Review: Afternoon Tea at The Royal Crescent Hotel

Afternoon Tea lover and lifestyle Editor, Emily Griffin reviews The Royal Crescent Hotel's charming Afternoon Tea service.

Situated in one of the world’s most famous Georgian buildings, the Royal Crescent Hotel & Spa offers its guests one of the country’s most prestigious and luxurious dining experiences.

With an invitation following the launch of a wonderful new afternoon tea menu, it seemed only right that we went along to savor it for ourselves.

The hotel boasts three delicious menus - from the traditional sweet Royal Crescent Afternoon Tea to the more savoury selections of The Duke of York Afternoon Tea.

We opted for the Elizabeth Montagu Afternoon Tea which has the perfect balance of sweet treats and savoury bites.

The Dower House Restaurant is tucked away at the end of a beautifully tranquil garden, set at the rear of the iconic hotel. Its stylish and modern décor mirrors the hotel’s lavish reputation.

As you walk through the doors you are greeted by the friendly staff and the brilliant ambiance you’d expect from such an esteemed venue.

Our coats were taken and we were lead to a lovely table near the window, overlooking the gardens.

Our waiter then came over to explain a little more about the different afternoon teas so we could take our pick.

We decided on the Elizabeth Montagu afternoon tea on recommendation from our waiter, as it had a variety of savoury items as well as the cakes and patisserie – it was the perfect choice for a late lunch!

We spent a time looking over the fantastic selection of world teas which included Golden Assam, Darjeeling Summer and Classic English Breakfast. We mused for a while but finally went with the Golden Assam. Our tea arrived promptly – and even included an extra pot of hot water to make sure we were kept topped up. They really do think of everything.

As an extra special treat, we also enjoyed a glass of Taittinger Champagne. The champagne was simply delicious and perfectly chilled. It complemented the afternoon tea wonderfully.

Our afternoon tea arrived on a beautiful three tiered stand, with delicate freshly made sandwiches including Smoked Salmon, Chive and Cream Cheese, Free Range Egg with Mustard Cress, and Somerset Ham with Crescent House Chutney and Ripe Plum Tomatoes. The sandwiches were extremely tasty, and neatly cut into slender fingers.

We were also treated to a variety of warm savoury bites. These were quite simply mouth wateringly good. Our favourites were the Hot Crispy Kedgeree with Spiced Mango Yogurt and the Duck Liver, Onion Seed and Grape Baguette.

After we’d enjoyed the savoury selections, we tucked in to the delicious sweets. We had warm Bath Buns and freshly Baked Scones with clotted cream and jam. The scones were perfectly cooked and crumbly and the Bath Buns were packed with cinnamon and coated with crunchy sugar crystals.

To finish we nibbled on Rhubarb and Custard Macaroons, Pistachio Cake with Marzipan and Pistachio Cream. These delicate sweet treats were perfection and looked just as good as they tasted. Each one was flawlessly created and just the right size to enjoy without over indulging.

The entire experience of afternoon tea at the Royal Crescent was incredible, and it lived up to its luxurious reputation in every way. It was a real treat to enjoy really delicious food in such stunning surroundings. Every detail from the food to the tea and the staff were perfect.

If you’re looking to really spoil someone, or indulge yourself, then we’d highly recommend a trip to The Dower House. It really is an afternoon tea experience like no other.