St Tudno Hotel and Restaurant
If you are coming to Llandudno, afternoon tea at St Tudno Hotel and Restaurant is a must. Having never had afternoon tea before, I was excited and intrigued as to what it involved and I was more than impressed by the outcome. The hotel has received the Award of Excellence from the British Tea Guild and it is no surprise why.
Originally booked for two, we unexpectedly had another two people in our party and the hotel were kind enough to accommodate our increased number at short notice as well as changing our booking time.
The service begins at 2.30pm every day (except Sundays-3pm) and when we arrived we were fortunate enough to be given the window seat at the front of the hotel, so we could overlook the pier and all the passers-by as well as the stunning views of the sea.
Despite the bustle of the street outside, it was still very quiet at our table so we could enjoy a break from the crowd for a couple for hours.
The Full Welsh Afternoon Tea consisted of a choice of sandwiches, to share on a platter to start with (we had cheese and tomato, chicken and salmon on a mixture of brown and white bread). We enjoyed these along with a pot of loose leaf house blend tea, chosen from a large selection on the menu (we had the English Breakfast variety). A great start if you have not had lunch, to satisfy your savoury appetite.
This was followed by 3 tiers of Doris Roberts’ homemade scones, with whipped cream and preserve, Welsh cake, buttered Bara Brith and a homemade pastry or cake. To whet your appetite further, we had Lemon Madeira Cake, Chocolate Fudge Cake and Victoria Sponge Cake.
We were given plenty of refills of tea and the courses came in a timely manner to let the last one settle. All served in or on China crockery with shiny silver cutley, it makes for a very special dining event.
There are many different combinations for afternoon tea to suit every palate and appetite, so there is something for everyone. As we were winding down at the end of our visit to Llandudno, the afternoon tea came a as welcome addition to our day. With a chance to sit and have some conversation in the comfort of the hotel with the roaring fire, regal surroundings and views, it was the perfect way to complete our time in Wales.
Given how much it costs to have a slice of cake and a cup of tea in a lot of the nearby cafes, it was certainly worth the little extra for this unique and relaxed experience.
The manager Martin Bland was also kind enough to introduce himself before our departure, which added the personal touch to our visit. He has been there over 40 years now and all of his family have worked in the hotel over that time. The hotel staff were very approachable and it would seem this homely approach has extended to all of the people who now work for him.
Thankyou to Martin and the rest of the staff who were involved in our visit!
Check out my review of the Llandudno Cable Car here!
Tagged in Wales