The Royal Hotel- Afternoon Tea in Isle of Wight

Sunday lunch with friends. Excellent tasty food, attentive staff with high standards. All set in a delightful charming place

Delicious Sunday lunch - seated outside in the sun - friendly professional service and well prepared and presented dishes Book, go and enjoy!

My husband and I had a lovely stay in this hotel. The location is awesome cause it's so close to the beach. The room was fantastic with seaview. We also enjoyed the breakfast. The staff were all friendly and did their best to make a pleasant stay for us.

We had a wonderful lunch in the garden for a birthday celebration, we had done the same last year and had a wonderful time so hoped this year would live up to our expectations from last year. It really didn’t disappoint. A wonderful setting, great staff and top quality food. You never feel rushed or over crowded, so it’s very relaxing. A real gem!

We had afternoon tea, and it was 100% the best ive had on the island. The staff were so friendly and nice!

We went for an afternoon Cream Tea, which was absolutely beautiful. It is obvious why the Royal is the best hotel on the island. It has elegance, sophistication and class

We booked those restaurants as the reviews were excellent and it had an excellent vegan/vegetarian menu. We made the booking on the phone on the day and it was no trouble for us to be seated. We had a drink in the bar before dinner and the service was excellent and professional but friendly. The wines are also labelled vegan on the wine list 👍. The food arrived promptly and was absolutely delicious, I am vegan but my friend is not, she did order her starter from the vegan menu and said it was delicious. I would class this as fine dining but the prices are reasonable. At the end of our meal we were given a birthday plate which made it really special. Highly recommended if you’re visiting Isle of Wight!

I’m still shocked at the appalling food we were served here last night. Shockingly terrible! Guys please don’t waste your money, go and find somewhere better to eat that is worth it! Because this, you may think is a treat but let me tell you, it’s not! At least for us it wasn’t! They market this place as an award winning restaurant, which is so hard to believe. I had the Pork Chop, it was literally a dry pork chop thrown on a plate with a few scattered mushrooms and a sprig of spring onion with a dot of mustard, not sure what happened to the mustard cress that was meant to come with it. I’m sorry but the kind of food that was served to us is not what you’d expect from a restaurant like this. Maybe we were just unlucky. The food here is not as smart as you’re made to believe through their website. So disappointed. I have been to pubs that serve much better food and are spot on with their presentation than the rubbish we were given yesterday. The waitress was miserable. Service was rubbish. Food and drinks took ages to come. Dessert on the other hand was good! Breakfast in the morning was good too but then again it doesn’t take a super chef to cook some sausages and eggs. The hummus that was meant to come with the kids starter wasn’t even hummus it was some weird looking stale cheese and when queried the waitress said they had run out of hummus and apparently the weird tasting cheese was cream cheese, really? It didn’t taste anything like cream cheese, at least my child hasn’t got a dairy allergy eh! Or maybe tell us before we order that you’ve run out! Anyway the point I’m trying to make is..don’t eat here. £29.50 for a dry pork chop? No thank you! I’ll take my money somewhere else. Rip off!

Great room, very accommodating staff and lovely food 👍🏼

The royal tea was lovely. Peaceful and scenic location. Service was brilliant 👏🏽. Thank you, team.

I had a 2 course meal in the restaurant today, on my birthday. I was the only person in the restaurant as it was 6:15 PM, so the chef definitely was not busy . The leek risotto was not hot, arrived slightly warm and tasted disgusting. There was a green sauce that was sour with too much salt, it totally ruined it all. It was very tiresome and I was unable to finish the plate. The roasted roots side arrived barely warm and mostly undercooked. Desert was a cashew nut cheesecake. The base was disgusting, I had to ignore it. I ate the top part but it did not taste right. The honey comb stated on the menu was missed out. It was accompanied with a sorbet. I cannot stand sorbets, I could not eat it . On the menu it did not state that sorbet would be served with the cheesecake , I could have at least then asked them for vanilla ice cream instead. I eat something of my own when I got home as I was not full because I could not finish most of the food. For this rubbish, I paid the sum of £35.50. The restaurant's surroundings were rather outdated, not true class, other than the curtains which were nice. This was not the luxurious environment I was expecting The lighting was poor, the chandeliers were ancient, in need of a polish, preferably replacing, too dim, the wallpaper just didn't look good. The restaurant needs complete updating and refurbishment to be true class, along the lines of Claridges in London W 1. The staff are poorly trained as the waitress who was stationed very close by, stared at me in a peculiar manner for long periods of time whilst I was eating. When I made eye contact with her, she did not look away, she just carried on staring.... this happened more then once.....this was extremely rude and displayed exceedingly poor manners. Stay well away from this restaurant. This chef is totally clueless as to what real good food is. They ruined my birthday.

Everything about this hotel is of the best quality. Staff are very friendly and accommodating. The babysitting service was a brilliant addition for our 3 daughters. The grounds are well kept, the foyer is stunning. The food is quite possibly the best I've ever had. Made a lot of wonderful memories here.

Nice hotel but the average age of the guests is definitely over 70. Not really a young person's place.

Visited in early march. Weather was cold, so cannot comment on how beautiful it would be in the summer. But I noticed, there is no aircon in the hotel, hense less stars. Restaurant is excellent- food is top quality. Service is good too. Friendly staff. Bed in the room was very comfortable- could be good to have a choice of smaller, thinner pillow too.

Mesmerisingly beautiful place, excellent traditional British food and fantastic location. The pool is lovely too.

Dinner only. Excellent as always.

Despite poor weather, we had a wonderful 2 night stay to celebrate my birthday. Highly recommended

Had a lovely afternoon tea until the scones arrived. Why do you you not serve real clotted cream?? This was a 'mix' of creams - nothing like the proper clotted cream. Spoilt what up til then was a beautiful afternoon. Please, for the cost, you could do far better.

Plutôt que d'attendre bêtement sur le parking du Jardin Botanique son ouverture, nous sommes venus prendre une boisson chaude à Ventnor et le hasard a voulu que le Royal Hôtel soit l'établissement le plus proche.Le fait d'être à moto n'a posé AUCUN problème; nous avons pu garer nos 4 motos en toute simplicité près de l'entrée de l'hôtel et nous attabler à l'une des tables disposées sur la pelouse face à l'entrée de l'hôtel.Tout cela afin de profiter au mieux du cadre et la belle météo du moment ::o)Comme le jardinier qui arrosait les splendides fleurs et arbustes, le personnel a été poli, avenant et serviable (le serveur s'est proposé pour nous prendre en photo), nullement gêné que nous soyons à moto; au contraire, le patron lui-même est même venu nous remercier en disant qu'il voyait régulièrement passer des groupes de motards et qu'il était content que nous nous soyons arrêtés à son hôtel! :-D Non seulement, nous avons donc bien profiter de l'endroit pour "s'en mettre plein les yeux" mais, en plus, nous n'avons pas été assommés par les prix : 3 £ le double expresso*, 3,25 £ le chocolat chaud, 2,75 £ le thé et aussi le jus de fruits ! C'est quasiment toujours le cas en "Gibi-land" : les endroits classieux ne sont pas forcément hors de prix ::o)*en volume, ça équivaut à un café en France.

Lovely, old fashioned feel, pampered and well fed. A special treat - book & let them know dietary requirements before you arrive and they’ll provide a smashing alternative (GF bread a bit standard but reasonable).

The staff were very inattentive with no customer service skills, i asked for a pot of hot water and still hadn't recieved it 15 minutes later so had to ask again and it finally arrived. If you book somewhere like this you expect first class service which we definitely did not get.

We went with our friend who had there Wedding there and said how good it wasso thats why we thought to pay a visit for Tea And Cake as they stated on the web siteyou did not have to book.Well we were told that all Tables were booked and we could try the bar where they served tea and to ask if they can serve Cake.We were told by the so called manager that he was short staff and no time to get us 3 Slices of Cakethere was only 2 people in the Bar He said he had booking for 30 people Well there were only 3 tables with people on them the others which were booked were emptySo what sort on nonscence to say that he could not get 3 Slices of Cake in the kitchen.My friend who came from the mainland was so dissapointed as she was told how nice it was there and the excellent service they gave.They must have forgot about how to treat Customers To day MR G FRENCHMore

The sandwiches, cakes, and scones that formed part of “The Royal Tea” were lovely. A few of the cakes were exceptional.One disappointment was the lack of jam and cream for the scones. We were a party of six and are given one pot of jam and one pot of cream for our twelve scones. This was no were near enough (not even close) but when we asked for more we were told don’t worry more was available so just ask. The same amount was provided again, which to be fair to the hotel would probably be about the right amount. However, as the offer had been made a few of the scones got a bit overloaded, so a third portion was requested. At this point we were told the kitchen had run out both jam and cream. At £23 a head, plus £30 for a bottle of Prosecco we added, running out of basic ingredients seems either tight or poor asset management.We’ll go again. However, The Royal missed out on a race five star review for the simplest of reasons.

The afternoon tea was magnificent, served in the beautiful conservatory. A good selection of sandwiches and cakes, but the scones were historic!

My husband and I are Island residents and have been wanted to visit the Royal for many years so I was thrilled to receive a gift for my birthday for afternoon tea for two. We arrived on a beautiful sunny day and asked to sit outside on the terrace. The setting was very nice, overlooking the gardens and we were served tea and wonderful sandwiches. Then it was all ruined by the large group that set themselves up on the table next to us. The table sat 3 people but they were bringing chairs over from other tables and the majority of them decided to light up cigarettes which was all blowing over to us. They had no care in the world that others may not wish to join them in smoking, and I am quite clearly pregnant for which they had no regard. I feel the Royal should make this area no smoking as it is directly outside the building and there are plenty of areas away from people eating that people could sit and smoke. It is unfortunate that this is the memory I am left with of this beautiful hotel.

We had afternoon tea here after reading it was the best place on the Isle of Wight.In general it was a good tea and we had trouble eating all the cakes although some of them were a bit dry anyway. The scones, my measure of afternoon tea, were delectable and in particular the strawberry conserve was exceptionally good.The setting is lovely of course, although the sea is a glimpse rather than a wide expanse. The service was a bit offhand though friendly and we had to go and ask for replenishment or missing items more than once as staff weren’t often in evidence.It’s not a cheap tea but the setting is the place.

Went here on holiday and had afternoon tea with my husband. You have to let them know at the time of booking which cream tea you want, full works with sandwiches (circa £23ph) or just the scones and tea (£7.5ph). We opted for the scones and tea as knew we wanted something light for a sunny day and would recommend going for for this as you get more than enough (two scones each) made so homemade-tasty they taste like shortbread and it’s a bargain! It helped that we were very lucky with the weather and went on a very sunny day and sat outside. The hotel and grounds a pretty (although the hotel a little run down in places, hence the 4* review.) A few little tweaks to the outdoor chairs and a like of paint would make this place feel very French Riviera.

I booked the Royal Afternoon Tea before going to the Isle of Wight as I wanted to treat my relative for her birthday. The hotel was nice but I was disappointed with the afternoon tea. Two of my vegetarian sandwich fingers were nice but I didn’t like the other two fillings, which were hard to identify. The scones were delicious but the Victoria sponge was strange and a bit rubbery. It looked pretty but I would much prefer traditional Victoria sponge. The other cakes were okay but I wasn’t keen on them. The member of staff who served us was polite but not very attentive. I was disappointed with the experience and regret booking it.

Visited the Royal for the first time last weekend for an afternoon tea with family. A couple of them had been before and had nothing bad to say about the Royal so I was very excited.

Booked on the phone, and our table was ready for us on arrival, although it was a shame not to be given the option to eat in the garden as it was a lovely day. Was asked to choose which drinking tea we wanted, but not asked about our food, it was assumed that three cream teas were wanted, however I wanted the savoury tea option. This threw them a bit, and the wait for food was quite long.....so if you, like me, want savoury, tell them when you ring.

My husband and I had a wonderful afternoon tea here. Delicious sandwiches and scrumptious scones and cakes. We chose the champagne afternoon tea so decided to have that in the gardens which was lovely as the weather was so good. We could not eat everything so it was boxed up for us to take away. Staff were attentive and helpful. A lovely afternoon to celebrate a special occasion.

This was a birthday treat from friends we were staying with and was a fantastic experience. It is not often that you are offered either a savoury or sweet version of afternoon tea, but here it is exceptional. The scones were cooked to perfection, and the strawberry jam so full of strawberries. Wonderful!

High tea at the Royal was very English, but not enough sandwiches and loads of cakes (which we were allowed to take home). As much tea as one can drink.

We gave notice of our dietary requirements including no refined sugar which was all catered for and we were presented with a delicious special version of this delight. What a feast. Highly recommended

I won a competition - 3 nights at the Royal Hotel including afternoon tea and 1 meal. The tea was really very good and special. I was still not feeling completely well when we had our tea but just loved the sandwiches and cakes. Service very special to. As I wasn't feeling too well I asked if we could take the cakes away and the waiter was so friendly and obliging. Nothing was too much trouble. Thank you for a lovely afternoon.

Afternoon tea generally disappointing. Sandwich fillings - very uninspired. Scones - delicious. Cakes - Average. Fresh plates not offered when we moved from sandwiches to cakes. Waiting staff - very friendly but not attentive enough - it would’ve been nice to our teapots and milk topped up a couple of times without having to find a waiter/waitress. Overall, certainly not value for money.

Excellent choice of sandwiches and cakes.all freshly prepared. As much as you want, and is taken iin either the Conservatory or the bar area, both of which are extremely comfortable..

The food was really good and we couldn't fault it. We ate in a beautiful dining room. The staff were very friendly.

After many years of looking for a reason to visit The Royal Hotel in Ventnor I did so for an afternoon tea. I was greeted and shown to my table by a very pleasant and professional waitress named Paris. The waiter for the afternoon was an equally cheery and proficient gentleman called Dan.

Good choice of fare. The scones came fresh baked and hot with excellent clotted cream and jam. All other variations of afternoon tea available and the conservatory/foyer is a good place to sit.

We use The Royal , as we live locally, for various occasions but this was the first time that we have had afternoon tea.

Fabulous feast, special birthday treat. Lovely choice of teas, tasty - 4 different fillings - freshly cut finger sandwiches, warm scones, fruit & plain, strawberry conserve & plenty of clotted cream. Then came the cakes, 6 different ones each, needless to say we took some home. To top it off as this was a birthday treat we had a glass of champagne each. Lovely surroundings, we were in the conservatory, & very friendly efficient staff.

Went here for afternoon tea, to celebrate my birthday, very disappointing, mildly tasty, not much variety, food well presented but plonked on table with pot of tea and left to it, took ages to catch someone's eye for a refill of the teapot.

First of all I'd like to say thank you to The Royal Hotel for donating the champagne tea for two prize to Cats Protection's Christmas fayre.

We went to the Royal Hotel for afternoon tea, a present from our son and daughter in law and it was excellent. There were roughly six different teas to chose from. Beautiful dainty sandwiches followed by hot scones and cream, finished off with a fabulous selection of cakes. There was background music playing and it really was a wonderful experience. I can't wait to go back and do it all again. If you get the chance go and visit this beautiful hotel and enjoy their afternoon tea.

Its hard to find anywhere which serves lovely patisserie - but that's what you get at The Royal. A classy setting, even served on the cliff overlooking Ventnor in Summer, by waiters in waistcoats and aprons - and delightful sandwiches, scones and generous various cakes - each a work of art! Don't miss it!

Whether you live on the Island or are just visiting and if you are celebrating a special occasion as we were or just fancy popping in for tea this is how it is done in a highly civilised way. We had faultless service,lots of wonderful attention and too much food. The sandwiches had no crusts the scones were so light they had to be wrapped in a cotton cloth to keep them down on the plate and the specialist teas were English and great. Add two glasses of champagne and relax enough to attempt the selection of cakes which we had difficulty in eating because we were full. Of course the Royal are used to this and supply boxes for you to take what you don't or can't eat away with you. It isn't the first time we've been and it certainly won't be the last

Had a high tea and found it to be as a high tea should be.Great scones,served warm and perfect.The clotted cream was good,some these days has a mass produced taste.The cakes were dainty and tasted lovely,the treacle tart was very good indeed,perfect pastry.Sandwiches were made with soft bread and classic flavours.Jasmine tea was excellent.Service was as you would expect from a high class hotel.

My family treated me to afternoon tea here for my 70th birthday My family and I thoroughly enjoyed the afternoon and beautiful eats in a private room with own entry to lovely garden where my grandson enjoyed the sandpit with all toys provided. Nothing too much trouble for the staff, welcoming and helpful but not intrusive. Food delicious..

I recently booked afternoon champagne tea for 25 people to celebrate my wife's special birthday.

I dithered between 3 and 4 stars for this review and finally decided on 4 for the simple reason that overall, I had a lovely time at The Royal.

well placed hotel, clean and good service , a bit costly , but you get what you pay for , waiters were all nice and the food was hot and we had a good choice , bar prices again a bit steep , but what the hell for a one off

My boyfriend and I had afternoon tea here and it was delicious. Beautiful surroundings and attentive staff. Three cakes and a macaroon each, all delicate and full of flavour. Two homemade, warm scones each and plenty of clotted cream/jam! The sandwiches were equally as enjoyable and a range if teas are there to choose from. We sat outside as the weather was lovely. Only thing I would say is the pool is smaller than the pictures suggest if you're staying as a hotel guest...and from one mans expression after jumping in - a little cold!!!

A 27th Wedding Anniverary treat. A very special place to stay or for a special occasion.

Wanted a cream tea and got a fabulous one...beautifully presented and served..got even more than I bargained for as my husband ordered the cheese scones and we went halves.I've never had a cheese scone..well these were fabulous served with local Gallybagger cheese and grapes,celery and chutney..yum..very enjoyable..highly recommend...however if you want the high tea you need to give 24 hours notice so be organised! (having that next time!)

We went to The Royal for afternoon tea the last day of our stay on the Isle of Wight

We had the Royal Afternoon Tea and had it on the terrace surrounded by the beautiful pink geraniums that scramble up the wall. Dainty, delicious sandwiches, fresh scones with cream and jam and the most divine little pastries I've ever tasted. Expensive at £27 each but worth every single penny!

Superb location for an afternoon tea - we were in the entrance area which is light and airy with great photographs around the walls. Six choices of tea with something to suit everyone - the Jasmine Silver Needle is well worth trying. Four different types of sandwiches - at this stage you mustn't think you'll still be hungry - you haven't seen the cake stand which they deliver after you've eaten the sandwiches! Wow - the beautifully presented cakes arrive and they explain what each one is. Two scones each with pots of jam and cream plus five other cakes - if you can manage to eat all that you are doing very well! (I didn't...but my husband helped out!) They also top up your tea for you whilst you are struggling through the cakes. It is excellent value. I have had afternoon tea at The Ritz and can say I actually preferred the cakes at The Royal - well done!

Do not go anywhere else for cream tea if you're in the south of the island. The scones - plain and fruit - were dreamy with generous servings of clotted cream and strawberry jam. A selection of teas too made for a perfect afternoon's indulgence. Plus the service was both attentive and appropriately laid back. Excellent value. If you want the full blown afternoon tea with even more cakes and sarnies, you'll have to book 24 hours ahead. If you've had an early light lunch, the scones and tea fill you up a treat.

I've eaten a few afternoon teas in my time and this one is, without doubt, the best ever.

Warm welcome on arrival with place all set up ready. In the conservatory with the sun beating down on us. Ordered Tea with many choices, sandwiches arrived, would however have liked a few more. Then 3 tiers of cakes arrived, which was lovely. However I would personally have liked 2 tiers of cakes and 1 tier of sandwiches so was all on the same stand. Not clear on how you pay, no one gave us a bill or informed us how to pay. So we ended up waiting 20 mins before I asked at reception. We could have walked out many times and no one would have battered an eyelid at us. I think this needs to be addressed. Overall a nice experience and a good way to end our holiday.

Particularly enjoyable when taken outside in the better weather- inside is also superb- like stepping back in time but without the time warp; silver service afternoon tea, wonderful and nothing is too much trouble.

We went here for afternoon tea. It was fine but only fine, the service was friendly but not overwhelming and the presentation ok, however more importantly it 'tasted lovely', and there was plenty of tea available although limited in choice. the downside was that we were seated in the 'Conservatory' which felt more like the front lobby and using the garden furniture, and as guests arrived and departed you felt you were on show.

Afternoon Tea can be eaten outside, under the geraniums, complete with tea, a glass of sherry, on the étagère are sandwiches, scones with cream and jam, and assorted cakes.

I have been a regular visitor to the royal hotel. I had a more modest tea the scones cream and jam tea served in the Conservatory which is always pleasant. Everything of a good Standard and taste. Scones always homemade you can taste the Difference

It's a great, tradional afternoon tea, fabulous sandwiches and cakes all served on fine china with impeccable service in a wonderful Victorian hotel.

Had afternoon tea and snack at the Royal Hotel. It was great!!! Despite the fancy environment, the food was delicious and was great value. The scones were the best scones my partner had and the triple cooked chips were the best ones I've had. They were crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside. Just delicious. Would highly recommend!

We visited the Royal Hotel for Sunday lunch at the end of November to celebrate two birthdays. At £30 per person for three courses we did expect an exceptionally good meal, however the chicken vegetable soup was disappointingly watery with a few small strips of chicken in what looked like consommé with minimal bits of veg. Our friend had the soufflé which was very good and everyone else wished they'd had. The roast beef lunch was disappointing as the dark green cabbage was not cooked and was almost cold so the meal had to be sent back to the chef. It was better when it was returned about ten minutes later by which time everyone else was finished. I was disappointed at the limited choices too. Unfortunately I was overcharged by £31.50 (a bottle of wine @ £24 and £7.50 for three cups of coffee/tea which we didn't have). After I asked for a breakdown of the costs the receptionist admitted that mistakes had been made because they had a new member of staff and a refund was given. The total we paid for three two course meals, one three course meal, two glasses of wine, a dry martini and lemonade and black currant cordial with tap water was £128.50.

We booked a table for Sunday lunch, not quite sure what to expect but we had heard good reports. On arrival we were slightly put-off by the lack of welcome. Two smart bar staff were very busy preparing drinks for other diners, but were too distracted to notice our obvious uncertainty. However, when we plucked up courage and told them we needed help and directing to our lunch, they were in fact very helpful. Once seated, the service improved quickly and was pretty faultless. The actual lunch, roast beef was exceptional, the veg and roast potatoes the best we've eaten in a pub or restaurant. Roasts are hard to do well and this although not cheap, was delicious and good value, we thoroughly recommend it.

We were meeting to say farewell to a colleague over lunch. 14 of us had a three course lunch in the Albert Room. The table d'hôte menu was very interesting with a good variety for everyone. The loin of pork was excellent and everyone raved over the gally bagger souffle starter. The staff were attentive and efficient and gave us enough time to enjoy the company without feeling rushed. It was a very enjoyable lunch. The setting was gorgeous and we even managed to have a pre dinner drink in the garden over looking the sea.

Cannot fault this restaurant. We had a two course evening meal on Saturday 3rd October. The atmosphere and surroundings are amazing and the staff are the most helpful and friendliest we have ever come across. The whole experience was 10/10 and very good value for money. The food was the best we have had and we dine out a lot. Will be returning again.

I thought the Royal might be like some traditional Victorian hotels and have a somewhat faded grandeur appearance. But nothing could be further from the truth. It's obviously been renovated relatively recently in a very contemporary yet sympathetic style. The ambience of the conservatory tea room was fabulous and the service was exemplary. Most importantly the afternoon tea was delicious. It was a lovely afternoon. A real treat and one I would love to repeat.

You have to book this 24 hrs in advance but well worth it. Very regal surroundings to sit and have and afternoon tea. Very attentive staff.

Fantastic afternoon cream tea. All home made by their excellent chef. Various sandwiches on home made bread,no crusts & real butter, fabulous cakes & cream & savoury scones, fresh coffee & a pot of earl grey what more could one ask for? they even supplied a (I can't say it) a box to take away what we couldn't eat, only because we were full!!

We opted for the full tea with sandwiches, scones and cakes and it did not disappoint. Well made sandwiches and delicious warm scones with home made jam and clotted cream were accompanied by some interesting dessert like cakes. A range of teas was on offer and hot water and refills were available. Judging from the numbers taking tea this is an institution and you can see why. Not to be missed.

We've had afternoon teas at some of the best venues around but was dissatisfied with the overall attention to detail and service which we received. The brown bread was far from fresh although served well and we were not asked once wether all was ok.

Came here for afternoon tea and was pleasantly surprised of the standard. Scones cooked to perfection with a nice choice of teas and friendly service.

Met up with friends who were staying at The Royal for Afternoon Teas. We had the Cream Teas with delicious scones & lashings of jam & clotted cream. Our friends had the full Afternoon Teas with sandwiches & cakes which looked very impressive. Make sure you don't have lunch before enjoying one of these! Sat inside but if it had been warmer would be lovely to sit outside.

We went here with my parents of a recent trip to the island. It really is a hidden gem in Ventnor. The cream tea is very good with a choice of plain or fruit scones and a great selection of to. The amount of cream they serve is a little light but you can always ask for more. They also have an afternoon tea that looked great but you have to booked 24hrs in advance. The staff are very professional and friendly and the location is great, it's an old but very clean hotel. If we come back to Ventnor will we come again.

Beautifully presented and delicious afternoon tea, comparable to any high end London hotel (thinking Claridges here!) Loved the super light scones , coconut ice and lemon and raspberry concoction! Sandwiches weren't bad either!

Although we live on the island we were treated to a `cream tea` afternoon by our daughter. We decided to stay the night so had a superb evening meal a lovely room and a great breakfast, who could ask for more. The hotel does show some signs of age but this adds to the character in my opinion. The staff are excellent, the location fantastic and would not hesitate in recommending this hotel to anyone.

The thing about afternoon tea at the Royal is that you mustn't eat lunch! The tea is so delicious and tempting you need to be able to enjoy every mouthful. Even on a dull day it is glorious to sit outside on the verandah and sip your Earl Grey while munching on the tasty sandwiches but leave room for the cakes!

I enjoyed my afternoon tea but I think £23 per head was a tad over the top. Having had tea at the Ritz , which admittedly was more expensive, the quantity and quality At the Royal was slightly disappointing

Booked this for afternoon tea with friends and it was wonderful. We were able to select from a list of different teas, we had four different sandwiches together with a wonderful selection of cakes and scones with clotted cream and jam, enough to feed 8 people not 4. When we had filled our bellies there was still many cakes left on the stand which the waiter boxed up for our friends to take home with them. If you are in the area I would recommend you try the Royal tea, however they do like you to book a table with 24 hours notice.

Thank you for ensuring everyone attending the tea had an enjoyable weekend. Zoe was delighted with everything. Her little flowergirls adored their mini tea stands and loved swimming in the pool - thank you for supplying the towels. Zoe's friends and family were treated like royalty. Nothing was too much trouble and all the staff were very attentive. Please can I have a teapot - amazing - a teapot that doesn't dribble as you pour. Thank you for ensuring we all had a wonderful afternoon

I had booked the Royal afternoon tea for myself and my mother. I had seen online reviews that The Royal Hotel offered a gluten free option which was one of my main reasons of booking at the hotel. I'd emailed asking for the reservation and received a quick response of confirmation. We were able to park at the hotel without a problem and found it easily as it is well signposted. The hotel was ready for us when we arrived and we sat in the beautifully furnished conservatory style foyer. We had a beautiful outlook over the front of the hotel with its well kept garden and views of the sea. We received excellent service throughout. The food was excellent and both myself and my mother couldn't fault it, although we both couldn't quite finish it all! We enjoyed salmon, ham, egg and then cheese and chutney sandwiches followed by a selection of delicious cakes, mini trifle and scones. I thoughly enjoyed the gluten free option which wasn't too dissimilar to the normal option so I didn't feel like I was short changed or having anything vastly different from my mother. Tea was plentiful and there were quite a few different tea options to choose from. At the end of our stay the waiter gave us a cake box to take home the items we couldn't eat at the hotel. I would definitely recommend the afternoon tea and I thought it very good value for money.

Lovely treat. Fantastic cakes and good value. Slightly lacking on attentive staff and atmosphere a little too hushed.

We went as a group of 5 ladies for champagne afternoon tea for a friends Birthday It was superb! The sandwiches and cakes were superb and we all had a very leisurely 2 hours enjoying our afternoon together celebrating in a fantastic setting Thank you

We booked to have afternoon tea,just a beautiful hotel,lovely surroundings and very polite staff.The scones were freshly baked and delicious.

We returned to this hotel at the request of the Manager having had a bad experience last time. I am pleased to say this experience was totally different. Our table was ready and waiting when we arrived. The adults had tea and the children had soft drinks. We had a problem in that one of our guests did not eat cheese and we were presented with Smoked Salmon and Cream cheese and cheese sandwiches. On speaking to a waiter this was rectified by a whole smoked salmon sandwich arriving within minutes. The cakes were lovely and the scones warmed - yum. There was a lovely piano playing tunes from musicals throughout - we couldn't have asked for a better choice of music!! We were able to take home all the cakes we were unable to eat. The staff were welcoming and attentive. Well done to all at the Royal Hotel a much better experience.

The best cream and savoury tea we have ever tasted - and believe me, we have tasted many! The scones are superb, the presentation and service are impeccable and attentive, the surroundings relaxing. Perfection!

We gave a voucher to members of our family last Christmas and, as it looked so appealing, we bought ourselves one which we redeemed today on the occasion of my wife's birthday.

We were determined to make room for the afternoon teas, having enjoyed the very enjoyable breakfast and dinners. Glad we did. Tried the savoury and cream tea, both good and excellent value for money, served by very pleasant attentive staff.

I have been before a while ago and very much enjoyed the afternoon tea however this time it was very disappointing, the scones were warmed up and very stale, there was only 1 cake stand between 3 people and the scones took up the bottom tier. The choice left was not particularly interesting and only one had fruit/pastry so we had to share. The whole point is to be able to try an assortment of delicious cakes & pastries as a treat. At £23 a head it was very poor value even without the stale scones.

We came here for the full afternoon tea as a couple, I say full as you can also have 'cake o'clock' or a cream tea. Ambience is lovely with the piano playing in the background, however some might find it a little strange that it is served in the main entrance to the hotel, but if like me you like to people watch then this is perfect. My only gripe but it was annoying at the time, was that no one ever came to see if everything was ok, ran out of both jam and cream for the scones and would have loved a top up of tea. That said it was a lovely way to spend a couple of hours. Tip, when you leave, exit via main entrance then cross the road and climb up the 30 or so steps to a super seating area with stunning views of Ventnor, they even supply blankets when you get up there, take a drink with you as no where to get one once you are sat down and settled.

Perfect meal, lovely wines, great staff, talented pianist... Will be back again in august. Thank for making our stay on the Isle of Wight perfect. This is definitely our favourite restaurant :)

Enjoyed Afternoon Tea yesterday, which was sadly a little bit disappointing to start with due to the quality of the sandwiches .The bread was dry and of supermarket sliced quality . And whilst the smoked salmon and egg mayonnaise sandwiches were delicious, the others were not ; the ham was again not of good quality , for the price I would have expected ham off the bone not childrens lunch- box quality , and the cheese and relish sandwich unexciting.The Tea was however redeemed by the quality and variety of the cakes which were all made to a high standard, and although the cream and jam for the scones were in small pots , we were immediately told that staff would bring more if wanted ,and tea was provided at regular intervals by the attentive

This afternoon we had an excellent afternoon tea for two plus a separate order. The sandwiches were very good, offering a varied choice. The cakes were delicious and quite unusual. They reflected very well the skills of the chefs. The scones were so fantastic that I tried with every bite to analyse how they could be made to this extremely high standard.

This was a wonderful experience. We were greeted at the door by a very polite and smart member of staff called Dan who showed us to our table in the lovely airy conservatory. We had the Royal Tea for two which was very impressive. All members to staff were very friendly and polite and nothing was too much trouble. There was a very good choice of different teas and all the petit gateaux were homemade. I would certainly go back again.

Went to the Royal for a cream tea, 10 of us in the party. Had our own dining area which was very nice. Good selection of teas on offer but very disappointed in the scones and jam and cream. The scones were overcooked and we had tiny little pots of clotted cream and jam to share between 2 people . There were 2 scones each and there was barely enough cream for one scone let alone 4! My cream was spread like butter and the jam was not much better. Very disappointing. Come on Royal, a cream tea is supposed to have nice thick clotted cream on the scones, not be like spreading thin butter. Would not recommend and sadly would not go again which is a pity as it is a lovely hotel.