Hidden behind the haste of the Cromwell Road you will find The Bentley Hotel. An elegant boutique hotel with a delightful Afternoon Tea.

You can choose between taking tea in the lobby or the tea room itself. On this occasion I sat in the lobby, with its grand chairs and chandeliers, it is a very beautiful place to relax. Sipping champagne as the world goes by. This is how Afternoon Tea was intended to be. 

The Afternoon Tea is made up of three sections, keeping in with tradition. The experience begins with crustless sandwiches each with its own filling; egg mayonnaise, coronation chicken, cucumber mint with cream cheese and ham with mustard. And beautifully placed beside these a mini smoked salmon crème fresh open sandwich made with quality Scottish smoked salmon - this was my favourite. 

The scones. I think you can tell a lot about a place from the quality of their scones and these were delightful. Served warm with jam and cream. They split perfectly down the centre to reveal a light and fluffy inside. I still find myself thinking about these!

Onto the sweets. Bite sized and adorable, the cakes were wonderfully eclectic. My favourite, the Vanilla Éclair, was delicious. Perfectly proportioned in pastry, cream and chocolate. Other highlights were the carrot cake and mini macaroon. 

Saving the best for last. Although do not actually do this when taking afternoon tea! The tea it’s self. They have quite a nice selection of loose leaf teas. I went for the peppermint. Always a favourite of mine. When they bring out the tea they also have a tea timer. A fun way to ensure you get the perfect brew! 

As with most things in life, a glass of bubbles went very well with the Bentley Hotel’s Afternoon Tea. Rounding this off to be a delightful way to spend an afternoon in the city. And one I will have to return to!