One could not pick a more baroque setting to take afternoon tea than at the Ritz’s gold swathed Palm Court. Starched white linen tablecloths support towering cakes arranged perfectly with scones, pettifores and tarts, as tea sandwiches sparkle under the court’s iridescent domes and crystal-dripped chandeliers.

While brimming with tourists, Palm Court retains its traditional charm. Perhaps that’s thanks to the Ritz’s decidedly old-fashioned dress code: no trainers and no jeans. Get your grown folk look on. Allegedly the wait for reservations in the high season is measured in months rather than days. Procrastinators are encouraged to dress-up. Walk-ins step up their powers of persuasion considerably when sporting their Sunday best.