Experiences don’t get any more British than taking an afternoon out and enjoying a delicious afternoon tea at a gorgeous location. This is something which the British community almost lost some decades ago but in the early 2000s we began to see more and more cafes and tea-houses setting up an afternoon tea for its guests and getting a little more creative with it than we have been before. This is a very regal tradition which is now accessible for everyone and I just love heading out with friends to enjoy this delightful tradition.

To support this wonderful tradition there is a new campaign from the team at Age Co called The Great British Guide To Afternoon Tea, and in light of this and their exciting hashtag #AfternoonTeaEtiquette, I wanted to share with you my favourite place in Britain for the perfect afternoon tea, and that is Betty’s in York.

Tradition

For me there is no better place to enjoy the traditions of what afternoon tea is better than Betty’s, tearooms which have widely become known as the spiritual home of afternoon tea. Everything in Betty’s matches up to what your expectation should be of afternoon tea, you are served like royalty, the etiquette which we expect from such an experience is perfect and the tea is absolutely sensational.

To reinforce the values which Betty’s has, the company behind the tea rooms have been pushed time and time again to create more tea rooms around the country, especially in London, but they have refused each time. There are only tea rooms which bear the Betty’s name, and in the interest of maintaining the quality of the service, they are keeping it that way.

 Luxury Experience

I think what I love most about this experience at Betty’s is the way that you are treated, you honestly feel like royalty and that comes from the service and the design of the tea room. There are two rooms in the York tea room and if you are going I would certainly recommend that you head to the lower room, which is designed like luxury cruise liner. The upper room is still enjoyable but you do find a little bit on display as there are windows all the way around, and there is always a big queue outside, no matter when you go. To get the downstairs room you must make a reservation ahead of time, well worth doing.

Cost and Taste

If you were to enjoy this experience without knowing the cost then you may very well estimate it at somewhere near the £50 mark, but the truth is that this experience comes in at £34.95 and that includes a glass of champagne to compliment your experience. The range of sandwiches and small pastries is delightful, the tea is some of the finest that you will taste and what you get for the price is just astonishing.

The attention to detail is what they do best here, the fine china cups which make the tea taste perfect, the dainty sandwich displays and the ambiance of a British institution all makes for the perfect afternoon tea experience, this is a place which you cannot miss out on.