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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:
PashaMinaMio · 28/11/2025 21:06

GinkoRebelFoxes · 28/11/2025 20:57

Sorry. I ended up throwing a box away last year. And I’d only been given it because a friend didn’t like it. I think it has gone downhill recently - I assume they have cut back on their ingredients to maintain a price point.

I always was a lover of HC but last year I hated the texture and lack of fruit flavour strength in the fruity ones. It was cloying and tasteless. Could they have added Palm Oil? I’ll have to check.

I complained, sent the product back, and they were very kind and refunded my money.

I’ll never buy it again because I think they’ve not only changed the chocolate recipe but they’ve become stingy with fruitiness.

Ten points for customer service though.

Original poster
Connected1 · 28/11/2025 21:05

Thanks everyone for the replies. Obviously not everyone is gonna like the brand, but hopefully my friends haven't donated it to the "naff presents" pile in the work raffle 🤣

OP posts:
ThinIceSkater · 28/11/2025 21:05

More than grateful to receive it as a gift.

It was bought by Mars a while back, and has started to hit the supermarkets so I definitely think its exclusivity is starting to change.

MowingMachine · 28/11/2025 21:04

EchoedSilence · 28/11/2025 21:03

Some people on MN like to make out they only eat one square of good quality chocolate a night. While in reality they are probably eating Mars bars every night.

Do you know a funny thing - some people are different from you! And do exist IRL!

I literally eat one square of good dark chocolate a day 😆 Except for when I'm ill, then it's Cadbury's all the way.

MowingMachine · 28/11/2025 21:03

Can't bear the stuff. If I won it in a raffle, it would be kept for some other raffle. If I was given it I would say thank you very much, then wait for a raffle to give it to.

PersephonePomegranate · 28/11/2025 21:03

mynameiscalypso · 28/11/2025 20:44

I wouldn’t describe it as premium chocolate per se but it fills a nice middle ground between every day chocolate and brands like Prestat, Melt, Chococo etc. I have gone off it a bit personally but that’s mainly because I’ve eaten quite a lot of it over the years!

Why is Prestat seen as so luxe? That's a level up from bog standard IMO and not really any different to Hotel Chocolat quality. It's certainly not Godiva or Laderach quality.

The only reason its looked down on IMO, is that there are now so many shops, whereas Prestat is only available on Waitrose in terms of very mainstream shops as far as im aware.

EchoedSilence · 28/11/2025 21:03

Some people on MN like to make out they only eat one square of good quality chocolate a night. While in reality they are probably eating Mars bars every night.

Tigerbalmshark · 28/11/2025 21:03

I don’t like flavoured chocolate so I’m not the target market! I’d rather have a bar of Lindt (or Montezuma buttons).

HC isn’t high luxury but it’s not shit either. It’s Molton Brown versus Baylis and Harding, just not Diptyque. If I was buying it to impress I’d go with Neuhaus, if I was buying for a friend or family member I wouldn’t expect them to turn their nose up at HC.

TheTowerAtMidnight · 28/11/2025 21:01

I don't like the chocolate and think it's very expensive for what it is. So no, I wouldn't want it as a present thanks!

Ambridgefan · 28/11/2025 21:01

I would be very happy to be given hotel Chocolat or any chocolate.to be honest
It's not cheap at all and I haven't heard anything about it having a bad reputation either.

Maray1967 · 28/11/2025 21:01

MrsMitford3 · 28/11/2025 20:49

I love Hotel Chocolat dark chocolate.

If you have any going begging I'll DM you my address 😉

If anyone has any boxes of the Exuberantly fruity going spare I’ll be delighted to have them - absolutely fabulous.

Thechaseison71 · 28/11/2025 20:59

Questioningnamechange · 28/11/2025 20:47

I like Hotel Chocolat and would be pleased to receive something from there as a gift. Chocolate is always well received here and we'll always eat it. People are oddly snobby about Hotel Chocolat on Mumsnet but I've never experienced that kind of attitude in real life.

Why would people be snobby about it ( never eaten it myself)

My DD has ashed for the hot chocolate sachets they do. She says she loves them but can't justify buying them herself ( £23 for 10 ,) was a bit disappointed that they didn't come in a nice box though just in plain box with Amazon label on

GinkoRebelFoxes · 28/11/2025 20:57

Sorry. I ended up throwing a box away last year. And I’d only been given it because a friend didn’t like it. I think it has gone downhill recently - I assume they have cut back on their ingredients to maintain a price point.

mondaytosunday · 28/11/2025 20:55

I don’t think I’ve ever had any, but my god mother used to send up a box of Cadbury chocolate to the US and it was one of the presents o remember the best! So bog standard chocolates are sometimes just the right thing.
But if you are in the States See’s Candies were always a hit with English friends.

Allthebeernoidea · 28/11/2025 20:54

It’s great

Sprig1 · 28/11/2025 20:54

I don't like it but not because I am a snob. I prefer Dairy Milk. However, if you sent me some Hotel Chocolat chocolate I would be v grateful.

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!

whatsit84 · 28/11/2025 20:52

What?! I consider myself middle class and love a bit of hotel chocolat!

DC285 · 28/11/2025 20:52

I’d be more than happy to receive Hotel Chocolat - they expanded a lot over the last 5-10 years so perhaps has a slightly less exclusive reputation that it originally did but definitely gift worthy!

IlovePhilMitchell · 28/11/2025 20:52

I love it! It’s not that cheap and quite interesting flavours options.

Bitzee · 28/11/2025 20:52

It falls somewhere in the middle. No it’s not premium/lux, you can buy it in train stations, so unsure why anyone would put it in that category, but it’s decent enough chocolate and tastes nice so I’d happily eat it and be thankful for the gift because I don’t tend to buy myself chocolate.

MincePudding · 28/11/2025 20:52

The OP was rude.

Do themopposite of her and give it no more thought.

Redpeach · 28/11/2025 20:51

I give it as a gift but must admit i find its chocolates a little underwhelming

MrsMitford3 · 28/11/2025 20:49

I love Hotel Chocolat dark chocolate.

If you have any going begging I'll DM you my address 😉

StrongandNorthern · 28/11/2025 20:49

I love it!

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