High tea in London

QUESTION: On a recent visit to London, I tried in vain to find a restaurant offering a traditional English afternoon tea with scones, cucumber sandwiches and the like. Do you know where this is still offered? - Jane Douglas

ANSWER: Nobody does afternoon tea like the old London hotels. This doesn't come cheap though; a cuppa and cakes is likely to cost you 20-40 British pounds. The most famous is undoubtedly Tea at the Ritz. Only a short stroll from Buckingham Palace, the Ritz Hotel now has five tea sittings, from 11.30am to 7.35pm. If you're in the Hyde Park area, head for the Dorchester Hotel from 2.30pm-6pm for a lavish spread, including pink champagne. For a touch of history, you can follow in the step in the footsteps of the Queen Mother and Oscar Wilde and enjoy one of 30 traditional English teas at The Cadogan Hotel.