Review: Peninsula Beijing Afternoon Tea

Review: Peninsula Beijing Afternoon Tea

My family loves to do afternoon tea, and since we are on a surprise trip around the world for my mom’s birthday, we’ve found a lot of excuses to seek out GREAT afternoon teas. Our first Afternoon Tea is Beijing. China has taken to afternoon tea with such fervor that you can “enjoy” it at KFC and Pizza Hut.  We were looking for a nicer ambience and wanted something that would pay close attention to detail and my mom’s birthday. We sought out the Peninsula. Peninsula hotels are in a rarified air…they aren’t just 5 star, they’re in their own league. Several years ago we had an iconic afternoon tea at the flagship Peninsula Hong Kong, and I had Afternoon Tea at the Peninsula Bangkok while I stayed there in 2013.  I’d read, recently, that the Peninsula Beijing had renovated their rooms and had spruced up some of the common areas as well so I figured it’d be the perfect spot to relax, sip, and enjoy. Let’s take a look at the Peninsula Beijing Afternoon Tea. ( If you’d like to read a review of the hotel, go here)

It’s set in the Lobby Lounge.

The essence of the Peninsula is quiet, unassuming, luxury. Everything is serene and guest oriented. With that being said…I think the common areas still show some age. They are extremely well maintained and the service is second to none, but feel a bit dated.

The price is unbeatable. 398 RMB for two or ~$30 a piece.

An afternoon tea at one of the nicest hotels in Beijing annnnnnnd at the Peninsula for $30 a piece? That is unbelievable.

Everything was decorated for Easter which is this coming Sunday.

The Afternoon Tea presentation.

Sterling silver, fine china, and a live, three piece band. Since we don’t eat any meat, but fish, they accommodated us with extra vegetable and tuna sandwiches.

We chose The Peninsula Signature tea and a Whole Chrysanthemum flower which was delicious.

They brought out a special cake. The attention to detail is exactly what we had hoped for 🙂

And comped Champagne

Overall:

The Peninsula continues to impress. The food was very good, the ambience was superb, and the service….The service was second to none. We were tended to by the Assistant Manager of the Lobby Lounge, Mary, and she exuded the Peninsula pedigree: discreet, detail oriented, luxurious, and gracious. I’d highly recommend indulging in a Peninsula Beijing Afternoon Tea, and for only $30 a head…the price is unbeatable.