Cliveden House is a Grade I stately home set upon 376 acres of beautifully presented National Trust grounds with the River Thames running parallel. The five-star luxury hotel is less than 45 minutes west of London; with 47 spacious rooms and suites in the main mansion. Cliveden’s exterior is breath-takingly beautiful and with its majestic grandeur and historical provenance it’s no wonder that it has hosted every British monarch from King George I to Queen Elizabeth II.
In 2022, Her Majesty the Queen will become the first British Monarch to celebrate a Platinum Jubilee, marking 70 years of remarkable service to the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth, having acceded to the throne on 6th February 1952 when Her Majesty was just 25 years old.
To celebrate this tremendous moment in British History, Cliveden’s executive chef, Christopher Hannon, has curated an exquisite Platinum Jubilee afternoon tea menu which will be available throughout the year. The menu consists of royal favourites and nods to traditional dishes from each of the four nations including classic mouth-watering pastries and sandwiches.
Available seven days a week, my guest and I booked in for a very luxurious mid-week treat. After checking in at the gatehouse, we drove our way through the windy roads that envelope you in natural beauty before stopping at the top of the mansion’s main driveway where the house stands tall and takes dominance even against the scale of its natural backdrop.
Being part of the National Trust, the grounds of Cliveden are always bustling with people, but seeing as it’s so vast, it’s never overbearingly busy. Parking directly outside the house with an impressive fleet of cars, we were greeted by a lovely doorman who was professional, friendly, and made us feel like royals ourselves. Living local to Cliveden, I am always amazed by its opulent interior and seeing as I had my five-year old daughter with me it was magical to see it through her eyes for the first time. She’s never been anywhere like it, it’s like a castle!
We were greeted by very friendly waiting staff and were seated against the floor to ceiling bay windows in The Cliveden Dining Room looking out onto the immaculately presented Parterre. Light was beaming through the windows making the crisp tablecloths and shiny silverware glisten, but aside from this, it’s the staff at Cliveden that make it so special.
Our waiter Ben was simply exceptional, he made my five-year-old feel at ease and like a real like Princess offering her very own mocktail that, despite the beautiful surroundings, came in the form of an array of colours. The house offers Children’s afternoon tea priced at £22.50 and is just as luxurious as the adults, her eyes lit up at the mention of Nutella sandwiches!
After choosing our tea of choice from the extensive selection of full-bodied and aromatic Cliveden tea blends, we indulged in a perfectly prepared selection and beautifully presented traditional British savoury treats each nodding to each of the nations. Including, Coronation chicken (a nod to the Queen’s Coronation in 1953), cullen skink tart, with whipped saffron cream (Scotland), Welsh rarebit cheese puff with fresh chives, and potato scone and truffle for Ireland.
The finger sandwiches were so delicious we even had second helpings, which we slightly regretted as the sweet treats were just as scrumptious with Queen Elizabeth’s favourite chocolate biscuit becoming my firm favourite. Each of the cakes is like a work of art, and some of which looked almost too good to eat.
We each finished with warm scone, with clotted cream and cake, all of which I washed down with a glass of chilled to perfection Laurent Perrier.
The atmosphere during our time was calm and friendly, making it the perfect treat for celebrations – even with a young child in tow.
We finished off our day with a walk around the stunning grounds, and there really is something quite remarkable about Cliveden House. And after you’ve been once, you just want to visit time and time again be it to stroll around the grounds, a visit to the stunning spa, or visit The Astor Grill, located in the old stable block, where the décor is more understated yet full of character.
The house also offers boat trips in the form of lovingly restored vintage launches available for private hire where you can jaunt down to neighbouring Henley and Windsor and take the infamous afternoon tea with you.
Factbox
Prices for the adult’s afternoon tea starts at £45pp, and the children’s is priced at £22.50.
Address: Cliveden House and Spa, Taplow, Berkshire, SL6 0JF
Tel: 01628 668 561
Email: reservations@clivedenhouse.co.uk
Website: clivedenhouse.co.uk
