The Afternoon Tea Club Review: Urban Afternoon Tea, Hilton Doubletree, Manchester

Usually, city centres are not exactly our location of choice on a scorching summer's day but the moment we stepped out onto the hotel's eleventh floor balcony we thought 'ah, this is where the fresh air lives!'.

There's a luxurious purple floral theme going on in The Sky Lounge and mixed in with views over the city centre, it's a fantastic setting for Afternoon Tea.

On to the food, starting with a glass of champagne, of course, the Afternoon Tea was very quick to arrive and was beautifully presented on a sleek black, oval tea stand. We began with a savoury selection including tomato and mozzarella bagels, salmon and cream cheese finger sandwiches and pastrami crusty rolls. It's always good to have a little something different and the yummy bagels offered just that. 

Then we sampled a mix of well-sized plain and fruit scones with strawberry and clotted cream - delicious, and to finish a mini dessert selection including lemon and poppyseed muffins, a lovely mango cream pie and beautifully light individual trifles.

To top it off the staff were wonderful and the atmosphere was just perfect to wind down in, a very sophisticated summer city afternoon indeed!

Urban Afternoon Tea Pop Up is available at various dates throughout the summer. 

For more information and to book please visit the hotel website doubletree3.hilton.com or find more on Twitter at @DoubleTreeMCR 

Afternoon Tea News: Wimbledon Afternoon Tea at the Corinthia, London

The Corinthia are serving up a treat this summer, with their fabulous Wimbledon themed Afternoon Tea!

Here's what you can expect:

Inspired by the tastes of the Summer Wimbledon Season, Corinthia London presents delights such as Pimms Jelly presented in a small glass named “A Sip of Summer “ or a chocolate tennis racket aptly titled “Game, Set and Match”.

Savoury options are available including a selection of delicious finger sandwiches with gourmet fillings such as Loch Var smoked salmon, creamed Innes goats cheese with cucumber and organic egg mayonnaise with micro watercress, followed by a mouth-watering selection of scones.

Sounds like the perfect summer treat - and a beautiful one at that. Are you be tempted? Let us know your thoughts below or @TeacupReview!

For times, prices and more information, please visit the Corinthia Website

Afternoon Tea News: Chelsea Flower Show Floral Afternoon Tea at The Dorchester, London

This summer marks the Chelsea Flower Show's one-hundredth anniversary and to celebrate London's top Hotels are launching a series of themed teas. Read below to find out what's on offer at the Dorchester.

Chelsea Flower Show Tea

Here's what they had to say about this exciting new tea:

Inspired by Chelsea Flower Show’s centenary in 2013, The Dorchester’s executive chef, Henri Brosi, has designed a collection of floral-inspired cakes and pastries to complement the finger sandwiches and freshly-baked warm scones, as part of our award-winning afternoon teas in The Promenade.

After enjoying this afternoon tea you’ll also receive a small gift of a lavender bag, from our florist, to scent your home.

So what do you think? We're loving the idea of take home lavender - let us know if you're heading over there!

The Dorchester's Chelsea Flower Show Afternoon Tea will be available in The Promenade from 20th - 26th May 2013. (Daily sittings at: 1.15pm, 2.30pm, 3.15pm, 4.45pm and  5.15pm accompanied by a pianist) Prices start at £51.00 pp with a glass of Laurent-Perrier NV Champagne. 

Prices include VAT and exclude a discretionary service charge of 12.5%.

For more information or to make a reservation, please contact Restaurant Reservations at The Dorchester on +44 (0) 20 73176501, email restaurants.tdl@dorchestercollection.com  or visit their website HERE

Afternoon Tea News: Sketch London Spring/Summer Afternoon Tea

We're loving the new Sketch Summer Afternoon Tea. Served in the Glade room of the super trendy Mayfair restaurant, this enchanting new menu is a tea lover's dream.

Summer's here!

Bringing the outdoors inside, the fairytale-like venue compliments the new menu perfectly. With a complete découpaged forest lining the walls and 50s rattan furniture, this contemporary treat oozes summer charm.

Here's what's on offer:

Including a selection of finger sandwiches such as Cucumber, ricotta and asparagus, Mozzarella and pesto croque monsieur, Egg mayonnaise with quail egg and caviar and the classic Smoked salmon and Jacob’s cream, the new spring summerafternoon tea at sketch has put an exciting new twist on the traditional British favourite. Sandwiches are followed by sultana scones with clotted cream and bitter orange and strawberry jams, before finishing with an assortment of sketch pastries, featuring the Old fashioned pistachio macaroon, Almond and red berry tartlet, a Coffee éclair, Strawberry cheesecake in a glass, Meringatarta, Raspberry meringue, Malabar marshmallows and the renowned sketch opera.

Unique creations.

Diner's have a choice of teas and if you're up for treating yourself, why not add a glass of Champagne or a refreshing Gin and Tonic?

Tempted? We're loving the sound of the Old fashioned pistachio macaroon!

If you're planning a visit - let us know how you get on!

Coffee éclair - yum!

Sketch is situated on Conduit Street, Mayfair, London. Created by French master chef Pierre Gagnaire and restaurateur Mazouz in 2002, it is renowned for its unique and imaginative menus. Spring/Summer Afternoon Tea is available throughout the week from 1-6pm. Prices start at £34 per person (£46with Pommery Apanage/ £54 with Pommery Apanage Rose/ £40 with Gin &Tonic). Bookings for up to 6 people can be made online at www.sketch.uk.com and for larger parties by calling 0207 659 4500.

Afternoon Tea News: The Flowering Afternoon Tea at The Park Lane Hotel, London

Complete with its own chocolate hanging basket and edible garden gnome, The Park Lane Hotel's Chelsea Flower Show inspired tea looks set to become one of this summer's Afternoon Tea highlights

Bloomin' Marvellous

Here's a little of what you can expect:

In celebration of the 100^th anniversary of the Chelsea Flower Show, The Park Lane Hotel in London has created a very special Flowering Afternoon Tea.  Available from Tuesday 14^th May to Sunday 9^th June 2013, the Flowering Afternoon Tea will include a delightful array of horticulturally-inspired teatime treats [...]

[...] To begin the Flowering Afternoon Tea experience, guests will be greeted with a Wild Blossom Champagne Cocktail – Champagne topped off with an edible hibiscus flower soaked in syrup.  A selection of five sandwiches and savouries are then served, including Poached Scottish salmon, cucumber and fennel crème fraiche served on a mini muffin with cucumber flowers; Orange blossom honey, wholegrain mustard roast ham, candied tomatoes and watercress on white bread; and Goats cheese, asparagus and lemon verbena tartlet with a soft boiled quails egg.

Warm, homemade plain and apple and raisin scones will follow, served with lemon verbena curd, clotted cream and seasonal preserves.  Finally, guests will be presented with a selection of floral pastries, including a Chocolate hanging basket with spiced Chai tea mousse and chocolate soil; a Honey orange blossom pain de gene with mango compote and edible honey bees; a Rosewater and raspberry mousse with crystallised rose petals on a rose macaroon and Pistachio and hazelnut chocolate financier “garden patch” with chocolate ladybird.  The pastries will be presented on a marzipan gardening patch edged with a chocolate rockery and will be complete with the edible garden gnome centrepiece perched on a white chocolate toadstool...

So what do you think? We're loving the sound of those summer cocktails and goats cheese tarts - YUM!

Are you booking yourself in for a summer treat? Let us know!

The Park Lane Hotel was amongst a select handful of London hotels to be recognised recently with a prestigious Award of Excellence 2013 by The Tea Guild. The Flowering Afternoon Tea at The Park Lane Hotel will be served from 14^th May to 9^th June 2013 (3pm-6pm on weekdays and 2pm-6pm at weekends) in The Palm Court and costs £45 per person.  Bookings must be made in advance. To book, call The Palm Court on 02072907328 or visit www.palmcourtlondon.co.uk