Review: High Tea at The Palazzo Versace

My beautiful Nanna and I.  She is such an inspiration to this creation.



The beautiful high ceilings allow natural light to stream in.



The Particulars:

Palazzo Versace Gold Coast

High tea service runs daily in Le Jardin lobby bar from 11am until 5pm.

Reservations are not required unless there are over eight guests.

Group bookings required for more than eight guests. A table will be reserved in Il Barocco Restaurant from 1pm until 4pm.

Phone 07 5509 8000

Basic High Tea starts at $34.00 per person

 

The Review:

If you are like most and believe that high tea is an indulgent experience and are considering this as an option to indulge your mum this mother's day then perhaps the Versace is a place that most would consider.  After all it is the only 6 star hotel on the Gold Coast, right?  Well for me the signature high tea at the Versace was a little disappointing.  Don't get me wrong the décor and the hotel itself is impeccable but the service and the quality of pastries was below my expectations.

The signature high tea at the Versace includes three finger sandwiches, one plain scone, one choc chip scone, orange and poppy seed mini muffin, fruit flan and a chocolate brownie.  It also included a pot of tea to share which in my view wasn’t enough.  When I am having high tea I like the tea to be free flowing, fresh and hot.  Enough to relax and enjoy a full cup with each of the tiers or courses of food.  In this case I was required to savour my tea to ensure I had enough at the end to counter the sweetness of the pastries. 

The basic pastries provided of a chocolate brownie, orange and poppy seed muffin and a fruit flan did not take the food to the level in which high tea should be classed.  Especially when you consider the calibre of the hotel in which it is being served one would be expecting lavish chocolate works of art showcasing the talents of the pastry chef however this was not the case.  I do have to say though the jam provided for the scones was incredible, filled with chunks of divine strawberries; however again not enough to cover my scones completely.  I requested more jam from the waiter however it didn’t come; again leaving me to feel a little less than indulged. 

I loved the fine china and the natural light of the lobby however the poor service, small servings of jam and tea and lack of some of the traditional elements including cucumber sandwiches disappointed for the cost and prestige associated with the hotel.