We were greeted at the door by a very smart and charming young man who welcomed us in, took our coats and then showed us into the drawing room.

It was a charming room with lovely furniture, attractive artwork and a view onto the terrace and lawn. We had the choice of two seating areas, one by the fire and one overlooking the terrace and garden. We chose the latter because it was a wonderful sunny afternoon.

We were offered tea or coffee, we both opted for tea. There wasn’t a choice but it was a very nice brew, which was poured for us at regular intervals.

A beautifully crafted board was presented to us, it looked fabulous, so much care and attention had obviously gone into preparing this.

We were starving so immediately tucked in; the cucumber sandwich first, so daintily sliced and neat but I would have liked some seasoning to pep it up a bit. The smoked salmon was very tasty, the cheese and pickle went down a treat, and the ham was good quality and tasty.

The scones were especially good, the fruit one boasting a generous amount of fruit. Beautifully presented balls of clotted cream and yummy jam accompanied them.

The carrot cake was moist and flavoursome and served with fresh cream, although I would rather a good cream cheese topping myself.

The chocolate and hazelnut brownie was rich and moreish, but the star of the show was definitely the profiterole, which was filled with cinnamon creme patisserie and a delight.

It wasn’t very busy when we visited but it was a really nice place to visit, as well as being easy to find off the A420. So next time you fancy a cuppa and a tea to remember, give it a go.

Sudbury House Hotel won three new AA rosettes this week.

Sudbury House Hotel, 56 London Street, Faringdon
01367 241272 sudburyhouse.co.uk/