Mark the Jubilee – with a majestic tea
EVERY week our Holiday Hero NEIL SIMPSON takes an in-depth look at a brilliant holiday topic, doing all the legwork so you don’t have to. This week: Extra-special afternoon teas for the Platinum Jubilee weekend.
HOTELS and historic houses across the country are putting up bunting and laying on a series of carefully crafted afternoon teas to celebrate the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee.
While some are available only on the extended Bank Holiday weekend of June 2-5, others can be enjoyed all summer.
The Queen was born in 1926 in her grandfather’s home at 17 Bruton Street, Mayfair, and the Athenaeum Hotel, a short stroll away, has created an afternoon tea based on ingredients with Royal Warrants.
Coronation chicken and other sandwiches are made with bread from the Queen’s favourite bakery, The Bread Factory in North London, while scones are served with Royal-approved Wilkin & Sons jams from Essex. Costs from £45pp (athenaeumhotel.com).
An even more lavish afternoon tea experience has been organised by holiday firm Oliver’s Travels.
Its Platinum Jubilee Package, available at a variety of country homes such as the Grade II-listed Elizabethan Manor in West Sussex, includes a personal butler to pour traditional teas and serve sandwiches and cake, but you’ll also have a corgi running around and period costumes to dress up in.
Packages cost from £390pp (oliverstravels.com).
High above the streets of London, with views of the celebratory Superbloom display of wildflowers being grown in the Tower of London moat, another opulent tea will be served all summer at the Shangri-La hotel on the 35th floor of The Shard.
The Skyline Jubilee afternoon tea includes scones and clotted cream, a regal strawberry gateau and a jubilee tart. It also comes with fizz from the Nyetimber vineyard in West Sussex, as was served on the Queen’s Royal Barge during 2012’s Diamond Jubilee. Costs from £75pp (ting-shangri-la.com).
At the Castle Hotel, opposite Windsor Castle, Union Jack cupcakes and jubilant macaroon sandwiches round off splendid teas.
Loose leaf teas are chosen by Darvilles of Windsor, supplier to the Palace since 1860, and sparkling wines come from the vineyard in Windsor Great Park. Costs from £30pp (castlehotelwindsor.com).
Glenapp Castle on the Ayrshire coast will have as many items as possible in a mix of gold, silver and Royal purple. Scottish blackberry and lavender mousse is a favourite, while guests called Elizabeth get free champagne. Costs from £35pp (glenappcastle.com).
At Cardigan Castle on June 2, guests will be treated to tea featuring slow-roast Welsh beef and horseradish mayo sandwiches, Victoria sponge and Welsh cakes. Costs from £15pp (cardigancastle.com).
Check into a luxury lodge on the Lower Mill Estate in the Cotswolds, or at Silverlake in Dorset, and afternoon teas with cocktails are on offer across the Bank Holiday weekend. Guests can also order picnic hampers and blankets for their own celebratory treat. Costs from £269pp for three nights from June 3 (habitatescapes.com).