The elegant and chic Her by Caroline Astor at newly opened St. Regis Dubai, The Palm offers an aromatic afternoon tea, served by ladies for ladies.
Her by Caroline Astor is the UAE’s first ladies-only afternoon tea lounge and my colleague and I were thrilled at the opportunity to experience the concept.
Contemporary and sleek on the outside, the hotel is stands tall and grand by the Nakheel Mall on the iconic Palm Jumeirah. The intimate setting of Her by Caroline Astor features striking marble and gold accents all-around, offset with splashes of pastel pink.
The highlights:
We chose to be seated by the window and the late afternoon light filtering in delivered a gorgeous warm effect, in seamless harmony with the glittering décor.
Leafing through the menu, we were delighted to find an Arabic-translated section as well, a rare sight in the UAE. Ladies can expect fragrant and delicate loose leaf tea pairings alongside delectable bites.
My dining partner and opted for the Royal package and we were offered a glass of remarkable French bubbly. Tea followed and a cart with multiple options was rolled over. We chose to try the Happy Forest, which was a deep-red cup with fruit and berry flavours and Rooibos Heal with the sweet aroma of orange. Expertly prepared table side for the perfectly timed sip, the warm cup of tea was a treat for a Thursday afternoon.
Within minutes, a selection of delicate savoury delights such as smoked salmon with crème fraiche and caviar, chicken and curried mayonnaise bites, egg salad with chive and quail’s egg, cream cheese with black olives and cereal buns with beef roast showed up.
This was followed by every afternoon tea must-have, plain and raisin scones served with strawberry and lavender jam and clotted cream; as well an array of sweet indulgences such as fruit cake and tartlets, lemon meringue tarts, macaroons and sticky-toffee-pudding mini cakes. Suffice to say, there were only crumbs left when we were done.
Apart from the set menu for Afternoon tea, the venue also offers a side of daily-decadent desserts. We tucked into a classic vanilla crème brûlée that was both light and creamy, with a perfectly caramelised sugary top layer.
The verdict:
An ideal space for an afternoon tête-à-tête with your ladies, a cosy baby shower, a mother-daughter date or even a ladies’ book club meeting.
Book now:
Daily from 3-6pm. AED215 per person (Traditional Treat package) and AED305 per person (Royal Treat package). Call +9714 218 0000. Visit the website or Instagram.