Nothing So British As Afternoon Tea

"If your are cold, tea will warm you;
If you are too heated, it will cool you;
If you are depressed, it will cheer you;
If you are exhausted,it will calm you."

Here's a man who liked his tea. We're sure 19th Century Prime Minister William Gladstone, who quoted the above, would have given his approval of the afternoon tea served at Holdsworth House. For 50 years the historic hotel in Halifax has been serving up traditional afternoon tea on a collection of silver tiered cake stands. 

Afternoon tea is one of those things that never really goes out of fashion, but more recently the platters are an increasingly regular sighting and have even made it onto the wedding menus of many Yorkshire brides.

Not to be confused with cream tea, afternoon tea is a filling selection of sandwiches, elegantly cut into slender fingers, homemade cakes, pastries and fancies and the best homemade scones, jam and clotted cream that you can muster up.

Introduced in Britain in the 1840s afternoon tea was the meal that bridged the gap between lunch and dinner, which might not be eaten until 8pm onwards. It became popular amongst society ladies especially, as a way of gathering socially and entertaining guests.

Since 1963 Holdsworth House has been rocking the afternoon world with its stunning version, using an eclectic collection of vintage crockery to add a wonderful charm and elegance to this grand affair. Everything is home baked and created with precision and attention to detail - just as the Victorians would have wanted.

Today you don't need to don a dinner jacket or gloves. Smart casual is the attire of choice.

We have a choice of two afternoon teas - the traditional afternoon tea and the new 3 Kings Christmas Afternoon Tea with some delicious seasonal spices and fruits hitting all the right notes.

If you're wondering about what to buy friends and relations for Christmas, then afternoon tea really is the classy gift to give this year. At Holdsworth House tea for two is from £25.50.

You can buy the afternoon tea for two experience as a gift voucher. Valid for 1 year from the date of purchase.

Under the Duvet, the sequel to Between the Sheets

Who needs Fifty Shades of Grey to give you a good night's sleep when our guests are having the most peaceful slumber in our beds?  If you read our previous blog Between the Sheets - and many of you did - you'll know that so many of our guests comment on what was the best night's sleep of their life.


Well, the praise continues to stream in from guests, including this lady who is putting her order in direct from the manufacturers...

Hello,
We held our daughters wedding at Holdsworth House in April 2012 and, along with many of our guests, stayed overnight. I have been meaning to contact you ever since about how comfortable the beds were. A lot of our guests said the same and I noticed that you had very thick mattress toppers on the beds. Can you tell us which brand they are and what type they are? I would like to buy one for myself. We were in room 8 if that helps. Thank you.

Regards,
Name and address supplied.

So for everyone wanting to know where we get our super mattress toppers from, here's the info. We buy in bulk of course from Mitre Linen, but if you contact them they may tell you where to buy one direct.

"Very comfortable mattress topper with a polyester filling and a polyester cotton cover. Attaches to the mattress via elastic straps at each corner. Weight 800gsm."