The Roseate Reading

I was here for lunch and a meeting. My burger was very nice, though nowhere near what I'd expect from a five-star hotel. My colleague's sandwich was just OK. They also said the room was very warm, and the breakfast was extremely basic.

The Roseate made our first trip to Reading a lovely one, and the spa services were a real highlight. My partner and I stayed two nights for our anniversary. It's a beautiful hotel, with professional, accommodating staff. The restaurant's set menu was lovely, and both the presentation and service were great. I'd highly recommend the spa.

For a special birthday treat, we booked afternoon tea at The Roseate because of its advertised vegan option. The website looked promising, and we'd hoped for fine dining in plush surroundings. The sandwiches and fancy cakes were nice enough, and staff were attentive, checking on us every five minutes or so. But the room let the visit down. Though it was mostly empty, we were seated in the far corner by a window on a dull, rainy day. The cold colours, plain walls and tables, and blue chairs made the room feel chilly and unremarkable. Our bench seat wasn't clean, and the wall beside us was grubby, with chipped paint. We also spotted lots of illuminated cobwebs behind the wall lights, which seemed out of place for this kind of establishment. It wasn't cosy, so we left as soon as we'd finished tea. For the price and the fine dining experience we expected, The Roseate didn't really deliver. We'll try somewhere else next time.

The desserts were the only part of our festive afternoon tea that felt Christmassy: one had a Merry Christmas chocolate topper, and another was shaped like a Christmas tree. The menu itself was underwhelming and made little effort to feel seasonal. Some Christmas crackers or decorations might have helped, especially since parts of the hotel were already decorated. Service was poor despite the restaurant being quiet. We had to ask several times for more tea and for the bill. We hadn't requested a high chair when booking, which was our mistake, but even after one became available we had to remind staff. When we finally got the bill, it was the wrong one from the bar staff. They said we'd asked bar staff for it, though this was our third request and we just wanted to leave. There's definitely room to improve the festive tea.