Lilly Likes reviews some of the best Afternoon Tea gifts out there.
Our Friends at Buy A Gift are offering our followers a 15% discount too, just USE CODE: 15LILLYBAG
In the interests of finding you all the best deals on the internet, the bargain hunting team here at Lilly Likes have finally got round to saving you big on afternoon tea gift experiences. If you love tiny cucumber sandwiches with the crusts cut off, we can help you find an afternoon tea near you that matches those high expectations.
Before we delve into a world of jam and scones, let’s talk about who we are and what we do. Here at Lilly Likes, we are on a mission to save our readers/clients/supporters the trouble of hunting down gift experiences. We have already covered a few good ones over on the site. If afternoon tea is the farthest thing from your mind, hop over and read about buying gifts for dad, getting yourself a short break for some time out, or who the best flight operators are to stop you getting your flights cancelled and losing your money… Times are tough, but EasyJet are tougher. Let’s not forget the other blog posts over on Lilly Likes Amsterdam, for those in the know.
It’s time to get back to the subject at hand: afternoon tea. What do you expect from it? Let’s measure that against the 6 best afternoon tea experiences we could dig up.
High tea 😋 pic.twitter.com/dxusUCMmyQ
— Linda 🍎🏝🌹 (@day_z910) August 15, 2021
Our Favourite Afternoon Tea Gift Experiences
We don’t want to hang around here so Let’s jump straight in at number 1.
1 – Tea for Two at Patisserie Valerie
First, nobody likes to take a chance with all the intermittent closures of 2020/2021. So instead of taking a chance, this offer has a 20 month limit on it, meaning it is valid for those whole 20 months.
Second, Patisserie Valerie are in Dundee, Belfast, Manchester, London – all over. No matter where you live in the UK, there is one nearby. This makes the tea for two here a safe bet as a gift for someone since they’re bound to have one nearby.
This afternoon tea for two allows you to share finger fancies with a friend, in the form of savoury sandwiches, patisserie treats, Scones, and a good cuppa. Pattisserie Valerie is famous for its cakes, they do cake boxes, birthday, and celebration cakes, and all are handcrafted. This is an affordable way to sample some of their wares and simultaneously have a great day out.
USE CODE: 15LILLYBAG FOR 15% OFF
2 – Tea for Two at Kensington Secret Garden
Not only does this offer last for that full 20 months again, but it also features domes. Set in the centre of Kensington, this glamorous pod-style dining and high tea service is incredible. It is one of London’s best kept secrets.
You will arrive and be shown to your own pod, on a day of your choosing. The pods look like giant bubbles, capable of protecting your air space and stopping transmission of nasty bugs. The restaurant is called the London Secret Garden and they work hard to create a magical experience for all.
This tea for two deal includes a glass of champagne and a selection of teas to choose from. You will then be treated to scones with clotted cream and jam, umami spring rolls, tiny sandwiches and pistachio and white chocolate cake. There is all manner of sweet and savoury treats to be enjoyed here. Make no mistake, this is a luxury high tea at its finest. The only downside is that you need to be in or around London to buy this deal.
USE CODE: 15LILLYBAG FOR 15% OFF
3 – Multi-Location Tea for Two
This third option covers a whopping total of 71 different locations, up and down the country. You can have your tea for two in a stately home, in a castle, in the heart of London, up a tree, anywhere you like. We were joking about the tree part by the way, don’t call and ask for it.
This offer includes a delicious afternoon tea for two inclusive of the usual suspects. Your menu will vary from location to location. Some places will include champagne and luxury items, others will be in a country kitchen with gingham checked tablecloths and an old lady serving you.
It is the multiple locations that make this high tea deal so attractive. If you live somewhere out in the country and you want something nearby, this is your best bet to find a high tea deal near you. Some of their popular choices include:
- A panoramic tea for two at Marco Pierre White Restaurant on a roof in Birmingham
- Afternoon tea at Alexander House Hotel, country manor
- A bottomless tea for two near London’s Marble Arch
- Champagne tea at Lewtrenchard Manor in Devon
And so many others you won’t believe your luck.
USE CODE: 15LILLYBAG FOR 15% OFF
4 – The Gentleman’s Afternoon Tea for Two
As a society, we tend to aim high teas at women. That’s fine, because the demographic of those that do indulge in the odd high tea, do happen to be women. It’s just marketing statistics, not discrimination. However, it does mean that the tradition of high tea doesn’t seem as gender neutral as it could be.
Enter the Gentleman’s High Tea, the perfect answer to including the men in the time honoured tradition of English tea drinking. This Gentleman’s high tea includes an afternoon at the Dalmahoy Hotel and Country Club, which is an 18th century, four star luxury hotel and country club in Edinburgh.
This place is surrounded by golf courses and Scottish countryside. The tea for two itself includes sausage rolls, pork pies, cheese, and chutney. There are cakes, fruit and plain scones, and tea or coffee is included… but their marketing says they expect you to have a beer with it. You know… because you’re a boy.
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5 – The Gin Cocktail Afternoon Tea Bus Tour for Two
We laughed aloud at the title. So, this is an excuse to get drunk and call it a high tea, but then they put it on a bus, too, so it’s a tour of Edinburgh. This is quite possibly the most Scottish bus tour about. The only way it could get more Scottish is if the gin was whisky. It’s eclectic, eccentric, and loved by Scottish gin drinkers everywhere.
This deal lasts the whole 20 months too and will be affected by the weather. Since it is Edinburgh, booking in summertime isn’t always enough to get the good weather. Luckily, the tour will still look good in the rain and the dining can be taken under cover. It’s just nice to be able to sit outside.
But it’s also a high tea, so let’s look at what’s included. You get to ride on a vintage double decker bus, which pulls over into the outdoor dining restaurant they use, where they ply you with some tea and a glass of prosecco. Next, they bring out the sandwiches and cakes coupled with unlimited tea or coffee and give everyone a pot of gin cocktail. We’re not sure how much is in a pot.
This whole thing sounds delightful. Go and see for yourself. Edinburgh’s not bad, either.
USE CODE: 15LILLYBAG FOR 15% OFF
6 – Bottomless Prosecco Afternoon Tea Cruise Aboard the Dorset Queen
If we were having a vote as to who had reinvented the afternoon tea for two best, we would have to choose the Dorset Queen. This is the kind of high tea adventure you go on even if you don’t like tea and coffee.
This cruise departs from Poole Quay, sees you head around the coast to Lillput, pass the Parkstone Yacht Club, Salterns Marina, the Royal Motor Yacht Club, the Millionaires Row of Sandbanks, and Brownsea Castle, among other locations. The cruise takes about an hour and a half, and they don’t allow minors on board, for obvious reasons.
The tea is described as traditional, which means it will include those little triangle sandwiches, some delicious scones with clotted cream and jam, some sweet cakes and even the odd savoury bite. The crew will serve you bottomless prosecco while you enjoy the views and the sea air. They only serve Dorset tea, but they do have a selection of sandwiches to fill you up.
USE CODE: 15LILLYBAG FOR 15% OFF
The Good Thing About Afternoon Tea…
The good thing about gifting someone with an afternoon tea experience, is that everyone loves tea. Or cake. Or prosecco. There’s very little chance that this gift will go wrong. We even including a Gentleman’s option for those that are ashamed to be seen in a Gingham patterned café, and an out-at-sea option for those that love boats.
What we have learned during this article, is that everyone loves high tea, and that the Brits have gone to extraordinary lengths to make sure that this particular tradition is preserved. There’s nothing wrong with wanting to treat yourself to some cake and sandwiches. Also, there’s always the chance that they will invite you along as their plus one, should you gift someone a high tea experience.
We’ve already shown you how unique it can be. All you have to do is love cake enough to take a leap of faith.
