The Christmas season is well and truly underway and don’t we know it! The streets are filled with twinkling lights, the enticing smell of pine needles are never far away and every fragrance, flavour and dish has “mulled wine” somewhere in the title. It’s a truly magical time for young and old alike but when your feet are about to implode from the torture you’ve put them through, pacing up and down seemingly endless shopping streets filled with loud buskers and gift crazed consumers, it’s time to take a load off and go somewhere a bit off the beaten track.

Just ten minutes outside of Cork city, nestled within the picturesque village of Douglas are the quaint and classy Douglas Tea Rooms. Here you can escape the Christmas madness for an hour or two as you take in the cosy, homely décor of your surroundings while sipping on a cup of warm tea that will surely carry your stress away with its steam. Everything about this place screams or rather whispers, elegance; the menu, the china tea cups, the quirky tea pots decorated with cows and the kitsch, old-fashioned milk jugs all contribute to the feeling that you are having an experience and not just dropping in to the nearest place for a quick cuppa.

If you already know you’re going to make it on to Santa’s naughty list this year and are waiting till the New Year for that cursed weight loss resolution, then indulge in one of the Tea Room’s many delectable cakes and treats – even a flourless option for the gluten intolerant.

Friendly staff and a relaxed setting make it the ideal haven for anyone who is one advent calendar chocolate away from setting the Christmas tree aflame! What’s even better is they don’t constantly blast Christmas music that will be impaled on your brain so much that it will be forever more known as “the Nightmare of New York”. Easy-listening is the soundtrack of choice to this cheerful little place which makes it a safe haven for all of those non-morning people like me.

You can arrive any time of the day and will be greeted with a smile and a delightful menu. For those who need a bit more than a gentle tea, the coffee is aromatic and strong, guaranteed to wake you up for the day along with a huge selection choice of many exotic and fruity herbal teas from the famous Gurman’s Tea Company .

A varied and reasonably priced breakfast and lunch menu add to the appeal and even the most health conscious can find something tasty and satisfying to fuel a day of shopping for that tacky ,garish Christmas jumper to wear to that party you’re dreading. It’s the perfect escape for when you’re frozen from the weather outside or sick of trawling the toy shops for that much coveted ‘Frozen’ doll.
For any situation, or any time of day, the Douglas Tea Room offers an alternative to the run-of –the-mill café, a different experience that’s more welcomed than ever around this holiday season.