Stanwell House in Lymington has won praise for its afternoon tea, which can be experienced at its champagne bar, called The Orangery.
Afternoon tea is served between 2pm and 5pm here, and its menu regularly changes to make the most of seasonal produce.
While afternoon tea is often booked for Mother’s Day celebrations, it can be enjoyed throughout the year.
The afternoon tea menu changes regularly to make the most of seasonal produce (Image: Stanwell House)
What is provided in the afternoon tea at Stanwell House?
A wide variety of teas can be chosen to accompany the food items in the afternoon tea, according to The Orangery’s menu.
This includes Earl Grey Supreme, Dorset Fruit Punch, Rooibos (Redbush), Dorset Brew, and Chamomile.
The rest of the items include the usual assortment of scones with jam and clotted cream, finger sandwiches, and sweet treats.
Discussing the hotel’s afternoon tea, General Manager Josie Clare shared: “At Stanwell House, afternoon tea is a much-loved part of the experience we offer our guests.
“Served in The Orangery, our bright and welcoming space in the heart of Lymington, it’s an opportunity to slow down and enjoy a traditional treat — from freshly made sandwiches and warm scones with clotted cream, homemade jam, and homemade lemon curd to a selection of sweet treats, all paired with carefully chosen teas or a glass of something sparkling for those celebrating a special occasion.”
Josie also shared that the guests at Stanwell House are “at the heart of everything” they do.
She added: “From locals joining us for a relaxed afternoon to visitors making us part of a special trip or celebration, we’re always grateful for the opportunity to welcome them and create memorable experiences.”
How do visitors rate the afternoon tea at Stanwell House?
Stanwell House has been well-received by visitors, earning a 4.6/5 score on Tripadvisor from 269 reviews and a 4.3/5 score on Google Reviews from 701 ratings.
Many of those discuss the afternoon tea on offer there, with one person saying it was the best they’d ever had.
They wrote: “Best afternoon tea I have ever had, sandwiches and scones are fresh as they come.
Afternoon tea is served in The Orangery at Stanwell House (Image: Stanwell House)
“The cakes are also fantastic, everyone in our party of 12 thoroughly enjoyed everything that was served.”
Another said: “I recently went for afternoon tea to celebrate a birthday.
“It is excellent in every way with great service and superb quality.”
A third posted: “We visited for afternoon tea as my parents had recommended the hotel.
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“All of the cakes & sandwiches looked lovely and tried all of the selection.
“Personally I would say it was a very generous amount to eat & drink, didn’t quite manage to finish it all.
“They had run out of the tiered stands when we were booked in for the tea, but to me this didn’t really make a difference as the food selection was excellent!”
Where’s your favourite afternoon tea spot in the New Forest? Let us know in the comments.