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Original poster

Hotel Chocolat

52 replies

Jourdain11 · 07/08/2022 20:09

DH has been given a load of boxes of this at the end of term (teacher) and, although I'm undoubtedly grateful to have free stashes of chocolate lying around, I'm not feeling the love. I'm not sure I've really had their chocolates before, but the way people rave about it, I'd expected in to be amazing. The flavours are a bit weird and the chocolate tastes a bit odd. Or are my taste buds off?

OP posts:
DelisButAlsoCrime · 07/08/2022 20:10

I’ve never particularly liked Hotel Chocolat chocolate. Too sweet. Better than Thorntons though which tastes like sawdust!

EnjoyingTheSilence · 07/08/2022 20:12

Don’t like the chocolate but love the hot chocolate and cream liqueurs

Original poster
Jourdain11 · 07/08/2022 20:14

Thornton's chocolate is sooo sugary that it makes your teeth hurt!

Pity the pupils didn't gift any hot chocolate. The school has had an alcoholic present ban, alas.

OP posts:
wherearebeefandonioncrisps · 07/08/2022 20:18

I agree with PP.
liqueur ones are lovely but so much of their chocolate is that pappy, mushy praline or ganache that tastes of nothing.
Eg pistachio, dried cherry pieces , almond nibs are just used on the coating with the innard is just pappy mush.
Probably cos it's cheaper than to create a different filling.

Original poster
Jourdain11 · 07/08/2022 20:24

Yeah, there are some that look good and then it's just mooshy praline within. And the flavours are a bit gimmicky. I like my chocolate plain and boring 😀

OP posts:
sueelleker · 07/08/2022 20:26

I love their chocolate-my SIL can't stand it. Just personal preference.

LeFeu · 07/08/2022 20:27

Yeah it is vastly overrated. Agree that the chocolate cream liqueur is nice though!

Thatiswild · 07/08/2022 20:28

I agree but actually their vegan range is very good. I can’t tolerate lactose so a friend bought me the vegan H box and that was a massive treat, but their normal chocolate I had previously wasn’t pleasant to me.

PeterPomegranate · 07/08/2022 20:28

i love Hotel Chocolat. Send it to me ;)

Original poster
Jourdain11 · 07/08/2022 20:29

The one I kind of liked so far was milk chocolate with a pink raspberry ganache. But there was only one of 'em in the box!

OP posts:
Original poster
Jourdain11 · 07/08/2022 20:32

Actually, I've just spotted that there is a box of 'tipsy truffles' (clearly snuck past the alcohol ban), are those the ones people are referring to?

OP posts:
PrincessFluffyPants · 07/08/2022 20:34

Ooooo...their dark chocolate almonds are my favourites but you can keep the rest!

DisforDarkChocolate · 07/08/2022 20:37

Five years ago I loved them, now they are lower quality. I'm still a bit partial to the alcoholic selection though.

MyBottomDecides · 07/08/2022 20:38

Sadly it's all very fur coat no knickers. Looks good but always disappointing once you're inside the box, so to speak.

Eeksteek · 07/08/2022 20:40

I like their chocolate bars. And the dark chocolate covered cherries are my favourite thing ever (except the little shop I used to live near) but I wouldn’t eat anything else from there. I don’t like flavoured chocolate in general, and they’re often really weird flavours. If I get gifted a box, I don’t open them and regift now.

ThinWomansBrain · 07/08/2022 20:41

I only have dark chocolate, that's OK
they have a lot of strange unpleasant fillings
It's OK - if someone gave me a bar I woulndt say no - but I think it's overpriced for what it is.

ThinWomansBrain · 07/08/2022 20:41

the dark chocolate covered cocoa beans are amazing.

LaughingCat · 07/08/2022 20:42

Ugggghhhh…I love Hotel Chocolat and was part of their Tasting Club (where they send you potential new flavours and types of chocolate every month to trial and then feedback) for over a decade. Since that was closed down earlier this year, I have been utterly bereft.

That said, it was nice to try the new and interesting selections every month but after Classic Selection box number 3 in a row like at Christmas, I’m dying for a Kit Kat Chunky 😂

Glittertwins · 07/08/2022 20:43

They have suffered the Thorntons effect...too much diversification and quality has gone down on their chocolate range.
Velvetiser stuff still good but in a few months time, their patent will be up on it and other manufacturers will be able to make the same machine

BeanieTeen · 07/08/2022 20:45

It’s not bad chocolate - but very much overpriced for what it is, I guess because they rely on people to buy it as gifts.
Lindt all the way.

pd339 · 07/08/2022 20:45

DisforDarkChocolate · 07/08/2022 20:37

Five years ago I loved them, now they are lower quality. I'm still a bit partial to the alcoholic selection though.

You're so right. Since they floated on the stock market it's gone downhill - the same old story of profit trumping quality.

Phrenologistsfinger · 07/08/2022 20:46

They used to be better than they are now. Guessing the VCs got their way and lowered the quality for maximum profit.

Original poster
Jourdain11 · 07/08/2022 20:49

DH was dropping heavy hints about how much he enjoys Lindor, we have a fair few boxes of them too! The HC ones are kind of shorter dated though. So they're getting et up first.

OP posts:
boatyardblues · 07/08/2022 20:57

The liqueur truffles are much nicer than the claggy pralines. Mojito is my favourite but most of them are decent.

CinnamonJellyBeans · 07/08/2022 21:03

It's more expensive because they don't use child slaves.

I like all the fruity flavours and the cognac truffles. Velvetiser also popular with DD1.