Review: Afternoon Tea at Hilton Bath City

We sent our resident baking enthusiast to the Hilton Bath City to sample the delights of their delectable afternoon tea.

For me there's nothing better than spending the afternoon sitting in a beautiful dining room, nibbling on sandwiches, sipping tea and devouring scones overloaded with jam and clotted cream. Except maybe if you throw in a glass of chilled Champagne!

Afternoon tea is perfect for spending time with loved ones, taking a break from shopping with the girls or celebrating a special occasion. I'm a huge fan of this great British tradition, so to say that I jumped at the chance to do this review for Total Guide to Bath wouldn't be an exaggeration.

Leaving the stifling 30° heat outside, my husband and I entered the hotel, happy to be met with both the cool delights of air-conditioning and a very warm welcome from a member of staff. 

We were then led through the lobby into the stylish Atelier restaurant. The dark wood, leather upholstery and black and white artwork make for a striking dining room with a bistro feel, perfectly suited to the French-style menu on offer for lunch and dinner. Our table was set in one of the large booths in a particularly bright and airy part of the restaurant with large windows looking out on to the River Avon and Bath's famous Pulteney Bridge.

After filling our glasses with iced water we had a lovely chat with our waitress before she took our order for two Traditional Afternoon Teas.

Shortly afterwards, we were each served with our own teapot and a traditional 3-tiered stand...

The tea was Twinings English Breakfast which is always a good choice in my book. It was served with a jug of fresh milk, along with an extra sachet of tea for those who prefer theirs on the strong side.

In a slight change to tradition, sandwiches were served on the top of the stand rather than the bottom. In keeping with tradition, the sandwiches were cut into fingers and offered a selection of fillings. We were served both ham salad on white bread and smoked salmon with cucumber on wholemeal. The bread was soft, the sandwiches freshly made and the fillings tasty.

Next we moved onto the scones. Each stand boasted two fruit scones, a large scoop of thick clotted cream and two pots of Wilkens & Son Tipree jam - raspberry and blackcurrant. The scones were light and and absolutely laden with fruit. A well-made scone with cream and jam is something very special indeed. However, in order to leave some space for the next 'course', I only managed one. Mr Easton comfortably demolished both.

The 'teatime desserts' came in the form of two profiteroles, each topped with a drizzle of chocolate. The choux pastry was perfectly cooked and the crème patissière filling beautifully light with a hint of vanilla. It might sound silly, but cloud-like is the best way I can think of to describe them.

For the most part we were left to our own devices, but staff members regularly passed through the dining room, glancing at the occupied tables in case we should need anything. They were only too happy to supply us with a fresh pot of Twinings after we'd managed to finish ours.

We rounded off a lovely afternoon with an early evening stroll through the streets of Bath, taking in some of the beautiful architecture - just the thing after all that clotted cream!

If you'd like to spend a delightful afternoon with family or friends, Afternoon Tea is served daily at the Hilton Bath City from 1.30pm to 6.00pm.

Why not take advantage of our exclusive offer and enjoy a free glass of Champagne with the Traditional Afternoon Tea - click here for details.