Highcliffe Castle Tea Rooms

Walked from Mudeford quay to here (which isn’t easy for my wife) after checking their website. Arrived at 3pm to have a cuppa cake only to find they’d decided to close early, despite the website and bill-boards saying open till 4pm. Asked in the reception and they weren’t in the slightest bit interested. Won’t waste our time again.

Weeds growing out of drains greets you! You cannot always go inside as main doors closed and you have to join the long queue to be served from a little window. Cakes just taste of high levels of sugar and the customers have to bring a cloth to wipe wet seats every morning outside if you want to sit down! Finally, most seats outside are situated next to a dustbin. The council should give it up and let a professional private outfit run the place, while the council should get on with what the council tax payers expect!!

Limited lunch menu which was disappointing but sausage rolls were very tasty. 3 ciabatta 3 pasty/roll options, can’t see why there can’t be more sandwich choices.

Lovely setting and looked forward to some Cream Tea and Scones on the beautiful lawns with my family Had a mix of Teas and Coffees which I can only describe as just okay for the price charged No sugars offered or supplied and one very small milk container that just about serviced one of us The Scones were Rock Hard and were replaced with an Iced cake which in fairness was quite nice? What I find really disappointing is that we can all accept that things can go wrong but it's how you deal with them that I look for? I felt so sorry for the young trainee staff on the front line as when ourselves and other customers were complaining the older and more mature (Managers) kept their heads bowed and ignored all eye and verbal contact in the hope I suspect we would just go away? There was also a lovely young waitress dressed all in black servicing the outside eating area who was a credit and couldnt be more helpful and a few more like her would be a step in the right direction? Front of House needs to get itself organised Currently have 5/6 Staff all rushing around going nowhere? Service very slow as well

Looking forward to a simple jacket potato, how wrong was I , 1st one was obviously frozen as soggy and cold very very cold... returned 2nd attempt paper plate warm skin to potato warmish, how can you not heat up a potato ?? Wet and only just luke warm.. inedible so very very disappointed ....... thank goodness for the tuna and salad. Won’t hurry back for lunch