Review: Science Afternoon Tea at The Ampersand Hotel, London

Last week I was lucky enough to experience a very special Afternoon Tea at The Ampersand Hotel. Their Science Afternoon Tea is running for a short period of time, but the Hotel offers a delightful selection of fresh cakes and a superb traditional afternoon tea all year round.

Upon entering The Ampersand I was immediately struck by the contemporary, boutique interiors and the warm welcome offered by the staff. Sat at a nice table by the window I was able to appreciate fully the delightful concoctions and visual effects of the Science afternoon tea as it oozed with dry ice and stood out vividly with its array of shapes and colours.

Starting at the bottom, we enjoyed sandwiches made in savoury choux pastry buns, filled with a selection of delicious delights. Smoked salmon, coronation chicken and cheese and chutney were among my favourite fillings, but to be honest none of them were particularly disappointing and all were finished before moving up to the next level on the tea stand.

The scones were equally delicious and consisted of one plain and one white chocolate scone each, served with clotted cream and jam. There could have been a little more jam to accompany these and although no one offered us any more, this did actually save us from finishing off both of the scones which left room for the top level of tasty treats!

And so to the pièce de résistance...

The 'science' layer that stood proudly at the top of the tea stand was a visual delight and was equally pleasing to the tastebuds. I particularly enjoyed the little 'planets' which were surprisingly delicious. The macaroons were also rather tasty, and the raspberry coulis found in the pipettes really complimented the whole thing. I'm not sure exactly what the little drink inside the test tube was, but it was far too sweet for my liking. I loved the glass containers that it came in and it certainly added to the visual aspect of the tea, but it perhaps could have done with being a little less sugary!

You can see that this Afternoon Tea looks fun, interesting and that it ticks all the boxes for a tasty afternoon treat. Although I usually hate to see pre-made items (such as the chocolate dinosaurs), they actually didn't do too badly in this combination as they were a nice, lighter option to round off the selection. I was so completely full by the end of the tea that I couldn't actually finish it, but that was definitely not a reflection on the taste as it was all rather lovely.

I am now very much looking forward to what they think of next as the expectations are rather high from this quirky, boutique Hotel!

The Ampersand Hotel serves Afternoon Tea every day from 2.30pm until 5.20pm. The Science Afternoon Tea is available until 21st March and is priced at £32.50 per person or £44.50 per person with a glass of Champagne

Destination: From Budapest with love

"When one goes away, 

one simply must stay in a palace"

And so that is what I did.

Four Seasons Hotel Budapest, Gresham Palace

The infamous chandelier!

Beautiful mosaic flooring in the lobby

Three nights in Budapest would be fabulous wherever you stayed, but 3 nights in Four Seasons Budapest, Gresham Palace was something else altogether.

From the moment I arrived until the moment I left, I was blown away by just how beautiful this hotel was. The art-deco features and decor work so incredibly well in this place that they alone could make the entire experience memorable, before you add the Four Seasons experience into the mix.

My room was superb. The bed was comfortable, the bathroom was fabulous, and the windows gave the room that extra special touch. My room was on the fifth floor, right next to the spa, which was perfect for an early morning swim and a 'relax' before breakfast!

Deluxe King room with gorgeous windows

The swimming pool is a little unusual in that it stands alone in the middle of the room, raised up out of the floor rather than going down into it. It is a simple, long structure perfect for doing a few lengths before hopping into the bubbling hot tub and soothing sauna. Of course, the staff in the spa were always ready and waiting to offer assistance and were not in the slightest bit phased at us wandering in and out in our super comfy bath robes!

We ate in the hotel's Gresham restaurant on our first evening in Budapest, choosing to dine al fresco after enjoying a cocktail or two in the hotel's bar.

Lobster and scallops at the Gresham restaurant

Traditional, and tasty, Hungarian love cake!

Subsequently, my mum's new favourite drink is a Bellini. Clearly I need to take her out with me a lot more in future, as this was the first time she'd ever had one! (Shock horror!) Whilst on the subject, the bar at Gresham Palace insists on providing the most delicious (albeit filling) snacks to accompany your cocktails. We needn't have gone out for dinner most evenings, as we were more than happy picking away at the various canapés and nibbles provided for us here!

Mother mine enjoying her Bellini!

Budapest itself is buzzing with bars and restaurants as well as having some of the most beautiful buildings and monuments I've ever seen. Head down to the city park and there's even more to look at, including the baths there which are completely stunning.

St Stephen's Basilica

Before I went to Budapest everyone told me to make use of public transport, but to be honest we didn't find that we needed to. We walked to everywhere we wanted to get to, and found that this was a really great way to see the city as you are able to go at your own pace and stop off wherever you want to.

There are so many photos attached to this post, but I think that you need them to truly appreciate the beauty and diversity of this city. There are so many different types of restaurants and places to visit, all snuggled up beside ancient buildings and a beautiful landscape. There's not many cities in which these two diversities can live with each other so closely and in such great harmony, but Budapest certainly makes it work.