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AIBU?

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Original poster

To give Hotel Chocolate as a present

235 replies

Connected1 · 28/11/2025 20:41

Earlier there was a thread about a work raffle where people donated prizes. The OP mentioned Hotel Chocolate as being one of those "junk presents" that people would donate.

I'm feeling a bit sheepish as I would have bought it online to send as presents to friends in UK (I don't live there myself).

What do people think?
IABU - It's got a bit of a crap reputation
IANBU - It's a premium brand that you'd be glad to get as a present.

OP posts:
New posts on this thread. Refresh page
MrsSkylerWhite · 03/12/2025 11:48

DiscoBeat · 29/11/2025 09:16

What do the people who dont like HC eat?

Cheese 😁

Letthemeatgateau · 01/12/2025 11:40

Daftypants · 29/11/2025 22:41

I haven’t had any Hotel Chocolat for ages
i liked the praline and there is a high cocoa ( illegal gianduja ?? Can’t spell it 🤣)
I wasn’t really impressed by the advent calendars though 🤔
ooh I tell you what’s really very good , Ian Burnett the highland chocolatier now that’s amazing !
I have bought that as a gift and you can select the size of box and exactly which truffles you like

Edited

I recommended the Highland Chocolatier up thread too, lovely. The chocolates are also very pretty.

Salmonyumyum · 01/12/2025 11:29

Wow seriously, I thought it was a premium gift given the price! I'm always happy with a box of Thorntons myself.

FortnumsWeddingBreakfastTeaPlease · 30/11/2025 21:31

Hoolihan · 30/11/2025 16:38

I don't like it. Would rather have proper posh chocolate that actually tastes nice or Dairy Milk. Preferably the latter tbh! HC is not good value for money imo.

This is exactly it.

It's not about being a "snob". It's about not pretending something that's been marketed very well as naice actually tastes anywhere near the price point.

I'll pay £££ for superb chocs and be extremely satisfied.

I'll pay £ for a kinder egg and be satisfied with what I'm eating for.

What I don't want to do is pay ££ for no better than kinder. That's the worst of both worlds.

Hoolihan · 30/11/2025 16:38

I don't like it. Would rather have proper posh chocolate that actually tastes nice or Dairy Milk. Preferably the latter tbh! HC is not good value for money imo.

H0pscotch · 30/11/2025 16:33

Connected1 · 28/11/2025 20:41

Earlier there was a thread about a work raffle where people donated prizes. The OP mentioned Hotel Chocolate as being one of those "junk presents" that people would donate.

I'm feeling a bit sheepish as I would have bought it online to send as presents to friends in UK (I don't live there myself).

What do people think?
IABU - It's got a bit of a crap reputation
IANBU - It's a premium brand that you'd be glad to get as a present.

People are stupid. Hotel Chocolat is very nice. So it's not "top tier posh", who cares? It tastes nice, looks pretty and I'd be very happy to win them in a raffle. Also these are donations! People don't have to give anything and having bought something to donate rather than find something in the back of a cupboard past it's best ior gathering dust s a very nice thing to do. Some people are just very entitled. If they win them, I suggest they give them to someone who would appreciate them. YANBU!

Snakebite61 · 30/11/2025 13:34

Never heard of it.

lolly427 · 30/11/2025 12:39

I don't love them, they often all taste very similar or too sweet I find - but if someone sent them as a present I certainly wouldn't complain!

MidnightMeltdown · 30/11/2025 12:28

I like it. Usually, I prefer people to buy me something I can use, rather than something I feel obligated to keep.

lilkitten · 30/11/2025 12:26

CarterBeatsTheDevil · 30/11/2025 09:58

I also remember Thornton's - there was a shop in Liverpool and you could buy loose toffee and chocolates by the pound.

People are ridiculous on here, OP. I'm middle class and well off and have bought HC for people for years for Christmas and birthdays. Would be delighted with a box as a present for me too.

Edited
Show quote history

Thornton's were made locally to me, and we had a lot of shops here. They were great when I was younger, but don't know what changed when they went mass market and had sell-through lines in supermarkets. It just didn't taste as nice anymore. Used to be more like what M&S chocolate lines are now, I loved it as a kid

Original poster
Connected1 · 30/11/2025 12:20

Thanks for the correction! Never realised - but that does sound posher 😁

OP posts:
CarterBeatsTheDevil · 30/11/2025 10:54

God, I'd love a bag of Thornton's toffee right now. From the counter. In 1984. Please.

GinkoRebelFoxes · 30/11/2025 10:52

@bumptybum not at all. I like Galaxy, Lily O’Brien’s, Ferrero Rocher, Lindor, Aldi, and all sorts. I think with all of those you are getting what you pay for. (Though Ferrero Rocher seem to have shot up this year)

I also like some Charbonnel and Walker, though I don’t buy them.

If I was to pay a premium price for chocolate, then I’d expect it to be a premium chocolate. I think HC used to be premium, but now it tastes waxy and cheap. I suspect they have downgraded their ingredients whilst trying to hold onto their premium reputation.

If I was given HC I would, of course, accept them with a big smile. I’d be sad that someone had spent the money on them, though.

lilkitten · 30/11/2025 10:47

Maybe everyone else is richer than me, but it's quite expensive to me? My favourite are the Velvetiser sachets, they're my go-to if someone wants to treat me. Surely Hotel Chocolat would be better than donating Cadburys?

Shambolic123 · 30/11/2025 10:22

Hotel Chocolat is one of the few chocolate manufacturers that don't put dodgy additives into their chocolate.

Kingsleadhat · 30/11/2025 10:21

I was given some vegan HC for Christmas last year and enjoyed it. Not my absolute favourite, but as vegan choc can be horribly sweet, this was a nice surprise

CarterBeatsTheDevil · 30/11/2025 09:58

Candleabra · 28/11/2025 21:06

I love hotel chocolat. The fruit fillings are lovely.
They definitely took over Thorntons market share when they went downhill (I used to love Thorntons too in the old days when they were nice)

I also remember Thornton's - there was a shop in Liverpool and you could buy loose toffee and chocolates by the pound.

People are ridiculous on here, OP. I'm middle class and well off and have bought HC for people for years for Christmas and birthdays. Would be delighted with a box as a present for me too.

Bulldog01 · 30/11/2025 09:04

I purchased Hotel Chocolate,a few years back.Gave as Christmas presents.When I tasted some on Christmas day,I thought it was awful.I purchased on next spent around £40.Such a waste of money, embarrassed to give it as gifts Save your money. Just buy your favourite brands instead.

SemiRetiredLoveGoddeess · 30/11/2025 07:50

Don't worry what people on MN think.
I've begining to think a lot of these snotty called snob based. comments are not genuine.

In that they come from people who are not well-off . But pretend to be and definitely have no taste and never will.

Many years ago in the UK we used to call this type of would be Social Climbing . Keeping Up With The Joneses

Hotel Chocolat make perfectlyn good chocolate products.

If you decide not to send these Chocolates to your friend.. Send them to me. Yummy.

Thank You

Sequinsoneverythingplease · 30/11/2025 06:02

I absolutely love Hotel Chocolat - my children buy me a selection of the little packs every year as part of my Christmas present.

I see the most ridiculously snobby assertions around the most random things here on MN sometimes. Really makes me laugh 😁

BakedBeing · 30/11/2025 05:49

EineReiseDurchDieZeit · 28/11/2025 20:53

I’ve bought it for 2 people. Sometimes people like to shit on stuff that is mainstream to show they are above it!

This, definitely. I feel embarrassed for them when they do it. It’s kind of revealing in a way they clearly don’t intend!

JungAtHeart · 30/11/2025 00:30

Crikey. I bought DD a Velvetiser and the sample sachets for Christmas 😬 saying that I know she’s going to mostly be using it for Matcha … because she’s 💯 genZ, Pilates loving snob. Age 17 😂🤭

Calliopespa · 29/11/2025 23:24

Daftypants · 29/11/2025 23:14

Yes it is 😄

Show quote history

I know the one!

LongJoanneSilber · 29/11/2025 23:17

I can't afford HC but tried it once, really delici9us!

Daftypants · 29/11/2025 23:14

Calliopespa · 29/11/2025 22:49

Is that the chocolatier in Grandtully? And it has a gift shop attached?

Show quote history

Yes it is 😄

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