Cost – £21.00 (Oct 2020)
Parking and Access – There is metered on street parking on the road outside the hotel. It is possible to enter the hotel without steps. There are toilets available inside the hotel, near the reception, which is reached on the flat from the restaurant.
Background – This is the second of the Afternoon Teas we tried whilst on our short break in Eastbourne. We wanted to try an Afternoon Tea in one of the many hotels, and this one looked very promising on the hotel’s website, so we booked a table to try it out.
Contents per person – Four rectangular sandwiches (cream cheese and cucumber, ham and mustard, smoked salmon and egg mayonnaise), plus a slice of sausage roll. One medium fruit scone and one medium plain scone between the two of us, a mini jar of Tiptree strawberry jam and a small pot of clotted cream. A piece of chocolate orange cake, a piece of bread and butter pudding, a mini chocolate chip cupcake, a caramel choux bun and a mini eton mess dessert. A pot of tea.
Options Available – A glass of prosecco or champagne can be added.
Comments – When we arrived at the hotel, Sunday lunch was just finishing in the main restaurant, with a small live band playing. It was really lovely to hear some live music, as this is something that has stopped with the coronavirus pandemic.
We were shown through to the small area along the front of the hotel,
over-looking the beach and the sea beyond. It was a very pleasant place to have our table.
The table was laid with a white linen table cloth, topped with a plate and cup and saucer each.
The crockery was all matching in white with a pattern around the edge. There was also a knife and fork and a paper napkin each.
The menu was waiting on the table. It listed the items in the Tea, plus the five options for tea. We chose the English breakfast tea.
The tea arrived pretty quickly in matching individual teapots, with a pot of hot water each as well. There was also a tea strainer each. The tea was a little on the strong side, but there was plenty of it and we were offered refills. The tea was loose leaf.
The Afternoon Tea arrived soon after on a round metal three tier cake stand with flat slate ‘plates’.
We had requested our ham and mustard sandwiches were replaced with ham and chutney, which we received on our stand with no problems. The sandwiches were all freshly made and were well filled. The ham and chutney was particularly tasty. The sandwiches were made with a mix of brown and white breads.
There was also a very thin slice of a tasty sausage roll.
The scones were warmed up and were fresh and tasty. However, I fail to understand the reasons for providing one of each type of scone between the two of us. I would have rather have two of the same, so that we could have the same as each other. As it was, we each had half of each scone.
There was enough jam for one scone each, and plenty of clotted cream.
The sweet part of the Afternoon Tea was well presented and varied. It was all fresh and tasted good. The bread and butter pudding was particularly good, as was the Eton mess dessert, although, as usual, I wish the dessert could have been a little bigger.
Service was attentive and helpful. We were offered a refill of tea, which we accepted as the water had got a bit too cold to use. The restaurant was being cleaned whilst we had our Tea. However, the door to our area was shut whilst this was happening, so it did not disturb us at all.
| Sandwiches | 1.5 |
| Scone | 1.5 |
| Jam | 1.5 |
| Cream | 2.0 |
| Cake (variety) | 2.0 |
| Cake (quality) | 1.5 |
| Tea | 1.5 |
| Presentation | 2.0 |
| Service | 1.5 |
| Value | 1.5 |
| Total | 16.5 |
All opinions expressed in this review are my own. The photographs are all my own.
I remain completely anonymous and always pay for my Afternoon Teas. They are never gifted to me by the businesses reviewed.
I am the legal copyright holder of the content and images on this blog.
Sarnies Scones and Cakes 