Afternoon Tea at Cloud 23

The Hilton Hotel, Deansgate

Manchester’s Hilton Hotel, housed inside the 47-storey Beetham Tower, can be seen for miles, towering above Manchester’s skyline. Tucked away up high on the 23^rd floor is a unique cocktail bar in the sky.

The aptly named Cloud 23 is the highest point in the city. This stylish bar serves up the finest champagnes and decadent cocktails as well as elegant afternoon teas in plush surroundings with the most stunning backdrop.

Inside Cloud 23

The floor-to-ceiling windows provide panoramic views of the magnificent city which is the beating heart of the North. If you’re afraid of heights, you may have to give this a swerve, as it’s certainly not for the fainthearted. Entering from the ground floor, you hop into a specially constructed lift which catapults up to the 23^rd floor at record speed. I could feel my ears about to pop in the way they do when you’re taking off on an aeroplane.

When you reach the top, you enter a different world. Make sure you dress to impress, for it doesn’t matter what hour of the day it is, this is the highest end of nights out. We were seated in front of the all-encompassing windows, on a low table in comfortable, white leather seats, facing outwards.

Panoramic Views

There’s a theatrical and innovative cocktail menu, including a fine selection of non-alcoholic alternatives in the imaginatively titled ‘Blue Sky Drinking’ section. If a drop of the hard stuff is strictly on your agenda, there’s the Signature Cocktails, all with detailed descriptions painting a picture in the mind as well as the mouth, and the Cloud Classics, as well as an extensive selection of wines, beers, champagnes and spirits.

By day, it’s all about the decadent afternoon tea.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: afternoon tea truly is one of life’s greatest pleasures. There is no better way to spend an afternoon. The experience is only heightened when you’re taking your tea in surroundings of grandeur.

Cloud 23 offers a range of different afternoon tea experiences, from a basic Cream Tea (£14) to the full traditional fare (£25), and even an option with free-flowing champagne (£49). We purchased a special offer from the recently launched ‘itison’ app, bagging ourselves a Traditional Afternoon Tea and any cocktail from the menu up to the value of £14 – a truly superb deal.

As a non-drinker, it was refreshing to have some thoroughly decent mocktails to choose from. I had a ‘Cherry Blossom Skies’, a light and fluffy cream fizz flavoured with cherry, almond and citrus. Reminiscent of a cherry bakewell with added zing, it was refreshing and delicious, although very indulgent. It wasn’t the kind of beverage to quench your thirst, but that didn’t matter, as the afternoon tea comes with an unlimited supply of hot drinks – tea, coffee or hot chocolate. We’re not just talking filter coffee either: you can have a cappuccino, a latte, whatever takes your fancy.

Cherry Blossom Skies

Food wise, the sandwiches and sweet treats were served on a decadent three-tiered cake stand. In my mind, there are three distinct courses to an afternoon tea: you start with the sandwiches and end with the cakes, whilst the scones are a nice bridge between savoury and sweet.

There was a roast ham sandwich on brown fingers, prawn mayonnaise and bistro salad served in a tortilla wrap, a goats cheese and beetroot wrap and a Croque Monsieur.  The ham on brown was a little bit plain and simple for my taste, I prefer my sandwiches a little more exciting, but it meant there was something to suit all tastes. The wraps were my favourites, full of filling and flavour.

The scones were filled with dried apricots, and served with strawberry jam and clotted cream. Although they were served warm, by the time we’d finished the sandwiches they’d gone cold. It would be a good idea to serve them covered to keep the heat in. After all, afternoon tea is supposed to be leisurely and a simple scone is significantly more enjoyable when warm and crunchy. The dried apricots didn’t bring much in terms of flavour either. The more traditional sultana scones are definitely preferable.

Sitting aboard the top tier in all their delicious glory were a vanilla and chocolate sponge cake, a strawberry and white chocolate tart and a cheesecake shot glass. Surprisingly, the vanilla and chocolate sponge was my favourite. Chocolate desserts are normally my last choice, but this wasn’t at all rich and was very more-ish. The tart was equally excellent, but the cheesecake was disappointing. The texture was wrong. It was very airy, more like a moose, and the lack of biscuit base meant it wasn’t really a cheesecake at all. It was a refreshing, palate-cleansing end to the experience, without being overly sweet, but just wouldn’t what it was supposed to be.

Traditional Afternoon Tea for Two

If you’re an afternoon tea lover, Cloud 23 is an experience you can’t afford to miss. Relaxing in stylish and sophisticated surroundings with unparalleled views, freshly prepared sandwiches and cakes and decadent cocktails, I can’t think of a better way to spend an afternoon. Whatever the occasion, it’ll be the perfect celebration.

Pre-booking is essential. If you’re brainstorming ideas for Christmas presents, vouchers can be purchased online.  

Website: https://www.cloud23bar.com/