A cup of tea and a conversation with Mike
One of the things I love most about traveling is that sometimes the highlight of the day isn’t the place. It’s the person you meet. That happened to me during afternoon tea at The Lanesborough. It never fails. No matter where I am in the world, I somehow end up meeting a fellow Filipino.
Maybe it’s our smiles. Maybe it’s the familiar accent. Or maybe we simply have a way of finding one another. Whatever it is, it always makes a foreign place feel a little less foreign.
The first thing I noticed was my server’s warm smile. “Magandang hapon,” he said. I smiled right back.
His name was Mike Pangilinan.
The Lanesborough, through his lens
For the next couple of hours, between pouring tea and serving delicate pastries, we chatted whenever he stopped by my table. Nothing profound. Just easy conversations that somehow made the afternoon even more enjoyable. Because while everyone else admired the beautiful surroundings, I found myself becoming more interested in the person helping create the experience.
Mike has been working at The Lanesborough for several years now. He told me that no matter how grand the hotel may be, what guests remember most is how they’re made to feel.
Standing proudly at Hyde Park Corner, overlooking Wellington Arch and just minutes from Buckingham Palace, The Lanesborough is one of London’s grand dames. Housed in a magnificent Regency-style building, the hotel has just 93 beautifully appointed rooms and suites, making it feel intimate despite its reputation.
Every overnight guest is assigned a personal butler, a tradition that has become one of the hotel’s defining signatures. From the marble floors and glittering chandeliers to the hand-painted ceilings and elegant Regency interiors, stepping inside feels less like entering a hotel and more like being welcomed into an aristocratic London home.
I asked Mike if he ever gets used to working somewhere so beautiful. He laughed. “I still look around sometimes.”
He pointed toward the magnificent Great Hall with its soaring ceilings and elaborate artwork. “We’ve had weddings here. Royal guests. Big celebrations.” I didn’t need much convincing. The room looked as though it belonged in a palace.
He also recommended I take a look at The Garden Room, a hidden outdoor oasis behind the hotel. Surrounded by greenery, it offers guests a peaceful place for lunch, cocktails or simply a quiet escape from the bustle of London. In the evenings, it transforms into one of the city’s most celebrated cigar terraces.
Then he mentioned the spa. “You should come back just for that.”
Hidden beneath the hotel is The Lanesborough Club & Spa, complete with hydrotherapy pools, treatment rooms, steam rooms, saunas and an impressive fitness club. It’s hard to believe that such a tranquil sanctuary exists beneath one of London’s busiest intersections.
Building a life, thousands of miles from home
At some point, our conversation drifted away from the hotel. We started talking about home.
Mike told me his wife is also a Filipino, working in London as a nurse. Together, they are raising their four-year-old son while building a life thousands of miles away from the Philippines. Like so many overseas Filipino families, they are creating a future through hard work and sacrifice while making sure their little boy grows up knowing the values they brought with them from home.
As he spoke about his family, his face lit up. While it was obvious that he enjoys working at one of London’s finest hotels, his favorite job begins when he goes home.
Filipino hospitality
He also shared that he enjoys remembering returning guests and how they like their tea. “Some like Earl Grey. Some always ask for extra cream.” He laughed. “I try to remember.”
That’s when I realized something. Luxury isn’t just about marble floors, crystal chandeliers, or perfectly polished silver. It’s remembering the little things. It’s making someone feel welcome.
Before I left, I asked Mike if he missed the Philippines. “Every day,” he answered without hesitation. “But we’re known for our hospitality. I want guests to experience that.”
There was nothing rehearsed about his answer. Just quiet pride.
As I watched him move effortlessly from table to table, greeting every guest with genuine warmth, I couldn’t help but feel proud, too. We Filipinos are everywhere. In hospitals. On cruise ships. In restaurants. In hotels. Sometimes we’re the reason people remember a place.
The memories that stay
When afternoon tea ended, I walked out through the grand entrance and back into London’s busy streets. I still remember the warm scones, the delicate pastries, and the perfectly brewed tea. In fact, I have a feeling I’ll be thinking about them for a long time. They were every bit as memorable as I’d hoped they would be.
But alongside those wonderful memories is another one that has stayed with me just as vividly: Mike.
Yes, The Lanesborough is magnificent. Its elegant rooms, impeccable butler service, award-winning spa, beautiful event spaces, and timeless afternoon tea make it one of London’s finest hotels.
Yet what stayed with me wasn’t just the grandeur. It was meeting a Filipino husband whose wife is caring for patients as a nurse while he welcomes guests from around the world with quiet grace. Together, they are raising their four-year-old son far from home, building a future through hard work while carrying with them the warmth that Filipinos are known for.
Perhaps that’s why I always seem to find Filipinos wherever I travel. Or maybe they find me. Either way, they always end up making a foreign place feel a little more like home.
