'Next level' Afternoon Tea with a twist is possibly the best I've ever had

Joanna Lovell visited Low Wood Resort & Spa in the Lake District and says the hotel's afternoon tea is worth travelling for

I've found a gorgeous venue that does afternoon tea like you've never seen it before.

It's the perfect way to spend a child-free afternoon with the girls, or romantic meal for 2 – as I enjoyed with my other half.

Forget egg mayo sandwiches and sausage rolls, here you'll enjoy pulled beef brisket sliders, crispy coconut king prawns and wood-fired piri piri chicken wings – and that's just for starters!

Oh, this was no ordinary afternoon tea. This really was the Rolls Royce of afternoon teas!

• Get 20% off 'all-inclusive' London hotel
• The family hotel with secret rooftop football pitch
• Mum's 36-hour child-free cruise
• The theme-park that's just like Disney World
• The hotel that makes sleepovers so fun the kids WANT to go to bed

The food is delicious

'I'd struggle to find a better setting'

With a table overlooking Lake Windermere's shoreline in the Lake District, you will struggle to find a better setting for an afternoon tea.

But it's not just the ambiance in the Blue Smoke Restaurant at the Low Wood Bay Resort and Spa in Ambleside which sets the venue apart, it's the way the Wood-Fired Afternoon Tea is done here, which makes it a must-visit venue.

The food came presented in tiers, with the sweet treats at the top – as per a traditional afternoon tea, but the food on offer really was next level compared to afternoon teas I've experienced before.

Having been greeted warmly and seated quickly, staff ensured we didn't have any dietary requirements, before presenting us with the cast-iron pan stand full of mouth-watering food – all beautifully presented.

The view over Lake Windermere was fabulous

Ticked every box

My personal favourite was the crispy coconut king prawns, topped with a wood-fired red pepper and coriander salsa and the toasted slider stuffed with 24-hour slow-cooked smoked and pulled beef brisket, with a Jack Daniels BBQ sauce and house pickles.

There were also pork tacos and blue smoke loaded nachos. With the chips and creamy slaw there was enough savoury food to fill us both, and that was before we got onto the cakes.

The homemade blueberry scone with strawberry jam and clotted cream was delicious – but for me it was the mini doughnuts (with butterscotch sauce that was to die for) that stole the show.

Also on offer was banoffee cheesecake and a crème brûlée brandy snap tart. Simply amazing. It ticked every box, and more.

Every element of the afternoon tea was delicious.

And the portions were huge, if you do visit, make sure you leave yourself plenty of time to dine and work your way through the food!

You can view the full menu here.

And to drink?

The Afternoon Tea does come with a hot drink of your choosing – but I opted for the Prosecco Flight.

For just £9 I enjoyed four 50ml glasses of Prosecco, including 3 Italian and 1 from Argentina. The sommelier helpfully explained to me what to expect from each glass and also told me the correct order to drink the Prosecco to perfectly pair with my food.

Considering 1 cocktail will set you back £12.50, I thought the 'Flight of Fancy' – served on its own little wooden board – was great value.

The 'Flight of Fancy' - four glasses of prosecco is a must!

How much does it cost?

The Wood-Fired Afternoon Tea is £29.50 per person, however we didn't pay that as we got ours included in our luxurious spa day experience.

There are plenty of day spa options to choose from, and they all include either a 2-course meal or the Afternoon Tea.

Afternoon tea is served 12pm to 4.30pm daily at Low Wood Bay Resort & Spa, Ambleside Road, Windermere.

*Joanna Lovell was a guest of Low Wood Bay Resort & Spa. All views her own.*

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