Things to do in coventry

The Old Hall Coventry | Afternoon Tea | Gifted Experience

Saffron BakerLeave a comment

We were very kindly invited down to The Old Hall Hotel in Coventry to experience their Afternoon Tea; I took along my sister-in-law for a girly afternoon together!

Firstly, they have the best selection of afternoon teas I have seen, they had different variations from Traditional to Gentleman’s, Vegan and even one called Chai Dopehar which has Samosas and Paneer Spring Rolls amongst other yummy treats. This was super intriguing to us but decided to go with the Traditional to be able to give it a fair review.

Upon arriving, the venue itself is decorated so amazingly, the attention to detail was spot on, with so many gorgeous colours, lights, and things to look at. It was modern with its unique twist.

We were seated in a beautiful window area on a large table with a comfy sofa, so much natural light came in through the window.

We were greeted by all the staff who were so lovely, and attentive, they made sure we weren’t without a drink.

Unlimited tea and coffee were included with all afternoon teas so, of course, we started with a cuppa. They have a wide selection of different flavour teas on offer which we loved to see, I opted for just your classic tea.

It wasn’t long until our Afternoon Tea Tower was brought over to us, I have to say this was the most well-presented afternoon tea I have seen, and I’ve had a fair few in my time!

Bottom Layer we had sandwiches which were properly chunky not like the skinny finger sandwiches you normally get imagine two of them put together, you could really enjoy the flavour and filling on a mix of white and brown bread.

We had Smoked Salmon, Crem fraiche and dill, Egg Mayonnaise and watercress, Cucumber, and Cream cheese with a mint herb butter dressed with loads of fresh lettuce. All were lush, my favourite was the Salmon.

The cakes we had a good variety, there was a Victoria sponge, carrot and walnut, Chocolate Profiterole, and a couple of others I’m not 100% sure on but all tasted amazing and decorated with edible flowers.

Lastly at the top of the tier… the freshly baked scones with Clotted cream and jam! The best bit If you ask me!

These were massive and tasted so good. Both the cakes and the scones had been covered in a blanket of icing sugar which made it look so pretty.

Decorated around the plate were the nicest chunkiest strawberry I’ve tasted in the longest time.

The portion size was so big we couldn’t finish it all, we were able to box it up and take it away. The husband and children demolished it when I got home.

The whole experience was so lovely, I would highly recommend it to anyone, especially if celebrating an occasion, the prices are very reasonable as well. They had children’s prices for all the themes too which I’ve never seen before. I need to go back to try the Gentleman’s Tea, wraps are included and they’re my favourite.

We had a nose at their cocktails and mocktails list, these look incredible there’s a watermelon one which sounds right up my street.

We got to explore some more of the stunning hotel, have a nose on my Instagram to see the video and a peek into what the venue has to offer.

My new favourite place!

If you are local to the midlands, check them out!

Thank you, The Old Hall Coventry, for gifting us this experience.

What’s your favourite part of Afternoon Tea?   

Beauty And The Beast Panto | The Belgrade Theatre | AD Gifted Experience

Saffron Baker2 Comments

It’s that time of year again! I have missed the Panto at The Belgrade Theatre Coventry so much and it’s finally back.

This time around we took our boys! I was so excited as this was the first time as a family we have gone together. Our boys are 6 and 9. L is super lucky and he went with his school and came back absolute loving it, so when he heard we were going again to the “Relaxed Performance” he was over the moon.

Relaxed Performance, if you are not familiar with how it works it’s honestly amazing for younger children, anyone with a disability or struggles with certain aspects when it comes to a theatre environment.

The lights come down halfway so it’s never fully dark, the Dame who is played by Ian Lauchlan who writes and directs the piece comes out and talks to the audience about what to expect throughout the show so there are no sudden surprises.

He talks through and demonstrates some of the effects, sounds and lighting reassuring those in the audience what to expect. Being a relaxed performance also means there isn’t as much pressure to keep in your seats or quiet. Everyone in the audience understands, and the doors at the back of the theatre are left open so you can come and go as needed. I know what it’s like with children who never sit still or are loud it can feel really daunting to expect them to “behave appropriately” but in this environment, you don’t feel judged at all.

Now our eldest E has additional needs and this was super helpful for us to have, it took the pressure off a lot. It was a perfect introduction to a show and we are much more likely to attend another now he knows what to expect and the place isn’t “new” anymore.

The show itself was 2hours 30mins with a short interval. The boys did amazingly, L was up dancing and E loved shouting out “hes behind you”

THE BEST PANTO TO DATE!

Every year Ian manages to top the last show, it was truly brilliant from start to finish, super engaging for the children they absolutely loved it. They have been speaking about it nonstop, singing the songs and talking about the characters. They loved Gaston and found him hilarious.

The dancing, songs and characters were all so well thought through. The set was incredible and so beautifully made. We loved it from start to finish. It was the husbands first ever pantomime and even he enjoyed it. We laughed out loud as it kept the children and us engaged all the way through.

It’s an experience I urge everyone to have, the boys are already talking about Jack and the beanstalk coming towards the end of 2022


You can book your tickets to see Jack and the Beanstalk here


Huge thank you as always to The Belgrade Theatre and to Ian Lauchlan for creating yet another fantastic experience.

Saff x

*Gifted experience in exchange for a review

Images Credit The Belgrade Theater Coventry