Festive Afternoon Tea at The Bonham Hotel, Edinburgh
For months I have walked past The Bonham on my daily walk. I have often peaked through the windows when I pass by because the interior looks so alluring and inviting. It’s no secret that I love a vintage feel in pretty much everything and The Bonham was oozing of a dreamy old fashioned hotel vibe. So when I saw that they had an offer for their Afternoon Tea I quickly made sure to book.
Good to know
How much is the Afternoon Tea?
We took part in an offer where it was £29 for two people. But normally I believe the price is £24.95/person.
Is there a dress code?
Not as far as I am aware. The hotel has an elegant vibe to it so you might feel slightly out of place if you show up in very short shorts and a sports bra perhaps…
What is Afternoon Tea?
Afternoon Tea is a tea-related ritual for ladies in society which dates back to the early 1840’s. It usually includes sandwiches, scones and sweet treats (in this order) alongside a pot of tea.
What else does the Bonham offer?
The Bonham is also a hotel, with a lovely art collection. It also has a lovely bar for food and drinks that I’d love to come back and experience soon. It definitely seems like a lovely place for a staycation.
Where is it located?
It is located in the New Town at the West End part of the city. A mere 10 minute stroll away from Princes Street!
The Venue
Like I have already mentioned The Bonham is a place that immediately appealed to me visually. When we stepped inside we were straight away greeted by the friendly staff. A little fire was roaring in the reception – making it feel very warm and inviting straight away. And the old fashioned vibe really made it feel like you had stepped in to another world. A wonderful town house thoroughly appropriate for some elegant Afternoon Tea.
Since we visited in December they had Christmas decorations up. But something I really appreciated is that the decorations were very classy. Not over the top or too crowded, just simply adding a festive touch by adding a visual atmosphere.
I would definitely like to come back for a staycation one day and discover more of this beautiful building.
A massive plus for the lovely scented hand soap and hand lotion that they had in the bathrooms as well.
The Tea at The Bonham
There was a lovely menu of different teas available. I went for the Edinburgh Tea Blend blended with tea from Kenya, which had a traditional, yet fresh flavour that matched the Afternoon tea very well. All served in silverware with old fashioned tea strainers. We also tried the Lemon & Elderflower tea but personally I probably prefer a more classic tea alongside my afternoon tea, as this tea had a slightly weird artificial note to me.
The Sandwiches
The sandwiches consisted of both the classic cucumber with salmon which was lovely and served in an open sandwich style. There was also the slightly more festive cranberry jam and turkey. And finally there was also a little tortilla roll with vegetables, that felt a little out of place for me. I would not have missed this on the tray if it wasn’t present.
The Scones
The scones are often the highlight at Afternoon tea for me. At The Bonham they were of the smaller size and had a light texture that almost melted in the mouth. I’m quite picky with textures, and would’ve maybe preferred a slightly less baked texture. But the (what I think was) orange and Christmas spice scone was really lovely with jam and clotted cream.
The Sweets
Overall the amount of food felt good. Not too much and not too little on first impression. However we did become very full – but I like really taking my time and enjoying the surroundings and good conversation in between the little bites. In amongst the sweets we also had a savoury sausage roll which was really nice. But perhaps this could’ve been included on the sandwich tray instead of the tortilla roll as we at first didn’t know what it was, considering it was amongst the sweets. The chocolate treat was so filling, but was a real highlight. A creamy texture meets the crunchy layer on the bottom and not too big with a delicious flavour. All the treats actually had a good size, perfect for sampling. There was also a pistachio macaron, which usually is the highlight for me, but it was just a little too sweet. Finally we also had mince pies but they felt a little dry. Perhaps we were just too full at this point.
The Service at The Bonham
We were served by a lovely waitress who made sure we had a good time, and took extra orders for tea when we wanted it. One thing I really appreciate as well is that we didn’t feel any rush to hurry through our food.
Conclusion
I really enjoyed our Afternoon Tea at The Bonham and I will definitely return for perhaps a drink or two when things reopen here in Edinburgh!
Going for this Afternoon tea also really made me excited to try out others here in town so fingers crossed that things will be able to open soon so that I can continue to review some more options!
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