To wonder what the fuss is about with hotel chocolat?

[AnIndependentClaws]

I've been given a large box, obviously this is a rather fantastic present from a work colleague and very fancy/ pretty. I can't help thinking though secretly that the taste isn't all that. Am I the only one? Or am I uncultured and used to discount Thorntons as the ultimate treat?

[Arthurfowlersallotment]

I'm with you on this. Give me Lindt balls any day.

[IDismyname]

HC chocolate is YUK. I thought I was the only one who felt like this... obviously not!

Lidls is my top choice followed by Montezumas chocolates. Their Dainty Drops are Divine!
www.montezumas.co.uk/chocolate-gifts/christmas-chocolate.html


(Which reminds me - I don't like Divine chocolate either)

[quirrelquarrel]

Well, Hotel Chocolat are not the best quality. That's not to say it's particularly bad, it's just not very good chocolate. Thorntons is just sweet and sugary most of the time.

I think HC must be getting more expensive because when I was at school it was all the rage for birthday presents etc, on pocket money budgets. You could get the milk chocolate hearts for £4, or the bars with different flavours....Rocky Road was my favourite

[Badgersnatch]

YABU peasant

[Meglet]

Hotel Chocolate is pants.

Now, L'artisan du Chocolate, that is the mutts nuts. Banana and thyme choc . And the sea salt caramels pretty damn good.

[TiggyD]

Lindt. mmmmmmmmm.

I quite like some of the single bean Hotel Chocolat bars but it seems like they think they can charge double because the 'E' fell off their sign.

Thornton's continental selection has some nice ones, but it's mostly gone downhill.

[EdgarAllanPond]

i think hotel chocolat is too smooth/waxy in texture. though their large selection boxes do offer some really good ones.

i like something more crisp. monteczumas is too hard otoh - their large buttons are great as they aren't thick.

thorntons - very nice, some of the range are over-sweet. texture is right though.

it's just not perfect enough to justify the price to me.

[fromheretomaternity]

DH says he likes Hotel Chocolat as it is creamy. He also likes Flake. I think he is a bit of a big girls blouse.

[fromheretomaternity]

I think Thorntons has gone waaaaay downhill since they started selling in the supermarkets as well.

Personally I'd go for those Guerlain shrimpy chocolate thingies.

[MacAndCheese]

Free samples you say Exotic hmmm..

I must try this

[MacAndCheese]

heaven on a plate

[MsVestibule]

YABU! I'm in their chocolate tasting club (get about 6 boxes a year) and bloody love them! Can't eat Thorntons anymore, they taste really cheap unless that's the only chocolate in the house.

[MacAndCheese]

Oh MsVestibule that sounds divine..

[Arthurfowlersallotment]

Thanks to this bl

[Arthurfowlersallotment]

..oody thread I am now lying in bed fantasising about Lindt and chocolate seashells.

Want want want

[80sMum]

I used to like Thorntons but lately find their chocolates a big disappointment; very ordinary and rather cheap tasting.
Hotel Chocolat are better. Extremely expensive and probably over priced but they do taste much nicer and are a lot more chocolatey than Thorntons.

[quirrelquarrel]

:O their "slabs" () cost £7!
That's so much for something you could make yourself with a bar of dairy milk and a hand of chopped up marshmallows.....

[KermitRuffinsTrumpet]

The lidl praline shells (faux Guylian) are the best. No-one should require any other chocolate.

That's a fact.

[bruffin]

I dont like thorntons much, too sweet. I do like HC, bought my mil, a big box of dark for her birthday and it was worth the money.

My friend got to know the MD of Lindt on holiday and was invited to his swiss home this summer. He took her round the factory, but said she was all chocolated out by the end.

[hortensemancini]

Also used to love Thorntons, but agree with those saying the quality's noticeable declined in the past few years ( Hello, Thorntons, are you listening?! ) All the Continentals taste exactly the same if you get them in a bag rather than a box, and there are far too many praline-y ones.

Hotel Chocolat is nice, but it's ridiculously overpriced. I'd rather get Neuhaus for that money.

[Sallyingforth]

Another vote for lidl chocolate. They do several varieties up to 85 percent cocoa.

[KermitRuffinsTrumpet]

Might have to go to lidl in a bit.

[Greedy chops emoticon]

[PrattingAroundTheChristmasTree]

I love Hotel Chocolat! Don't like Thorntons though.

[DrinkFeckArseGirls]

Lindt. Only Lindt.