Because everyone should have a bit of haute couture with their scones and clotted cream! Here are five five-star hotels around the world that are offering fashionable afternoon teas this summer.
“Gems of the Sea” afternoon tea with Misis at the St. Regis Bangkok
Photo Credit: St. Regis Bangkok
The St. Regis Bangkok is going Ariel-style this summer with its Gems of the Sea Afternoon Tea. This limited-time offering pairs themed savory and sweets in an exclusive collaboration with Italian jewelry brand Misis—in particular its “Reef Party,” “Woman of the Sea” and “Positano” collections. Executive Chef Chris Miller and Executive Pastry Chef Aey Anupong have styled the tea to resemble coral growing from a seabed, which a slew of ocean-inspired treats including an entrée of edible oyster shells with avocado crème and salmon pearls; blue curacao bubbles, confectionaries created with white chocolate, tonka bean and filled with blood orange (to mimic ocean waves); black forest stone cake adorned with white chocolate coral; an octopus and olive baguette; sea salt and thyme scones; and a salmon confit lollipop with wasabi mayonnaise and dulse flakes. The tea is available from August 2-September 30.
“Winston in the Garden” afternoon tea with Harry Winston at the Peninsula
Shanghai, Hong Kong and Beijing hotels
Photo Credit: Peninsula Hotels
Things are heating up at The Peninsula hotels in Hong Kong, Shanghai and Beijing this summer thanks to a partnership with jewelry brand Harry Winston, who has joined forces with the Peninsula’s haute hotels in Asia to launch the new and exclusive “Winston Garden at The Peninsula” afternoon tea. Available throughout June and July, the tea takes inspiration from Harry Winston’s four iconic floral-oriented jewelry collections: “Forget-Me-Not”, “Lotus Cluster”, “Lily Cluster” and “Sunflower.” Sweets inspired by the collection include indulgent mango madeleines with mango mousse (inspired by the Sunflower collection); richly textured blue gem shortbread with vanilla cream (a sweet expression of the Lily Cluster collection); and mouth-watering raspberry macarons (an interpretation of the Forget-Me-Not collection). The tea will also feature a selection of striking decorative touches that reflect Harry Winston’s signature blue sapphire colors and motifs, such as the famed “Winston Gate.” Even better, those who indulge in this high-end tea will also be eligible to receive a special gift at the Harry Winston boutique at The Peninsula Shopping Arcade. Stocks are limited, so you better make your reservation faster than you can say “teatime!”
Giuseppe Zanotti’s “In Love With Dazzling Beauty” Afternoon Tea
at the Ritz-Carlton Bangkok
Photo Credit: Ritz-Carlton Hong Kong Italian luxury footwear and fashion brand Giuseppe Zanotti is hot-stepping its way into an afternoon tea at the Ritz-Carlton, Hong Kong, an afternoon affair inspired by its Fall-Winter 2019 “Urban Beauty” Collection. Executive Pastry Chef Richard Long and his team reinterpreted Zanotti’s “sensually chaotic” aesthetic and translated the luxury brand’s designs into six delectable “graphic and geometric” gourmet items with the “textured and exotic” themes found throughout the collection. The crystal-encrusted butterflies from Zanotti’s heels flutter onto the beautifully crafted afternoon tea set, which also features a bed of exotic flowers with crystal-encrusted petals. Delectable bites are placed on intricate, rotating flower beds. Sweets include a mascarpone raspberry tart, which reimagines the floral motif of Giuseppe Zanotti “Fleur” heels; an apricot basil cake—basil-infused apricot cream, apricot confit and almond crémeux topped with a chocolate art butterfly—inspired by the brand’s signature “Amabel bow” heels; and a pistachio moscato tart topped with an edible flower jelly. The tea is served with savory items like foie gras and fig mousse macaroons with Prunier caviar and BBQ pulled-pork squid ink mini burgers, as well as coffee or hot chocolate. The afternoon tea set will be available at Café 103 through September 15.
Prêt-à-Portea: The Dior Collection at The Berkeley, London
Photo Credit: The Berkeley The Berkeley London‘s already stylish Prêt-à-Portea has gotten even hauter thanks to its new limited edition afternoon offering, The Dior Collection, which features cakes inspired by the Christian Dior: Designer of Dreams exhibit at the nearby V&A Museum. Working exclusively with Dior, this fashionista favorite adds a stylish twist to the traditional afternoon tea and sees legendary Dior designs reimagined into whimsically crafted cakes and patisserie delicacies. Headlining this season’s couture Prêt-à-Portea is the Bar Suit, synonymous with the Dior name since it first took the catwalk by storm in 1947 as part of Christian Dior’s debut collection. The suit has now been recreated as a decadent chocolate biscuit embellished with cream royal icing. There is also a red velvet cake inspired by the Lady Dior Handbag, which shot to fame when France’s first lady Bernadette Chirac gifted it to Princess Diana, and a bottle of Miss Dior Eau de Parfum reimagined as a lychee and raspberry cake glazed with shimmering pink icing, complete with a signature oversized silver bow. Additional pieces include Christian Dior’s show-stopping 1954 Muguet dress, inspired by and named after his favorite lily-of-the-valley, which blooms into a delicate pavlova topped with coconut marshmallow and a white sugar bow; the timeless 1949 Miss Dior Dress, which becomes a white velvet chocolate mousse finished with an appliqued edible violet; and the Junon dress worn by model Theo Graham at Le Pré Catelan in Paris becomes an enticing ensemble of fromage blanc and cassis jelly encased in a scalloped edge of white chocolate, draped with edible sparkles. Closing out this special collection is an edible homage in celebration of the imminent return of slingback season. Dior’s J’Adior shoe from the current collection by Maria Grazia Chiuri strides onto the cake stand as a vanilla biscuit with royal icing, finished with its inscription bow in edible sugar ribbons. Our mouth is watering while our fingers simultaneously itch for our credit cards.
The Peninsula Paris’ afternoon tea with Maison FRED
