I was lucky enough to be invited to Afternoon Tea at The Windsor recently, and I was thrilled that I could spend the afternoon there with my mum.
I remember as a little girl, my Grandmother telling me stories of when she was younger and she and some girlfriends would get dressed up and catch the train in to the city to enjoy afternoon tea at a magnificent hotel. I always thought it sounded so glamorous and hoped that when I grew up I would do something similar.
It wasn’t until mum and I sat down and started talking about her that afternoon, that my mum told me that the Hotel Windsor was THE same place that my grandma loved coming too, more than 60 years ago.
Located at 111 Spring St, Melbourne (opposite Parliament House), The Hotel Windsor has been serving Afternoon Tea every day since 1883.
It’s not hard to see why their Afternoon Tea is iconic in Melbourne.
In addition to ribbon sandwiches and the hotel’s famous scones served with double cream and Windsor jams, we also enjoyed a yummy selection of pastries that included the classic Lemon Meringue Pie (one of my all time favs), Chocolate Éclair, Mille Feuille, Bakewell Tart, and the famous Sacher Torte.
We were also treated to a glass of sparkling wine on arrival.
With 15 exclusive teas to choose from, I settled on the The Hotel Windsor Afternoon Blend and cherished being able to drink my (three cups of) tea while still hot (a luxury not often afforded to mums).
An indulgent dessert buffet is featured on weekends for those of you with a really sweet tooth.
The Windsor offers two afternoon tea sittings seven days a week, at 12 noon and 2.30pm. The cost for weekday afternoon tea is $59 and $79 for weekends. Bookings are essential for weekends. Visit www.thehotelwindsor.com.au for further info.
The Windsor is celebrating its 130th anniversary in 2013. Built in 1883, the 180-room hotel pre-dates the Savoy in London, which was built in 1889, the Waldorf Astoria in New York which dates back to 1893, and the Ritz Paris which opened in 1898.
To celebrate this momentous occasion, The Hotel Windsor and Melbourne Mamma are giving one lucky reader the opportunity to WIN Afternoon Tea for Two at The Hotel Windsor.
See below to Enter:
Entry is open to all Melbourne Mamma newsletter subscribers. Subscribe to newsletter here.
Competition ends Sunday, 21 July 2013 at 11:59 pm AEST. Read Terms & Conditions below.
Good luck!
Terms & Conditions
1. Eligible Entrants must be or become a subscriber to Melbourne Mamma’s newsletters. To subscribe click here.
2. Entrants must already be a liker or become a liker of The Hotel Windsor’s facebook page.
3. Entrants can earn one bonus entry by answering the following question in the comments below “If you could have afternoon tea with somebody famous (alive or deceased), who would it be and why?
4. Entrants can earn one bonus entry if they are already likers or become likers of Melbourne Mamma’s Facebook page.
5. Afternoon Tea for Two at The Hotel Windsor is for valid for bookings Monday to Friday (valued at $118).
6. Entry is open to Victorian residents, aged 18 years and over.
7. Giveaway commences on 12 July 2013 and concludes at 11.59pm 21 July 2013.
8. Winners will be notified by email and announced on this website. Any prize not claimed by 25 July 2013 will be redrawn.
9. This Promotion is not sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with Facebook.
I would have tea with Einstein, he was full of fascinating quotes, I think it would be an interesting chat over a cuppa and a scone.
I would have loved to share an afternoon tea with Hazel Hawke. Was so sad when she passed this year but what an amazingly strong and intelligent woman! I also adore Mia Freedman and I’d love to eat scones with her and talk fashion!
I have high tea with Heath Ledger if he were still alive because he is awesome and handsome
I would take my mum we need something like this to do together. we just said goodbye to my Nan (my mums mum) yesterday and it would be nice to have a toast in her memory. Nan also loved sweet treats and was amazing baker.. im going to miss her strong steadfastness, laughs and love x
I would love to have high tea with my grandma, she passed away last year and I would love to be able to tell her about my daughter’s first year at school 🙂
I would love to take my dear friend Alison to High Tea at the Windsor. After the longest journey, we are thrilled that she is due to have first baby in September . I’d love to treat her to such a beautiful afternoon out.
I love to have afternoon tea with Marilyn Monroe. To sit down with a woman proud of who she is and how she looks would be an honor.
I would take my my, she has been through a lot and does a lot for us kids, but we always seem to forget her and do anything special on her birthday or mothers day 🙁 She would absolutely love it!
Thetis
I would take Nelson Mandela. I would love to hear all his amazing stories. I once had a little jig with him at a press conference but would love to sit down and just have a casual chat about his thoughts and feelings about South Africa as it is now.
Who better to spend a luxurious afternoon tea at the Windsor with than a Royal! I’d love to dine with Catherine, the Duchess of Cambridge, share stories about pregnancy and motherhood, talk shoes and bags, and find out what life’s really like in the most famous family in the world!
I would love to have afternoon tea with writer Sylvia Plath. A woman filled with such angst, yet her poetry filled with love and honesty.
I would love to have an afternoon tea with all of my great grandparents whom I never had the chance to meet.
I would have afternoon tea with Kate Middleton. I would love to just be in the same room as her and see how her royalty table manners are – a priceless experience!
I would love to have afternoon tea with my hubby! In the past 13 years that I have known him I don’t think we have ever sat down to have morning tea!
I would have afternoon tea with my mamma because she never stops to rest!
It would have to be Pink.. She is so down to earth, such an every day person despite the constant spotlight she is in. An amazing idol I would love to get to know!
I would have afternoon tea with Princess Diana. I would love to chat to her about her involvement with charities, her upbringing, the royal life, and learn from her – her beautiful persona…
My beautiful husband….we went to the Windsor High Tea to celebrate a family Golden Wedding anniversary when our twins were toddlers….as you can imagine neither of us enjoyed the relaxing, gorgeous experience it should have been…ten years on I would love to share this with him and he’s pretty famous to me!
I would take my mum who is coming over from NZ to visit her granddaughter.
Pink! She is an amazing mother & role model to all women.
I would have afternoon tea with Ina May Gaskin and pick her brain on everything to do with her view on pregnancy, labour and childbirth
Vince Collosimo – interesting and gorgeous!!
I would have tea with my sister from Christchurch NZ, I miss her everday and it would be super special.
Would love high tea with Pink, she is inspirational with what she has achieved and shows a real love of life!
I would love to have High Tea with Bette Midler as I have always admired her as an artist and a person – she has raised her daughter out of the spotlight. She is an amazingly talented actor & singer who has just always been an inspiration for me.
My 5yr old daughter. We are due our 3rd baby in 2months so I’d love to take my eldest child out for the day and spoil her. She adores getting dressed up and having 1 on 1 time x
My Nana. She’s 93 and loves scones and tea
I would love to have afternoon tea with the Queen of England. She would be the ultimate afternoon tea guest and l think she would hold a very interesting conversation. I also admire the way she has held herself both personally and publicly throughout her life.
My Pa, so I could introduce him to his great grandson.
I would love to have tea with Eleanor of Aquitaine – it would be amazing to pick the brain of such a fascinating and well ahead of her time woman!
What a great giveaway!
Would have to be my Mum as she has always wanted to have High Tea at the Windsor!
Ian Somerhalder just so I Can Stare at Him while he speaks about his Great Causes he is apart of.
I would take my wonderful husband! Our 5year wedding anniversary is coming up and last year to celebrate we stayed at the Windsor and looooved it but I wish we had of had high tea, something I have always wanted to do! Thanks Melbourne mumma for the chance to win!
With my mum… she be gone 3 years this coming August
I would love to have had a afternoon tea with Princess Diana because she was a good role model and a lady.
With my Oma. She passed away 4 years ago, and would have been 100 this week. She always struggled and would have loved some Windsor Hotel decadence!
Julia Gillard – Just because she was the first woman Prime Minister of Australia
It would have to be sarah jessica parker, i adore her.
Well I want to be able to relax and enjoy myself, so definitely not anybody too intimidating like the Queen. And nobody too gorgeous because I’ll be too embarrassed to eat. I’d take that Katie woman who has been in the news this week for not allowing her children to play with children with bogan names. My name is on her list of “bogan names,” and I would love the chance to educate her on why judging people because of their names is ridiculous! Would a bogan have afternoon tea at the Windsor???
With my Nan if she was still here in person.
Or with my bestie.
Or maybe Julia Morris. I think we’re on a similar wavelength!!
Or Gok Wan. He is ace.
See I cannot decide 😛
I would definetly have to take my Nana. I miss her so dearly and would give anything to be able to have an afternoon tea with her again!
With my Irish grandmother. I haven’t seen her for around 10 years and would love to see her again.
Kath and Kim!! That would be a laugh a minute and lots of fun!!
I would have afternoon tea with my mum because she is the ultimate celebrity in my life these days 🙂 otherwise Sandra Bullock
Kurt Cobain… although I don’t know if he takes tea… He looked as though he was more of a coffee person 🙂
I’d take my mum. She lost her mum to dementia last year, and in turn made me truly realize the importance of a mother -daughter bond
It would have to be Marilyn Monroe. Classy and sophisticated and represented the true beauty of women.
Definately Marilyn Monroe – how fascinating would that be?!
I would love to meet and take Ellen Degeneres!
She is a very interesting women who would be to earth and I’d love to sit down and chat with her over some scones and cream 🙂
I would have afternoon tea with Napoleon. I really want to know whether that hand under the jacket was because his uniform was itchy
I would take my Mum. She passed away 5 years ago. Although she might not be famous she was an inspiration to me in her battle with cancer. I would love to have done this with her!
I would have afternoon tea with my sister. She gives so much to everyone else and never for herself. I would love to surprise her and give her something back. (She sadly fell over yesterday and broke her wrist….given she was made redundant a month before her wedding, looking for a job is now more difficult – who’s going to hire someone with a broken wrist!!!)
kate middleton
I would love to have afternoon tea with my Dad. My darling father died 25 years ago and therefore never got to meet my beautiful husband or my wonderful daughters. He was a true gentleman and the Windsor was his kind of place.
I would love to have tea with my maternal grandmother who we lost 30 years ago this year. I would love to tell her all about my children and get to share a little of my grown-up life with her.
The person I would love to share afternoon tea with would be Angelina Jolie. I think how she has evolved as a woman is really interesting & would love to see what she is genuinely like.
I would love love love to win one to spend the tea with my lovely mum!!
I would love to have afternoon tea with with Richard Branson and discuss opportunities to partner in a successful business so I can be a stay at home mum and enjoy more time with my children
I am sure shewould have frequented the Windsor, however I would like to share afternoon tea with Dame Elisabeth Murdoch. She lived through so much, still showered love over all people and was such a giver. I would love to learn to be a philanthropist like her and a few gardening tips would be appreciated as well.
But for some one not so famous, my great grandmother, simply because I miss her!
I would love to have lunch with Mary, Crown Princess of Denmark. I would like to know more about her and her stories about her kids. It would be fun.
I’d take the gorgeous guy that greats you at the front of the Hotel Windsor. He’s an absolutely gentleman and would be such a great high tea date. He’s met loads of famous people, having greeted them at the front door, so he’d have some wonderful goss to share! it would be like having high tea with a whole heap of famous people! Would be nice for him to be spoilt for a day too : )
I would love to have afternoon tea with my Nana!! I know she isn’t famous however she has done so much for us it would be a lovely gesture to say thank you for all she has done.
I would take my daughter and my son 🙂
My mother, I don’t get to see her that often as she lives a far distance from me, it would be a brilliant place to get together.
I would take my sister as she has just come back from overseas so we could eat, and drink and catch up!
My Mum!
I would have tea with my Poppa, who died almost 20 years ago, so that I could hear his stories and his laugh again 🙂
The Queen!
I choose Ellen DeGeneres because she stands up strongly for what she believes in and even though she is over 50, still knows how to have fun!!! She’d be a hilariously interesting tea partner!
Honestly I would have afternoon tea with my mum. She died before I was married and had children and I’d love to spend a special day with her and chat like we did when I was little.
I know your question is asking which famous person, alive or dead, I would take but I would much prefer to take my Grandfather who passed away 8 years ago.
He LOVED afternoon tea at The Windsor 🙂
I love the fact that there are so many of us who would love to have afternoon tea with our grandmother’s, especially with those who have already passed. I would love to have afternoon tea at the Windsor with my grandmother also as I know she would have loved the decadence of it. My grandmother once drove the James Bond Austin Martin around Sandown racetrack, does that make her semi-famous?
For someone who is famous, then Daddy Pig would be my choice – he makes me laugh!
I would love to win this 🙂
I would love to have tea with Miranda Kerr because she’s my idol 🙂
John and Jackie Kennedy – an intriguing couple who would I would love to have a chat to over High Tea!
I’d like to have afternoon tea with Paul Jennings, one of my favourite childhood authors!
I would love to have tea with Jessica Alba because she’s my idol!!!
Audrey Hepburn.Breakfast at Tiffanys followed by afternoon tea at The Windsor……perfect.x
It would have to be Freddie Mercury. His stage persona was loud and boisterous but at home he liked nothing more than having a nice cup of tea with close friends….perfect.
I would have loved to have high tea with Grace Kelly
I find it hard just to pick one person… Nelson Mandela would be my 1st pick… i find him an inspiration to all mankind
I’d have afternoon tea with my Dad, as he passed away before my twins were born. I ‘d love him to meet them, and see how much they are like him!
I would love to have an afternoon tea with Richard Branson. I think he is cool and is the one businessman who is having a lot of fun along the way.
I would love to have high tea with Miranda Kerr. She seems so down to earth and beautiful, would love to sip tea and chat about our little boys!!!!
I would love to take my mum to High Tea at the WIndsor as she lives interstate, and we don’t see her very often. I would love to spoil her for a change.
I would have afternoom tea with my mum and her mum, My grandmother passed away before I was born and I’ve always wished I had met her.
I would love to have tea with Jim Morrison, I’m sure he would of endulged in a cup of tea once or twice 🙂
I would have afternoon tea with My Granny who passed away when I was 16, so she could meet my daughter and her Granddaughter, Ella.
I would take my husband. Since I was hospitalised at 26 weeks when my waters broke and now our daughter is 8 months we haven’t gone for a romantic date. Would love to spoil him 🙂
I would love to have afternoon tea with Eddie Vedder.
I would love to have afternoon tea with Shane Crawford – after his amazing ride for breast cancer he needs a cuppa!
It would have to be with someone who makes me laugh.. Maybe Dawn French, Judith Lucy or Spike Milligan (sorry I can’t choose one, I don’t have a favourite!)
I would love to have High Tea with Justin Timberlake or Bruno Mars. I love their music and why not drink tea and eat delicious cakes with hot men. Im sure we can think of something to talk about while we eat and sip tea…..!
I would love to share High Tea at The Windsor with Asher Keddie from Offspring. I think she’d be hilarious!
I’ve never experienced a ‘High Tea’……Would love this to be my FIRST. 🙂
I would like to have afternoon tea with the musician from the 60’s Trini Lopez – who wrote a song that I was named after- would ask where he got his inspiration from.
I would love high tea with bette middler I think she is a amazing person and would have many stories to share plus she could sing to everyone there as well and bring me to tears when she does 😉
I would love to have high tea with my deceased Grandfather. I heard he was a wonderful generous man with many friends, so to sit with him & hear him speak, share stories & enjoy tea together would be perfect.
Princess Diana of course, tea with the Queen of Hearts!
I’d love to take my mumspirational friend Mardi : )
I would have high tea with Dylan Moran 🙂 For humor and entertainment value.