Looking for a fancy way to catch up with friends in town this Christmas?

It doesn’t get fancier than afternoon tea… and The Imperial Hotel is where you’ll find the most festive version in town.

The historic South Mall hotel has launched a super special Festive Afternoon Tea with a range of truly stunning confectionery and treats, all carefully hand made by their in-house chefs.

Take an elegant table inside the vast front window at the hotel’s bar Seventy Six On The Mall (one of the best spots in the city for people watching) and settle in for a few hours; this is a menu that deserves to be savoured.

Your three-tier tea tray arrives laden with all manner of seasonal treat. Dainty finger sandwiches (in three flavours: fresh egg salad, ham and cream cheese and turkey and cranberry) and smoked salmon kick off the feast, before you move on to the main event: the sweet stuff.

And what a selection it is.

There are stacks of crisp gingerbread candy canes dusted with icing sugar snow and served with a little pot of the most delicious salted caramel dipping sauce. There are shining chocolate Christmas baubles oozing with raspberry marshmallow on a pistachio biscuit and miniature Christmas puddings (Baileys brownie smothered in white chocolate).

Tea or coffee is served in the best china (natch) but sip it slowly; you’ll need to leave room for a freshly baked cranberry scone, topped with butter, jam and a dollop of fresh cream.

The best bit? The Festive Afternoon Tea at The Imperial costs just €18.50 per person – an absolute bargain for hours of merry gluttony.

And just when you thought things couldn’t get any better, there’s an add-on that is guaranteed to make your visit even more memorable.

Now you can order a tasting flight of Taittinger Champagne to complement the divine flavours in you Festive Afternoon Tea.

One €15 flight gets you three glasses, complete with tasting notes underneath to inform you of the flavours to look out for as you quaff a Brut Reserve NV, Brut Prestige Rosé NV and the Nocturne Sec NV. The Taittinger Champagne tasting flight is also available outside of the Afternoon Tea, so take note for post-Christmas shopping tipples.

One of the best value outings of Christmas 2017, The Festive Afternoon Tea at The Imperial Hotel is open for booking (essential) now on 021 4274040.

Leave the diet at home – like Santa, treats like this come but once a year.