I went for the afternoon tea in the lobby with my ...

I went for the afternoon tea in the lobby with my cousins. The staff there were extremely friendly and polite, the atmosphere was really comfortable but felt luxurious, and I particularly enjoyed the Christmas theme. We went to the front desk first and Jason at the front desk was really helpful in directing us to the right place for tea. He was warm and welcoming and really made us feel happy to be there. Service at the lobby for tea was also excellent; they used English to explain the difference between the teas to me and recommended which one went with the scones. They were happy to take photos of us, they were attentive when we needed more hot water or clotted cream, etc. I can't speak to the rooms since I didn't stay overnight, but I went to use the washroom and there was an employee inside who was stationed there to open the door, keep the washroom clean, and she even apologised when the stalls were full and I had to wait. She was kind and considerate and smiling the whole time. Location was great, I took the bus and it was easy to get to, but my cousins got lost and went to the wrong hotel because there were so many hotels in the same area. I did hear from my cousins that the Peninsular is really strict with their employees, which did disappoint me because though I really appreciated the amazing service from everyone, I would hate to think that everyone is forced to act that way. I hope the hotel genuinely appreciates their staff. I'm sure the staff deal with difficult visitors and customers on a regular basis, and from the level of professionalism and understanding that I saw in the staff, I would feel better knowing that the staff enjoy working there. Everyone was so attentive no matter where I went within the hotel, and all smiles. My only "constructive criticism" would be that considering the cost of the tea, I didn't find that the food met my expectations. I may be more used to a "western taste" but I've had high tea in Canada and England and preferred those over the one I had here in Hong Kong. But it might just be my personal taste. Overall I really enjoyed my visit to the Peninsular and the experience was definitely worth my time and money! I wish I had the opportunity to stay a night, but the tea was already fantastic.