Happy Anniversary Experience

Arrived at the venue which was really easy to find, they had two big car parks which was free of charge to use. We entered the venue to be greeted by a friendly gentleman in their bar/restaurant, we handed our voucher in and was taken to our en-suite room. The room was really clean and tidy, it had a large bathroom and they had even shaped the towels on the bed into elephants which I thought was a lovely touch. We dropped our bags and went and explored the seaside town, got some delicious fish and chips and sat on the beach. The bed was extremely comfy, the room had tea and coffee making facilities, the hotel also has free Wi-Fi for guests to use. After a great night’s sleep we woke up early and went for breakfast, which was absolutely delicious, great quality food. We decided to stay in Margate for the day and enjoy more of the seaside. If your big kids like myself and my partner then go and enjoy Dreamland, Margate – lots of fun for both adults and children.

Top Tip
Make sure you go to the beach, its beautiful on a sunny day!

This has to be the Perfect Gift for any couple in the Universe!

How could anyone not love a fab Afternoon Tea with a French twist, followed by the very best views of London from the 70th floor of one of the Nation’s Iconic buildings? And all on a sunny day in July……..

We were lucky with the weather which gave us the chance to have our Afternoon Tea outside so that we could people-watch whilst over-eating cake, plus we had amazingly clear views of everything that London represents.

Our Afternoon Tea was a little unusual for aficionados of this traditional treat: it had a Croque Monsieur instead of cucumber sandwiches. Personally, a way better experience (I don’t get Croque Monsieur at home!). The tea was really relaxed and the staff made everything really easy and polite. My other half is from Brazil and the concept of Afternoon Tea is very English and quaint, so everyone was happy..

After eating far too much, we strolled slowly to The Shard (5 minutes from Hay’s Gallery where the Café Rouge is located).

The Shard is a unique experience and incredibly professionally managed. 14 million visitors a year nowadays and a massive London attraction in itself. It’s easy to forget that there are lots of luxury apartments in the building where people live, as well as restaurants and a 5 star hotel. The vision and ambition behind such a building is truly extraordinary.

There are a number of slightly different levels in the Shard from where to view London. There are cocktail bars, ice cream concessions and sometimes live music up there as well as the extraordinary panoramic views. It can become a little crowded with people sticking to the glass to soak up the vista, but be patient and you will be able to see every bit of London that you really want to see. Viewing immense buildings from the roof is a unique experience so take your time and take it all in.

Oh, and on our way out a quick visit to the loo revealed a 69th floor-to-ceiling window overlooking London! This might put a few people off!!

All-in-all a great afternoon out and something I recommend to everyone looking for a gift for a couple.

Top Tip
Go to the toilet on the 69th floor, it has a great view of the city!

The whole experience was so smooth and I received amazing customer service from start to finish! Upon booking with the hotel, the operator was very knowledgeable and polite and the voucher was easily accepted at short notice on a busy weekend. I even rang back to inform them of some dietary requirements that I initially forgot to mention and they were very happy to accommodate. Upon entering the Palm Court Restaurant, we were immediately in awe of the beautiful Art Deco features and the soothing sound of the harpist. A member of staff immediately greeted us, took our coats and gave us a choice of seats. We choose to sit facing the harpist, and the seats were very comfy – they even had pillows! We were given the menu and the waiter explained a brief history about the hotel whilst he poured our champagne. The tea arrived first and it was delicious! There was a choice of all different teas and we were allowed to keep trying different types. Then the food arrived. I can honestly say this was the best afternoon tea I’ve ever had! The sandwiches were so good we asked for another round (which was included in the voucher!!), the scones were dainty but perfect, and the sweets were incredible! Everything was so professional and the atmosphere was very relaxing. Although the waiter did say we could upgrade to bottomless sparking wine for an extra £15, we were not pushed to buy this and there was no other pressure to purchase anything extra. Unfortunately, we were both driving so could not upgrade but would have definitely done so if we could (although what was included in the voucher was enough by far!). Overall a beautiful experience and I would definitely visit again without a doubt!

Top Tip
Try as many different teas as you can! They are all so delicious and different.

The gin expert was extremely knowledgeable, she answered any questions we had and it was really interesting to learn about the history of gin and how far it’s come from its darker days. We tried a range of gins and I found myself some new favourites, it was also nice to learn what foods work best with certain gins. We rounded off the experience with a cookery lesson from Pity. She was very entertaining and engaging, she got the class involved in making the Spanish Tortilla’s, made us all laugh and had some brilliant tips. Once the experience has taken place you receive an email with all the gins you have tried and where you can purchase them (very handy), as well as a recipe for the canapes.

Top Tip
The class is based in Canary Wharf so there are lots of bars and restaurants in the area so you can carry on drinking gin into the night or have a nice meal afterwards.