Bed and Breakfast

Perfect Cup of Tea at a Bed and Breakfast

Story Published on September 6, 2008 ⋅  Email this Story ⋅  Print this Story ⋅ Post a comment ⋅

A cup of tea is a bit like a little miracle, it can restore the soul and spirit in just a few minutes. The same can be said about a great bed and breakfast, as well. And plenty of innkeepers offer both special accommodations and afternoon teas. In fact, many innkeepers are hosting specialty teas to celebrate everything from a bridal or baby shower to a book club meeting or a birthday party. The seasoned innkeeper can set the scene with beautiful decor, fine china and delectable savories and sweets. The toughest choice you’ll have to make is whether to partake of Darjeeling or Earl Grey.

A visit to Hillbrook Inn in Charles Town, West Virginia, an early 18th-century Tudor, is truly like a trip back in time to an old English country manor. Surrounded by acres of gardens and woods, this is absolutely an ideal spot for an afternoon. You’ll savor freshly baked cookies and tea sandwiches and treats prepared by the inn’s own executive chef. The innkeepers have prepared fairy tale birthday teas where little girls feel like real princesses, if only for an afternoon. You can enjoy your gourmet, six-course high tea in the beautifully decorated inn, or in warmer weather, take tea in gardens.

Fortune Magazine described the afternoon tea at Cliffside Inn as a tea “fit for the Queen of England.” The historic Victorian inn, located in picturesque Newport, Rhode Island, also has been named as one of the 20 best tea rooms in America by noted tea authority and author Bruce Richardson. In fall and winter, the teas are served in the Victorian parlor and in warmer months, teas are served on the veranda or on tables in the garden. The menu changes each day, but the offerings include gourmet tea sandwiches, plenty of homemade cookies and sweets and the staple of any tea time, freshly baked scones. The innkeepers use only the highest quality teas, all blended exclusively for this Newport bed and breakfast.

For a tea that is truly seaworthy, the innkeepers at Kitt Shepley House B&B (also in Newport) offer a tour of the harbor while enjoying afternoon tea aboard their own private boat. This special package, named the High Tea on the Sea, includes all the trimmings from the tea sandwiches and sweets down to the fine silver and china.

For a Cape Cod afternoon tea that is truly a delight, head to the village of Chatham and the Captain’s House Inn. This four-diamond rated Massachusetts bed and breakfast is surrounded by two acres of gardens and the historic inn has been beautifully restored and decorated. Inn guests enjoy a complimentary cream tea with freshly baked sweet treats. For an extra charge, the innkeepers offer a full English afternoon tea for guests and general public alike. This special tea includes the aforementioned sweets as well as a selection of tea sandwiches and other savory items. During December, a special holiday tea is available, as well.

At Halcyon Place Bed and Breakfast in Campbell, New York, guests can enjoy a summer tour of the inn’s herb gardens and then enjoy a scrumptious afternoon tea. The menu of sweets and savories are homemade using herbs from the inn’s gardens. Innkeeper Yvonne Sloan begins these Wednesday tea events with a presentation about growing herbs and using them in recipes.

Enjoy afternoon tea, Southern style at the Traveler’s Rest B&B in Montezuma, Georgia. Just a two-hour’s drive from the city of Atlanta, this bed and breakfast serves up afternoon tea in the dining room or on the veranda. Innkeeper Adele Goodman has hosted everything from a mother-daughter Girl Scout tea or a meeting of the local Red Hat Society. The tea features all the traditional delectables, as well as a few special Southern treats.

Enjoy the total Victorian experience with an authentic English tea at Richmond Victorian Inn. The historic inn, located just a few miles from Burlington, Vermont, in the town of Richmond, has been host to a number of specialty afternoon teas. The innkeepers have prepared princess tea parties for little girls, as well as wedding shower teas and even teas for book clubs. On many Sundays, the innkeepers serve a signature English tea with all the trimmings, including locally made teas and freshly baked scones.

During the holiday season you will find many bed and breakfast inns across the U.S. and Canada splendidly decorated. At The Rosewood Country Inn in Bradford, N.H., there’s also an annual Holiday Tea and Tour held throughout the month of December. After a tour of this historic New Hampshire bed and breakfast, white chocolate and raspberry scones are served with Devonshire cream and Jam as well as Lemon Snowflake Cake and more. Stay a night or two and enjoy the luxuriously appointed suites, complete with antique beds and warm fireplaces.

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