REN honey facial at London's Athenaeum hotel

The Athenaeum is a little gem when it comes to chic London venues for afternoon tea. Not as obvious as the Ritz or as showy as the Savoy, tea is served in the stylish Art-Deco-esque long Garden Room, looking out to the hotel's 'living wall', a glorious blaze of greenery in the middle of busy Piccadilly. What's that got to do with a spa review you might ask?

In a word - honey. The Manuka honey facial at the Athenaeum's discreet downstairs spa is supplied by leading skincare brand REN; Manuka honey at the afternoon tea comes courtesy of the bees up the road in Regent's Park. And during the course of the creatively devised afternoon tea, myself and my friend Fiona tucked into plates of sandwiches - including honey roast ham and goats cheese served with honey balsamic, scones served with clotted cream, jam and a bowl of thick luscious honey, and a generous platter of cakes, each one including that magic ingredient. The only thing that didn't have any honey in it was the tea - though I suppose we could have added some, there were little pots of honey on our table throughout the feast. And we started our worship at the great honey altar with a glass of 'honey fizz' - champagne, vodka, poached-pear puree and yes, you guessed it ...

Honey facial

The REN honey facial is designed as a detox for the skin, using healing minerals, essential oils and Manouka honey extract, renowned for its antibacterial properties. Using honey for health and wellbeing is nothing new, its earliest recorded use dates back to 2,000 BC. The Egyptians had recorded almost 350 different health uses for it by 1350 BC, and over 2,000 years later it was used as a wound dressing in both the first and second world wars.

Honey benefits

As well as the natural antibiotics which all honey contains, Manuka honey - native to New Zealand - also contains an active chemical with antibacterial properties. This honey has the ability to absorb and retain moisture which supports the natural collagen and elastin structure of the skin, a natural anti ageing aid that can also help to keep skin hydrated (showing less fine lines), firm and lifted.

And of course eating honey can help absorb nutrients, boost the immune system, provide a quick source of energy and help relieve stomach complaints. Not that stomach complaints are bothering us today as we tuck into one of the most imaginative, creative and sumptuous afternoon teas I've ever had - and believe me I've had a few.

Information and prices

The honey tea and spa package was devised by the hotel for Mother's Day. It proved so popular it's still running. The package costs £149 for two people, including afternoon tea and REN facial. You can just have the facial for £65 (a slightly reduced price for All About You readers, just mention 'honey' when booking), or the tea for £39 per person, which includes a glass of honey champagne. For more information and to book visit the website at www.athenaeumhotel.com or phone 020 7499 3464.

Take a look at last month's spa review - Thalasso at Crete's Aldamar Royal Mare

Honey at home

Cult New Zealand brand, the New Zeland Honey Co, has justlaunched its range in the UK, including its renowned Manuka Honey with an anti-bacterial rating of 15+ (in the honey world, this is high, trust me). Owned by a group of beekeepers, the company harvests its honey from over 14,000 hives in New Zealand's unspoilt South Island.
Available from Holland and Barrett, it costs £14.99. For more information visit www.newzealandhoneyco.com