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On Easter Saturday I went along with a couple of friends to the world-famous Gleneagles Hotel for a spot of afternoon tea to celebrate the holidays. It was everything you would expect of a venue which has played host to Vladimir Putin, Tony Blair, Silvio Berlusconi and the Masters Golf Tournament. The perfectly manicured turf is the first thing to greet you on your drive down the glen – unless, of course, you are arriving by helicopter.

The hotel itself is a grand, sprawling, pebble-dashed building with views up the glen and a large entrance lobby. It is at this point that I started to concentrate on not allowing the Bridget Jones in me to wrestle free – no knocking over glasses, falling over, talking too loudly or dropping the “t’s” from my sentence. We had booked in among the ladies’ birthday parties, American tourists and international weddings. Check trousers and bright white golf shoes filled the lobby and bar. Rooms throughout the ground floor were decked out with flowers and seating, ready for wedding ceremonies.

Gleneagles Hotel

The tearoom itself looked out onto the fountain, lawns and glen. It was a sunny day and the pianist at the grand piano made the atmosphere mellow even further. Each chair had a golden, embroidered cover and the staff placed the napkins on our laps as we sat down. Afternoon tea was served in the semi-circular room you can see in the photo above and costs £28. It includes;

• Choice of leaf teas or coffee with unlimited refills
• Mushroom soup (which arrives in a tiny little mug)
• A three tier silver savoury stand carrying sandwiches (no crusts), sausage rolls, vol-au-vents, oatcakes and cheese.
• Mini creme brulee with vanilla pods and raisins
• Cakes and pastries buffet

All of the food and drink was beautiful. The leaf tea was aromatic and the cucumber sandwiches soft and delicate. The apple and pork sausage rolls were something special, though. Sweet and caramelised with a light puff pastry. Everything on the menu is mini – giving you free reign to sample a whole host of delectable treats. There is even Moet et Chandon on offer for a £14 supplement.

Gleneagles Gardens & Golf Course

I especially liked that the staff insisted on pouring the tea and that if you listened to the grand piano, you could detect melodies from popular songs being interwoven with the relaxing background music. The hot sunshine was only a minor inconvenience as the waiters and waitresses were only too happy to alter the blinds for our comfort and then bring cooling lemon water to soothe any over-heated guests.

Whilst chatting and sipping tea, a Shetland pony walked past the window, being led by a family of four. There was also a game of croquet going on and countless golf players making their way between the hotel and the fairway. During a turn around the gardens after tea, we came across the falconry field and a full hedge maze. Tennis lessons were also underway at  the adjacent courts.

You have to book well in advance to getting fitted in for the afternoon tea at Gleneagles but it is well worth it to be treated so well for the afternoon. £28 for hours of first class treatment is paltry compared to a night out. Click here to visit the Gleneagles website.