Afternoon Tea Review – Lainston House, Winchester

I’ve wanted to try afternoon tea at Lainston House for years; my wedding anniversary this week provided the perfect opportunity and my husband and I enjoyed a brilliant afternoon tea on Thursday. If you’re looking for a traditional and luxurious afternoon tea in a stunning country setting, look no further.

The Setting

Lainston House is a five star hotel situated a stone’s throw from the historic and thriving city of Winchester. The hotel is a former 17th Century mansion, complete with rolling grounds, a church ruin, a cookery school and even a falconry. Upon arrival, we were shown to a table in the drawing room, a beautifully furnished, light and airy room which looks out onto the garden. We were seated next to a window and had a prime view of a member of staff exercising one of the falconry’s owls on the lawn!

What We Drank

We began with the amuse bouche, which was a slim shotglass of rhubarb and ginger. This was delicious: refreshing and light, yet syrupy. We were then served with flutes of sparkling wine; for August, Lainston house are offering complimentary glasses of sparkling wine with all afternoon teas. The tea menu itself is extensive, and all tea is loose leaf and sourced from Char, an upmarket Winchester tea seller. We settled (somewhat predictably!) for breakfast tea, which was served in a very large teapot. The teapot was later refreshed.

What We Ate

The waitress helpfully and succinctly talked us through everything on the cake stand. All the sandwiches had been freshly made and the scones were still warm. There was ample strawberry jam and clotted cream, and the jam, which was home-made, was wonderfully fruity. The dessert tier was exquisitely presented and the selection was well-balanced; my favourite was the chocolate and cherry opera cake. The top tier was decorated with a square of white chocolate, decorated with ‘Happy Anniversary’, which was a very thoughtful touch.

The Service

From the moment of our arrival, all staff at the hotel were polite and professional. We were served by Natalie, who was attentive and courteous. The atmosphere in the drawing room was relaxed and I loved that the staff didn’t make us feel like we ought to pay and leave as soon as we had finished.

While You’re There…

If you visit Lainston House, be sure to take advantage of the beautiful grounds. The church ruin is the site of an 18th Century society scandal (intrigued? More here), and the grounds also boast a fantastic diversity of trees, including the longest line of lime trees in the country.

Overall Impression

This afternoon tea was a definite 10/10 and it was worth waiting for. We loved the elegance of the setting, and the food and service were fantastic.