Last Saturday, I was invited to join a handful of Donegal Bloggers at the official launch of the Festive Afternoon Tea at Harvey’s Point.
It is available there from Saturday 1st of December, right through to January 6th and Oh My WORD guys, it is beautiful.
We were met with a Prosecco reception by an open fire. From the first moment, the staff were friendly and attentive. We then met the formidable lady behind this incredible gem, Deirdre McGlone, whose passion for the hotel is infectious. She is a lady and the love story which brought her to Harvey’s is deserving of its own book. (Let me know if you’d like it written Deirdre!)
Carina and Sheila gave us an informative and fun history of the hotel, before taking us on a tour of it.
Ladies. The Him and I have been lucky to stay in some of the loveliest and most celebrated hotels, both at home, and abroad. We do like our luxury every so often. We’ve done most of the 4 & 5 star “must sees” of London and paid the extra for some luxury in NYC. But nowhere, have I seen the spacious luxury of Harvey’s Point. Even the corridors are huge.
And the rooms? We saw both the basic suite and the Premium…each of which are approximately the same size as the downstairs of most houses. They are beautiful. Massive mahogany framed beds and plush carpets, with the most spectacular bathrooms.
I can see myself sipping bubbles in one of the giant bathtubs very very soon. (And there are robes, which if you know me, you’ll know how important that is!)
The Festive Tea was then served to us in the main dining room. The table was beautifully laid out and injected the first little flourish of Christmas Spirit into us. We were greeted by the waiters who were looking after us, our napkins were flourished individually onto our knees (I love things like this!) and then they brought us our mulled wine.
It was divine; not too sweet and very mild. Then we had little cups of soup, before the main tea displays were carried to us. I’ve never seen such a beautiful bundle of happiness inducing delights. Sandwiches; egg and watercress and turkey, stuffing and cranberry – and I’m not talking a finger of one sandwich each. Scones with clotted cream and fresh jam, Christmas pudding, Mince pies, Santa mousse bites, little cupcakes, smoked salmon bites, duck paté… Each bite nicer than the last.
Tea or coffee was topped up frequently. The coffee was superb, unlike most hotel coffees which leave me longing for an Americano on the way home. This was smooth and perfectly roasted.
As bloggers most of us know the others from our online presence. Some of us had met briefly at different events or launches, but had never really had the chance to speak properly. I being of the geriatric blogger/Mammy variety, who invariably has to rush off from everything to collect kids, was delighted to meet and actually have time to sit and chat with these ladies. It was a wonderfully unexpected perk to the day. The ladies were lovely; all ages, all styles of creator and yet all genuinely delighted to get to share a lovely afternoon tea.
The tea is €26 per person (€36 with Bubbles) but as Afternoon Teas go, I have never experienced one as beautiful as this. The most impressive thing for me was the amount of food and the array of flavours; from sweet to savoury, but all delicious.
Carina and Sheila really did look after us and every member of staff that we met, seemed genuinely happy to be there. Harvey’s Point might be constantly expanding and growing, but I can predict that the ideas of family and home which formed the hotel in the first place, will never be far from its heart.
Now, off I go to pencil in a Roseymantic Mammy and Daddy time with my Him. I’m sure I have a weekend free in 2019.
Mammy was an invited guest to tea in Harvey’s Point. As always, my review is honest and my own. I was under no obligation to post or write about the event or the hotel. My views as my own.
The S-Mum 