Afternoon Tea At Ashdown Park Country Club

My husband had been given a voucher for afternoon tea for his birthday last year which we weren’t able to use until today. We were both really looking forward to going to this hotel as we had heard a lot about it but had never been. On arrival we waited 10 minutes while the receptionist dealt with another couple. Obviously this can’t be helped but, when a member of staff did ask if he could help us, he told us to wait by the podium across the hall by the lounge where we waited another 10 minutes to be helped. Once seated we waited and waited to be served. When a member of staff came and asked what we wanted she was totally unaware that we’d asked for specific sandwiches prior to our visit, as we are a bit fussy. After waiting almost an hour after being seated, with no offer of a drink on a very hot day, we got our tea and food. It looked lovely but it was obvious that we hadn’t go our sandwich choice. After waiting so long we forged ahead and ate it unable to catch anyone’s eye to speak to them about the sandwiches. When we’d nearly finished a member of staff did appear and asked if we were ok and by then it was pointless mentioning the sandwiches. I asked for a glass of water which was brought straight away. When we’d finished we waited for somebody to acknowledge that the voucher had been accepted, ask us if we’d enjoyed the Afternoon tea and clear the table but nobody came. The room became really hot so we got up and left. We don’t think anybody even realised. The staff we spoke to were pleasant enough and I could understand things taking so long if the hotel was really busy but it didn’t seem to be and all it would have taken was a bit of communication to have made our experience a much more pleasant one. In light of our experience I definitely won’t be visiting again.

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I went to Ashdown Park Hotel for high tea with my mother and my sister and, frankly, for such a prestigious establishment, the experience was more than a little disappointing. When we arrived there were 3 members of staff just standing in the entrance hall. Nobody came up to greet us. It was only when the people who followed us in, also for tea, approached them to ask for directions, that a member of staff suddenly came to life. High tea is not to my mind a complicated meal to serve. However, we had to return one of the teacups as it had somebody else's lipstick stain on it. My tea looked extremely weak, so I lifted the lid to stir it and discovered that the hotel had scored a first for me a pot of tealess tea!! The brown bread sandwiches were fine, but the white bread sandwiches were already dry when they were served and were positively curling by the time we came to leave. A very positive point, apart from our friendly waiter, was the scones which were delicious. As for the cakes, we felt that some lacked daintiness, but overall they weren't bad. As we'd prepaid the tea with a voucher, we slipped away in the same way as we had arrived, without so much as a goodbye. So, unfortunately, I could never recommend high tea at Ashdown Park Hotel as I've had far better elsewhere and the experience, for the amount of money it cost, was underwhelming.

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A lovely afternoon spent with a group of friends- good service from Anna and Tomi ? Sorry not sure I have your name correctly spelt) . Lovely champagne and optionally strawberries served. Then sandwiches, lovely scones and beautiful cakes. Sandwiches topped up complimentary. We had a whole lounge to ourselves overlooking the lake. Unfortunately the weather wasn’t good enough to be exploring the grounds so another visit on the cards!!

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The Brasserie for a lunch, was the most overpriced meal ever, and not even good. Asparagus 3 tiny thin ones soggy and parma ham the size of a thumb nail £11.50 Smashed avocado on toast with poached egg, cold and horrid £13.50 Fish of the day sea bass was so small you barely saw it £21 The only good thing was the waitress , and leaving the place! Would not go back, avoid it

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A good selection of cakes with 2 scones and clotted cream. 4 finger sandwiches and a vegetarian option. A pot of coffee, tea or soft drink. Comfy seating and socially distanced

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