Top tea experiences for Mother's Day
Think March, think Mother’s Day, think afternoon tea, think fine teas, think Cornwall.
Think Cornwall? Tea plantations? Really?
You may well not know, but apparently climate change or not, the unique climate down in Cornwall is providing the perfect tea-growing conditions required to produce a quality Darjeeling.
By all accounts, the tea plant Camellia sinensis, (yes, double-take again, that’s a Camellia) thrives by the deep-sea creek of Fal in Cornwall. The Tregothnan Estate, home of Lord Falmouth's family since 1335, was in fact the first place to grow ornamental Camellia outdoors and since then has honed more than 200 years-worth of expertise in nurturing the plant. Tregothnan has spent the last decade secretly developing its very own single-estate tea and began supplying England’s first and only tea in 2005.
As the people from Tregothnan put it: ‘Tregothnan puts the English into English tea for the first time in history.’
If you would like to try some ‘Inimitable Britishness’ for Mother’s day or a special occasion there are tea tastings, private garden tours, ‘tea’ breaks, lunches, afternoon tea, and overnight stays.
If you can’t make it down to Cornwall this March 30th, then read on for our top tea experience alternatives:
1. The Great Fosters
Stroude Road, Egham TW20 9UR - From £19 per person
Indulge in the most English of traditions whilst enjoying the view over the hotel's 50 acres of gardens or in the Winter months sink into a comfortable sofa in front of one of our fires.
Afternoon tea is served in the Cocktail Bar, Main Hall and Anne Boleyn. During the Summer months we also serve tea on the terrace overlooking our stunning gardens.
Visit: http://www.greatfosters.co.uk/Dining/AfternoonTea/
2. The Tea Room Harrods
Knightsbridge, London - From £29 per person
Celebrate the best of British at The Tea Room, featuring a quintessentially English line-up of mouth-watering fare. From crumpets, light sandwiches and hotpots, to tempting treacle tarts and butter brioche buns, the Tea Room is open for breakfast, lunch and supper. Try a traditional Afternoon Tea - the perfect pick-me-up featuring a range of finger sandwiches, scones and clotted cream and sweet English fancies, all complemented by an extensive menu of fine world teas.
Visit: http://www.harrods.com/content/the-store/restaurants/the-tea-room/
3. The Tea Box
7 Paradise Road, Richmond Upon Thames TW9 1RX - From £17.50 per person
In historic Richmond-upon-Thames, The Tea Box offers one of London’s most extensive collections of loose leaf tea. In a setting adorned with huge chandeliers, antique furniture and decorative tea canisters full of rare international teas and unique house blends, the tea house crafts indulgences like homemade artisan scones and cakes.
visit: http://www.afternoonteaonline.com/uk/surrey/the-tea-box/
4. The Diamond Jubilee Tea Salon, Fortenum & Mason
181 Piccadilly, London W1A 1ER
Gluten Intollerant afternnon tea from £40 per person
For over 300 years, Fortnum & Mason has been sourcing and selling superb quality tea. In 1926 this famous grocery store was transformed into a unique department store with a restaurant that offered afternoon tea to our customers.
The tradition of taking tea and that little bit of something between lunch and dinner had long been a feature of smart households, and in the Roaring Twenties at Fortnum’s it was defined by a menu featuring our finest teas, delicate sandwiches and exquisite cakes.
On 1 March 2012, with enormous joy and excitement, the refurbished St James’s restaurant was opened by HM the Queen accompanied by Their Royal Highnesses the Duchess of Cornwall and the Duchess of Cambridge, and renamed The Diamond Jubilee Tea Salon.
Visit: http://www.fortnumandmason.com/c-209-restaurants-afternoon-teafortnum-mason-.aspx
5. Langshott Manor Hotel
Langshott Manor Hotel, Horley RH6 9LN - From £18.50 per person
The Langshott Manor Hotel offer a complementary setting to the English tradition of afternoon tea with each of their dainty desserts homemade by the hotel's in-house pastry chefs. Delicious sandwiches are served on freshly baked bread accompanied with homemade scones served with thick clotted cream and fruity preserves.
Visit: http://www.alexanderhotels.co.uk/langshott-manor-luxury-hotel-surrey/restaurants/afternoon-tea.html
6. Woodlands Park Hotel
Woodlands Ln, Stoke D'Abernon, Cobham, Surrey KT11 3QB - From £18.00 per person
The team at Woodlands Park Hotel in Surrey delight guests with our traditional afternoon tea. What better place to enjoy this fine tradition than in one of their beautiful rooms in a historic country house. Enjoy the grandeur of the surroundings whilst savouring each of their carefully prepared pastries, dainty sandwiches and the finest leaf tea, served to perfection.
Visit: http://www.handpickedhotels.co.uk/hotels/woodlands-park/restaurants/traditional-afternoon-tea/
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