A weekend in the capital of food, wine & whisky-loving Tasmania meant one thing: Non-stop indulgence. A weekend of gastronomic overload wouldn’t be complete with a high tea in Hobart, at Hadley’s Hotel. Hobart is the second-oldest city in Australia, but it feels like the oldest. Unlike in Sydney, there are no skyscrapers or towering modern icons here. The sandstone warehouses & heritage buildings of Salamanca Square and the city still rule the roost. When you’re soaking up the old world ambience of one Australia’s oldest cities, staying in one of the country’s oldest hotels is a no brainer. Recently restored by designers and architects who specialise in heritage revivals, walking into Hadley’s Orient Hotel is like turning back the clock a century or two.

The perfect manifestation of the hotel’s old world elegance is their High Tea, served daily in the plantation-style atrium. The atrium is flooded with natural light, even on a grey winter’s day, making it a beautiful place to eat, even in the worst weather.

I’ve had high tea before, but only now I see what all the fuss is about. When high tea is done well, it’s pretty spectacular.

We started with a selection of sandwiches, of which the smoked salmon was my favourite, and mini quiches. Next were the petit fours; jam tartlets, miniature lemon meringue tarts, millefeuille and profiteroles. We still managed to squeeze in some scones with jam and cream, but were about to burst by the end! All of this was washed down with champagne, fruit tea & French Earl Grey.

I wish I could take my Mum, sister or my grandmothers to the High Tea at Hadley’s, because I know they’d adore it! It really is the ultimate girly tea party. In fact, while we were there, the function room was in use for a High Tea for a little girl’s 8th birthday party. When we walked near the room on our way to our suite, we could hear so much giggling coming from the room – so adorable! I was interested to see what my boyfriend, David, would think of his first High Tea. As it turns out, it goes down pretty well with the boys too – especially if they have a sweet tooth!

Hadley’s Orient Hotel serves High Tea daily, but bookings are essential. Don’t miss it while you’re in Hobart!

Have you been to Hobart? Where’s the most beautiful place you’ve had High Tea?

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