Afternoon Tea at Rockliffe Hall in Darlington

We were in a party of 32 people at £50 per head definitely not value for money. 1 glass of proseco or a small bottle of morreti on arrival. 1 x expresso cup of valute each. We were on a table of 6 & one person didn't get their,s with everyone else at time of service - (needed to be chased up). 2 cups of tea or coffee 4 finger sandwiches each - they didn't have enough for everyone so had to make some more up - So everyone had to wait for 10 minutes - baring in mind everything was pre-ordered in advance. 4 small cakes & 2 small scones each with butter & strawberry jam - no clotted cream - (needed chasing up) My wife didn't like the cakes so had specially ordered some posh biscuits- they didn't come to the table at service & wouldn't have unless guess what -they were chased up. Eventually they arrived after everyone else had finished. My wife & her friend fancied a glass of white wine each so I went to the bar each 175ml glass was an additional £17 each. Altogether the day wasn't value for money & the service was far from satisfactory. Go somewhere else for you afternoon tea,s !!!!

We came for afternoon tea which we have had many places before as well as having it many times at Rockliffe. The sandwiches were fine nothing special. The scones have shrunk to half the size although were warm and tasty. The cakes were unfortunately the worst yet. The coffee and passionfruit one was inedible. Such a waste. The hazelnut one ok but i wasnt keen texture wise. The berry one was ok. The desserts look amazing but I feel appealing to a more general palate may get better reviews. For £39 a head you dont want waste or negative feelings whilst eating. The pumkin and gingerbread was weird but ok. Again might get a lot of waste. I am a strong believer that afternoon teas need to include a mini trifle or mousse, a chocolate treat and a bit of cake. Fantastic service and staff as always. Lovely and polite and attentive. Lovely venue. The presentation and cleanliness also very good.

In the spirit of providing constructive feedback, I feel compelled to share our exceptionally positive experience at Rockliffe Hall. While I typically refrain from writing reviews, I believe it is essential to express our utmost satisfaction with our recent visit. The staff demonstrated exceptional friendliness and professionalism, ensuring that our every need was met. The culinary offerings were truly remarkable, with the sandwiches being particularly delectable. Although we are not usually fond of sausage rolls, we found them to be quite enjoyable. The cakes, however, were the highlight of our experience. They were truly exceptional and not the typical fare of carrot cake or brownie slices, which was a delightful surprise. I am genuinely surprised by the existence of negative reviews, as our experience was nothing short of extraordinary. Every aspect of our visit exceeded our expectations, and we eagerly anticipate our next opportunity to return.

I don't often leave negative reviews, trying to focus on the positives of an establishment, but sorry Rockcliffe Hall, you're living on your past reputation. We received vouchers for an Afternoon Tea in the Orangery from the kids, and as a surprise, they came too, so the whole UK based side came. Due to circumstances, two extra children were added late to our original booking. On arrival, Rockcliffe is fairly grand, if spoilt a bit by the later add ons. In through large glass doors into Reception, and guided to the Orangery by helpful staff. Shown to our table, first let down, due to size of party, one of us would have to sit on the end of a table really only suitable for four, why another table could not have been added, I know not. We all sat down, and waited, and waited, and waited.... luckily we had lots to talk about as it was over fifteen minutes before a waitress, very pleasant, asked us what we would like to drink, and were we all there for afternoon tea? Yes, we said, sorry, she said we only have enough children's afternoon teas for three of the four children, would one like a round of sandwiches, OK, disappointing, but, yes. So one child ordered the cheese and ham sandwiches. Teas soon arrived, good selection available, and everyone happy. Then the Afternoon Teas, I ask you, four crust off fingers per person, about 1" by 4" of chicken (and tarragon), prawn, cucumber and cream cheese and believe it not, a cheese savoury (eat your heart out Greggs) Together with a pitiful pork and herb sausage roll. The child’s round of sandwiches were of the same size, two cheese, and two ham, which by the way were supposed to be accompanied with a salad and crisps, which only arrived after mentioning it to the waiter (and were £18) The scones were quite good, but accompanied with little jars of jam much the same as you get in any cafe, a couple of butter packets and a small amount of cream. (I'd expect the jam and butter to be presented in nice dishes) "Sweet Treats" (the cakes), reputed to be handmade, I'd guess not on the premises, but bought in, and all very uniform ... and very sweet. Sorry Rockcliffe, you need to up your game, for £40 a head (children half), I expect better.

Firstly I must say the service was fantastic the two servers were very polite, friendly and professional. We had afternoon tea and for £39 each it was absolutely shocking ! Luke warm tea, four finger sandwiches on cheap stale bread ! 3 little cakes which were awful not even a tiny piece of fruit or at least a strawberry garnish ! 2 scones which were hard, stale and very out of shape ! This has totally put me off ever going to Rockcliffe hall again if this is what they are offering ! Thankfully there staff are lovely.

Such a lovely setting and good service. Sandwiches were delicious and the cakes were really top-tier. The patisserie chef is EXCELLENT. Not a square of carrot cake, nor a slice of sponge cake in sight! You get what you pay for.

Afternoon tea was excellent, very enjoyable. Lovely food, plenty of tea, and 'doggy boxes' to take home any remaining cakes and scones. Topped off by very pleasant and helfup staff. We can certainly recommend it.

You are paying well over the odds for the surroundings. Afternoon tea was nothing special and extra sandwiches (there weren't many) were not offered.

Faultless afternoon tea, service was excellent, food beautiful. My teenage sons were a little worried about what the portion sizes would be like but you got plenty of food. 4 finger sandwiches, 2 scones, a savoury tray, and 4 sweet treats which included the best Macaroon that I have ever tasted. Everyone has there own opinion but I’m struggling to see why anyone would leave a bad review.

We have been to Rockcliffe Hall several times over the years for afternoon tea and generally these have been good. This time sadly it was not so good. The mulled wine and non alcoholic version were only luke warm and virtually undrinkable. Service was poor insomuch as staff did not check to see if we would like more tea or coffee etc. Not sure if this may have been due to us being the last in (15:30 booking) but you would expect the service and certainly the drink temperature to be of the same standard and consistency regardless of the time of day. Very disappointed given that this is supposedly a five star facility

My daughter gave me a voucher for afternoon tea for my 65 birthday. I phoned to book a table asked if it was OK for my husband to accompany me and he would purchase a cup of tea, as he did not want afternoon tea, service was fine sweet young lady asked for my voucher when we arrived I gave it to her, we were seated tea came it looked nice but the samwiches bread was dry, I said to my husband have these the breads stale, the cakes were nice, I couldn't eat it all, the same nice lady came over said you are struggling will box it up to take home, we then went into bar to pay for my husband cup of tea, nice chap explained we only had 1 tea we need to pay for one, he said no it's fine we both said no we need to pay once again he said no it's just tea we thought how nice, at 7 at night I get a phone call telling me we had afternoon tea I said I had afternoon tea thinking it was for feed back how wrong a nasty voice telling me we had 2 afternoon teas I said no explained they went on to say I will investigate this never been spoken to in my life in that manner it was disgusting rude and inappropriate please be warned if you have a voucher and you take someone with you for company.

After a spa time, we were directed to the orangery for afternoon tea.. Seems it was a quiet day, the ambience was quite lovely inside, loved the background music, food was nice, tea was served and topped up, staff pleasant and helpful.

Warm welcome from reception and from the lady who showed us to our table, then it went downhill. The afternoon tea itself was lovely and our drinks came quickly but the service was definitely below average. We sat whilst all the other tables were served and after a 40 minute wait I asked where our tea was, we had been forgotten about !! Afternoon tea arrived five minutes later with one of the cakes missing so had to attract the attention of one of the servers which took a while. No one came to the table to ask how the tea was, a very disappointing experience for a five star hotel.

Afternoon tea was served in the beautiful Orangery room. Every fine detail was up to an excellent standard. The food was lovely with freshly baked scones, we could not fault anything and there was plenty to bring home. The staff are attentive and friendly. We would highly recommend a visit.

Not a great start being seated and the first thing you notice is a dirty tea cup at your setting, but it was replaced swiftly and I understand these things happen. We had booked for the Champagne Afternoon Tea, and we got our Champagne, Sandwiches, scones and desserts quickly. At no point did anyone approach us to ask if things were ok, or if we required anything. We were almost through with our Sandwiches before we managed to flag someone to come over to ask for some Tea, had we not been sat trying to get attention from the staff, we would never have actually been served any tea at all. We weren't overly impressed with the food, but I guess that element is subjective, it was the lack of service that surprised us. This is not a 5* experience, although the price very much is.

food freshly made and beautifully presented Staff excellent very attentive and helpful Came away with freshly made scones and jam to enjoy the following day Highly recommend

We were given a present of afternoon tea and visited the hotel.(a great venue) but were extremely disappointed. By our experience .my cafetiere was faulty as I poured all the grains came into my cup when pointed out to the waiter they said it was a faulty pot and would change it for me I had to ask for the cup to be changed though. The finger sandwiches were very nice but that couldn't be said for the rest. The sausage rolls were as hard as bricks my wife couldn't cut hers. the scones that we took home were also so hard they ended in the bin.a lot of the food appeared to have been left over from the day before. Therefore we didn't eat any of those . Seems a waste of £60. We will go to Morrison s next time.

Went for my wife's birthday. Was pre paid for by her parents. Very small portions for the price. Upon leaving were asked for a voucher code??? After repeatedly telling staff members it was paid for in advance my wife was forced to ring her dad who ended up having to drive to rockcliffe to prove it was paid for leaving us feeling very uncomfortable. Staff members in the orangery and bar weren't very helpful and aggressive causing my wife to become very upset. After contacting the manager once we got home we were told it was all our fault and the staff weren't to blame???? Baring in mind we got married at this location and don't want to put anything negative I feel like I have to. Doubt we will ever go back now. Very disappointed as the building and grounds are amazing just let down by a terrible manager and lack of communication between staff.

I thought what I got for the afternoon tea was shocking , £30 for 8 very small items and that’s for 2 people , sent a email but no reply. Won’t be returning to this place again , Very disappointed with it.

Should be called an Afternoon ‘tasting’ Tea. This was not a Traditional Afternoon Tea it was literally just a bite size tasting session. When the food came out our friends said “is that it or there is more to come”. That said the taste was lovely which is why it gets 3 stars. Just not worth £30 each. Service was hit and miss, the server started off attentive and wearing a mask which then seemed to go part way through. We had to ask them to clear the table away as it had been left for ages. No one came and asked if we wanted more drinks so had to wave servers down as they were walking past. 5 star hotel but not 5 star service. The grounds however are lovely.

Had high expectations for afternoon tea as the venue is beautiful and have been to both wedding and spa and both were fab. Unfortunately the afternoon tea was a massive let down. We were asked if we wanted drinks as soon as we sat down. I assumed this meant extra drinks to what we would get with the food therefore i did not request a drink. The food arrived quickly and we were not spoken to again. At about 4.50 about 6 members of staff appeared and started clonking glasses and resetting tables which i felt was a nudge for us to leave (assuming it ends service at 5??). not a single person acknowledged us sitting there - me and my friend had afternoon tea without the tea! We also had to wait uncomfortably at the bar for someone to acknowledge that we wanted to pay, were presented with another tables bill and had to listen to the bar server slag his colleagues off for being “idiots”. For £29.50 a head i would expect a better service and perhaps some tea! 3 stars because the food was okay. Just okay. beautiful venue but service was not acceptable. Will not return.

Catered to my gluten free needs and it was beautiful. The usual afternoon tea was also lovely that my daughter and her friend had. Both had a perfect selection and you left feeling full and also with cakes to go home with.

The embarrassment caused was unbelievable. A birthday celebration that became my worst day out ever ! I booked on a voucher I had been given for my very special birthday . Unfortunately I wasn't told that I had to rake uyou with me and as I had given the number over the phone I didn't give it another thought . Upon being seated I was asked for voucher and as I didn't have it was told I would have to pay . After explaining about booking and saying I would send voucher upon returning home and saying I had only £20 on me I was told we couldn't have tea unless we paid my friend offered to use her card . The food itself was poor ( see my other review on the orangery site) . Despite waiting at the desk no one appeared so we left without paying and when I got home I sent an email with a copy of voucher together with a complaint . Needless to say although I have been told my complaint would be sent to the "senior team " I guess they must be so senior that they have been retired as I am still waiting a week later . Never go back again

My Mam + I had a wonderful afternoon, first time in the Clubhouse , a window seat with beautiful views , polite + attentive waiters regularly checking everything was ok. Good selection of teas, along with 3 choices of sandwiches, fruit + cheese scones with preserves + clotted cream, a mixture of desserts from the cake trolley, unfortunately 3 choices had custard in which I dislike, but I was kindly offered an alternative + really enjoyed a sticky toffee pudding with brandy snap+ ice cream which more than made up for it.The weather was glorious + we finished off with a glass of rose wine in the outside seating area, a perfect end to a very relaxed + enjoyable noon. Thank you

We visited and were surprised that it was in the main area of the golf club. The afternoon tea comes in courses, which was quite good as staff were regularly at the table so top ups on the tea pots were frequent. However the choice of sandwiches were poor and none to my sons liking, we did ask what was available and unfortunately no mention of something different. The scones and cakes were lovely but only 4 cakes (one of each) were brought to us, I feel smaller portions would have helped so everyone on the table could try what was on offer. Another gripe is a Coke was ordered at the bar and took 20 minutes to arrive. The area was noisy with lots of unruly children, not the most relaxing or inspiring visit. Staff however were very friendly and polite.

This is my 5th afternoon tea at Rockcliffe Hall and was bought for me as a birthday present, I was very disappointent and am not looking forward to returning, however, my daughter buys us an afternoon tea every year for Christmas so will be using this voucher for the last time.Sandwiches dry, ham and mustard had far too much mustard applied, it made my eyes water. No savoury tart or posset present!! Sandwiches not uniform and still had bits of crust attached. Scones all different sizes as were cakes. Very poorly presented. Biggest upset was being relegated to the club house, without any prior warning and it cleary stating on the voucher that it would be served in the Old Hall as it has been for many years.

Lovely lounge where tea is served, with fine views over the grounds. Excellent service and wonderful full afternoon tea dainty finger sandwiches, lovely scones and cream, beautiful individual cakes - a sheer delight.

First time we have been here for any thing and have to say that its a pleasant clean and impressive place, it s pity the food does not come up to the same standard as far as tea is concerned, very poor not served what was agreed on ,we requested ham for my good lady wife and she got one the sandwiches needed a pair of tweezers to pick them up,the ones I had were filled with some sort of mixed up tasteless filling,and the cakes came from a dolls house------What is really upsetting some of our grandchildren paid out of their savings to surprise us on our 52nd wedding anniversary ----mind you the cup of tea was tasty and the staff polite and the waitress did ask if we anted to speak to the manager but declined ------we had enough insults for one day-----high tea more like highway robbery------now I have to lie to my grandchildren and thank them for a wonderful tea

This is my third visit to Rockliffe Hall for afternoon tea, and although it was okay, for the price I would not return again. There was only one plain scone, some sandwiches and a few very small desserts, much less than one previous occasions where there has also been quiche and cheese scones. The desserts weren’t great. The sandwiches were dry/stale and it just wasn’t up to their usual standard. It felt very overpriced despite the lovely surroundings, and as I’d suggested this place to family because of the previous visits it was a real disappointment. I don’t envisage going again.

Had a lovely after noon tea here with my mother over december here, couldn't of asked for more. We left stuffed and satisfied, will return soon.

I've been to Rockliffe Hall a couple of times over the years for afternoon/cream tea however after the latest trip I won't be returning. The cream tea is advertised as freshly baked scones. When it arrived it was a small single scone which was stone cold in the middle and clearly not fresh, the waitress later confirmed they'd been baked the day before.

My wife and I enjoyed a beautiful afternoon tea with a window table with fantastic view.

Considering the class of hotel we were very disappointed. The sandwiches were made with thick bread and very little filling.not what we expected

AMAZING... Everything was fantastic,from start to finish. The staff are lovely, we were met at the door, by a lovey man, who took our bags to our room. Everything was extra special. The room was beautiful & comfy, with a gorgeous view. The spa & gardens were amazing & relaxing. We went to the clubhouse for a meal, it was beautiful & again, the waiter was very accommodating, (only fault being, not enough choice of Gins or ciders)

Nice place to visit. The afternoon tea could have been better - minimal. I booked over phone and informed them no cheese with our order, again upon arrival we told them no cheese . When afternoon tea arrived we had cheese scones immediately told them but nothing was done about it, they were left with us and No alternative offered. We were told unlimited tea and coffee however we waited and waited for both. Service not great . Have had much better afternoon elsewhere . On the positive the grounds are beautiful.

Visited Rockcliffe hall for afternoon tea and was seated in the Orangery which was lovely. Nice ambience with music in the back ground. Staff were friendly enough and we promptly received our afternoon tea which consisted of English breakfast tea and a selection of sandwhiches, scones and cakes.

My wife decided to save a Birthday Present she received last year and combine it with an overnight stay and a celebratory evenig meal

Great setting in the orangery overlooking the golf course, but although we had pre-booked afternoon tea and arrived on time, it took over an hour to arrive, drinks also took a long time and had to ask repeatedly. Over priced for the minimal selection, however the staff were helpful and courteous. Will think twice before returning

My son took me for Afternoon Tea on Mother’s Day, it was lovely, all the staff were helpful & friendly, the service was good & we both enjoyed the food.

Had an amazing afternoon yesterday, a champagne afternoon tea, a birthday present from my brother. Lovely staff, good food, but my friend decided as an extra birthday present asked for an extra glass (I repeat a glass) of champagne. How can you possibly justify charging £17 pound for a glass of champagne. Shame on you

Me and my sister went for afternoon tea as she had a voucher to use up. I'm very glad she did as I thought it was very expensive for what you got. We both had a scone, mini quiche, a couple of finger sandwiches, and 3 mini deserts plus tea of course. The staff were very attentive and accommodating seen as I don't drink tea but instead I said I could have unlimited soft drinks for tea. The food was lovely but I won't be rushing back in a hurry.

Close to Darlington centre the Rockliffe Hall has a wonderful High Tea. Walk around the grounds which are beautiful. Book it and go early so you can have a drink in one of there beautiful rooms.

Wow was really lovely great atmosphere really lovely staff never felt out of place great food enjoyed evey second will be going back soon

Visited as a gift for my Mum for afternoon tea and sadly it did not impress.

Afternoon tea for 4 although most of the items were gorgeous a couple that all of us weren't keen on.. we had to sit on a low table on sofas which I found uncomfortable never mind my pregnant friend because the orangery was being used for a wedding would of much preferred to be seated in there.. the sandwiches were ok nothing to shout about I think you are paying for the name and surroundings more than the tea itself would I go back probably not..

On Tuesday 22nd August 2017 my wife and I were at Rockliffe Hall for afternoon tea.The whole experience was excellent from first arriving to leaving.The food was excellent and we were attended to by an excellent member of staff, Bryony, she was most friendly and helpful, nothing was too much trouble.Bryony is a real credit to the management of Rockliffe Hall Hotel. We have previously been to Rockliffe for the afternoon tea and we will be definitely be returning.

Tuvimos merienda para tres para celebrar una ocasión especial y fue absolutamente maravilloso. El servicio de atención al cliente de Lee y todo el personal era excelente: de primera clase, un * * * * * clasificación y todos ellos deben ser altamente elogiados por su servicio profesional y amable. Todos los sándwiches, quiche, bollos y pasteles, casablaca eran deliciosos y el champán una delicia: Muchas gracias por una tarde maravillosa para recordar. Os recomiendo té de la tarde en el Hall Rockliffe a todos mis amigos y familia y no dudaría en volver a reservar de nuevo.

Visitado por un cumpleaños 'té de la tarde 'tratar con mi marido. Nos muestra a través de David, que es un caballero encantador para el invernadero y luego nos ofrecieron estar afuera ya que era un día de calor, pero, por desgracia, sombrillas estaban en uso así que optamos por utilizar un salón que estaba decorado con buen gusto y agradable. Nos preguntó si nos gustaría té o café y cualquier dieta antes de ser servido y también si nos gustaría actualizar a tener champagne lo cual rechazamos, ya que era un extra de £12 por persona. Una buena variedad de sándwiches, aunque pagando el precio era de esperar sin de jamón jamón en vez de paquetes tallada! ! Ambas frutas y bollos de queso eran preciosas y los postres increíbles. En general muy buena, pero las ollas de té debería de ser caliente no sólo cálido especialmente, ya que es clasificada como una red establecimiento de 5 estrellas y no fue ocupada en una tarde de lunes. Paseos alrededor de la tierra y parece muy impresionante también

Así que vale la pena hacerlo. La comida era deliciosa. Nos llenamos con más té y cuando lo necesitábamos. No nos apuraron y pudimos disfrutar de ella en un entorno encantador.

Tomamos el té con un grupo de 12. Estaba delicioso y muy bien hecho. Había un montón de los tres cosas necesarias para un té de la tarde: sandwiches, dulces y dulces. Por no mencionar el estupendo té en sí! Nos lo pasamos muy bien!

Estuve con 3 amigos desde Londres hoy en día. Excepcional comida, té y café interminables, un hermoso entorno y personal profesional muy agradable, gracias al chef junto con Lee y su equipo, perfecto!

Although it's a 5 star hotel, spa and golf club, this hotel is a delight for afternoon tea. Especially if you're Boro fans like us!It's a lovely place to spend a few hours - good service, a nice afternoon tea, rounded off with views over the golf course and Boro training pitches. We loved it.

Made a third visit for Afternoon Tea yesterday, and again not disappointed. A beautiful location and very attentive staff, serving just excellent food. Continues to be the leader in its field in the area.

Visited on Friday afternoon for my mums birthday. Service and food was fantastic. Best afternoon tea we've had in a long time, would defiantly recommend .

My husband and I took 2 friends for afternoon tea, one was celebrating a birthday. There was a wedding on in the Orangery so we were directed into the Morning room, a light and airy room but the furniture was unsuitable for an eating area. There was a low coffee table, an even lower settee and 2 dining height chairs. We asked to be moved which couldn't be done so we were given another 2 dining chairs making it rather cramped around a coffee table. The food was disappointing and nothing like the menu online. The scones and the mini cheese quiche were ok but the sandwiches weren't. This must be the only 5* hotel in the country using a scraping of humus as a filling! There were no salmon or egg sandwiches as advertised online. The cakes were bland and the mini rice pudding dessert seemed an odd choice for an afternoon tea. The tea was warm and weak and the coffee thin but the waiting staff tried to make amends and brought replacements. All in all this was a huge disappointment for a 5* establishment and no way was it a £100 experience. What should have been a treat for our friends was just embarrassing. We won't be returning.

A great location to enjoy afternoon tea. The views from the morning room are stunning and the afternoon tea was lavish by any standards.

First visit was for a family birthday. There were 6 of us in total with 1 of us asking for a vegan option. Knowing that the venue may need time to prepare for this, we notified them weeks in advance and on several occasions. The vegan option was brought out separate on a plate and rammed on the shelf beneath the coffee table set out for 4 (yes there were 6 of us). Sandwiches felt stale across the board. Minimal effort put in for the vegan desserts, a fruit scone and what seemed to be a tin of fruit salad in a ramekin. After weeks of complaint emails back and forth the venue invited us back for a complementary afternoon tea. However, they were not prepared for the vegan option once again. Asking me what I could and couldn't eat, and could they just make me a salad instead. Absolutely terrible service from a 5 star venue. You'd expect the Chef / kitchen staff to have some form of education / skill to prepare a proper vegan afternoon tea - especially with weeks notice. Instead I was given 4 humous sandwiches spread so thin it was hardly there, and a few biscuits chucked on a plate. An embarrassment to say the least, especially at £25!! There are dozens of other places that charge almost half that price and provide gorgeous meat free / dairy free / vegetarian / vegan options. Rockcliffe hall should be ashamed that they boast five star and can't actually provide acceptable alternative options. Would not recommend to anyone with dietary requirements out of "the norm"

We had looked forward to this Christmas afternoon tea treat for quite a few weeks. When we arrived the hotel was beautifully decorated and we were given a very warm welcome by the reception staff who directed us to were our afternoon tea was to be served. We were shown in to a room set up for several teas. The room looked lovely, but it was freezing cold .There were crackers on the table that we pulled, but there was nothing in one. The other was ok. Our tea arrived and it was very disappointing. Humous and lettuce, coronation turkey and a nice ham and tomato sandwich. The cake selection was poor but the scones were ok . We asked for more tea which after 20 minutes had not arrived and l had to go and find someone to ask again. When we were ready to leave I could not find anyone to get our coats so again l had to look for someone. I found four members of staff stood behind the bar, so l asked for our bill, as we had ordered a glass of champagne each as it was a treat for us. A man in a suit asked my name and told me that our bill was £64. l reminded him that we had a voucher. He then just walked away and came back a few minutes later and gave me the bill we were expecting. We were not asked at any time if we were happy with our experience. Would l recommend Rockcliffe for a treat? l think l would have to say no on this experience. We do understand that it was the Friday before Christmas and they were probably getting ready for other events but it was a treat that we had been looking forward to.

We visited at the beginning of November for Prosecco afternoon tea.We were really looking forward to our visit having heard how wonderful the experience was supposed to be. On arrival, we were told that due to a wedding, we weren't to be seated in the old hall as stated in our reservation, and that we would be seated in a separate side room. On entering the room we were shocked with the mess of the place. We were one of only 3 occupied tables, however all 8 other tables in the room were covered in left over afternoon tea mess from the previous visitors. Every table was covered in afternoon tea stands, cups, glasses, tea pots and left over food. We requested that the room was cleared at the time, however this did not happen until an hour and a half later when we were ready to leave. There was no music on in the room, and we were left to listen to the wedding party whilst we waited 20 minutes for a waitress to come and take our drinks order. Whilst eating our afternoon tea wedding party members kept coming into the room to try to find additional seating, which left us feeling very awkward and disrupted our experience hugely. We requested that the door to the room was closed repeatedly to try and alleviate noise and stop wedding guests coming in, but the door was constantly propped opened again by other staff members. We spoke to the restaurant manager at the end of our visit and explained how disappointed we were by the experience. He apologised profusely, seemingly understanding why we were so disappointed with the service and ensuring us that improvements were going to be made. By way of apology, he requested that we email him with another date so that he could book us in for another visit when there would be no wedding on. I emailed him 2 weeks ago and have not heard back since, which has highlighted exactly how well Rockliffe Hall value customer service.

We came here as part of a afternoon tea gift voucher, when we entered the hotel the concierge showed us where to go the young lady on the orangery reception was very good she showed us into the morning room which had lovely views over the golf course. The staff were excellent very attentive. When the afternoon tea arrived it looked fantastic, we couldn't eat it all the cakes so we were brought boxes to take the cakes away. I would love to come again.

Lovely afternoon tea with a gin cocktail, good selection of sandwiches, quiche and scones and delicious cakes served in beautiful surrroundings in the drawing room by very friendly helpful staff. Well worth a visit.

Afternoon tea was served in the morning room instead of the orangery. One of our party has a mobility issue so it would have been better if we had been sat at a table on a chair instead of a settee.The food is of the highest quality. I had extra sandwiches instead of cakes. First pot of tea was not hot but the second was fine.Staff are friendly and will change options on the afternoon tea if you have dietary requirements

Went for afternoon tea in the orangery, which has just re opened on a sunday afternoon. it was very busy but to me and my husband the service was not as good as it is when tea is served in the morning room and the drawing room. Service was slow and at no point did anyone ask if we needed more tea or hot water. Had to catch waiters eye for attention even when we were ready to go. Did complain, only to get loads of apologies. Not good enough for a 5* hotel. WE usually go 5 times a year for birthdays, etc. might change in the future.

We have stayed here in past and loved it so decided to take my partners daughter for afternoon tea for her 16th birthday... on arrival there was no concierge and only one receptionist working and a queue of people checking in ... we waited for 10 minutes then decided to make our own way to the orangery.... again no one to greet us ... we finally found a member of staff explained we had a booking and we were shown to the drawing room which was loverly ... a member of staff finally came to take our order ... food was loverly and enjoyed it.. at no point did a member of staff ask if we needed anything including more tea or coffee ... I had to go and find a member of staff to refill our drinks which took about 15 mins ... we had mentioned when booking it was a 16th birthday and was told a happy birthday plaque would be placed on cake as a special touch .. again this didn't happen !!!!.. then after asking for our bill on a few occasions we couldn't actually find any staff to pay ... we complained to restaurant manager only to be told .. SORRY ... !!!!not good enough after paying £149 ... so disappointing... this is ment to be 5 star hotel .... !!!! we have visited many beautiful places in the area for afternoon tea but this was by far the worst !!!!!

Visited for afternoon tea for my birthday. The room were you have afternoon tea is stunning!!! The staff were very efficient an friendly. The food was gorgeous we were too full to finish an they kindly offered to box the rest up. Would definitely visit again

This was my first visit to this beautiful hotel - it deserves each one of it's 5 stars. The Orangery is fantastic, the grounds very picturesque & well cared for, the service & staff couldn't be faulted and the afternoon tea superb.

My partner and I had afternoon tea here one afternoon and it was absolutely great. Rockliffe Hall is beautiful and a bonafide 5 star resort. We spent about £150 on afternoon tea with all the trimmings. The orangery is stunning and so was the food and service. What can I say, just fab but make sure you book.

Booked for my 73 birthday ,was very nice ,but didn't have the wow factor ,champagne tasted like Proseeco and tea wax cold . Not good value for money . Room although we were in window low settlees. And drepressing room.

Getting better! Much better than last time. Or maybe we had someone who cared to give us the attention and tea topups!! Last time we had to ask several times and most of the time, there were no staff to be found. Yet it wasn't really that busy. The sandwiches are what you'd normally find but the cakes, are just delightfully yummy.

Very good experience and excellent value for money. Service good and sitting outside overlooking the golf course a bonus.

Beautiful place beautiful food well worth a visit . Value for money and excellent service. Really nice place to go for special occasion with family or friends

Really I wanted to give 'GOOD' not 'Average' but there isn't a facility for this rating and I didn't think it came up to 'VERY GOOD'. The tea itself was very nice, well presented and tasty and the service pleasant and attentive but I felt the room used could have been so much better. The seating was very uncomfortable easy chairs (wrong height and shape) and low tables and as it was a summer's day it would have been much nicer to be in the orangery or a brighter room overlooking the grounds instead of the dark lounge used. I can see this room being lovely on a cold winter's day perhaps, especially if the fire can be lit, but when the sun was shining outside it felt oppressive.

I think this has to be the best afternoon tea I have ever had, and with the addition of a Slingsby gin and tonic, a perfect end to a lovely stay a Rockliffe Hall! Afternoon tea is served in one of the beautful lounges in the Old Hall, and everything was delicious - sandwiches, mini quiche, cheese scone, scone and cream, cakes and a raspberry panacotta, plus a choice of teas and coffee. The service was excellent and the staff lovely.

My gran went here she really enjoined it and the experience deffo recommend it staff great service here in amazing

A lovely venue for a baby shower, we were very well looked after by the staff who were attentive but not intrusive. We were greeted with a glass of champagne before sitting down to afternoon tea which consisted of four different types of dainty sandwiches, a mini quiche and warm cheese scone, followed by a beautiful blueberry and lemon cake, mini chocolate tart, fruit scone with jam and clotted cream, a red velvet cake and a panacotta. It was all beautifully served with a wide choice of coffees and teas. We had a lovely leisurely afternoon and I would definitely recommend it on the basis on the venue, the staff and the food.

Have to say what a fantastic place this is! The afternoon was superb and the attention to detail by the staff was fantastic - particularly the young man who attended us that afternoon, so polite and helpful.Would definitely recommend this afternoon to others - it is not only a beautiful hotel but you cannot beat great staff, service and fantastic food!!

Hotel organised baby shower for my daughter, first time had afternoon tea in this hotel, every person who attended had a splendid time, the afternoon tea was impressive and five star service given. We all had a really enjoyable time thanks to hotel and staff.

Me and my partner were giving a voucher for afternoon tea as a gift, when we arrived the staff were very pleasant and took us to the room for afternoon tea. The waiters were very attentive and took us through what were in the sandwiches and what cakes we had, popping back on a few occasions to check if all was ok and if we were wanting more tea. The cakes and sandwiches were delicious but the fruit scone was a revelation,absolutely delicious. Will definitely be going again.

Friends of ours bought my wife gift vouchers for Rockliffe Hall, and a lovers of a good afternoon tea that was what we decided on. The whole experience was simply perfect. When you ring to book the service is outstanding. When we walking into the hotel we were greeted and directed to the Orangery, and our table was waiting for us. The food was perfect - tasty sandwiches, lovely scones, and delicious cake. Backed up by faultless service and regular refills of our tea pot, the meal was superb. The surroundings are beautiful, with a piano playing in the background. Not cheap, but totally worth it. If you are looking for a special occasion afternoon tea this is the place. We loved it and will be back.

Really pleasant afternoon tea experience in pleasant surrounding's in a rural location.Will highly recommend it to those who have yet to experience an old fashioned afternoon tea.The staff were pleasant and not over attentive but we're there when you needed them making you feel welcome and appreciated.Try it for yourself

Courteous, pleasant and discreet service. Afternoon tea was lovely although the cups and saucers were utility rather than pretty. They offered to box the remains to take home. Finished off with a short walk around the grounds which was lovely. A lovely treat!

Did the Mother's Day afternoon tea and it was lovely. Lovely welcome and service and nice views across the grounds from The Morning Room.I've had afternoon tea previously here and I would go back again. I often wish afternoon tea had a few more savory items and a few less sweet items to even it out, but that seems to be the whole point of it. I still love it.

Attended when we stayed for a few nights for my wife's 30th.Lovely atmosphere, food and staff.You don't think it's going to be filling but it is, we had what we didn't eat boxed to take back to our room.Will be back again.

We visited for the first time as a family group of six adults and three children for a birthday afternoon tea. One of our children is under two. A high hair was provided and he was made a fuss of. The waiting staff were all extremely polite and helpful and attentive without being too intrusive. Our tea was an impressive array of savoury and sweets snacks such as mini quiche, small sandwiches, scones and trifles along with a pot of tea or coffee. For £23.50 I thought this was a fair price. Rockliffe Hall itself is a beautiful five star hotel set in lovely grounds. We had a great afternoon and felt very special. Five star hotel, five star service. Wouldn't hesitate to return.

Myself and a friend visited Rockliffe hall for afternoon tea recently, I have been a few times previous with other people. I have to say afternoon tea here does not meet expectations at this 5 star hotel. The few times I have been the food has been very nice however the sandwiches have always been a little dry obviously made up earlier and left until used. Other than that the food is generally nice. The service however is another thing. I think the service is very slack for a hotel like this. We have noticed before having had to ask for more drinks and find staff ect but this last time was terrible. We were seated and our coats were taken, brought menus, our order was taken Apox 10 mins later and the girl was very nice and chatty, we ordered 2 afternoon tea, 2 prosecco and 2 tea. Our afternoon tea came around 10 mins later, fine but they we waited for our drinks, and waited, the waitress then clocked us wondering and said she hadn't forgotten so then a few mins later our prosecco arrived. We possibly waited 20 mins to get our cups of tea after watching the same waitress serving all the tables going past with tea again and again to the point it became a bit of a joke ' I wonder if this is ours ' but no, again it was suggested the waitress had not forgotten but by this time we had finished most of our afternoon tea. What took the biscuit was the waitress asked the table in front of us if they wanted a tea top up approx about 15 mins into us waiting for ours and then they still got their ' seconds ' before we got our first. Not the service you expect at a hotel like this and at the price of this afternoon tea, I understand the lounge service aspect but this is a bit too lounge considering the price. Sounds a bit petty when writing this as a review but when all you go for is a cup aid tea and cake and don't get the tea it's very frustrating. Hopefully next time it will be be better.

Received a voucher for a birthday present, rang to make a booking and was told that day was full, was never asked if I would like to book an alternative day, so hung up, called back another day a more helpful person answered and arranged a suitable day. When we arrived it looked an amazing place, just what your would expect for 5*, walked into reception and was pointed in the right direction for where to go, we was shown to the room where we would be having tea, sat down in great surrounds, given a tea menu to look at, my wife isn't a tea drinker and wanted a coffee. The waitress came back and took our order. The drinks arrived and I couldn't believe my eyes, the latte arrived in a tea cup (which had a full expresso shot in it) it was so strong my wife used had to ask for hot water to water it down. You would think a 5* hotel would know how to do a latte. The food arrived and looked really good, but I was slightly let down on the selection given, the cakes and sandwiches were slightly dry on the edges think they may be assembled and left in the kitchen a while. It didn't live up to my exceptions at all, I left disappointed. Its a lot of money and you shouldn't leave with that feeling.

My wife and I were given a voucher for afternoon tea as a Christmas gift. We decided to book in for mid January as a treat to brighten up the grey days. What a treat. We were shown into a beautiful, warm, comfortable lounge and served, by some very attentive staff, the best afternoon tea I believe we've ever had.....and we've tried a few. The variety of sandwiches, savoury and sweet scones, cakes and pastries were delicious. When we'd finished we were offered more tea and we're left to enjoy the surroundings for as long as we wanted. All in all a great way to spend a wet Sunday afternoon.

A lovely relaxing afternoon for two was had. Traditional English afternoon tea as it should be with nothing too adventurous from the chef trying to be clever. It was very nice food and the hospitality was excellent. I think the only complaint would be the value as no one really wants to pay £27.50 a head unless they are at the Savoy! Was worth more like £17.50. Full tummies though.

Lovely place, food great and such high levels of natural quality service. All the team are to be congratulated on their professionalism and charm!

Beautiful grounds and a lovely lounge for our afternoon tea. We had a choice of several teas and coffees and lovely homemade food. Choice of 4 sandwiches, cheese and fruit scone with jam and cream and 4 cakes - a macaroon, velvet cake, madeline and a chocolate lolly. Friendly and helpful staff. Not the cheapest but worth it for a treat.

I should start off by saying that I love Rockliffe Hall (and have given their spa a 5 star review) but in my opinion, there are better afternoon tea options in the vicinity.On the positive side, the hotel and grounds are gorgeous, the staff are very professional and the afternoon tea is well presented. There is a wide range of teas and coffees to choose from and staff are happy to serve more than one during the course of afternoon tea. On the down side, the drawing room only contained sofas, armchairs and knee height tables; our sofa was huge and despite being tall, it was impossible to have any lumbar support. The sandwich selection was bland and unimaginative (e.g. egg mayonnaise); and the cheese scone appeared to lack any cheese. The cake selection was better and included a macaroon, madeleine etc. - and take home boxes were readily available.Although I will return to Rockcliffe, I'll be going elsewhere for afternoon tea which is a pity, as I live so close to the hotel!

I received, as a gift, champagne afternoon tea. A lovely gift which my friend and I were looking forward to. Unfortunately it did not live up to expectations of a 5* hotel. The ambiance is delightful and the staff discretely attentive however the food was a great disappointment. Well presented and plentiful however at £35 a head I expected to have interesting sandwiches and fancies. Alas this was not to be. Ordinary white and brown bread without a grain or seed in sight, filled with a selection of ham and tomato, cheese and pickle, egg salad and tuna mayo. Where was the salmon and cucumber or smoked salmon and cream cheese, roast beef and horseradish etc? The fancies were ok but very ordinary. All in all a disappointing tea which I would not recommend.

Lovely surroundings and comfortable room. Mixture of sandwiches all delicious the cheese scone mini quiche which was melt in the mouth. Fruit scone with cream and jam. Macaroon red velvet cake. posset. Madalain. Chocolate lolly. What we didn't eat was put in a box for us to bring home except they misses the posset out which was disappointing. Will definitely go back

Tthe food was great as were the staff. The only problem was we waited 1/2 hour before our order was taken. it was 40 mins before we even got a drink. On the other hand they gave us little boxes without us even asking because we could eat the whole afternoon tea. so choice of teas or a bit more for alcoholic drink. Scones, cheese and fruit, 4 small cakes and 4 little sandwiches each. The staff were very good with questions on gelatin etc as we had a non-pork eater with us. The non fish eater was also sorted out with an alternative to the salmon sandwich, You can have as much coffee or tea as you want included. I though good value and a lovely venue. I would like to try the spa next time i go. The only problem was the wait, i assumed they were under staffed.

My Husband and I visited Rockliffe Hall for afternoon tea. I thought it was a little expensive £24.50pp, but it was amazing. A selection of sandwiches, scones and cakes, also a huge selection of speciality teas/ coffee/hot chocolate, which are unlimited. It was a relaxing afternoon, the staff don't rush you at all. We're going back again this week, we loved it so much.

My friend and I booked afternoon tea at Rockcliffe last week as a special treat. I have been several times and experienced afternoon tea in the Orangery and always recommended it to friends. However this time, tea was served in one of their drawing rooms. Unfortunately the location left a lot to be desired. The room was dull with only one window, the tables and chairs were low and uncomfortable and very close together and everyone spoke in hushed tones so as not to be overheard. At the end of afternoon tea my shoulders were aching and my friend had indigestion because of the way we had to hunch over the table. I would not recommend this experience again.

Bought an afternoon tea for my mum and dad. They have been on a number of occasions but ate in the orangery on previous visits. This time the tea was moved to the morning room, where the tables were far too low and also very small. Because there was no room on the table they ended up having to eat the food off of their laps. They also had to put the teapot on the floor to make some sort of room. My mother couldn't lift the teapot because it was so heavy.My mother complained to the duty manager about this and was told that the new chef wanted a Michelin star and had enforced the move. When my mother told me what had happened I was furious at the lack of service quality, and sent an email to Rockliffe. That was 2 months ago and I still have had no response.I as a paying customer expect 5 star quality when I am being asked to pay 5 star prices. My parents are elderly, and this was supposed to have been an enjoyable experience for them. Unfortunately it wasn't, infact I think I could have done a better job holding Afternoon Tea at home.What an earth has happened to Rockliffe?, it would appear that they have become so grandiose that they have forgotten about their clients!. I have spent a considerable amount of money at various times here, but unfortunately I will be taking my custom elsewhere. There are plenty of places locally to get a great Afternoon Tea where the client is still the most important factor.This is a wake up call to rockliffe to get your act together and start listening to your clientele.

10 of us went to Rockcliffe Hall for Afternoon Tea to celebrate a birthday . It was a lovely afternoon the staff could not do enough for us. The afternoon for me was a delightful experience as I cannot have anything with gluten in and to my surprise they offer a gluten free afternoon tea which was of excellent quality. Very enjoyable by all and would definately go there again well worth the money and fabulous surroundings . Thank you Rockcliffe Hall

I went for afternoon tea with a friend last week and we both really enjoyed the experience. We were seated in the morning room, along with two larger groups of women, which made it a bit noisy, but not unbearably so. Initially we were shown to seating where there were two small occasional tables. I thought the chairs were not very comfortable and you felt like these tables had been added as an afterthought. We therefore asked to be moved, which we were allowed to do without any problem. My friend doesn't drink tea so asked for a cappuccino instead, which was no problem. I had the Earl Grey, which was good. There is a good choice of tea and they are happy to provide extra hot water too.We both decided to have a glass of sparkles, I had the Prosecco and my friend had the Champagne. Both were perfectly chilled and served promptly.We both thought the food included was good. We were also asked if there was anything we wanted to change from the menu when we ordered. The mini quiche were delicious, the bread used for the sandwiches light and fresh. You also have both cheese and fruit scones and of course clotted cream and jam. The cakes included red velvet slice, carrot cake slice and eclairs. There was also a blueberry and creamy foam dessert served in an espresso cup (yummy). To complete the array there was homemade shortbread too.As you can imagine the amount of food is substantial, so had the remainder boxed to take home. I haven't been for afternoon tea here before but think being in the morning room made it more relaxed rather than sitting at a dining table in the Orangery, but I guess that is down to personal preference.If you want a good quality afternoon tea in very nice surroundings with pleasant and attentive staff, then this is a good place to go. I would definitely go again but next time ask to be seated on one of the sofas or in the centre of the room.

I encouraged a friend from the York area to meet here for afternoon tea as a birthday treat and was highly disappointed. Obviously the ambiance of the hotel is superb and the service for this event was excellent, but the quality of the afternoon tea left a lot to be desired. The sandwiches were more bread than filling, and the only savoury worth eating was the 1" in diameter quiche. The cheese scone which seemed thrown on for good measure was certainly not fresh or hand made but of the mass produced quality perhaps bought from a high street vendor. The dessert level was no better, a small container of crème Brule tasted more like a spoon of thick custard. There was a small sliver of fruit cake, and three 2" long oblong pieces of cake...red velvet, chocolate, and carrot but because the crème patisserie in each cake was the same flavour, the delicacy of the cake flavour was lost and became a sweet mass. The fruit scone on this level matched the quality of the shop bought cheese scone on the base level. The only redeeming taste of the whole treat was the pot of tea, and paid as an extra the lovely glass of champagne. I have eaten at Rockliffe many time to a much higher standard than this and feel so disappointed by this last visit. I know if I had met at Betty's in Northallerton or Robineau,s in nDarlington for my afternoon tea, the quality of food would have been much higher.