The Marble Lounge in Maidstone

Chilston Manor hotel is a lovely hotel with friendly staff but I and my husband were very disappointed with what they call a luxury afternoon tea…we had three little finger sandwich's with hardly any filling in them….dry scones…what was nice was the sausage roll,we had to ask for the tea as it didn’t arrive,when it did it was stewed & strong…will be returning NO !!!!

Excellent afternoon tea with great food and superb service, (sorry don’t know the name of the waitress) friendly but not intrusive. Everyone helpful and friendly. A really enjoyable way to spend an afternoon and will definitely be back.

We went here for Afternoon Tea yesterday. We waited for 20 minutes before anybody even came to the table to see what we wanted. Then the tea took another 10 minutes to arrive AFTER the sandwiches, cakes etc had already been delivered to the table. Nobody came to check in if everything was OK AT ANY STAGE while we were still eating and we had to constantly try to get the wait staff's attention when we needed anything, like more tea, more jam, more cream cheese, white sugar because there was only brown sugar on the table The cucumber sandwich which was supposed to have cucumber and minted cream cheese inside it didn't have any cream cheese and was dry and bland. It took a while to get anybody's attention to tell them and then it took another 10 minutes before a sandwich with the correct filling was delivered and this was bland and unseasoned. We were told when we ordered out tea that we could try out any of the other teas but when finally managed to get anybody's attention to order more, the incorrect tea was brought. By this time we simply couldn't be bothered to try to get anybody's attention any more. Having said all that, the venue is lovely and when we did get the staff's attention they were very nice. But frankly, the tea simply wasn't worth the money. Chilston Park you really need to up your game.

We have been taking my mother in law here every year for many years as she enjoys an afternoon tea. Sometimes we stay over, and I must admit we have always had a wonderful time with no complaints. Last week however was a bit disappointing. After our afternoon tea ( which I couldn't fault ) we went for a drink in the bar area. When we were preparing to leave my husband went to pay our bill. It wasn't until we were driving home later that he mentioned the price he paid. The next day he telephoned the hotel to query the prices. To cut a long story short a 10% surcharge was added to our bill without any notification. This charge is meant to be discretionary, but if you are not asked then it seems it is compulsory. Time to look for an alternative for next time I think.

What a find! This was my first visit to Chilston Park and I went with a friend for afternoon tea. Being gluten free, I usually find afternoon teas a bit disappointing but the one here was fabulous! For once I didn’t feel like I was missing out! The selection of teas available was great and more than most places offer. Service was spot on and the setting was grand but comfortable. A very enjoyable experience.

Visited today for an afternoon tea for my fiancés birthday. We decided to go here based on the online reviews being positive, and the menu for the optional savoury or traditional tea. I called up one week prior just to confirm the menu options, which where verified to still be on offer. Upon arrival temperature was checked and mask given, which was in Covid guidance. We waited longer than expected for our order to be taken, waiting patiently, when we finally had our order taken, we were told the savoury tea was not on the menu currently, and that the chef would throw one together closely matching the one online. It finally arrived, the presentation not to mention the food given, I thought was somewhat of a joke, the cake selection where basic Victoria sponge that looked as if a child slapped it together, self-claimed custard tarts which where baby sized and looked as if they came pre frozen and were defrosted similar to those that are bought from Christmas selection snacks from your local Sainsbury’s. Not only lacking presentation, they also lacked flavour. The savoury tea, one sausage roll, few crackers, prawn cocktail and a pork pie, and they thought that was worth £26.50. Personally, if I was the chef, I’d feel a little embarrassed serving it. I put the complaint forward, and I was offered the discount on the savoury tea to half price, and no charge for the vat, what a joke I thought to myself. There excuse for it, was due to Covid, there were less staff and they were unable to get the right products in stock. I didn’t want to raise too much of an issue being with my fiancé and family. Total for four people £92.50! If you can’t offer the same quality and presentation that’s offered on your website, then do not offer it at all, or at least reduce the price! I feel robbed and hungry and unsatisfied from my visit. Very disappointing

The afternoon tea was utterly awful and the worse we have ever been to (and we’ve been to a few). The cakes were unedible and stale, the sandwiches were awful with a limited selection and the value for money with regards to what you get for the price was appalling. I would urge people not to waste their money or time on this afternoon and the only positive was the tea/coffee as everything else provided was so disgusting my partner couldn’t even finish one cakes or one sandwiche. For £25 per person I cannot name one positive, with the exception of the poor staff who were very friendly. Please do not waste your time or money on this afternoon tea.

The drive-up to Chilston Park is always an impressive one whatever time of year or season, nothing disappoints the splendid view of the hotel as you approach. My sister-in-laws and I visited for a special afternoon tea treat for a special birthday and everything about the afternoon was perfect. The setting beautiful, the staff attentive, the food delicious, the array of deserts sublime and the choice of Prosecco simply the best (so much so we've all been actively searching the web to treat ourselves to a bottle or two). I encourage anyone to find an excuse to visit this beautiful hotel and enjoy the atmosphere and ambiance - you will not be disappointed. Thank you to the wonderful staff

I just want to say what a beautiful hotel, setting and grounds and fabulous staff, I come here to celebrate a mile stone birthday for my cousin with my family. So here it goes my experience, There is no obvious place when entering for us to go so we ended up roaming the corridors until we where asked what we was here for. Upon entering we walked past several staff and no one greeted us or said hello. When we finally found where we was meant to go we where seated by the lovely manager. The tea was lovely and so was the afternoon tea but I have a few niggles that I must vent about...... 1) some sandwiches had crusts on and this is sloppy and just not afternoon tea etiquette, they where lacking in flavour and filling and some where not filled to the edges and missing at least an inch of filling at the end 2) the scones where either burnt/over cooked or flat as a pancake and smothered in powdered sugar in order to cover this error. 3) If you are going to do a cream tea you must provide plenty of clotted cream two scoops of cream is not enough for 6 people and a scoop each would have serviced. 4) the jam provided for the scone was not jam but a compote and the flavour was miscellaneous and I could not figure out if it was strawberry or rhubarb, I asked my family members the same question and they where just as stumped as me. 5) when it come to ask for more cream no one was around for us to ask and we had pretty much been left to our devices the whole time we was there. I did not have a problem with the staff they where all incredibly friendly and hospitable I was just disappointed by the lack of checking up on us to make sure we was ok or if we needed anything more. I must say The cakes where well presented and very scrumptious no problems there. The thing is I have had afternoon tea at mean different establishments some in simple cafe’s and some in big grand hotels like Sketch and hotel cafe royal and everything in between and have come to know what is expected and unfortunately this just fell short of my expectations. Afternoon teas are simple and big money spinners so to charge me 25.50 a head for scones and fingers sandwiches and cake I expect it to be flawless. I will definitely come back here again to stay or have dinner but I will not be having the afternoon tea again.

Booked for a birthday. Beautiful setting and staff friendly. Nice touch with the history of the building and the staff member in marble lounge particularly helpful and made us feel welcome.

Was staying at the hotel and ordered two platters for lunch. Very good selection of meat and cheese also my husband had the vegetarian platter. Drinks were good too. Staff polite and helpful.

We stayed at the hotel a few years ago for our anniversary and could not rate it highly enough. Therefore, when my husband said he had booked afternoon tea for our 21st anniversary I was thrilled. The service was excellent as usual but when the pots of tea arrived we were disappointed. The tea was served in glass and stainless steel pots - a good idea because in theory you can see the lovely colours of the different teas. Unfortunately the pots were filthy with tea and water stains all over the outside. Both pots.cloud have done have done with a polish! Some of the sandwiches had crusts on, which is a silly thing, but for a £21 per person tea in a "posh" hotel, you expect it to conform to etiquette! One of the pieces of carrot cake looked as if a bite had been taken out of it (I think it was just broken) The staff were great and boxed up the cakes we couldn't eat and we had a lovely walk in the grounds. Probably won't return for afternoon tea though based on this, which is sad, because we had such a brilliant stay with them.

What a lovely place to enjoy a wonderful celebratory afternoon tea. The smartly dressed staff welcomed us warmly and after we had looked around the magnificent hotel, they showed us to the lounge with open log fire and comfy chairs. A glass of champagne was poured whilst we mulled over the menu. The attentative staff suggested a selection of sweet and savoury delicacies to accompany our choice of tea. A wise choice as all where well presented and tasted delicious. We look forward to returning in the summer to see the gardens in all their glory and enjoy another afternoon tea

Came here for afternoon tea to celebrate birthday. We had the traditional afternoon tea, there is a savoury option too which I was tempted by, but cake is cake!!! Must say that there was plenty of food, actually left a small cake each, good selection and was fresh. The staff that dealt with us were friendly. Would just like to point out that no one came back to table to see if everything was ok, towards the end of the tea pot my last 2 cups were more or less cold, would have been nice for someone to ask if extra warm water for the pot was needed, may seem trivial but I have been to other places that charge less, where the food is just as good and they have been more attentive, and have offered this. The place was nice and we had a good spot by the fire but I would have expected a little more on the service side for the price paid.

Traditional and elegant location for afternoon tea. Beautiful setting and location and a wonderful old building. Attentive and helpful staff, delicious and plentiful selection of sandwiches, cakes, scones, etc. and an equally impressive selection of teas on offer. We took our time and savoured our experience which overall was delightful. We look forward to returning.

Had traditional afternoon tea yesterday, with my daughter-in-law. Really lovely setting, especially good to have all the Christmas decorations up and the warm fires etc. Helpful and attentive staff, and a very generous afternoon tea. Sadly interrupted by an emergency fire evacuation. Quickly and efficiently handled by staff, who rapidly realised that standing in the wet, cold carpark was not very nice for people dressed in party gear! Thanks all round.

Tuvimos una excelente té de la tarde aquí un domingo por la tarde con mi hermana y mi madre. Mi hermana tiene una intolerancia de trigo y Satisficieron sus necesidades dietéticas y tuvimos los más deliciosos sándwiches y pasteles.

Este tiene que ser uno de los más relajados y cómodos hoteles que he estado. Las preciosas antigüedades, chimeneas, lámparas de araña y textiles abiertos todos contribuyen a la sensación general de tiempos pasados ... El servicio es excelente y el té de crema superó todas las expectativas. El deliciosos bollos, mermelada y nata de Kentish están servidos en cantidades generosas. Hay una amplia selección de hojas frescas de té para elegir y la cafetera sigue siendo reponía! Volveremos muy PRONTO!

Un grupo de 5 amigos y yo visitamos Chilston Park para el té de la tarde a 12 de septiembre. Cuatro de nosotros tuvimos té en el mármol Lounge antes, que había sido bien con una negativo mayor (nuestro mayor problema fue pastel de Navidad en abril). Me alegra poder decir que era mucho mejor en esta época y leer críticas recientes aquí parece que esas experiencias han sido tomadas a bordo, lo que se tradujo en una gran experiencia para nosotros.

Un té de la tarde agradable de champán con buen servicio y sabrosos y abundantes sándwiches, bollos, etc. El servicio era bueno y las camareras agradable. Un marcado contraste con el té recientemente tuvimos en Nutfield Priory un hotel de la misma cadena.

We visited chilston park Sunday 19th July to celebrate my birthday for afternoon tea. The setting is beautiful and a lovely location however the service was very poor. We booked afternoon tea and were seated in the restaurant that was very poorly ventilated. They were unable to open the windows by our table due to the sash window design so we asked to sit outside. The waitress huffed and puffed and seemed disgruntled we had asked and I had to justify that I was pregnant and too hot. The food and teas were brought out very slowly, tea and coffee was brought out with no milk and by the time we had milk the drinks were cold. Our stands were brought out without plates again we waited patiently for these. We also repeatedly asked for water which took several attempts to receive to the table. We had to move tables and umbrellas together to sit together with no help from any waiter or waitress. My friend asked for additional sandwiches which at other venues I have visited, they naturally refill your stand and offer more tea, coffee and water as part of the price. At £26.50 for royal tea per person you would expect this service. We were brought extra sandwiches and at no point were we told these are chargeable but were charged £25 extra with the bill. At no point did anyone come out to offer more drinks and several friends kept going to the bar to purchase drinks. This is a missed opportunity for the hotel as they could have made more money. We did complain at the time of paying the bill about how poor the service was. Considering the price and how lovely the location is, it was very disappointing. There was a wedding fayre going on in the hotel and I don't feel the focus was on the customers that day

My wife and I were booked in for afternoon tea at £17.50 per head.Unfortunately the food looked rather tired as did the surroundings in the afternoon tea dining area.The food had obviously been prepared well in advance and was beginning to look shrivelled and tired.The chairs were a trifle threadbare around the arms and a part of the tiled floor was cracked.I really didn't bother to look any further.This is a hotel with very glossy upmarket brochures and prices to match and sadly the finished product does not justify any of these.This is the second time that I have experienced this quality.However the excellent waiter who was most efficient and friendly went someway to salvaging the experience.

Came here for a an afternoon tea to treat my friend for a special occasion. Once seated we waited a ridiculous length of time for our order to be taken. There were two other couples having tea in our room and we more or less all arrived at the same time but our orders were taken separately with about a 15 minutre gap between each. The actual tea...well only a choice of savoury or sweet and not a mixture as you would expect and then you would have to pay in addition for any extras. There was little or no attention to us and there was no offer of a top up to the pot of tea we had chosen. I then had to ask for the bill as there was little or no service. I have been for tea at various other hotels and this has to be the worst for service and value.

Went recently with family to this country house hotel in the heart of the Kent countyside. Its a really good experience with extensive choice of teas and bid three tier cake stands with sandwiches, scones and fancy cakes. The service was excellent and very friendly. Will definately be returning,

Had afternoon tea here as a treat for my 30th birthday. Lovely decor, nice champagne. That's where the positives end for me. Lovely host at reception welcomed us in, and brought us down to where we would be having tea. Once seated by a waitress, we were left for 20 minutes before someone came to take our order. Order placed, and the food/drink came quite quickly. The sandwiches were vile, but that is down to my own personal taste. If you, like myself, also despise salmon, cottage cheese, egg mayonnaise and mustard, you will be very disappointed. We were given a large cafetière of coffee, and the tiniest pot of milk between 2. I complained to my husband, and he said that asking for another wouldn't be a problem. Wrong. We noticed there was a wedding being held elsewhere in the hotel. This clearly meant that guests like us who were paying £70+ for coffee, scones and a few manky sandwiches would be left to our own devises. Tables around us were not cleaned after guests left. There were plenty of staff to-ing and fro-ing in the corridors, but none available to ask us if everything was ok. Or if we needed anything. I needed the toilet, but had no idea where they were. My daughter needed a glass of water, but there wasn't anybody to ask. I needed more milk for the half a pot of coffee I still had remaining, but, there was no one to ask. Eventually, after being left alone complexly for half an hour, another 2 guests arrived for tea. This gave us a chance to just ask for the bill. I didn't want to risk asking for milk instead, then having to wait another half an hour before being able to accost someone to ask for the bill...Was also looking forward to having a walk around the gardens, but, again, this was a disappointment as they have a lawn. No garden. No flowers. Some sheep in the field behind though.All in all, I'm so disappointed with the service we received here today. What should have been a nice experience actually left me feeling rather narked and bitter that we'd chosen to do this on a day when clearly the wedding party needed their full attention. Why book guests for a service if you cannot offer them a pleasant one??Greed.

Had a very pleasant afternoon tea with extras .Weather great in a lovely setting.Celebrating our 18th wedding anniversary.Food and service very good.Well worth a visit.Sitting in the garden with beautiful sunny weather an added bonus.

Took my 92 year old dad here for Afternoon Tea on Fathers' Day and was hugely impressed by the whole experience. The staff were friendly and welcoming and the room delightful. The choice of sandwiches and cakes was first class - tiny raspberry cheesecakes; tiny carrot cakes with cream cheese frosting; delicious, warm scones with cream and jam; mini chocolate eclairs; slices of fruit cake and gorgeous fresh fruit tartlets. Sandwiches were equally good- smoked salmon; ham; egg mayonnaise. Coffee was served with hot milk ( not always the case) and top ups of tea and coffee were quickly given. The best Afternoon Tea we have had!

Visited Chilston park hotel yesterday for afternoon tea with friends, I must say I was very impressed with the hotels atmosphere & staff who were very polite & friendly, the tea was delicious sandwiches & savouries were lovely, would certainly go there again.

We came here as a family for my mum's birthday on a Saturday afternoon. None of us could fault the food itself - was all delicious and plenty of it per person. We had a mixture of traditional afternoon teas and savoury afternoon teas and everyone liked the food.What we found fault with was the service. It wasn't extremely busy but fairly busy (in my opinion) but service was very slow. Afternoon tea can be all types of prices and you can have an afternoon tea at a lot of places these days - paying a bit more for somewhere like Chilston Park I would expect to see great attentive service in a lovely location. The location is pretty and lovely but the service was a bit all over the place. Food came and we had to ask twice for our hot drinks and go to look for someone for the jug of water we ordered. Simple things but they can easily irritate you.The lady serving us also didn't seem to know the answer to a lot of our questions and something such as swapping a fruit scone for a cheese scone seemed to be a problem. I also don't see why adding champagne to the afternoon tea is so pricey. I think it's a nice location with nice food but didn't feel looked after that well (the only example I can compare to is Hempstead House in Bapchild which is also a lovely, formal setting but there I felt very attended to and felt I had an amazing service when paying the kinds of prices I wouldn't pay on a day to day basis).

i didn't stay here but took my mum for an early Mother's Day surprise Afternoon Tea. I thought the price at £17.50 per head seemed high but went with great expectations. The setting is absolutely gorgeous and the hotel is spectacular. Unfortunately that was where it ended. We waited for at least five minutes for anyone to arrive at the sitting room desk, eventually we were seated, there was a breakfast menu on the table but no afternoon tea menus. Eventually a waitress gave us one menu even though there were two of us. We ordered 2 afternoon teas. The picture shows what arrived. I felt it was extremely over priced at £35. my mum enjoyed it which was the main thing , I think had she known how much it had cost she also would have been disappointed

Attended as a party of ten ladies. We were shown to the restaurant and seated at a large round table which was perfect for us to be able to chat! We noticed others having afternoon tea in the lounge.We were brought menus however I had to look for someone to take our orders as it was felt we had been forgotten.Happily following the orders being taken, we could not fault the service. Teapots were refilled, extra jam and clotted cream were brought. The jam was homemade and tasted wonderful! The fruit tarts were beautiful. The staff were extremely attentive and even took a variety of photographs.We had a wonderful afternoon.

My friend and I returned yesterday, 24/10/2014, looking forward to the same very enjoyable experience mentioned in my previous review of 29/04/2014. Well I'm sad to say it was very disappointing and we won't be going back for a third time.Service was patchy and perfunctory, and the glass teapots were in serious need of a good clean. My friend had the Jasmine Tea, which is almost clear in appearance. The inner metal core of the pot which held her tea was badly stained with tannin from previous servings and the rims of both our teapots were stained and grubby. This isn't hidden staining, it is all too evident and the server, or the kitchen, either don't bother to check, or just don't care.The kitchen had apparently run out of the Assam Tea I requested, so the woman serving us went to some sort of display box behind the sofa we were seated and took some tea from that. This might explain why my pot of tea tasted musty and stale.We had opted for the Royal Tea, which includes a glass of champagne. We asked to have the champagne before the afternoon tea was served, and what we were given were 2 , only 2/3 full, glasses, complete with water marks on the bases of the flutes and a smear of grease on mine.After the champagne, we waited, and we waited, and we waited, until finally, after catching someone's eye, we were served with the food. Another long wait ensued before the teapots arrived. The concept of drinking the tea whilst eating the sandwiches, cakes and scones seemed to have been overlooked.Trying to attract anyone's attention was a waste of time. Perhaps I had slipped into my invisibility cloak by mistake!No-one did a check-back, to see if we were happy with the food, no-one offered a refill of the teapots, and it seemed like no-one was too bothered about the quality of the experience at all.Afternoon Tea is supposed to be a refined, relaxed, enjoyable experience,with a certain charm and élan to it, but the serving staff seemed rather more preoccupied with carrying bowls of chips and hot snacks to the other occupants of the Marble Lounge, than ensuring that 2 middle aged ladies had a pleasant afternoon. Finally, unable to attract anyone's attention to our table, we went to the desk and paid, and a word of thanks there for our custom might have been nice, but that was neglected too.Sorry, Chilston Park, we won't be back.

The grounds of the hotel were stunning and the atmosphere of the room used for afternoon tea was lovely, as was the food. Unfortunately, the service was slow and the staff forgot to bring out the congratulation cake I had ordered and pre-paid for, for my friend, as we were celebrating her baby shower. I was unable to find any waiting staff, so had to go to the front desk to ask when the cake would be ready. By now, all other guests had left afternoon tea and people were arriving for cocktails. It meant we had to explain to our friend why we were still there so long after finishing tea, thus spoiling the surprise. I had read really good reviews of the hotel before visiting, so was surprised that this happened.

We recently had an afternoon at Chilston Park Hotel for afternoon tea. We waited 30 minutes for tea, I had pre-ordered egg mayonnaise sandwiches for myself, as that is all I can eat. All that arrived were 3 finger ones, the rest were other fillings. Not a good selection of cakes either! Ever had afternoon without scones? Just go to Chilston Park then. What cakes there were, not impressive either. The staff who waited on us were very pleasant. They did not even reply to my email about our visit, says it all I think.

Made a short notice booking for afternoon tea - just googled 'afternoon tea near Maidstone' and found this one!We were seated in The Marble Lounge on a lovely sofa and chairs. There were a large choice of teas and various eating options - we chose the traditional afternoon tea of finger sandwiches - 4 each, 2 scones with jam and cream, a mini fruit tart, eclair and fruit cake - for £17.50 per person. Quite good value compared to London prices - though we were not offered any extra food, only refills of tea and coffee. Beautiful hotel and grounds - would definitely recommend and return!

Had the afternoon tea with a glass of champagne offering here today with my friend, to celebrate her birthday. We had asked in advance for the Gluten Free option for her, because she has coeliac disease.When we were seated, the server told us that the gluten free scones hadn't turned out as well as they should have done, and she explained what else was available. The alternative sweet and savoury treats for my friend were imaginative, delicious and very acceptable. We were not charged for my friend's afternoon tea, by way of an apology, when in fact, we would have been perfectly happy to have paid. My friend was also given a voucher for a complimentary afternoon tea with a glass of their delicious champagne, the voucher to be used in the next few months. This was an extraordinarily generous gesture, and says a lot to me about the ethos of customer service and satisfaction that Chilston Park strives so hard for and achieves. The food was delicious and beautifully presented, the service was very attentive but discreet, and the Marble Lounge has an air of refined elegance, so in keeping with the rest of the beautiful building and it's surroundings.I've had afternoon tea in hotels all over the world, and the one today at Chilston Park was one of the very best in over 40 years of international travel.I would recommend it to anyone.... Just go and try it for yourself, it's beautiful, and a real treat.My only regret was that I didn't ask what the champagne brand was, because it was superb!

Myself and three girlfriends enjoyed our afternoon tea at Chilston Park Hotel yesterday (April 26). None of us had been to the hotel before and we found the grounds very appealing and the hotel lovely inside. The car park was very full, just before 4pm there were exactly 2 spots remaining. The tea selection was great. The sandwiches were good (no original spins on the old classics, it's simply the old classics). The scones were probably the best part because they were a bit different - more cake-like than dense and heavy. Finally, the chocolate eclairs and fruit tartlets went down well, but they were an odd choice. I believe between the four of us, we left behind two pieces of the fruit cake - it was too heavy and not quite right for a spring tea. The only other time I've seen fruit cake at an afternoon tea was 10 days before Christmas. I would have much preferred a small cake or macaroon.One of our group asked for a vegetarian selection of sandwiches, which came after we pulled a member of waitstaff aside to ask where they were. The service was attentive to start but dwindled as the afternoon went on. We also found it a bit annoying that children were running around the hotel with no adults supervising them (and 3 of 4 of us are parents!). We also found it a bit odd when paying our bills at the bar to see hotel guests wandering around in their socks. None of this was enough to put us off a possible return but it is the reason my rating is 4 stars instead of 5 (along with the Christmas-cake-when-it's-not-Christmas).

We was kept waiting befor we were showed to are table. Then we was served are tea.Then no one came nere us .we left it for at lest 30mins.and ask if they had for got us.They said yes .They did say sorry .we booked it are selfs .it was a gift for are 40 th anniversary.so we was both a bit dissaported.

Visited the Hotel on 19th April to celebrate my wife's birthday along with my daughter.Made very welcome on arrival and the service was excellent. We all enjoyed the food and surroundings a fantastic afternoon. The actual Hotel is very clean and set in lovely gardens.

I can't comment on the rooms, but I took my mum here for afternoon tea today (first visit for us both) and I was so disappointed. I paid £35 for sandwiches that were on stale bread, terrible service and even a teapot that the staff forgot to put TEA in!! We were placed in the corner of the dining room, meaning when we tried to get the attention of the waiter about the teapot full of leftover lukewarm water without any tea in, we were completely ignored for ten minutes. I'm not quite sure why we were hidden away in the corner of the room. I had pre-booked weeks in advance and there were plenty of more appealing tables empty in the dining area, where the waiters may have actually noticed us! The dining room was nice enough but it would have been MUCH more pleasant to sit in the more relaxed room with armchairs, but I did not realise this was an option and when I booked on the phone I wasn't told there were two options.We arrived rather hungry and it took almost half an hour before we were brought any food.Totally disappointing and far too expensive for food and service that was simply not up to scratch. (Best bit was the fruit tartlet). Shan't be visiting again, which is a shame as the building itself is really nice.

Lovely tea, everything was nicely presented and tasted delicious, especially the amazing light warm scones.We were a party of eight and had a delightful small private dining room, which was unexpected, and made us feel we were in a Jane Austen film.Staff were charming and friendly. Perhaps service was perhaps just a tad slow at times, for example when we were waiting for tea refill, but it didn't matter because we were having such a lovely time.

My husband and I booked to visit Chilston Park for Afternoon Tea to celebrate the start of my maternity leave. We have been to a few different venues for Afternoon Tea but have to say that Chilston Park is definitely one of the best. Not only is the location absolutely stunning, but the actual service and quality of the tea, sandwiches and cakes was amazing - we especially liked the home made jam and scones :)We will definitely be returning again soon!

My husband took me, as well as two friends, to Chilston Park Hotel for afternoon tea as a surprise for my 40th birthday - it was exceptional!My husband suffers from a cow's milk allergy and this has proved to be a problem in many other places for afternoon/cream tea. Chilston Park Hotel provided my husband with a 3 plate tray - the same as mine - with everything on his plates made with ingredients he could eat. He had sandwiches, scones and cakes - the same as mine. I had a lovely time and it was very special to see my husband catered for without it seeming a problem or being obviously different.The surroundings were beautiful - a lovely lounge area with beautiful furniture and a log fire - the staff were polite and helpful and the food was delicious.Thank you for making my birthday so special.

Delightful afternoon. Delicious food, completely full at the end. Didn't even finish it all. Good value and well worth another visit. Service very good too.

I recently hosted an Afternoon Tea for a large group (18) at Chilston Park and was delighted that the whole afternoon was beautifully arranged. Not only were the arrangements before the event exceptionally well organised but the wonderful teas, the food, ambience and service were second to none. Nothing was too much trouble and everyone involved was impressed by the warmth of the staff and their unstinting attention to detail despite the fact that the hotel was brimming with other guests. I have had numerous afternoon teas in many of the finest hotels but can honestly say I would go a very long way to fine such a wonderful experience anywhere in the world. It is highly recommended.

Had a good private dining experience in the library, service was attentive and food competent rather than outstanding.

We have not stayed at this hotel, but we regularly come to have a cup of tea/coffee with biscuits which is very reasonably priced.We have always found the staff to be very friendly and most obliging. The grounds of the hotel are well-tended, and we always enjoy a stroll around.We would certainly recommend this to anyone wanting a relaxing hour or two.

We enjoyed a traditional "English tea" at Chilston Park Manor. Very good finger sandwiches of-salmon, cream cheese and cucumber, ham , cheese and pickle. eclairs , fruit tarts, fruit cake and scones with jam and cream.We also had a choice of many teas.The service was excellent both for tea and at reception The surroundings are picturesque with lake and gardens plus a lovely building.Altogether a very pleasant experience.

Having looked forward to having afternoon tea at this lovely hotel, I must say I was disappointed. The service was poor, after being shown to our table, we were rushed to make decision on the tea we wanted to drink, this was presented with afternoon tea, but at no time was we asked if we wanted more tea or sandwiches. It was very busy and people were allowed in with shorts and flip flops and guests booking in to stay we're wandering through the area with clothes on hangers and bags, not really what I would expect. I would recommend giving this a miss and going somewhere that wants to serve afternoon tea as a priority, I felt this was a add on to make additional monies for the hotel.

I have to say I am surprised by the other reviews of afternoon tea. We had excellent, friendly service, more than enough sandwiches and cakes, and we only had to ask and more tea was brought out to us. Overall we had a lovely afternoon and will definitely go again.

We turned up for afternoon tea around 2:45 for a 3:00pm booking and were immediately met with no parking spaces. We circled and waited for about 20 minutes and I eventually had to go to reception to ask what to do! I was met by a friendly receptionist who instructed us to park in front of the building where there was a sign telling us not to do so.Once we found our way into the lounge we were met by a young man and seen to a table. We then had to wait about 15 minutes before our order was taken. We waited a further 20 minutes before our drinks arrived and then an even further 25 minutes before our sandwiches etc arrived. The tea and food was lovely, the scones especially. Except, we had to eat our food without the accompanying tea. We were not offered any more tea to have with our sandwiches and cakes and when we had finished our food we eventually managed to grab a young waitress and ask for another pot of tea. After 20 minutes we then chased and complained about why it was taking so long, 3 minutes later our tea arrived. The staff were rarely seen and seemed to be oblivious to us as we tried to catch their attention. Overall, the food was mediocre for the price tag and we were thoroughly disappointed with our afternoon tea - minus the tea!

Tea yesterday - pots of tea arrived first, a little later the cups by which time tea was warm and not hot. A good ten minutes later food arrived, and what was left of my tea was cold. Food was absolutely delicious, but may I suggest that cups first, then cakes and tea served last so that one can enjoy a hot cup of tea with the cakes. Also I worried about the girl who had to balance heavy trays on one arm whilst putting pots and cups on to a low table. She was grateful for my help.Didn't find the 'fantastic' grounds, perhaps they were at the back...?

Overall it really wasn't bad, but we did ask for extra sandwiches (which we were charged for) and it took nearly an hour for 2 extra plates of sandwiches to arrive. Also, I did think the choice of cakes was a bit strange. I've never seen slices of fruit cake, fruit tarts or chocolate eclairs on a 3 tier cake stand before. The sandwiches were OK, but not enough of them and the scones were a tad on the small side. It wasn't fancy enough for my liking! With a glass of champagne it was £26.50 per person (plus extra for the additional sandwiches), and somehow I felt it was a bit of a let down. Perhaps I'm just Afternoon Tea'd out!!!! Let's face it, everyone's doing it now so the bar has been raised.

We celebrated our mums 84th birthday by taking her to enjoy an afternoon tea at Chilston Park and we were not disappointed. Organising the visit was simple involving a phone call and on arrival our table was set and ready. We sat in a really comfortable lounge with comfortable chairs and were extremely well looked after by Declan. We opted for both the savory and traditional menu, and the choice was fantastic from a variety of filled sandwiches, really yummy fruit tarts and scones with freshly made jam and cream. A wide variety of flavoured teas were available too.We were never rushed and enjoyed our time relaxing, chatting and enjoying the beauty of the lounge.We had a fantastic day and thank you to everyone we met at Chilston who made the day very special.

My husband decided to treat me to afternoon tea for no apparent reason. I was amazed as we approached Chilston park up the long amazing driveway. As we arrived in reception we were met a greeted by Guy who guided us down to the lounge and took our reservation name on the way. As we approached the lounge a young man stopped instantly what he was doing turned to us smile and greeted us by name! He then proceeded to show us to our table and offered to take our jackets. He presented the menus and explained them fully, even told us about his favorite tea. "Russian caravan" the the story behind it. He left to hang our jackets as we sat and pondered over the menu whilst attempting not to be distracted by the amazing chandelier and fireplace.When the young man returned (I think his name was scot? or sean?) he asked us if we were ready to place our order. I announced we had a voucher which he showed he already knew about and explained what our voucher entailed. Took our order and left.We had our tea brought over to us within a minute or 2 by a lovely lady who offered to pour our first glass. With a beaming smile coming from her and all staff we encountered.momentarily our stand arrived with so much choice! He described the items on the stand to us fresh sandwiches, 2 scones each, homemade jam, fruit cake, fruit tart and the young lads favorite the chocolate eclairs as we chuckled about this he left us to enjoy.Shortly later he came back and offered us more tea and made a conversation with us, we were intrigued about the history of the hotel and offered to give us a tour and have tea ready for us on our return.The young lad gave us a tour around the hotel telling us all about its history, showing us pictures of old owners and the hotel before the lake was built.We returned to the lounge and more tea was brought straight out.After this time we felt full and departed from our amazing experience.Will be returning soon!

This is not a hotel service review, we went for an afternoon tea.I took two elderly relatives for afternoon tea as a gift. Waited a few minutes before anyone took us to our table and a further 20 before being spoken to again. We had to ask to be served. Sandwiches took nearly 30 minutes and were extremely average.I had pre booked the tea on vouchers purchased for Christmas but had forgotten to bring all of them but having already quoted ref numbers assumed no problem. When it came to paying the bill I was made to feel like I was trying to con my way out of paying and was escorted to reception where I had to wait for 10 minutes while they called head office.What can I say. No chance I will go back.

We had booked for tea on a day which coincided with a wedding fair at the hotel. Tea itself was fine, although by no means outstanding, but the service was dire! We asked several serving staff for another pot of tea, and also a couple of glasses of water - but none ever arrived. The table behind us waited for 25 minutes before their order was even taken. Finally we gave up and left - we had paid in advance using a voucher we had received for a special birthday treat. Maybe that's why they didn't bother - they already had our money. We won't be going here again.

My daughter and I have just returned from having afternoon tea a The Chilston Park Hotel - it was a gift to me from my daughter. The Lounge area was very pleasant and comfortable and we had a table for two in lovely armchairs by a window. We were very impressed with the service we received - we felt we were well looked after. The tea was well presented and there was plenty of choice - we decided to have a mix of savoury and sweet items. The scones were warm and there was plenty of clotted cream and jam. We had a lovely time and we would certainly return.

We went for afternoon tea today and despite initial impressions being good we were less than impressed by the service. We asked for more tea and water twice which never came. We sat patiently for 15 minutes and no one in sight. The table behind us waited for 25 minutes before anyone came to take their order. Was quite disappointed as this was a birthday gift and was looking forward to it. We upped and left and to be honest had this not already been pre-paid, with the lack of staff, could have walked without paying.

Superb service, Afternoon Tea and location. Freshly made finger sandwiches which included plenty of variety. The scones were amazing, warm and delicious. Beautiful location, duck pond, outdoor chess and walks. Highly recommended.

Had a late afternoon celebration tea - met every expectation, good but not fussy service, delicious food and well presented (good mix of sandwiches, warm scones, three types of cakes - traditional fruit, fruit tart and a fantastic eclair...I could have eaten these all night) and comfy surroundings on a wet cold day - sofa's in front the fire. Drink choice extensive and pots of tea refreshes provided. Often a late afternoon tea has that prepared in advance feel, this was all fresh and full of flavour.We also felt under no pressure to hurry despite dinner guests arriving. Will return asap if I have my way!

Went here with my daughter as a treat for her Birthday and yet again we had a lovely experience. We chose the elevens's menu this time and what a delicious choice of food, not too sure about the "Welsh Rarebit" as it was served in little pastry cases and not on toast but then I suppose toast would have gone soft. Overall a very good option.

Had afternoon tea here along with 2 of my daughters and grandaughter. Staff were very attentive and food was delicious, tea was exactly what we ordered and we were asked if we required any more of anything on several occasions. Lovely cosy atmosphere with the fire lit and Christmas decorations up. Would certainly visit again.

I booked afternoon tea for my friends baby shower at chilston park and could not be happier at the service we received. We were situated in a private dining room, the members of staff were very attentive , the food excellent and the atmosphere relaxed. This is the third time I've had afternoon tea at chilston park and highly recommend it .

We were 'treated' to afternoon tea here as a birthday gift. We would have to agree with most of the reviews here. The food and grounds are fantastic. The one issue that seems to come up time and again is the shocking service and poor management. The general manager seems adept at responding but doesn't seem to have done anything about it! So, let me take you through our experience step by step dear readers:1 It was a lovely sunny day - we were not offered a table outside, or even a table near to a window! Poor.2 We and everyone else who arrived for tea at the same time had booked - but staff didn't seem able to find the details of the booking (more of this later).3 On the website it recommended an upgrade with a glass of champagne. We were not offered this by any member of staff. Missing an opportunity to up sell? Training needed quite clearly.4 When we asked for wine we were not offered a wine menu and had to take a 'pot shot' without knowledge of the cellar or prices per glass. Again, basic stuff.5 Throughout the hour or so we were there staff milled around the till outside the entrance to the restaurant, chatting or discussing the till functions. It was extremely difficult to catch their attention. The till beeped and bipped throughout.6 When our tea arrived it was the 'traditional'. We wanted savoury. The member of staff said that she had an order for 'traditional'. I made it clear that no one had asked us at any point what tea we wanted (either by phone or when we first rocked up). Savoury came 15 minutes later. Food was fine.7 As we sat eating, accompanied to the bickering of the staff and electronic symphony of the till a couple who had arrived before us finished their tea and left. Staff then asked one another who they were, whether they were staying and if they had paid! Quote of the day was "we'll have to have a look out for them at breakfast and sort it then!" - all within earshot of us!8 A booking of 5 then turned up and experienced the same chaotic response - no record of their booking, plumped down in the lounge without being asked if they wanted to sit outside - you're getting the picture now? 3 members of staff at one point were dealing with them. When they were placed outside it became apparent from 'till corner' that they also hadn't been offered a choice of tea and a discussion occurred as to which member of staff was going to have to break the bad news! Sadly the most eager and youngest lad agreed to 'take one for the team'9 When our bill was brought an apology was made for the poor service and a glass of wine had been deducted. But even then it was wrong! The icing on the cake at this point was that (presumably a senior member of staff) came along, gave the member of staff guidance on how to take our payment but made no acknowledgement of the situation. With management like that I guess you can only conclude that this is what you're going to get front of house.10 Piped musack - a sort of Kenny G compilation. Wailing saxophones etc. Who in God's name thinks that this improves anyone's stay or experience in a period building? Even in the reception we were treated to The Cure's "Friday I'm in love" whilst sitting in a period waiting area - it's just bizarre!All this on a day when a car manufacturer was using the grounds to sell their vehicles. There were lots of people there who it is reasonable to assume have a disposable income. It was a great opportunity to showcase the venue and the service.Whilst Mr Davies seems very quick to acknowledge his customer's comments he seems to have done next to nothing to improve the level of service and systems in place, from our experience at least.

My husband booked this as a birthday treat for me. The number of sandwiches and scones was inadequate for 2 people (one medium-sized scone each? Come on guys!) When I questioned this (after we had eaten - should have done it beforehand) it became clear that we had not received our full allocation of sandwiches. All we got from the waitress was a weak 'sorry 'bout that'. The missing sandwiches didn't appear and no consideration on the bill!This isn't the way to encourage repeat business and we won't be returning. Disappointing.

I can only tell you about my 'afternoon tea' at the Chilston as we did not stay there.But if you want a little treat I can recommend an afternoon tea.There is a choice of sweet or savoury and there is plenty to eat.A wide choice of teas and drinks are available too.It is a good idea to keep watching as they often have "two for one" or other special offers.It is in a relaxed atmosphere and the grounds outside are lovely, a lake and birdlife, to walk around and loose a few of the calories you have just eaten!

A party of 4 visited this Hotel for afternoon tea to celebrate a birthday. The overall impression was very good and the standard of most of the tea time treats was really good. However, the big drawback was the fact that, although we had asked for 2 of the teas to be dairy/lactose free, in spite of querying this a few times, and been given assurances everything was fine, we were given real cream to put on our scones! When we questioned this, we were told the Chef had made a mistake and were given two free scones as an apology! The staff were friendly, albeit a little slow as it was quite busy with a lot of conferences going on. All in all a very pleasant outing, in lovely surroundings, but just double check if you have specific dietary requirements!

My husband and I decided to have elevenses for a late Easter treat. Yet again our visit there was not disappointing. As we relaxed in the beautiful surroundings, we were presented with more food than we could have imagined. On arrival we were met by welcoming, friendly staff who showed us to our seat in the lounge. Once our elevenses were served we were left to enjoy but they also checked if we needed anything topping up or any extra without being intrusive. We could have easily sat there relaxing until the evening as you are never rushed once you are finished. Will certainly be going back yet again.

My friend organised an afternoon tea for five of us on Monday 12th December. We were about five minutes later than the arranged time of 3.pm but still had a little wait before we were shown to a table. A lady came and asked us to select what teas we required - three ordered English Breakfast and the other two made individual choices. A young man appeared with three teapots which we placed on the table - we discovered there was no milk and assumed he was bringing that separately. Eventually the sandwiches and cakes arrived by which time the tea was 'stewed' and no longer hot. To cut a long story short after my friend made a complaint we got hot water but that did little to enhance the taste of the original tea so we requested fresh tea and hot water which was brought to the table along with clean cups & saucers by another unsmiling young man. I was surprised to notice than one teapot had a dark brown stain from the tip of the spout to the base and pointed this out but he made no comment. The sandwiches and cakes were delicious especially the scones. I did email a complaint to the hotel but have received no response. I hasten to add that this is not my experience on previous visits to the Chilston Park.