When it comes to you hen weekend, it can be difficult to decide what activities to pick. With so many options to choose from and so many people to please it can get complicated. As hen weekends go, I don’t think you can go wrong with an afternoon tea. Afternoon tea allows you to bring all generations together for an afternoon of elegance and sophistication… before you head out to party later in the evening.
I recently had the pleasure of being invited to the recently revamped Farmhouse at Redcoats alongside a group of hens, to try out their afternoon tea for myself.
Located just outside of Hitchin in Hertfordshire, the Farmhouse is in a secluded spot, surrounded by gorgeous countryside. With two car parks to choose from, parking is not a problem and it’s a very short walk to the Farmhouse.
The Farmhouse itself dates back to the 15th century and is beautiful inside and out. Each of the rooms is beautifully decorated and highlights some of the original features. Alongside the original Farmhouse is the newly renovated exclusive use barn wedding venue – worth checking out if you are still searching for your dream wedding venue.
Our afternoon tea was hosted in The Old Kitchen – a private dining area that can seat up to 8 guests. There are no extra costs involved in booking the private room – but you do need to book in advance to guarantee the space. It feels really special having your own private space for the afternoon tea, and the ambience is perfect.
The wall of the Old Kitchen was full of jars containing different tea blends, all of which are available to try as part of the afternoon tea. I tried popcorn tea, which was certainly different, however I enjoyed the classic English breakfast tea alongside my food, which was much more to my taste.
The afternoon tea was served in a traditional style and there was plenty to go around. Each setting was supposed to serve 3, however we had enough food to feel totally full and also have a little parcel to take home.
The bottom tier was filled with delicious sandwiches, all of which had been freshly prepared in the kitchen. There were a range of fillings including egg mayonnaise, beef and horseradish, salmon and cream cheese and of course the traditional cucumber and cream cheese. I enjoyed all of the options provided and each sandwich was light and fluffy – no dry bread here.
The second tier provided a choice of fruit and plain scones – served warm. The scones were DELICIOUS and definitely the highlight of the afternoon. They were clearly fresh and there was plenty of jam and clotted cream to go round. I really enjoyed my scone, as did all of the other hens – made clear by the amount of photos being taken and uploaded to Instagram!
Despite being incredibly full at this point, it was time to move on to the third and final tier of the afternoon – the cakes. Each of the mini cakes were beautifully presented – and almost looked too good to eat. There were a broad range of flavours, ensuring there was something for everyone’s taste. I started with the salted chocolate and caramel tart. I am a total chocoholic, so I always go for the chocolate option first. It didn’t disappoint, and was not too heavy, even on my already full stomach. The other cakes on offer were a walnut and coffee éclair, rhubarb and custard macaron and a white chocolate and ginger opera slice. We were totally defeated at this point and there was no way we could try all of the cakes. The staff offered to give us a box so we all took a little box of cakes home to enjoy – which was a real treat.
The staff were attentive to us throughout the afternoon, whilst also giving us space to have fun and chat together. We were made to feel special and all of our questions were answered. It was clear that the Farmhouse were able to cater for dietary requirements, so don’t be afraid to call ahead if there are certain foods you need to avoid.
We had a lovely afternoon at the Farmhouse at Redcoats and I will certainly return for afternoon tea again – I think it was made all the more special by dining in the Old Kitchen, so I would highly recommend booking that room for your hen weekend afternoon tea. During the afternoon we also had the chance to experience a fragrance making workshop hosted at the Farmhouse by local event organisers ‘Magnifisense’. You can read how we got on in my recent review post ‘Fragrance Making Hen Party review’.
The Farmhouse at Redcoats also has a number of bedrooms on site, so why not make it your base for the weekend – and take a short taxi into Hitchin for an evening out.
If you have tried the afternoon tea at the Farmhouse at Redcoats – let me know what you thought in the the comments below.
Afternoon tea at the Farmhouse at Redcoats is £22 per person, or £29.50 with a glass of Nyetimber Classic Cuvee NV. Please ensure you book ahead.
Thank you to Becky Harley Photography for the photographs of our afternoon.
I was invited to try a complimentary afternoon tea at the Farmhouse at Redcoats, however all of the opinions are my own, and are an honest review of my experience.
Unfortunately my experience of afternoon tea was not as expected . The breakfast tea was really weak . The scones were on the dry side, and I had to ask for butter and jam, all that was provided was a small pot of cream. I am afraid to say that I didn’t think much of the cake selection either. Despite the disappointing food, the service was very good and requests for jam etc were quickly met.