A surprise find…
Despite a last minute decision, and lack of a table booking, Homewood Park were more than happy to accommodate Afternoon Tea for two on a stunning early-summer day last year. Their modern take on a classic meal, was refreshing and quite delicious.
Afternoon Tea can take three different forms (and dietary requirements can be accommodated if booked in advance):
- Traditional Cream Tea (with tea, scones, clotted cream and jam)
- Homewood Classic Afternoon Tea
- Taittinger Luxury Afternoon Tea (with champagne)
Having made notes on the day (my idea of a blog was just starting to take seed, so I thought to document my views early on), I now have the perfect opportunity to let you know what I thought, and to share the pretty pictures of much needed sunshine!
The Ambiance:
- Homewood Park Hotel & Spa is a stunning manor house, with beautiful gardens and wood, just outside of Bath.
- Being warm, and extremely sunny (I forgot my sun cream), we were seated for Afternoon Tea outside on the lawn.
- Our outlook was uninterrupted, except for families, children and dogs playing on the manicured grass and soaking in the early summer warmth.
Staff:
- On the day, there was only one waiter on staff serving Afternoon Tea for visitors and hotel guests.
- The waiter had a great knowledge of their unusual tea choices, and advised that there was enough food in one serving of the Traditional Afternoon Tea for two “not-quite-starving-yet” individuals.
- Despite having to find an employee at reception to take our money at the end of our tea, all our needs were met with perfect service.
The Food/Drink:
- The finger sandwiches were a more modern take than the traditional ones, but extremely tasty nonetheless! The traditional smoked
salmon sandwich was turned into a wrap topped with caviar; the traditional ham-type sandwich was turned into a toasted ham and cheese bap (mouth-watering deliciousness); and the age-old cucumber sandwich remained unchanged. - The scones were a perfect size, one each, with plenty of clotted cream and homemade jam (available to purchase from the hotel if requested at £4.50 per 100g). They were lightly dusted with icing sugar, and had a good texture and taste.
- The “sweets” were my favourite part of the tea. The battenburg slice was uh-mazing, the passion fruit panna cotta was superb and the giant pistachio macaroon was a perfect mix of subtle flavour and gooey centre.
- There is a choice of 14 different tea brews, suiting everyone’s particular tastes. The tea brews in clear glass pots, and instructions are given for timings, in order to enjoy the tea at it’s best. Be careful to drink it in a timely manner, as the strength/bitterness increases with time.
Cost:
- £22.50 (well worth the trip out of Bath)
Overall Rating:
- 4.5/5
Website:
As with most Afternoon Tea establishments, ingredients and components of the menu are often seasonal and change frequently throughout the year – I definitely want to return and sample a more wintry plate!
My recommendations and tastes are my own. I gain no benefit from writing this review. Review based on experience on 14th May 2016.
Afternoon Tea Snob 