I experienced my very first "tea party" this year when I was invited by friends to go to Tea Around Town. I was so excited and looking forward to a great time with our group of 9. On the day of our visit, it was pouring down rain. We made sure to arrive early per the instructions and when we arrived there were several families already in line. After standing in the rain (with umbrellas) for 10-15 min past the pick up of time, many people including our group tried to contact the company for an update. We weren't able to reach anyone, so we attempted to take refuge in the swim club as the rain was really coming down. Many of the other people waiting did the same or went into their vehicles. It was close to an hour before the bus arrived and by then everyone was pretty much soaked from head to toe. Once the bus arrived we were let onto the bus and seated, our group was able to all sit together which was nice. The set up was cute and the on board entertainment was a nice touch, our host had a beautiful singing voice. We rode around Austin, unfortunately our windows were dirty/foggy so we didn't get the picturesque moments we expected. The food was what you would expect for a tea party, nothing to rave about but plated well. The drinks were pretty good but the drink portions were only a few ounces. Not enough to leave you satisfied, I think they should at least fill the cups half way or more and include bottles of water to help wash down the sandwiches and sweets. Overall, I probably wouldn't recommend this for adults, although it may be fun for younger kids with lower expectations. read more

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Did not meet expectations I read an article in the San Antonio Current about what a great experience the tea around town service was. I booked two luxe experiences for me and my bestie who was visiting from out of town. We arrived an hour early to ensure we knew where to go as the instructions said we must be on time. At 1145 we returned to the designated pickup location in front of the Brazilian steakhouse but the bus was not there. Other guests were also waiting. At 1155, the bus still had not arrived nor were any staff present associated with the tea around town experience. I received a text message saying:"Tea Around Town: Hi There! We're running with a delay, we will share an updated ETA shortly. Thank you so much for your patience - we can't wait to see you!". My bestie suggested we wait at the restaurant bar and have a drink while we were waiting. Time passed and around 1220 I received another text: "Tea Around Town: Hi! We hit a slight slowdown and will arrive by 1:00 pm. Thank you for your patience, we'll see you soon!" 1pm came and went still no bus. I texted the number back to check the status of the bus only to receive: "Tea Around Town: Hi! We hit a slight slowdown and will arrive by 1:20pm. Thank you for your patience, we'll be there shortly!" The bus finally arrived at 1:30! We were offered no explanation for the delay nor any apologies. Staff acted as if they were on time. We were finally seated only to find the food had been sitting out and cold food was warm and warm was cold. We ate what we thought was the safest to avoid food poisoning. The tea was not good and was very minimal just a slight 1/2 cup serving. The entertainment very nice but was a poor singer and could not carry a tune. We were so disappointed in the lack of quality of the whole experience. We felt trapped as once you are on the bus you are there until the end. The staff even suggested we give them tips at the end even with the poor customer service. I thought this was going to be amazing and in the end it was a complete disaster and waste of our time and money. We would not do this again and will not recommend to anyone. If you are looking for a great experience, this is not it. Did not meet expectations I read an article in the San Antonio Current about what a great experience the tea around town service was. I booked two luxe experiences for me and my bestie who was visiting from out of town. We arrived an hour early to ensure we knew where to go as the instructions said we must be on time. At 1145 we returned to the designated pickup location in front of the Brazilian steakhouse but the bus was not there. Other guests were also waiting. At 1155, the bus still had not arrived nor were any staff present associated with the tea around town experience. I received a text message saying:"Tea Around Town: Hi There! We're running with a delay, we will share an updated ETA shortly. Thank you so much for your patience - we can't wait to see you!". My bestie suggested we wait at the restaurant bar and have a drink while we were waiting. Time passed and around 1220 I received another text: "Tea Around Town: Hi! We hit a slight slowdown and will arrive by 1:00 pm. Thank you for your patience, we'll see you soon!" 1pm came and went still no bus. I texted the number back to check the status of the bus only to receive: "Tea Around Town: Hi! We hit a slight slowdown and will arrive by 1:20pm. Thank you for your patience, we'll be there shortly!" The bus finally arrived at 1:30! We were offered no explanation for the delay nor any apologies. Staff acted as if they were on time. We were finally seated only to find the food had been sitting out and cold food was warm and warm was cold. We ate what we thought was the safest to avoid food poisoning. The tea was not good and was very minimal just a slight 1/2 cup serving. The entertainment very nice but was a poor singer and could not carry a tune. We were so disappointed in the lack of quality of the whole experience. We felt trapped as once you are on the bus you are there until the end. The staff even suggested we give them tips at the end even with the poor customer service. I thought this was going to be amazing and in the end it was a complete disaster and waste of our time and money. We would not do this again and will not recommend to anyone. If you are looking for a great experience, this is not it. read more

I attended Tea Around Town in Austin with a group of friends and was really looking forward to the experience. The concept is adorable, and from the photos online it looked like a unique way to spend an afternoon. Unfortunately, the experience got off to a rough start. The company instructed guests to arrive 30 minutes before the 3:00 p.m. departure time, so our group arrived early as requested. We waited at the designated pickup location at the Swim Club, only for the bus to arrive more than 30 minutes after the scheduled start time. As we were waiting a huge rain storm blew in that left all the guests running for cover and getting drenched. (my group and i made it into someone's vehicle just as the monsoon hit but we saw several other tea attendees trying to take cover in the Swim Club outlet) What was most frustrating wasn't even the delay itself it was the complete lack of communication from the company. No email. No text update. No clear way to contact anyone for information. Standing around wondering if the event was still happening was not a great first impression and is bad customer service. Our group was literally about to call it a day and head somewhere else for our afternoon just as the bus pulled up. Once we finally boarded, I'll give credit where it's due: the interior of the bus is absolutely adorable. The decor is whimsical and exactly what you would want from a tea party experience. It was hands down my favorite part of the entire event. The food, however, was pretty underwhelming. While everything was presented nicely, the finger sandwiches and snacks were just okay. I was also surprised by how many of the savory items relied on onions or scallions. As someone who hates onions, it was excessive and repetitive across the menu. The tea service was another disappointment. We were served 2 hot teas, one cold, and then a cold pink lemonade. The souvenir teacups (which you get to keep). were only filled about halfway, and there wasn't a clear process for requesting refills. For an experience centered around tea, I expected more generous pours and more attentive beverage service. There was also a prerecorded audio tour of Austin playing during the ride, which sounded like a great idea in theory. Unfortunately, it was often difficult to hear because our host was singing over portions of the narration. While she was talented, having live singing competing with the tour audio created a clash that made it hard to enjoy either one fully. Overall, Tea Around Town has a cute concept and a beautiful bus, but the execution didn't live up to the price point. Better communication and a few adjustments to the food and tour experience would go a long way toward making this a memorable outing. read more

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If you, or a member of your family is handicapped, don't waste your money on this tourist trap. Witnessed a woman try to get on the bus with absolutely no assistance from the staff and the staff saying you have to climb the stairs. It wasn't until other guests got involved was the woman able to get on the bus and be seated downstairs. The women in line were not taking any "%*^". What a disappointing way to start off a day out. Even worse for the woman with the walker and her family. Stressful and I'm sure embarrassing for her. read more

Tea Around Town - Bus - Bus Tours Near Me - Austin, Texas

I had high expectations. This adventure may be cute for a mother and daughter. However, for the price, advise going to a nice hotel for a high tea where you can get a nice cup of tea, tastier sandwiches and pastries in a nice dining room would be muc more satisfying. read more

Bus was too hot and the AC can not keep up with the number of people on board. The desserts were melting and I have to question if the food served was safe to eat due to the temperature on the bus. The tea service was fine even if it is STASH tea which can be found at any HEB. I was rather disappointed considering the price. I also wish I had ear plugs as the narrator was spending more time singing than narrating. An singing poorly at that. read more

Most horrible experience. I set up my 57 birthday tennis n Pearl's theme. They changed the pickup location the day of the event because of the No King protest which made it a 25 minute walk. No knowing Austin we started to walked n realize it was a 25min walk.i called to ask could they wait on us they assured me they would but did Not I had 22 guest only 5 made the bus. I purchased tickets for 2 people that missed the bus when trying to get a refund they said No refund. When I dispute it with my bank they lied and said we had service when was a straight lay. I will NEVER RECOMMEND them no No one. read more

We toured in San Antonio and had a great experience! The interior of course was so adorable and whimsically decorated. We had the petite menu which consisted of 15 items and that was plenty of food, actually had some leftovers. All of the pieces were tasty and the 4 teas we tasted were delicious. Our tour guide was great and she even sang. Overall a fabulous experience with my 3 daughters. read more

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I was very disappointed with this Tea Tour experience, especially considering that I purchased two Luxe tickets for over $200. "For the price paid, I expected a much higher level of attention to guests and a more enjoyable overall experience." Unfortunately, I never received any tea during the tour. I repeatedly waited for decaffeinated tea that was never served. I asked the host/singer/attendant several times, and she told me the tea was brewing. After waiting quite a while without receiving it, I asked for water instead, but that was never brought to me either. What made this even more frustrating was that other guests were served only one serving of a hot tea and pink lemonade while I continued waiting for either decaffeinated tea or water. Another concern was accessibility. As we were boarding the bus, an elderly guest needed a ramp. The driver initially refused, stating, "Well, it will take me a couple of minutes to get it." Not making any attempt to get ramp or assist. Rather than assisting promptly, other passengers stepped in to help the elderly guest board the bus. The process took over ten minutes and could have been handled much more appropriately. The tour narration was also difficult to hear at the back of the bus. The volume was too low, and the speaker system frequently cut in and out, making it hard to follow the information being shared. The singer had a beautiful voice, but unfortunately the sound system issues affected her performance as well, causing interruptions throughout the tour. Overall, the experience did not meet the expectations associated with a premium priced Luxe ticket. Better customer service, accessibility accommodations, beverage service, and sound equipment would greatly improve the experience for future guests. read more

$100 for around 90 mins. The tea and food were meh, but it's instagramable in terms of the photos. We went for a friends bday and made some good memories with each other. read more

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less than one star experience. sadly there was a family with a member who had a walker. this woman could not lift herself up the step into the bus. the driver who was also checking people in did nothing I mean nothing to assist but kept telling them that once she finally could get into the bus there were more stairs to climb. it wasn't until other guests got involved that the woman was able to get on the bus and sit at a downstairs table. this tourist trap is not handicapped accessible. it was a dirty experience, the bus was dirty with nasty plastic flowers adorning the windows also little to no history given about Austin. I would never recommend this company to anyone. read more

Tea Around Town - Dirt - Bus Tours Near Me - Austin, Texas

What an experience! Highly recommend! Just take a look!!! Live music, live entertainment inside! Great food, perfect amount of tea and just the overall experience! The bus driver was the sweetest! The cutest singer/commentator ever! read more

Tea Around Town - Tea food:) - Bus Tours Near Me - Austin, Texas

This was the ABSOLUTE WORST EXPERIENCE!! They did absolutely nothing to regulate noise level from other guests. There was a group of girls on the bus that was SO LOUD you couldn't even hear the tour guide. Furthermore, when we told the guide about our experience, not only did she not even seem to care, she went and egged them on with a rendition of "Go Shawty, it's your birthday". The AC seemed to stop working halfway through the ride and the bread for the sandwiches was stale. HORRIBLE!!! Don't waste your money.!! read more

My experience was disappointing. I booked the tour way in advance for my daughter and I. We were the first tour of the day 10:00 am, and they were 45 mins late...not to mention how dirty the entrance to the bus was. I am very big on sanitation when it comes to things like this. Also, for 90 bucks, you would think you'd get more tea....1/4 of a cup. The tour was supposed to be 1.5 hours and it was less than an hour. Arrived back before noon. Also the sugar container on the table was filthy, and included unused and used sugar packets. It was ok, but won't do it again. Great concept if done right. Wasn't entertaining at all. read more

Tea Around Town - The entrance to the bus( The whole staircase looked this way). I was scared to go to the restroom - Bus Tours Near Me - Austin, Texas

First, I want to address the customer service experience. The customer care line was extremely disappointing. During our first call, we were placed on hold for 20 minutes and had to hang up and call back to reach someone. We live an hour away from the tour location, and due to heavy lunch-hour traffic, I left two hours early to ensure we would arrive on time. When traffic became unusually congested, I called to ask about the grace period and was told it was only 10 minutes. In my experience, most tours offer at least 15 minutes. The representative I spoke with was dismissive and rude, despite the fact that I had spent over $600 for my birthday party group. This was also the only tour offered that day. I was told I "should have been 15 minutes early" and that waiting would cause the tour to run 30 minutes late. Fortunately, we arrived within the 10-minute grace period and the bus did wait. However, the interaction left a very negative impression before the tour even began. Unfortunately, the tour itself was underwhelming. The food was average at best. We were served only five of the six advertised teas, and several of them were not enjoyable. The lemonade was the only beverage that most of our group liked. There was no tour guide providing information about what we were seeing around Austin, no music, and no structured entertainment. To make matters worse, the sound system was broken. We essentially had to create our own fun. For the price paid, I expected a much more engaging and organized experience. The bus was extremely hot, and guests were seated only on the top level while the downstairs space was not utilized. We were uncomfortable and sweating for much of the ride. The bus also had a concerning moment where it nearly hit a car and a pedestrian. Additionally, the restroom conditions were poor, and there was no running water available -- only hand sanitizer. That was very disappointing for a premium-priced experience. I do want to highlight one positive: Natalie was wonderful. She was upbeat, kind, and did her best to create a fun atmosphere with what she had to work with. The photo opportunities were also nice. Overall, for the price point, I would not recommend this experience. I chose this tour to celebrate my birthday, and I left feeling disappointed. Based on what I had heard about the Dallas and Houston tours, I expected a much higher-quality experience. I hope this feedback is taken seriously and used to improve future tours. read more

Horrible customer service! Our booking was canceled by Tea Around Town via email 14 days ago. I have followed up 4 times via email, called, and chatted the online services, unable to reach anyone, and have not received any correspondence to rebook or receive a refund. Be cautious of booking! read more

Tea Around Town - Bus Tours Near Me - Austin, Texas

Very cute and unique experience. Good length of time, the food was a sufficient amount of all of us ( egg salad sandwiches, chicken salad sandwiches, deviled eggs, and a variety of delicious desserts). You are bright different types of teas throughout the trip. There was Bridgeton- style music on, and there was guide tour with facts and the history of certain locations all around town. The service was great and the staff entertained us with a few games and prizes. The best part, for me, was the fact that they provided an adorable box to take any left overs home and we get to keep the tumbler as a souvenir. Very cool way to see downtown Austin! Would go again. read more

Tea Around Town - Bus Tours Near Me - Austin, Texas

I will start with a general perception - we had a wonderful time, the food was great, entertainment and service (Annette) fabulous. Problem is, we were told to park in a certain parking lot, but the bus never arrived. We finally realized it was parked down the street around a corner. We weren't told they would be loading down there, and some people were not capable of walking that distance. A half hour after our supposed start time, after waiting in the Texas heat, the bus finally pulled up to the parking lot. We discovered a steep set of stairs to climb into the upper level, which was not disclosed ahead of time. Some ticket holders had to leave because they couldn't navigate the stairs. Overall, a great idea for a fun time. Better communication is necessary. read more

So disappointed in my experience with Tea Around Town. I booked a group of four to celebrate my best friend's birthday before he moves out of state, and all tickets were purchased together in one transaction. When we boarded the bus, we were assigned two separate two person tables that weren't even next to each other, they were back to back. This meant we couldn't sit together, easily talk to one another or exchange birthday gifts as planned. When I asked the host about it, she said the online system assigns seating and they don't have control over it. For $90 per person, that is not an acceptable excuse, especially when there was a four person table with only two people seated. If this really is a system issue, they need to do their due diligence so it doesn't happen to other groups. The tea service itself was extremely underwhelming. Each tea was essentially a single shot, two sips at most. For the cost and over a 90-minute experience, the portions were disappointing. The tour was pre recorded and dull, and if there was supposed to be live entertainment, it certainly didn't seem to be happening on the top level of the bus. The food was also questionable. Overall, this experience did not feel worth the cost. There are many better group activities to do for far less money where you can actually enjoy time together. Can't say I would recommend this experience to anyone. read more

My friend and I went on this tea around town to just celebrate life and friendship. We had a wonderful time. The food was so good and tasting all the teas was so fun. Tiff was our hostess and she did a great job. Saint was our waiter and he was so friendly and so funny. I just loved him. I would definitely do this again. read more

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My wife asked me to come, so I did. Is it foo-foo? Yes. Was it enjoyable? ABSOLUTELY. Let's begin with the staff, they are an absolute delight. From the two young men that served us, to the delightful tour guide that sang a number of songs while we toured the city. The young men were astutely observant, making sure that all the patrons were well cared for. We had the VIP experience. The service was on par with what I would expect at a fine dining restaurant. The voice of our tour guide was utterly angelic. The tour bus was well equipped for its purpose. A nice touch are the souvenir travel mugs that you will leave with. The tower of food offers so many delicious choices. They will give you a nice to go box to take what you don't eat with you. All and all, we thoroughly enjoyed the tour of the city in this mode. You get to see the highlights of the city and enjoy the ride with excellent service in the process. We are planning to take some friend along and do this in Dallas. It is well worth the price. ENJOY read more

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The bus was beautiful, but the experience was disappointing. It arrived over an hour late, which made the activity frustrating and poorly organized. I would not recommend booking this in San Antonio--consider choosing another city instead. read more

What a delightful and unique experience! The bus is absolutely adorable, decked out in pink and flowers, making it perfect for photos. It was so much fun to cruise past the Capitol and other landmarks while enjoying the three-tiered service of tea, sandwiches, and sweets. The live music was a fantastic touch, and the staff (Mallory, Nina and Michele) were incredibly friendly and attentive. The food is more about the novelty of the experience than being a gourmet meal, but the desserts were tasty. It's a bit of a splurge, but perfect for a birthday, a girls' day out, or just a fun way to play tourist in your own city. Highly recommend! read more

Loved this! So fun to have a new twist on afternoon tea! The staff was very kind and attentive. The tea itself was more of a tasting (rather than a full cup) but otherwise, the whole experience was a lot of fun and a creative way to see Austin! read more

We had a wonderful day!! Food and tea were delicious. The bus drive was very enjoyable and our hosts were very friendly and helpful. This is one experience that definitely would do again in the future. read more

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If I could give zero stars I would. I purchased tickets for my mom and daughter to go on the bus as a gift. They had a miserable time due to the air conditioning not working on a 98 degree day in Austin, Texas. The bus even had to pull over at one point to let the chef off to get some air as it was COOLER outside than it was on the bus. Their desserts were melting and they were sweaty and overheated. The people on the bus kept apologizing and they felt bad for those working as well. I reached out to the company for a refund and their response was very much copy and paste and offered me a 5 PERCENT discount on a future booking. This was an expensive gift and experience that was TERRIBLE. Avoid booking this experience. read more

Lost all my money, poor customer service after sending multiple emails . I really expected at least a reply for what they charge, I tried to reach out by commenting on another platform And they just remove any comments that are less than perfect . read more

It was sticky, gross, the food was old, and the experience sucked. We paid 100$ to break down on the side of the road 20 mins in, and then they only want to give a 30% discount? Crazy! Don't waste your money. It's gross. read more

Don't waste your money or time with them. They don't refund your money if an emergency happens and if you reschedule you have to pay an extra 50%. This company sucks and needs to go out of business. I wish I could give them negative stars. read more

We had a blast, Food was very good and lots. People are super friendly. Bus is adorable! Definitely, if you love frills, this is it!

We bought this for our friends birthday, there were 3 of us and it was absolutely horrendous. From the very beginning the whole was unorganized. We bought tickets together, then get on the bus to find out they had no seats for us and that we'd choose to either sit apart or we'd have to squish into a 2-seater and also eat the amount of food for 2. When we complained, the "supervisor" dismissed us and said the seats are random and there's nothing she can do. The seats are random yet we received an actual table number when we booked and then they gave our table away to someone else? She was obviously lying. Going to the food, its HORRIBLE. Most of the food was not even edible, you can see how old and stale it all is like it's been sitting there for weeks. It's absolutely disgusting. The tea service is also mid, they give you two sips of tea in a plastic to-go cup. For $100 + this experience was probably the worst I have ever purchased in my life. Horrible customer service, horrible service in general. DO NOT BOOK THIS. read more

What a lovely experience! Saint and Ashley were awesome! Thank you for making our time enjoyable!

Beautiful set up! Wonderful experience! Bought this for my daughters and I .. and we all had a great time.

Delayed by 1 1/2 hrs without notice day of departure. Food was not great. Souvenir mug was a plain plastic pink cup, not what you see online and not something you would keep. Staff was nice. Won't go again read more

I had booked this for the morning of July 5th for my birthday with a good friend. Due to the terrible flooding that ended up killing over 100 people in Texas we received major flood warning that morning on our phones and every device I own NOT to travel during that day!! We were coming from out of town to Austin. We called first thing in the morning to reschedule and was told it would be a 50% reschedule fee. To email the Austin branch...which we did and later that day the they emailed back the same answer. I guess if you already were in Austin it would have been fine because the bus still ran but we don't live there. It wasn't just rain that day PEOPLE died!! We weren't going to risk our lives for a fun buss ride not knowing if the roads were safe or not!! Can't believe they care more about money than lives!! All we ask for was to come another day it would be safe to travel with no fee!! So $200 down the drain for nothing!!! read more