A destination high tea, in a historic venue, with a breathtaking view. High Tea at The Hydro Majestic is well worth the drive to the top of the Blue Mountains.
Walking into the Wintergarden is nothing short of breathtaking. As you follow the waiter to your table the view straight down the Megalong Valley through the floor to ceiling windows is spectacular, especially if it’s a sunny day like it was on our visit.
The room is just as bright and welcoming as ever (we last visited in 2015). Comfortable plush velvet chairs, crisp white tablecloths and fresh orchid flowers on every table. A grand piano tucked away in a corner with a pianist playing songs across several decades. The place was full to bursting with an assortment of guests ranging from hen’s days to baby showers to an 80th birthday – the whole spectrum of life events it would seem. We’re sure there’s been a proposal or two along the way as well.
Sitting at our table sipping a glass of champagne while we wait for our food to arrive it was easy to get lost in thought perched on the edge of a cliff looking out across the Kanimbla ranges. This visit we were making a weekend of it and staying at the hotel too, so it was fun to try and figure out how we’d get down into the Megalong Valley below the next day.
The Wintergarden menu has a substantial selection of sandwiches with the traditional trio of egg, cucumber and smoked salmon each making a tasty appearance. Backed up by a lamb wrap, a mini slider and a chicken tart the savoury options were plentiful.
There are two types of scones served, plain and fruit. Both had a firm crust with a delicate crumb, not too dense but holds together nicely when slathered with jam and cream (or cream and jam depending on where you fall in that argument). Speaking of the jam, this one was thick with fruit giving it a real homemade vibe.
The sweets were an enjoyable mix of creamy versus tangy. The canelé was nice and caramelised on the outside with a soft vanilla centre. The choux bun was perfectly crisp with a creamy centre that didn’t soak in and make the shell soft at all. We had two clear favourites though – the tangy options. Firstly, the shiny green domed cheesecake was heavy on the citrus zing, slice it in half to reveal its varied layers of custards and gels. Then there was the dark chocolate passionfruit slice. The crunch from the dark chocolate base paired deliciously with the gel packed full of passionfruit punch. A real delight for the tastebuds and a great way to finish off the high tea.
Staying for the weekend meant we could then spend the rest of the afternoon exploring the area ending up back in the lobby bar by the open fire ready to watch the sun set across the valley below. The total blackness out of the windows after dark reminded us of just how “city” we are!
Oh, and if you’re wondering about how we got down into the Megalong the following day, it was a very narrow, very steep, very winding 20-minute drive. But me made it and were rewarded with a lovely wine tasting at Dryridge Estate at the bottom. If you’re not feeling quite so adventurous stay up on top of the mountains. Pack your activewear and get out onto one of the myriad walking trails through the national parks – weather permitting of course.
The Wintergarden High Tea menu at The Hydro Majestic includes a selection of petite sandwiches, homemade pastries, scones, cream, jam and your choice of tea or coffee. Bookings essential.
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Reviews for this venue:
- 31 May 2015: High Tea at Hydro Majestic, Blue Mountains, NSW
