Afternoon tea at the Vermont Hotel Newcastle

Afternoon tea at the Vermont Hotel Newcastle is an experience you should not miss. Enjoy a splendid tea in opulent surroundings in the centre of town.

Over the last few months, I have been on a quest to find the best afternoon tea in Newcastle. So far we have been to Jesmond Dene House in the Jesmond area of Newcastle and the Copthorne Hotel on the Quayside.

When browsing the Buyagift site I found their afternoon tea Smartbox experience. This has the option of afternoon tea for two at the Vermont Hotel. The Vermont Hotel is a grand and stately hotel right in the centre of Newcastle. I made use of some vouchers and took my son along to enjoy the experience.

Where is the Vermont Hotel

The Vermont Hotel is found right in the centre of old Newcastle, the historic centre of the town. Found just around the corner from Central Station it is an ideal location for exploring the city. The hotel is situated opposite the historic Castle Keep and beside the Moot Hall on a hill overlooking the quayside.

The Vermont Hotel is a four-star hotel and an impressive neo-classical building which takes you back to 1930’s glamour. The building used to the be old County Council Offices but it is now a welcoming hotel. As it is built on a hill the front entrance is actually floor six. The bedrooms are on the five floors above and the function rooms below.

The entry into the Vermont Hotel is impressive. You enter through a large doorway with flags flying overhead. Smart cars park either side of the entrance which lets you know you are entering somewhere special. On entry, the doorman greets you and directs you to where you need to go.

Inside the Vermont Hotel

We made our way to the dining room and give them our afternoon tea voucher. We had the option of having afternoon tea in the Bridge Brasserie or the lounge area.

The Bridge Brasserie is a formal dining room with views of the Quayside. The mood is urban and sharp. A cream tartan carpet contrasts with milky coffee walls. The dark chocolate furniture creates a formal mood. We felt afternoon tea should be less formal so opted to sit in the spacious lounge area.

The lounge has a luxury feel. Dark panelling contrasts with silky grey drapes and art deco carpeting. There is a mix of seating, comfy chairs with low tables or black throne-like chairs with higher tables. At one end of the room, a row of clocks shows the time in different areas of the world. The room is comfy and spacious with a sense of grandeur about it. Large bunches of flowers add a welcoming touch.

Afternoon Tea at the Vermont Hotel Newcastle

We chose to sit on the settees and found a comfy corner by a window. This was possibly a bad choice as the sun was shining right on us which was a little warm. The waiter kindly offered to shut the blinds for us when he bought our tea.

After sitting down the waitress had to check that our Buyagift voucher was valid for two people. This meant a short delay as she had to find a manager. Fortunately, everything was fine and we were soon able to enjoy our afternoon tea.

The tables are set with crisp white linen and shiny silverware. The tea comes in a large silver pot with an extra pot of water so you can drink copious amounts of tea. I always find that I need a few cups of tea with afternoon tea so this was welcome. The bowl of sugar lumps on the table adds a touch of refinement. The tea was bought a little while before the food.

The food soon came on the normal pretty cake stand and we were ready to tuck in.

Read more: Afternoon tea at the Royal Station Hotel

The Sandwiches

The sandwiches set the tone for the rest of the afternoon tea and these did not disappoint. These delicate finger sandwiches came with a mix of white and brown bread. The bread was soft and a perfect complement to the fillings. The fillings were classic, salon and cream cheese, egg and cress, ham and mustard and coronation chicken.

My favourite was the coronation chicken, a classic sandwich filling that is seldom seen these days. The salmon and cream cheese were a close second but all the flavours were lovely.

The Scones

The scones were a good size. These were light and fluffy and full of taste. They come with two small pots of jam and another pot of clotted cream. Sadly we did not get any butter. There is nothing nicer than a little butter on the scone before topping with jam and cream. The taste of the scones was excellent but a slightly bigger serving of jam would have been welcome.

The Cakes

The cakes are the highlight of any afternoon tea. You work your way through the sandwiches and scones in anticipation of the sweet treats on the top tier of the cake stand. The cakes were visually appealing and we there were five each. The hard part is choosing which to eat first.

Highlights of this tier are the little raspberry cheesecakes, the lemon macaroons and the apple mousse. The flavours are gorgeous and worth the wait. It would have been nice to have a little spoon supplied along with the cakes as it would have made it a little easier to eat some of them.

We did manage to eat everything and were left feeling pleasantly full. Afternoon tea at the Vermont Hotel is the perfect afternoon treat if you are in the centre of Newcastle.

Afternoon tea at the Vermont Hotel Menu

You can get afternoon tea at the Vermont daily between 1 pm and 5 pm. It is best to book before you go.

The Vermont Hotel offers a number of different options for their afternoon teas. We chose the traditional afternoon tea. They also offer a Gentleman’s Afternoon Tea and a Champagne Afternoon Tea.

The Vermont Traditional Afternoon Tea (£19.95) comes with finger sandwiches, scones with jam and cream and a selection of cakes. You have the choice of tea, coffee or speciality tea. If you prefer you can upgrade to the Champagne Afternoon tea (£26.95) and add a glass of chilled Perrier Jouet Champagne.

For a more manly option, you can pick the Gentleman’s Afternoon Tea (£19.95). This has a rustic platter with a scotch egg, mini Vermont burger, ploughman’s and a pork pie along with a pint of Wylam ale. It also comes with your choice of tea, coffee or speciality tea.

What we thought of afternoon tea at the Vermont Hotel

Afternoon tea is something that should be a treat and an enjoyable experience. The Vermont Hotel has got it right on a number of levels. The opulent surroundings and decor are the perfect place to enjoy your afternoon tea. The staff are attentive without making you feel rushed. We were able to enjoy our tea at our leisure.

The food is spot on and very tasty. You couldn’t fault any of the courses. We had the right amount and did not need to ask to take anything home. I did feel a couple of little details were lacking. It would have been nice to have butter with the scones and a little spoon to help eat the cake. Overall these were minor niggles and we would happily go back.

The Vermont Hotel has the perfect location in the centre of town so you can easily combine your afternoon tea with a little shopping or sightseeing. Parking outside the hotel is free.

The Vermont Hotel Address

Castle Garth
Newcastle upon Tyne,
Tyne and Wear
NE1 1RQ

Have you ever been for tea at the Vermont Hotel? What did you think? Let me know below.