Afternoon Tea for Two at Marwell Hotel, Hampshire

Firstly, I would like to highlight the positives. The staff were friendly, helpful and attentive throughout our visit, and the service was excellent. Unfortunately, the afternoon tea itself was very disappointing. The dining room appeared tired and in need of refurbishment, and the carpet looked extremely dirty, which did not create a good first impression. The food did not meet expectations. The sandwich selection consisted of thickly buttered sandwiches that were of a lower quality than I would expect from an afternoon tea experience. The scones had a pleasant flavour but were so dry and crumbly that it was difficult to spread the clotted cream on them without them falling apart. The cakes on the top tier appeared to be shop bought and were also quite dry. The promotional photograph was not representative of what we were served, which was particularly disappointing given that afternoon tea is often chosen as a special treat. In all honesty, we felt we could have prepared a nicer afternoon tea at home. We left after less than half an hour and ate very little of what was provided. It is important to stress that the staff could not be faulted and did their best, but the quality of the food and the condition of the dining area suggest that management are not investing sufficiently in this offering. Both the afternoon tea itself and the hotel would benefit from significant improvement. Sadly, despite this being a thoughtful birthday gift, it did not provide the experience we had hoped for.

The afternoon tea at Marwell Hotel was delicious but it was a hot day and there did not seem to be any air conditioning in the restaurant. All the doors were open but there was little air movement. We needed a refill for our pots of tea which was most welcome. Overall the selection of sandwiches, cakes and warm scones with cream were tasty and filling.

So disappointed with our experience. The afternoon tea was extremely poor. Nothing like advertised or in the picture. The scones were dry and flakey, cakes were just three shop bought mini cakes cut in half and we didn't even eat all the sandwiches because they were so basic. Everything was bought in to the lowest possible quality. We didn't even eat most of it. The venue was tired and shabby, it didn't feel clean, and my mum had a piece of prawn or something we couldn't even identify in her teapot. I think Buyagift need to vet their host businesses. This was meant to be a good deal but it was absolutely not worth the money, even at a discounted a price.

Dress code , we were informed to wear smart dress and no trainers. We arrive looking smart only to find others in scruffs and wearing trainers . A woodland view, we were led to believe- They're taking the mick. You could see a few trees outside one window. Out of the other, if you bother to open the horrible blinds, you could sit and look at the bins...lovely. The room you sit in is soleless , dirty and not at all inviting. The toilets in the hotel, filthy. Food was OK but I do not recommend Marwell Hotel for this experience.