Coworth Park afternoon tea review

Coworth Park, the Dorchester Collection’s 240-acre Berkshire estate, is best known for its polo fields and country-house grandeur and it’s an idyllic spot for a leisurely afternoon tea.

Tea is served in the elegant high-ceilinged drawing room, which leads on to a delightful conservatory with floor-to-ceiling windows. Our table overlooked the lawns toward Coworth Park’s wildflower meadow — a beautiful backdrop, and the crockery’s floral pattern picks up on the view outside.

On the menu – Coworth Park’s Sparkling Afternoon Tea:

• A glass of Rathfinny Rosé from Sussex
• Finger sandwiches — the chicken with garlic emulsion on onion bread was our favourite
• Warm scones with strawberry jam, peach and estate honey compote and clotted cream
• A selection of pastries including English raspberry, Earl Grey and lemon verbena tart and camomile and pineapple choux

There’s a lot to eat – particularly if you have been tempted into ordering further sandwiches as we were. Our waitress smoothly took care of boxing up the pastries that were left so we could take them home — a small gesture, but one that captured the standard of service throughout our visit.

After a stroll around the grounds, we found ourselves reluctant to leave. We could have happily settled in for Pimm’s on the lawn, perhaps watch a polo match and then head for dinner at Woven by Adam Smith, Coworth Park’s Michelin-starred restaurant. But sadly we had to head back home.

Country escape near to the capital

At under an hour from London, this a perfect spot to bring together friends and family for special occasions. The setting is beautiful, particularly when the wildflower meadow is in bloom and the service is top notch.

We’d started the day at the spa and ended it here, and the combination — thermal suite, then Rathfinny Rosé and scones overlooking the meadow — made for a thoroughly pampering trip. Read our Coworth spa review here.