Afternoon Tea at Ashdown Park Hotel & Country Club in Wealden

Our afternoon tea was a real experience, everything was so fresh! 3 different types of jam for the scones and bottomless tea! Melt in the mouth macarons, and light as air sponge cakes. The staff were so friendly and gave us a brief history of this amazing building! us 4 “ladies of a certain age”are experienced afternoon tea experts, and rate this as one of the best!

A lovely afternoon spent with a group of friends- good service from Anna and Tomi (? Sorry not sure I have your name correctly spelt) . Lovely champagne and optionally strawberries served. Then sandwiches, lovely scones and beautiful cakes. Sandwiches topped up complimentary. We had a whole lounge to ourselves overlooking the lake. Unfortunately the weather wasn’t good enough to be exploring the grounds so another visit on the cards!!

The Brasserie for a lunch, was the most overpriced meal ever, and not even good. Asparagus ( 3 tiny thin ones ) soggy and parma ham the size of a thumb nail £11.50 Smashed avocado on toast with poached egg, cold and horrid £13.50 Fish of the day sea bass was so small you barely saw it £21 The only good thing was the waitress , and leaving the place! Would not go back, avoid it

Second visit to this beautiful establishment. I believe it’s sister to Chilston Park but surpasses it imho. The lounges are as sumptuous as the fayre is scrumptious! Sandwiches were replenished and teapots topped up without hesitation and no extra charge. We enjoyed a leisurely three hours and felt unrushed. It’s the place to go for a relaxing afternoon!

I went to Ashdown Park Hotel for high tea with my mother and my sister and, frankly, for such a prestigious establishment, the experience was more than a little disappointing. When we arrived there were 3 members of staff just standing in the entrance hall. Nobody came up to greet us. It was only when the people who followed us in, also for tea, approached them to ask for directions, that a member of staff suddenly came to life. High tea is not to my mind a complicated meal to serve. However, we had to return one of the teacups as it had somebody else's lipstick stain on it. My tea looked extremely weak, so I lifted the lid to stir it and discovered that the hotel had scored a first for me - a pot of tealess tea!! The brown bread sandwiches were fine, but the white bread sandwiches were already dry when they were served and were positively curling by the time we came to leave. A very positive point, apart from our friendly waiter, was the scones which were delicious. As for the cakes, we felt that some lacked daintiness, but overall they weren't bad. As we'd prepaid the tea with a voucher, we slipped away in the same way as we had arrived, without so much as a goodbye. So, unfortunately, I could never recommend high tea at Ashdown Park Hotel as I've had far better elsewhere and the experience, for the amount of money it cost, was underwhelming.

We were given vouchers for afternoon tea as a present and we decided to visit Ashdown Park. The whole experience was lovely, from the warm welcome at reception to the charming and attentive waiting staff who served our tea. The sandwiches, scones and cakes were absolutely delicious. We particularly enjoyed the top up of fresh tea (all those sandwiches and cakes makes you thirsty). After tea we sat outside in the sunshine admiring the wonderful view of the lake and fountains. All in all it was a thoroughly enjoyable afternoon. The staff were lovely and there was absolutely no pressure on us to leave. My only negative comment is that the room we had tea in could do with a little updating

You could do so much better than this, come on guys. There is more to food than filling it with sugar. Get some proper jam at least.

We went for afternoon tea yesterday 20/07/21, Has a birthday gift from a friend,It all went reasonably well to start with, ( we were not told a alcoholic drink was included but ordered one,) It took a while to arrive, No one was around at the end so I went to reception to ask for the bill, we had a bottle of sparkling water and a glass of Prosecco, finally when the bill came it was for £103:50p !!!! We questioned the amount and so the fiasco started, the bill went back and forth 3 times, with requests for room number ( not staying ) A card number,address, phone number,I had cash, ( Because we had two drinks) Suddenly we were told we could go.This was now an hour later. That evening I rang the hotel still confused, Someone spoke to me and apologised and said it was sorted.It did ruin what was meant to be a special occasion.

My husband had been given a voucher for afternoon tea for his birthday last year which we weren’t able to use until today. We were both really looking forward to going to this hotel as we had heard a lot about it but had never been. On arrival we waited 10 minutes while the receptionist dealt with another couple. Obviously this can’t be helped but, when a member of staff did ask if he could help us, he told us to wait by the podium across the hall by the lounge where we waited another 10 minutes to be helped. Once seated we waited and waited to be served. When a member of staff came and asked what we wanted she was totally unaware that we’d asked for specific sandwiches prior to our visit, as we are a bit fussy. After waiting almost an hour after being seated, with no offer of a drink on a very hot day, we got our tea and food. It looked lovely but it was obvious that we hadn’t go our sandwich choice. After waiting so long we forged ahead and ate it unable to catch anyone’s eye to speak to them about the sandwiches. When we’d nearly finished a member of staff did appear and asked if we were ok and by then it was pointless mentioning the sandwiches. I asked for a glass of water which was brought straight away. When we’d finished we waited for somebody to acknowledge that the voucher had been accepted, ask us if we’d enjoyed the Afternoon tea and clear the table but nobody came. The room became really hot so we got up and left. We don’t think anybody even realised. The staff we spoke to were pleasant enough and I could understand things taking so long if the hotel was really busy but it didn’t seem to be and all it would have taken was a bit of communication to have made our experience a much more pleasant one. In light of our experience I definitely won’t be visiting again.

A good selection of cakes with 2 scones and clotted cream. 4 finger sandwiches and a vegetarian option. A pot of coffee, tea or soft drink. Comfy seating and socially distanced

We live locally and have been to the Ashdown Park Hotel on various occasions over the years including being members for quite some time of their country club s we know it well and know what to expect here. This afternoon we booked to go and have afternoon tea for three of us (which we have previously had there a couple of years ago). To start with there was nobody on the door to greet you and the hand sanitiser unit was empty. Varying staff walked passed us and we had to get the attention of a member of staff who asked if we were booked in. We were taken to our table in the lounge and given a tea menu and the waitress then left us. When another couple came in with a different member of staff and were given their menus and asked if they would like a jug of water I then asked that waitress if we could also have a jug of water (which was brought to us minus the lemon and lime slices which I saw other jugs had in them). When this water was bought we gave our order to the waitress. Our drinks were brought and the food followed. Four finger sandwiches each. This was the only savour food on offer and one set was completely stale. The waitress apologised and these were replaced by thick bread but not stale bread and the cream cheese and cucumber one was lacking in cream cheese. When our food was given to us, we were not told what was on the cake tier. Before leaving I visited the ladies restroom and was extremely disappointed to see the state of the toilet basins which were all badly scratched and two of the toilet seats were not seated correctly on the toilet basin and in one cubical the door latch knob was missing so if you pushed the bar across you might not be able to open it. I paid the bill and realised when I got outside they had not taken into account the £10 per person deduction that they have signed up to the government's scheme of Eat Out to Help Out in August. I returned to reception and this was credited back to my card. It is such a shame that general maintenance was not carried out during the lock down period and that their afternoon tea experience was not a relaxing pleasant one. All in all this was so disappointing and not up to the standard expected at this 4* hotel. I do not normally write bad reviews but I felt that in the instance this review was needed.

We enjoyed our afternoon tea experience. The selections of teas and coffees were extensive and the food was to die for! The apple tart dessert was a crowd favorite amongst us. The scones couldn’t be beat either. Our only complaint was the slow service as it took a while to be served and get our bill.

This was one of the better afternoon teas I’ve ever had. Due to the pandemic they had to separate portions onto individual plates rather than the three tiered stand but it was still a beautiful presentation. The apple cinnamon tarte was divine and scones melted in my mouth! The Winnie the Pooh tea offered for children is precious and our two year old son loved it.

Nice food expert service lovely fire and relaxed setting Highly recommend Better than the savoy and harrods which just recently went too

Loved the fact that there was options for children’s afternoon tea as well. We all enjoyed the food. Was nice and fresh and very tasty.

Service was terrible. Couldn’t understand any of the waiters and they couldn’t understand us.I don’t expect to go out to afternoon tea and feel exhausted when leaving from the constant repetition of conversation! Was asked to put my coat and scarf on the chair behind me. Not sure when this became acceptable at such a venue.The afternoon tea itself was probably one of the worst I’ve had.Vegetarian sandwiches were 2 choices. Egg mayonnaise which tasted of nothing and cream cheese and Cucumber (not sure where the cream cheese was). Quite frankly I make better sandwiches that actually taste of something at home!Cakes were ok but the scones were pretty rubbish. I’ve had much better scones in village tea rooms. The dining room wasn’t full yet all tables were sat squeezed together I suppose to make waiting staff have to do less. But it felt odd and we didn’t like it. We weren’t asked if we wanted tea and coffee top ups, we weren’t given spoons for the dessert pots and had to use our tea spoons. Then didn’t have spoons for our tea so had to use knives to stir. Waiters were hardly there to ask for assistance.All in all this was a massive disappointment.Apart from the beautiful grounds there isn’t much I’d recommend.Won’t be going again.

We turned up without a booking on a Friday afternoon and were graciously accommodated in lounge chairs at a table by the fire. A selection of magazines on the sideboard was a nice touch. Food and tea ordered off the menu was lovely. Having enjoyed the ambiance inside we wandered back to our car via the historic chapel.

Excellent cream tea sitting in a comfy relaxing lounge. Was able to ask for a change of sandwich as smoked salmon not a favourite. Plenty of variety of tea/coffee. Nothing was too much trouble. Will definitely be going back again.

We started this journey last Christmas with a voucher and the subsequent booking direct with the hotel was seamless. We arrived in good time a little apprehensively but we were quickly put at ease by nice welcome and personally taken to our comfortable lounge seats. There was a nice selection of tasty food but we personally would have liked a few more sandwiches and a few less cakes. The tea/coffee options were great and we were asked if we wanted top ups throughout our stay. Seems to be a nice well run hotel with staff keen to positively interact. I was here in the late 1980's for a residential course as a Barclays employee and a few aspects seemed familiar but the facilities are so much greater now. Of course they should be for such a delightful establishment I suppose.

A lovely setting. Staff friendly and welcoming. We'd booked for afternoon tea and spa. Afternoon tea very lovely. Swimming pool and jacuzzi great. Ladies changing area very restricted, no individual area. Showers, in need of TLC. Toilet facilities, x 2, are unisex. Grounds are amazing. Massage as expected. After experiencing many alternative spa venues, there's a need, in my opinion, to expand on the changing / toilet area - needs to be developed.

The team working here are friendly and helpful. However at previous teas I have attended I have been offered more tea, had my tea served and been offered additional sandwiches, cakes etc (although I would not have wanted any) but it's polite to be asked and the service felt slightly lacking when compared to other providers. A nice selection of cakes and freshly made scones although the sandwiches were lacklustre, disappointing,very unimaginative and a little dry.

The food is medium and the service is spotty. The rooms are in need of a major redo. The whole property really needs to be redone.

I treated my wife to afternoon tea at Ashdown Park for her birthday and it was delightful. You had a selection of sandwiches, scones and cakes plus a choice of 6 different teas. Lovely afternoon and worth a visit.

We have a review on here of someone (daze1721) back in June 2016 waxing lyrical about a gluten free afternoon tea. They said it mirrored the ordinary tea except for one dessert, which was replaced with chocolate brownies. They had chocolate bombs and mini fruit tarts. They were so pleased, they even posted photos.

We booked the Afternoon Tea for the first day of our 3 day visit. We were ushered into a beautiful panelled room with comfy chairs and sofas, already laid out for tea in private groups. There's a wide choice of teas - I had roibos - and my sister drank black coffee, both poured for us from gold-plated pots. My sister had asked for vegetarian sandwiches and hers were served on a separate plate. Tea consisted of 4 sandwiches, 2 plain and 2 fruit scones with optional jam and cream, and 4 cakes each. More tea or coffee was available and the service was professional and understated but really made us feel taken care-of. A lovely experience!

My aunt booked an afternoon tea for 8 of us on Tuesday. It was my Nan's 60th so we wanted to make it special. Considering it cost £200 it was NOT worth it. The hotel itself is lovely and the grounds are beautiful however this was not reflected in our afternoon tea.

We were given a lovely voucher for tea - we wouldn’t normally pay that for afternoon tea but we are local and always enjoy the hotel.

We had afternoon tea at the country club of ashford park hotel The sandwiches and scones were nice but the cakes were a little disappointing I’ve had a lot better elsewhere

I have had afternoon tea here quite a few times before and it is always special, it has lovely lounges set over several rooms with comfortable sofas and arm chairs, it is traditional and enjoyable with friendly staff and linen cloths and napkins. Well started with 4 different sandwiches each none of us liked the smoked salmon option I wished we had asked for an alternative one, then 1 plain and 1 fruit scone each with a selection of tiptree jams my favourite, and plenty of thick cream. Then a choice of 4 pastries, chocolate gateau, mini lemon meringue pie, Mille-feuille and passion fruit pannacotta this one was disappointing as it was too runny, the staff were quite happy to supply a box so we could take home leftovers. Well then visited the toilet always very nice. We had a wander around and the staff were very accommodating allowing my friend to look around the dining room as she had not visited before were then strolled around the grounds wishing we were staying the night and having dinner! We looked in the chapel again a member of staff was quite happy for us to do this. We had a very enjoyable afternoon thank you and my friend who we were treating was very pleased and keeps talking about it.

Our approach was through woodland with warnings to avoid deer crossing and alondside a resevoire,so well prepared for a mock-Gothic mansion with lawns sweeping down to a lake with jet fountain.Although tempted by the terrace overlooking this we opted for the comfortable drawing room..Having booked, our table was prepared including a selection of jams .When the tiered plates of a selection of sandwiches & cakes was brought the attentive servers asked us individually what type of tea each of us would prefer,with the teapots came the the fresh whipped cream for the scones.All was delicicious although on this hot day it was evident that some sandwiches had been cut and left uncovered,thus slightly dried.For me the highlight was a visit to the deconsecrated chapel with a fabulous array of stained glass windows now used for weddings.I was invited but the prices seemed lower than comparable country house venues in Sussex which adds to the factors making this a relaxed/enjoyable experience

We thought we would have an afternoon tea before heading to the airport. We were not aware that people have to book in advance. Despite not having booked we were served so that we could enjoy the afternoon tea and make it to our flight in time. Thank you.

We generally will have an afternoon tea 1 or 2 times during our 4 or 5 day visit. This tea is very good. It is (in our experience and opinion) very well priced. The tea is at times "bagged" not loose which certainly is strange in the UK at a country hotel. Nevertheless it is good quality tea. The option is to have only tea and scones or a full tea. We have one full tea. We generally share the sandwiches (these were plentiful). My wife has the scones. I have the dessert. Since the drawing rooms allow you the full all-day menu, I often will have latte or beer. This was a satisfying experience with options and quality. Check out my review of this hotel. Once again I will commend the women who waitress these drawing rooms. And the internet quality is very good, so you can relax and still stay in contact with your American colleagues who are 5 hours earlier in the day.

We were at the hotel for a special birthday celebration. We started with afternoon tea. The food was great but could have done with less cake & more savoury ie sandwiches. Also not everyone likes mustard & there was only one type of ham sandwich - with mustard.

What is not to like, great surroundings, great food and drink, and again knowledgeable staff. One of the outstanding features of Ashdown Park is that the staff are rarely seen but are always there when you need them. It is hard to find fault, and to try and do so would be a waste of time, which could be spent enjoying the occasion.

See mail review of hotel. Fantastic tea and hot choc. Good range of champagne. Brilliant staff. Top marks.

Room was far too hot. Servers were all fantastic. Bread too dry and crusty and scones a little stale. Clean polished cutlery and tableware. Nobody rated the sweet selection, most of which were melting in the room. Only one cake choice. Lots of herbal tea choices, but not informed of any other dark teas, only English Breakfast Tea. Bottle of prosecco fat too expensive at over £40. Wouldn’t come back.

I visited here with my young family and my friend with her young family. The staff were helpful from the moment I booked. I booked afternoon tea to either have as a picnic or in hotel. The weather wasn't great so we had it indoors. They had set us up in a great spot overlooking the parkland. My daughter had the children's tea, which was lovely. We throughly enjoyed our tea also and when the weather lifted we had a lovely walk around the grounds. I would recommend afternoon here.

We were staying at the hotel for my husbands 70th birthday and I had arranged to have the afternoon tea to add to the celebration...and it did. It was beautifully served with a good selection of teas....coffees and even hot chocolate. The sandwiches were lovely and fresh with good fillings there was plain and fruit scones served with a selection of jams and of course cream and a selection of divine little cakes. The table wear was lovely with beautiful China cups and saucers. Everything was spotless and the silver shone and it was lovely to sit relax whilst eating in one of their lovely lounges where it was served ...made our stay just that little bit more special.

we had a voucher for afternoon tea. Since we arrived early we walked around the grounds which were wonderful in the sunshine. Tea was served sitting on a sofa so leaning forward to the table.

Very nice setting. Relaxing not hurried in anyway. Staff very pleasant and helpful. Felt spoilt.

Given a Champagne tea for two as a gift from a friend for my 70th birthday I didn't really know what to expect as I had never heard of Ashdown Park Hotel. As you enter the grounds you can't help but be impressed by the size of this impressive building. Afternoon tea is served in a selection of lounges, we were lucky to have a window table offering fabulous view over the lake. Beginning with a glass of Champagne followed by a choice of teas, sandwiches, scones with jam and cream and selection of cakes. The only disappointment was the cakes which were dry and didn't look a bit like pictures taken by passed guests. However it was still an enjoyable experience.

Tienen los bocadillos típicos, té, té y otras delicias de alta. Pero lo que diferencia a este aparte es el ambiente y la ubicación. Ambos son excepcionales.

Uitgebreide high tea dar meer een complete lunch blijkt te zijn. Prima verzorgd met een overdosis aan bedienend personeel. Kwalitatief goede gerechten met veel zoet.

Afternoon tea in the lounge has stunning large windows and lots of space around each table. The scones and cream were delicious! Tea nice, coffee not so much.

We were given a tea here by friends. It was lovely eating outside looking over the lawn, but it is very expensive if you intend to pay for yourself!

absolutely lovely venue in several large reception rooms with great views over the park the food was mouthwatering

Scones were the best ever......wonderful pastry and cakes. Fabulous treat.xxx good friendly service, but the scones were just so so so good. X

Nice welcome from the staff. A lovely place for afternoon tea.Good tea selection and decaf (thank you!).Sandwiches were great. Scones were amazing! Cakes were good too.This is a lovely afternoon tea in a lovely building.The only slight negative for me is the slightly brisk nature of some (not all) of the staff.Overall highly recommended.

In error, I placed an afternoon tea review on the main Ashdown Park Hotel Tripadvisor page, unaware that this page existed. Please visit there for my (glowing) review!

Perfectly presented, very tasty, and the perfect way to start your break. Served in great surroundings and helped by a glass of bubbly

We had the traditional afternoon tea as part of our stay at Ashdown Park Hotel and thoroughly enjoyed the selection. You are given the sandwiches you expect with an afternoon tea with an assortment of different breads which all taste lovely.The scones were homemade and baked beautifully, they were all moist and were a great base for the Devonshire clotted cream and jam. Not all of the cakes were to my taste but again that is to be expected from an afternoon tea.We shared three between the four of us and simply ordered extra tea, this was the perfect amount for us; whilst we were there we saw others have left overs boxed up to take away with them so we were pleased we shared. The varieties of afternoon tea was a nice extra including the special one made especially for children.

Delightful sandwiches, scones ith jam and cream and a huge variety of pattisseries. Definitely not for those on a diet!

I took my mother and daughter for afternoon tea and, although the experience was enjoyable and relaxed, the food and service were a little disappointing. Unfortunately, it was raining so we sat in one of the lounges. The chairs and sofas are old but clean and comfortable. The first waitress was brusque and spoke with a heavy accent which made us have to asking her to repeat herself. The waitress who brought our order was very agreeable.There was a lovely selection of teas and our order was correct. Two of the sandwich fillings were delicious (the ham and smoked salmon) but the egg mayonnaise and the cheese and cucumber were bland and needed seasoning. The scones and cakes were lovely but again, I was disappointed that the jams were in jars rather than homemade. No-one came to check if we wanted any more tea. However, it was a pleasant experience.

Afternoon tea,very enjoyable,excellent presentation ,good selection of sandwiches ,delicious scones and cakes,a good choice of Teas ,the menu offers champagne at extra cost ,but perfect for a special occasion The grounds are beautiful,offering delightful views ,on a perfect summers afternoon ,tea can be served in the garden Easy parking,and disabled area just by hotel entrance Booking is advisable ,we had Sunday afternoon tea at 3 30 pm and was well booked at this time ,a very enjoyable afternoon tea ,highly recommend

Awesome! Congratulations to their new pastry chef a real star! Fantastic gluten free afternoon tea which mirrored the ordinary tea except for one desert but we weren't disappointed as we had chocolate brownies instead! This meant we didn't feel left out like a lot of places that have no imagination. Great attention to detail. Chocolate bomb without biscuit base, superb. Mini fruit tarts exceptional the pastry was lovely, light and crisp. Fruit scones were light and not at all dry all topped off with strawberry panna cottaBeautiful location and great for a treat.From the moment we entered this beautiful building everyone we met was polite and could not have been more helpful, truly making our visit one to remember Can't wait to return, thank you all

Took my friend here for a birthday treat, and utilised the spa to have an impromptu aqua class, use of sauna's and steam rooms and a couple of treatments too. The staff were very accommodating and pleasant, the food options were basic but nice. The spa it's self was a little dated but clean and relaxing, thought they could have made better use of the views around this lovely hotel. The hotel itself is very oldy worldy with some amazing rooms to hire and beautiful gardens.The afternoon spa/tea package was good value and we felt truly spoilt and relaxed.

This is probably the best afternoon tea in Sussex, if not the UK. The cakes are fresh and a good selection. All home made. The sandwiches are a good selection and the scones warm and large - a plain and fruit one each. There is a children's option and, if you feel decadent, champagne and strawberries too. Yum!

It is essential to book afternoon tea at what is a very popular venue. Three different adjoining lounge areas are used and at the time of our visit all were virtually full. The only problem then is that these areas also are used by other visitors to the Hotel and you can have businessmen in suits holding a private discussion next to where you are having a relaxed tea. The quality is in line with other Sussex based four star hotels although it can then be perhaps somewhat subjective as to which venue's tea is the best. WE had the Champagne tea where the difference is a glass of non vintage champagne included.The two scones each are quite large and the pastries usually defeat everyone but here they simply give you a cardboard box rather than taking the pastries away and putting them wrapped in a box for you.

Charming room, lovely view off garden, super sandwiches and scones. Friendly staff made to feel very special.

We went for afternoon tea to celebrate a birthday. It was very relaxing and we felt very spoilt. The view whilst drinking our tea & eating scones was wonderful and we both agreed that we need to come back in the summer & enjoy having tea in the garden! A wonderful experience!

I've had afternoon tea here 4 times and every time it's never been a disappointment!! Comfort, tranquility and excellent service - try it!!!

The afternoon tea was outstanding we didn't book a table but one was found for us with out any trouble the tea was replaced as soon as tea pot got a little cold the sandwiches were wonderful and the scones were fresh out the oven a brilliant place for after noon tea

Really good tea, all the food was fresh, lovely variety. Tea was excellent. Service was a bit slow but it was New Years so they may have been short staffed.

I try to go here once a year in the spring and have done for the last three years and have been delighted by every aspect of this luxurious place to have an afternoon tea. I ring up and reserve my favourite table and the staff try and accommodate me. On arrival the staff are welcoming and immediately guide you to your host for the afternoon. The afternoon tea consists of a silver 3 tray service with sandwiches on 1 tray, the next tray has scones with clotted cream and a variety of jams and the final layer has these beautifully presented cakes. They serve whichever tea you require.The food is enough for my wife and I to miss dinner in the evening. I asked for another pot of tea which was served immediately. We moved away from the table and had the second pot of tea on the comfortable settees. It is excellent not to be rushed and to just relax in beautiful surroundings. As a little aside to dry your hands in the toilet you get fresh towels for individual use. This restaurant has 2 competitors that I know of in West Sussex neither of which comes up yo this standard. Yes you do pay for it, but I still feel it's worth it once or twice a year to be totally spoilt or for a special occasion.

We have regularly eaten here and although very expensive it is always very good. But when we went for afternoon tea recently we felt like nuisances (sorry!). Mark you it was just before Xmas and they were extremely busy, so we'll go again at a better time.

What a lovely Hotel. We arrived and were immediately impressed with both the lovely grounds and imposing Country House premises. The staff were really welcoming and supplied us with a map for our pre-tea walk. Once we had enjoyed a quick stroll in the beautiful grounds we retired to the comfortable lounge for the full afternoon tea experience. The sandwiches, scones and cakes were all lovely and the service attentive. A special mention must go to the children's Winnie the Pooh tea which was plenty for an early supper and a good mix of healthy food and a few yummy treats. Perhaps my only suggestion for the hotel would be a little background music to keep both ours and other guests conversations' private. Over-all lovely. We will be back!

Our previous 2 visits to Ashdown for afternoon tea were a 5 * experience - this time (post Christmas 2015) we were disappointed with the food. Sandwiches were good with a good selection of teas but the scones were dry, the cream was unfortunately tasteless - possibly piped whipped cream? not the thick clotted cream they advertise. The cakes were uninteresting and bland. The venue, the lounges and the staff were however excellent. - hence a reading of 3.

This was a surprise organised by my wife for my birthday and was an excellent present. We had the full champagne afternoon tea. The only thing we would have changed is not to have chocolate cakes but thats just us. I suppose they could have asked us what type of cakes we would like.

afternoon tea is an absolute must, beautifully served with a never ending choice of fine teas, including good old fashioned English breakfast, sandwiches are exquisite, with a wide selction of very pretty an very tasty cakes and scones.

There's always an excuse to have a good afternoon tea and this the ideal place to have it. You can expect a warm welcome when you first arrive and an equally warm room to sit in. Service was quick but we were certainly not rushed whilst there. They serve good quality cakes and sandwiches. Unfortunately the weather didn't lend itself to having a walk around the grounds but I have no doubt we will be back again.

We thoroughly enjoyed our afternoon tea, along with our eldest granddaughter, the staff were very friendly, and kind to us all, rooms excellent along with swimming pool and spar, the restaurant was very good and far exceeded our expectations both at dinner and breakfast

Beautifully fresh food, served in wonderful surroundings by lovely staff. Quiet, peaceful and relaxed atmosphere. We never felt rushed and nothing was too much trouble.

Afternoon is a very special event at ashdown Park hotel. Every thing served was of the highest quality. The staff were just perfect. We sat outside in the garden near the small church and overlooking the pond.

Afternoon tea was nice but had a very large pot of tea first cup was nice second was stewed, a smaller pot and a fresh pot or even an offer of one would make this a more enjoyable afternoon tea. They give you a pot of boiling water to top up I think? but who wants topped up stewed tea. There is a lot to get through and the offer of fresh tea really should be offered at the price they charge. Took all cakes home to have with a nice fresh pot of tea. Service was average,

We spent our anniversary at The Ashdown Park Hotel and had a lovely time. We stayed one night and enjoyed a cosy afternoon tea on our second afternoon. Unfortunately it was pouring with rain so we couldn't enjoy their lovely grounds but they did seat us at the large windows so we had a nice view whilst we enjoyed our treats. There was a fairly good range of teas, all teabags, and served in nice china pots. The finger sandwiches, scones and little cakes were all delicious and fresh, served with lots of jam and clotted cream! Very yummy! We couldn't eat it all as there was so much!It's quite a pricey visit but it's well worth it for a treat!

Just returned from Afternoon Tea at the Ashdown Park Hotel in Wych Cross with my friend who had been given a gift voucher and it was rather a disappointing experience. We were shown to our table and then left for around five minutes. Someone then came up to ask us if we had chosen our tea. Naturally we hadn't as we had no idea what the choices were. She then gave us the tea menu and said she would give us a few minutes to decide. It must have been around ten minutes before she returned to take our order. We ordered a glass of champagne as well which arrived with the pots of tea, hot water, very nice sandwiches and cakes. I have to say that the food was excellent, very fresh and tasty. However, we were then left for at least another half an hour before someone came along to check if everything was to our liking. I did then ask if I could possibly have a pot of coffee which eventually arrived with a further charge. I said I was under the impression that there would not be a charge for this and if there was then I didn't want it so she did leave the pot and took away the bill. After that we saw no-one until we left around two hours later. I did feel that we had been rather ignored throughout the whole of the afternoon tea and seeing that we were the only people in that particular room they really did not seem rushed off their feet.I did visit the Nutfield Priory last week, one of the Handpicked group of hotels, for an identical afternoon tea and I have to say it knocked spots off the Ashdown Park. We were given a second supply of sandwiches free of charge, plus a pot of tea, followed by a pot of coffee, all free of charge. Also the service was second to none on that occasion with the waitress coming over around every half an hour to check that we were ok and to see if we needed anything else. Ashdown Park should take a few tips from them I reckon.

Staff helpful . Afternoon Tea a let down especially as it was our 24th Wedding Anniversary. Had better at a Garden Centre. Surroundings lovely. Just need to make more effort with the afternoon tea!

Every mouthful of food was amazing, the scallops & chicken wing went very well together, the lamb was perfect, everyone raved about the desserts, the crème brulee was fabulous. All the staff were very down to earth and friendly. It was a great setting for a venue.....didn't see Tom Cruise though!

Service is slow but the food is good and the setting very enjoyable. The hotel staff are very personable and made us feel welcome.

What to give someone who has all she needs? The Sussex Tea at Ashdown Park Hotel of course - a super gift from a wonderful friend. Warmly greeted on arrival and shown to our table in one of the Drawing Rooms, the waitress confirmed our order and ensured our individual tastes were catered for, ie mustard on ham sandwich for one and no mustard on ham sandwich for the other. The champagne was soon poured and the tiered plate of sandwiches, scones with or without fruit and a selection of cakes as well as dishes of creams and pots of jam were soon set in front of us. Then came the coffee pots with all the accompaniments. Finally, the little pots of lemon, ginger and strawberry pannacotta were set before us. With a superb view out to the beautifully maintained lawns/garden and seated in comfortable lounge chairs, we were soon thoroughly indulging in and enjoying this sumptious feast. The friendly and helpful staff ensured several times but without fuss that we had everything we wanted. The Ashdown Park Hotel is a well-appointed, superbly decorated and comfortable hotel so we delighted in being able to "dress" for this special occasion. Several hours later, we finally rose from our table and sauntered out to explore and enjoy the gardens before departing. The only "downside" or possible negative comment is that we were seated by the door leading out to the terrace and gardens. Being a very warm day, this door was kept open which allowed flies to come in. Several times either the staff or my friend and I got up to close the door. This would be a rarity surely in the UK however it nearly spoilt the otherwise perfect tea as no-one likes to be buzzed by flies. The solution: change of seat and all went well thereafter.

we went here last Wednesday and had a lovely experience. first we had drinks on the terrace watching the lake and fountains. it was so relaxing. We'd purposely arrived more than half an hour before our lunch booking to have time for a drink.The staff were lovely and helpful.There was no rush and it was such a hot day, we could have stayed all afternoon. We were shown to our table and decided to have the set lunch. The sea trout starter was delicious followed by plaice with some lovely flavoured garnish on top. The pudding was excellent too-panacotta with strawberry and lime decorations-very attractive. We stayed a long time and it was so relaxing. lovely. I think those with big appetites may be a little disappointed with the portion size and we would have liked some more veg included with the main course as well as what we had which was more like a garnish. Apart from that it was excellent.

I rarely write reviews of places I have been however I had afternoon tea today at the Ashdown Park Hotel today, the surroundings were fantastic, but the tea itself, and the service were really not up to standard. Extremely disappointing.

I booked this as a weekday Mother's Day treat. Nothing was too much for the hotel; they were more than happy to change our tea slot at short notice and provided a warm and welcoming service. Tea was served in the Drawing Rooms which were beautifully laid out with a roaring fire. As it was a Tuesday afternoon the room was very quiet which definitely added to the peaceful atmosphere. The selection of sandwiches was lovely: ham & mustard, smoked salmon & soft cheese, cucumber & soft cheese and egg & cress. There were also two scones each plus a mini flapjack, lemon cupcakes, mini strawberry cheesecakes and espresso sized creme brulees. However our scones were a little dry and had little or no fruit in them. We couldn't fault the presentation of the butter, clotted cream and the little pots of jam. We were both very pleased with the service and friendliness of the hotel staff and would definitely return. £45 was a really good price for the setting, quality and service which you receive.

Booked afternoon tea as a Mother's Day treat following a recomendation and was not disapponted! The hotel grounds were stunning, the hotel staff were very welcoming and the food was very good and plentiful, even had enough to bring home! Would definitely recommend.

The hotel was nice. The staff were attentive. The afternoon tea was a bit disapointing. The scones were dry and had little taste, very much like they were a few days old. The cheesecake squares were shop bought standard. The lemon fairy cakes were burned round the edges and rather stale. The creme brulee wasn't set and the topping was soggy. It wasn't good value. There are better places close BT. I am unlikely to return.

Lovely afternoon tea and good selection of sandwiches and cakes. A top up of sandwiches would be great but definitely worth a visit and good value for money.

We have been here 5 or 6 times, which I suppose means we must quite like it here! We do, as it happens. The occasion is what it's about, good venue, good-ish service and a pleasant restaurant. I must say though the tucker, or what there is of it, could be better. The hotel easily gets change out of a fiver for the 2 meals and the turkey was compressed pieces. We both thought that we should have had proper slices, bearing in mind the bill. Still, we can't all be in the front rank, can we? Reading some of the reviews, I sometimes wonder if the reviewers have been brought up on MacDonalds!We will go again, I think, but we might stop off for a sandwich en route!Had worse, though.

I booked afternoon tea at this hotel as a gift for a friends birthday, we also stayed overnight. Upon our arrival the staff were friendly and very welcoming. We were shown to our seats for afternoon tea which were very comfortable and set out nicely. The service was wonderful and they even catered for my vegetarian diet without issue. The food was fresh and delicious unlike some hotels that serve up stale bread or rock hard scones. I loved the cream teas, so soft and yummy! Just writing this review makes me want to go back for more! Great place to dine if you're after a formal setting.

The food was excellent but the portions were meagre given the price. Monkfish with risotto, you could count the rice, beef wellington done to perfection but so small.To cap it all they wanted to charge me £10 for 3 small scoops of ice cream because one of us has the fixed menu and the other the a la carte. I have never been charged more that £6.50 so something has changed. Its really is not worth going any more as it is not the treat it once was.

It's not cheap, but it's the full silver service afternoon tea, with so many goodies that we were offered - and accepted - a cake box to take home with the things we couldn't manage to eat! For Mother's 80th birthday treat it was the perfect outing. The hotel was beautifully decorated for a traditional Christmas, and on a sunny day the views were lovely as we watched the sky turn pink and the sun go down. The staff were all lovely - both friendly and professional - and a tip for anyone taking older children with them who want more than the Winnie The Pooh Afternoon Tea is that when they have the adult tea they are happy to do splendid hot chocolates for them to drink instead of tea or coffee, and indeed supplied a refill at no extra charge.The only mildly disappointing thing was we had told them in advance that it was Mother's 80th birthday, thinking that they might - as many hotels would - produce a little cake perhaps with a candle, or something similarly 'birthdayish' to make her feel special. No mention was made of it, which made me feel a little sorry.However, in this part of the world this is the smartest Tea on offer!

The overall decor was tatty , outdated and way overdue for refurbishment - this should have warned us of things to come ! The flowers on the table were not worthy of being put in a travel lodge toilet . However the food capped it all ! We were handed a pretentious wine menu which read like a book and when we asked for advice we were advised there was no sommelier and the waiter stated that he knew nothing about wines !!!! Bread was not offered and when asked for it was served cold and only warmed at our request . None of the dishes served matched their vastly overstated descriptions , they were a stain on the plate ,unappetising, tepid , colourless, and tasteless and the elaborate way the dented and tatty silver cloches were theatrically removed was laughable . On asking the type and provenance of the venison we were informed that it was a deer from outside !!!!!! Needless to say we didn't stay for desert . The dining room was empty , with only three other couples in the entire large dining room and despite this the service was tawdry . As for the piped music - lift music would have been preferable !!!!! A thoroughly disappointing and depressing birthday celebration meal and an embarrassment to have taken our friends there . The duty manager was quite disinterested when we politely complained and offered no recompense , he stated that no one else had complained about luncheon but as there were only three other tables occupied in the vast dining room this didn't really signify much .

We enjoyed a lovely family afternoon tea for 9 here in September for my Nans 90th Birthday.It is a grand venue from the outside in significant country grounds, there were actually Deer crossing the road as we drove in!The place is wheelchair friendly which was a great help in getting my Nan to the destination table, the tables however are low lying coffee tables, not tables you can sit up at like a dining table. So worth bearing this in mind.That said, we got on perfectly fine holding our plates of sandwiches / cakes or tea and just resting them on the table when needed.The tea is silver served and made using a selection of your chosen teas, even allowing one of our party to mix. This is obviously good for a connoisseur, we however were not so stuck with Earl Grey, Assam or Breakfast Tea.The service was very professional and they took good care of my Nan and her grandson who seemed to really enjoy the occasion, his Winnie the Pooh lunch looked very tempting!Our cakes and sandwiches when served looked gorgeous, all freshly made and they were very tasty, plenty for us all. The scones were especially nice and juicy served with Tiptree Jam and the jelly lovely and refreshing! None of the cakes were to heavy, even the chocolate one was quite light. The server did explain what everything was and took his time to ensure we were all happy which was a nice touch.After a lovely tea we decided to have a walk around the grounds and down to the lake, it was a lovely day and so we were glad we could get out and enjoy the scenic views. It finished off our short family afternoon tea nicely.Some of us after this then drove to the woodland park opposite for a short walk around the Forrest there, highly recommended although don't wear your best shoes!We would love to go again and enjoy the divine setting and lovely building, it made my Nans day very special for her 90th Birthday.

We just love Ashdown Park, we are always impressed by the service and food, whether it is afternoon tea luncheon or dinner we have never had a bad experience over the last 10 years of visiting the hotel. If you want that little bit extra then go here, and afterwards the grounds are beautiful for a walk or golf, we have also had a lovely spa day. Best hotel expensive but worth every penny for that special occasion.

Very disappointing. Nice setting and friendly staff but scones were dry and the fruited scones devoid of fruit (found about 3 sultanas in each). The jam came in little catering pots and was not exactly plentiful. Cakes vey uninspiring and all tasteless. Won't bother again as I could have cooked it myself in about an hour for under a tenner and it would have tasted much better.

On Saturday I booked a room for 12 friends for afternoon tea. We arrived to be shown to a lovely room with a beautiful view. The food was lovely and the hotel and staff wonderful. I would like to thank Tania especially who booked the room and dealt with everything. After tea we walked around the site. A wonderful day.

Excellent set lunch with a live jazz band. Started with the duck followed by the pork rack, extremely tasty and flavourful. After the cheese, helped down with a glass of the Tawny port I was well satisfied. Wine list was a bit pricey but the New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc was delicious. After lunch walked around the gardens which were beautiful - the sunny weather also made the day.

Have felt for some time that the Anderida restaurant was almost worthy of a Michelin star.Lunched there last week and although the food was excellent it was spoilt by both the starters and main courses being barely warm. Really no excuse for this as the restaurant was not busy.When you are serving food of this quality and cost it is difficult to understand how the chef can allow almost cold dishes to leave his kitchen. Perhaps this is why the Star has not been forthcoming!!To be fair I have always enjoyed my food at the Anderida and I am putting this down as a one off.However that does not excuse such a basic mistake when the bill for two was £176.00.Incidentally the service in parts from the Maitre d' was not the best part of our lunch. The turnover of staff at this restaurant appears to be rapid. That is a pity because regular customers like to be greeted and served by familair faces!!

Family of ten Easter Monday lunch. Food all of a very high quality and very we'll looked after by Noël and most of the rest of the team. Couple of tiny gripes: when you bring more bread of course the table needs more butter and when you serve a fish course like cold skate wing you need to offer lemon. What is frustrating is to keep having to ask for service, it should be anticipated. Evens owe are looking forward to our next visit.

Visited midweek with friends - the hotel felt 4*+ and as I was the host I thought this is going to cost me - I was wrong!Coffee before in the bar lounge, then lunch in the main restauranut.The staff were excellent, all of them tried very hard to please. The restauant was plush, posh and of the 5* traditional hotel dining room. All courses were excellent.And then the pleasent suprise, they run an all inclusive set menu and its excellent value.If you want a grown up quality experience give it a go!

To celebrate a family birthday we had afternoon tea. The staff were excellent - very knowledgeable about the different kinds of tea being served. The food was delicious, beautifully presented and worth every penny. We rounded off the afternoon with a stroll around the grounds. Well maintained and very peaceful - deer grazing seemed not to even notice us. A luxurious way to spend an afternoon.