Afternoon Tea on the Isle of Wight, by the Sea in Shanklin

Afternoon tea at The Fig Tree in Shanklin costs £25 per person, or £30 with prosecco. It is served every day with 24 hours' notice and includes finger sandwiches, freshly baked scones with clotted cream and preserves, pastries, cake and speciality teas. Book by phone, email or chat.

Quick facts: afternoon tea at The Fig Tree

• Price: £25 per person, £30 per person with prosecco
• Served every day with 24 hours' notice
• Finger sandwiches, pastries, cake, scones with clotted cream and preserves, speciality teas
• Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and allergy needs catered for with advance notice
• Book by phone on 01983 241 010, by email or through the chat
• Address: 10 Queen's Road, Shanklin, Isle of Wight, PO37 6AN

What makes afternoon tea here different?

There is a particular hour on the Isle of Wight, somewhere after the beach and before the evening, when the light softens and the only sensible thing to do is sit down with a pot of tea. We built our afternoon tea around that hour.

The Fig Tree is an owner-run boutique hotel on Queen's Road in Shanklin, run by the two of us, sisters Wendy and Karen. The beach is about a 10-minute walk away, and our lounge bar is the kind of room people settle into and forget the time. It opens onto an outdoor terrace through bifold doors. If you are looking for afternoon tea on the Isle of Wight that feels unhurried rather than staged, this is what we do.

What is included in our afternoon tea?

We keep it traditional and generous. Every afternoon tea brings finger sandwiches, freshly baked scones with clotted cream and preserves, pastries and cake, and a selection of speciality teas, with coffee if you would rather.

What sits on the stand shifts a little with the seasons and with whatever the kitchen has been baking that week. If you would like the exact fillings and flavours before you sit down, ask us when you book and we will tell you.

We have also been playing with Isle of Wight-shaped scones. They are as fiddly to cut as you would imagine, and we are not promising them on every plate yet, but if you see one on your stand you will know we have got the cutter working.

How much does afternoon tea cost?

Afternoon tea is £25 per person, or £30 per person with a glass of prosecco. We serve it seven days a week. We ask for at least 24 hours' notice so that we can bake for you.

When is afternoon tea served?

Every day of the week. All we ask is 24 hours' notice, because we bake to order and would rather not serve you yesterday's scone. Most guests come to us after a morning on the sand or a walk through the Chine, which is later than people often expect, and it suits us perfectly well.

Sittings can move a little through the year, so tell us the day you have in mind and we will confirm the time. Whether you are staying with us or coming up from the seafront, a table booked a day ahead is the surest way to get the one you want.

Where do we serve it: terrace or lounge?

On a fine day, take the terrace. It catches the afternoon sun, and the sea air does something to a scone that we cannot quite explain. When the weather turns, which it does here without warning, the lounge bar is warm and quiet. If you decide to stay on into the evening, our bar has happy hour every day from 5pm to 7pm, with 20% off all drinks.

There is a lift to every floor and step-free access, so the terrace and lounge are easy to reach whether you are pushing a pram, a wheelchair or a tired grandparent. See our accessible hotel page for more.

If a full afternoon tea is more than you want, our coffee and cake runs Monday to Friday, 10am to 2pm, with no booking needed. Just walk in, sit down and have company with your slice. It is part of our events programme, alongside the open mic night every Monday from 7pm.

Is afternoon tea dog-friendly?

Well-behaved dogs are welcome in our bar and reception, though not in the breakfast room. If your dog is joining you for afternoon tea, mention it when you book and we will seat you somewhere that suits you both.

If you are staying with us, small, well-behaved dogs are £30 per stay in selected rooms. Read more in our guide to dog-friendly stays in Shanklin.

Can you cater for vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and allergy needs?

Yes, with advance notice. Tell us when you book and we will build your stand around you rather than around a standard menu. This matters more for afternoon tea than almost any other meal, because so much of it is baked, so please give us as much warning as you can.

Tell us at the moment you book rather than on the day, and there is very little we cannot do for you.

How do you book afternoon tea in Shanklin?

Booking ahead is the safest way to guarantee a table, particularly on the terrace in summer and at weekends.

• Phone us on 01983 241 010
• Email reception@thefigtreehotel.co.uk
• Use the chat on our website

If you are not sure which is easiest, phone us. It is usually the quickest way to settle a table, and we can answer anything else while we have you. You can also find us on the contact page.

What else can you do around afternoon tea?

Afternoon tea sits neatly in the middle of a Shanklin day. A few ideas from us, in roughly the right order. Our guide to things to do in Shanklin has more.

Start on the seafront. Walk the Esplanade with the sea on one side and the cliffs on the other. If you want to stretch it out, Sandown is along the front, which also makes us a natural stop for anyone looking for afternoon tea near Sandown.

Climb through Shanklin Chine. The wooded gorge is within walking distance of the hotel. It is the sort of walk that earns a scone.

Wander the Old Village. Small shops and a slower pace, within walking distance of us on Queen's Road.

Then sit down. Terrace or lounge, pot of tea. If you have timed it well, the light will be doing its thing.

Do you offer afternoon tea gift vouchers?

An afternoon tea for two makes a kind gift, and one that gets used rather than put in a drawer. We offer gift vouchers for stays, retreats and experiences at The Fig Tree, including afternoon tea. Get in touch and we will arrange the voucher for you.

Could you stay the night?

Many of our afternoon tea guests are island residents or day visitors. If you are coming over on the ferry, it is worth knowing that we arrange discounted crossings for guests who book their stay direct with us. You can look through our rooms and suites before you decide. The suites are sea-facing, with a private balcony.

Breakfast is included in every room rate and is served from 8am to 10am. There is free Wi-Fi throughout, and free on-site parking. Check-in is from 3pm and check-out by 11am, and our flexible rates can be cancelled up to 48 hours before you arrive. Afternoon tea on the day you arrive and a walk on the beach in the morning is a fairly good weekend. To check dates, Book Now.

We say "arrive as guests, leave as friends", and afternoon tea is often where that starts.