If you’re after a truly exceptional afternoon tea in Cheltenham, then look no further than Ellenborough Park. The setting is just as decadent as the afternoon tea itself, as you’ll be invited to enjoy your scones and sandwiches in the hotel’s 500-year-old Great Hall.
This room is jaw-droppingly beautiful, with its plaster ceiling, oak beams and stone fireplace. I felt like I’d stepped into a Jane Austen novel!
If the weather allows you also have the option to enjoy your afternoon tea out in the grounds, and I loved the look of their little outdoor ‘carriages’, but personally I think the Great Hall is a more spectacular backdrop.
On arrival, we were shown to our seats in the snug, a cosy space that was once the main entryway to the building but now acts as an intimate oak panelled snug with a hint of exclusivity. I felt like a true lady of the manor, sitting with and yet separate from my court.
And this is the thing – Ellenborough Park showcases its past so proudly that it’s like living history, and you can’t help but picture what it would have been like in times past.
Afternoon tea at Ellenborough Park
But back to the now, and the reason for my visit, which was, dear reader, afternoon tea.
As you’d expect from such a stately setting, Ellenborough Park offers a classic afternoon tea experience all year round, but this year they’ve introduced something new; a series of exclusive themed afternoon teas.
The first was its Wimbledon-themed afternoon tea, which was available on the run up to, and during, the world’s oldest and most prestigious tennis tournament. This was what I’d be invited to enjoy, and spoiler alert I wasn’t disappointed.
On arrival we were asked whether we’d like our drinks before or with our afternoon tea, and invited to choose from luxury coffee, hot chocolate or loose-leaf Newby teas.
The tea options could be explored via the sample box, and as usual I was drawn to the aroma of the jasmine blossom, which was floral and light. Other options however, included assam, lapsang souchong, camomile, rooibos orange and peppermint.
To add to the occasion, we also treated ourselves to a glass of Taittinger champagne and the hotel’s Wimbledon-themed strawberry courtside cocktail. The champers was delectably crisp and the cocktail light and perfect for a summer sip.
A Wimbledon-themed afternoon tea
After a short wait, our freshly prepared afternoon tea was brought out on a three-tier tray and a wooden board. At the top of the tray were the show-stopper Wimbledon-themed cakes and desserts, followed by scones, cream and jam below and then the finger sandwiches.
Set to the side were then the freshly baked savoury pastries and shots of strawberry and Pimms lemonade.
As sophisticated guests, we of course began with the finger sandwiches. These came in three types: smoked salmon and dill crème fraiche, egg and cress, and cucumber and cream cheese. The first was served in brown granary and the others classic white, both spongey and fresh.
My favourite was as usual the salmon; the strong depth of flavour a contrast to the lightness of the egg and the thinly sliced, crisp cucumber. They weren’t sparing with the fillings either, which always gets a tick in my book.
Not a soggy bottom in sight
We then moved on to the savoury pastries, starting with the sun blushed tomato, basil and mozzarella quiche. This was still warm (another tick) and so light it felt like it dissolved on the tongue. Hats off to the chef, as there were no soggy bottoms to be found anywhere in this afternoon tea, with the shortcrust pastry crumbling just so, and the puff pastry of the sausage roll the perfect level of flakiness.
This middle white pork sausage roll came a close second in my savoury favourites line-up. The flavour was subtler than I expected but still tasty, and I liked the addition of the sesame seeds on top.
Having finished our savoury selection, we drank our lemonade shot as a refreshing palate cleanser before moving on to my favourite part of any afternoon tea – the scones.
Again, these were obviously freshly made, and had that perfect mix of crisp outer shell and soft (but not dense) centre. We were each given one plain and one fruit scone, and I couldn’t fault them. 10 out of 10, would have again.
The scones were served with clotted cream and strawberry jam, and as usual we ran out of clotted cream pretty quickly. No problem though, we asked our server Jordan if we could have some more and he returned with a smile and a rather generous top up!
