishment enough. Late for our reservation, they held our table. The service was impeccable. Thanks Mehid. The food and tea delicious… still craving the scones. Loved the décor, the large bouquets of fresh roses all over the drawing room and hotel. My eleven yr old kept saying, «why does it smell so good in here?» I honestly did not want to leave. The town of Niagara on the Lake is such a treasure itself with rich history, beautiful landscapes, horse-​drawn carriages (ours pulled by Brock) and well worth the drive through the vineyards from the Niagara Falls tourist traps. This place was my favorite stop on the entire trip.

Too many reservations for Sunday afternoon I think. It took about 15 mins to find a table. Lovely waitress, friendly environment and the food was great. I would say it is a top quality afternoon tea. I would definitely recommend it to my friends.

The Drawing Room is a beautiful venue for afternoon tea! Pretty pricey, but we don’t go to Niagara-​on-​the-​lake very often, so we splurged a little. I was very happy with the food and the tea and the staff are very friendly and professional. The part of the room we sat in had large windows and the sunshine outside added to the great atmosphere. I loved all the beautiful and unique tea cups and plates. Everything there was so fancy and English. Just the way afternoon tea should be ;)

Style over Substance. Cute intimate hotel, sterling silver utensils, Wedgewood chinas, subpar food. Not worth the $ 66 for 2 price. Almost every high tea place I experienced in downtown Toronto served better and fancier pastries. The only thing that was excellent is the scones. It was a disappointing experience especially after reading so many raving reviews.

First-​rate afternoon tea in a luxurious but intimate setting. Nicely dressed pre– or post-​theatre crowd versus the jeans/​sneakers/​windbreakers bus tourists one sees filling the equivalent room at Victoria’s Empress Hotel. Also a better price. Only complaint was odd New Age music, we didn’t know if we were in a spa or on an Indian reservation. Odd choice.

First thing to note is if your had Afternoon Tea at the Empress Hotel in Victoria, BC you will be disappointed. The Empress Hotel sets the bar very high. The scone and the tea were the highlight of the Afternoon Tea. The sandwiches and desserts were underwhelming, the atmosphere was amazing unfortunately the chairs and table could have been more comfortable. If you never had Afternoon Tea and are in Niagara-​on-​the-​lake, it is worth stopping in for a late lunch you will have an experience but if you have experienced Afternoon Tea somewhere amazing before (ie Empress Hotel) then I would move on and skip it.

This place serves afternoon tea, and has a per person rate which includes a pot of tea, scones, little sanwiches and pastries.
Really enjoyed it. Scones, tea and atmosphere was lovely! Everything is served in traditional silver and china.
If you like the idea od afternoon tea, go for the experience!