Afternoon tea is undoubtedly my favourite meal of the day – especially come Christmas – and Four Seasons Hotel Hampshire has the festivi-teas down to a fine art. Tucked away on a 500-acre estate near Fleet, the hotel has an impressive line-up of Christmassy activities, dining and fun, and first on my list to try was the new festive afternoon tea.
Along with my mum I tucked into a tower of delicious tiny sandwiches, cakes and pastries designed by executive pastry chef Maxime Gourlain. I could happily have snaffled several of the raspberry and chestnut mont blancs and mandarin and cinnamon choux into my bag. Tea is served in the 18th century manor house’s wood-panelled drawing room, while family-friendly teas take place in the lounge. Both overlook the rolling parkland dotted with animal sculptures.
We were swept into the Christmas spirit from the moment we arrived, thanks to garlands of twinkling lights and gloriously opulent decorations. Glittering Christmas trees are dotted inside and outside (including a huge one by the central staircase) and every corner touts a festive floral arrangement. There are plenty of fun backdrops for family photos too, including large gingerbread houses and a gigantic snow globe surrounded by Christmas trees.
With many guests choosing to stay from Christmas until New Year, the hotel has a range of dining options. The team have brought back the popular Off Piste Swiss-inspired restaurant for a second year, located in a large teepee in the central stable courtyard. Having lived in Switzerland for four years my mum is an excellent barometer of a genuine Alpine experience. Off Piste gets top marks, and she likens it to the Christmas market in Montreux, thanks to its wooden benches and tables, bark bar, fur throws and jauntily angled skis.
The restaurant is the brainchild of general manager Andrew Harrison, who drew on his time working and skiing in Switzerland to bring a taste of the Alps to Hampshire. The menu includes cheese fondue served in a sourdough bowl, roasted bratwurst and bockwurst sausages and charcuterie platters, alongside mulled wine and scrumptious Swiss hot chocolate.
New for this year are a range of four Swiss Mont D’Or red and white wines from the Valais canton, chosen by Harrison. The hotel is the only location in the UK where they can be tasted, and it’s a considerable coup, considering only 1% of the 148 million bottles of Swiss wine produced each year are exported.
Those staying over Christmas will be treated to a buffet in the main restaurant, Wild Carrot, on Christmas Eve, and can choose from a four-course lunch on Christmas Day, or a grand buffet lunch in the ballroom. Plus, Santa is slated to make an appearance at 11am. The Boxing Day menu features a traditional roast, while a five-course meal is planned for New Year’s Eve, followed by a family-style buffet lunch on New Year’s Day. Guests can also opt for pizzas at the al fresco Italian venue La Terrazza and the library bar serves festive cocktails and mocktails.
Just outside the main entrance we spot the pop-up Christmas Shop, selling a range of wicker hampers. They’re packed with goodies including honey sourced from the onsite bee hives, the hotel’s signature festive tea blend and bottles of Four Seasons Hotel Hampshire Silent Pool Sour Cherry and Sloe Gin. Foodies will be in their element.
The hotel is very family friendly, and festive fun for the young (and young at heart) includes an underwater treasure hunt at the Sharkie’s Reef pool on 23 December. There’s also an array of Christmas-themed games, crafts and activities at the Kids for All Seasons kids’ club.
Guests can watch Cinderella pantos on 23 and 30 December, and the onsite equestrian centre offers a range of riding experiences, alongside traditional horse-drawn carriage rides through the estate. Recommend a grooming workshop with the ever-so-cute resident Shetland ponies Milo and Dougal. Children can also meet friendly four-legged friends at the petting zoo on several dates throughout December, or join the hotel’s expert ornithologists for a bird display or hawk walk.
For clients seeking a very merry (and delicious) Christmas, Four Seasons Hotel Hampshire definitely deserves a spot on their wish list.
Good to know
The hotel offers 134 rooms, including 22 suites, all of which were refurbished in May 2021. Most of the festive offerings are available until 7 January 2024.
How to book it: A Mews room starts from £600 per room per night, based on two sharing, fourseasons.com/hampshire
