Highfield Park, Silchester

Visited the hotel as part of a company training course so I can't comment on the rooms. Facilities are great, food was excellent and the staff very helpful. It's a beautiful location with stunning views.

I recently went for afternoon tea with my mum, and I have to say, it was a huge disappointment. The sandwiches were completely tasteless, with no flavour or freshness whatsoever. We opted for the vegetarian menu, and the avocado in the sandwiches were stale and brown! The cakes were equally underwhelming, dry, bland, and clearly not made with care. The only saving grace was the scones, which were actually fresh and delicious, but that’s not enough to salvage the rest of the experience. To make matters worse, Steven, our server, was friendly. However, was dressed in dirty, unpresentable clothes, which really lowered the standard of the whole place. It’s hard to enjoy your meal when the server look like they haven’t bothered to maintain basic hygiene. The tea selection was poor, and we left without our server coming to check on us or ask us about our experience. Overall, this was an afternoon tea that I wish I hadn’t wasted my time on. It's definitely not worth it and not on par with other afternoon teas I've experienced.