Island Shangri-La Lobby Lounge

Address: Level 5, Pacific Place, Central
Tel: 2877 3838

Nestled in the heart of the city with surprisingly lush greenery and the elegance of teardrop crystal chandeliers, the Island Shangri-La’s Lobby Lounge is a relaxing setting for afternoon tea.

There are different tea sets from which to choose. The traditional English set has the usual scones and classic sandwiches: cucumber, smoked salmon and roast beef. The top tier is fresh strawberries. The signature Shangri-La set is a more innovative version with smoked salmon on a mini bagel, a roll of sliced cucumber stuffed with egg and a seafood vol au vent. The set includes some signature desserts from the hotel’s Island Gourmet eatery, such as Valrhona chocolate cake and macaroons. A separate basket of scones completes the set.

The menu has a particularly interesting selection of Chinese teas with elaborate names and descriptions. For example, the Monkey-Picked Tieguanyin that is semi-fermented from the Fujian Province and has a “lingering fruit and spice aftertaste”. The White Peony Supreme tea comes highly recommended and does not disappoint.

Traditionally, teatime is also an opportunity for hostesses to show off their pretty teapots and china, and the Island Shangri-La does a good job of living up to this practice. The tableware with its brightly-coloured flowers serves as a stunning backdrop to the main attractions and brings an added flavour of the English countryside to the table.

Island Gourmet has the same afternoon tea menu if you prefer a cosier setting. This small eatery is as casual and quaint as a European café but with the posh vibe of an upscale hotel ­– a great place to take a break from shopping in Pacific Place.

Afternoon tea is available from 3pm to 6pm; $188 per set for one person and $348 for two.

The Peninsula The Lobby Address: Salisbury Road, Tsim Sha Tsui Tel: 2920 2888 As if the hotel isn’t impressive enough with its large Rolls Royce fleet, historical architecture and world-class restaurants, the Peninsula’s afternoon tea is an institution in itself. In keeping with its colonial roots and reputation for luxury, the oldest hotel in the city serves the most sought after example of English afternoon tea. At the Peninsula, afternoon tea is all about tradition. The three tiers of scones, sandwiches and desserts are at once classic and also meticulously prepared to innovative high standards. Only the freshest ingredients are used, and the selection changes monthly to match seasonal tastes and to let the chef flex his creativity.

InterContinental Hotel Lobby Lounge

Address: 18 Salisbury Road, Tsim Sha Tsui
Tel: 2721 1211

Among all of the city’s hotels and restaurants, the hands down best view of Victoria Harbour and the Hong Kong skyline can be found at the InterContinental Hotel. Even with the Lobby Lounge’s low-lying location, the view outside the floor-to-ceiling windows is completely unobstructed in all directions.

With the hotel’s move towards a more contemporary image comes a new afternoon tea set starting in February. Executive Chef Laurent André emphasises that although it is new and different, the main focus is still on quality – the result is a minimalist display of modern creations with finely tuned flavours and textures.

The sandwiches are traditional egg, cucumber, salmon, beef, tuna and ham and cheese, but each one is done with a twist – the salmon is rolled with dill, the ham and cheese is grilled, tomato bread is used for the egg. It’s these little surprises to your taste buds that make this afternoon tea set spectacular.

The desserts are French, such as éclair, mousse and praline, with a very contemporary presentation. One of the first things you will notice on the tray is the rich chocolate lollipop on a wooden stick that will satisfy any chocoholic’s need for a fix. Presented in a separate box are scones, along with some unexpected treats: Spanish churros, a madeleine and a French canelle.

Possibly the most impressive part of the InterContinental’s afternoon tea experience is the actual tea. The legendary Mariage Frères teas from France are some of the finest teas anywhere and are rarely found in Hong Kong eateries. Of the 12 selections available here, the Golden Temple and Golden Dragon blends are especially highlighted as they start off as bundles of tealeaves covered in real gold leaf that open up like flowers as they steep. A miniature hourglass is provided to help time the brew – the tea is ready when all the sand has run through.

The contemporary feel of the Lobby Lounge extends to its live music. On Saturdays and Sundays, the band plays “contemporary classical”. Afternoon tea is served from 2.30pm to 6pm; $268 per set for one person and $398 for two.