While some tea rooms and luxury hotels haven’t paused their tea service since debuting it more than 50 years ago, what has changed is a renewed popularity for this afternoon tradition, which skews more fancy than it does casual.
“People love the idea of celebrations because they couldn’t do it for a long time,” says AJ Memmo, manager of Mary Cassatt Tea Room at The Rittenhouse in Philadelphia, serving tea since its 1989 opening and honoring one of Pennsylvania’s most famous painters by also displaying her sketches. “Once we reopened after Covid, afternoon tea was the most coveted ticket in the hotel. People are looking for excuses to celebrate. It’s a nice alternative to going out at night or to a brunch. It feels newer, or at least hasn’t hit the zeitgeist yet.”
Tea is also attracting a younger demographic, whether with peers or in a multi-generational group. Mary Cassatt Tea Room recently hosted a Taylor Swift-themed tea, with a Purple Haze cocktail (inspired by the song “Lavender Haze”), and herbs and green tea as an ode to Swift’s “Folklore” album. A harpist performed for three hours and underwent seven costume changes. “She treated it as her own ‘Eras’ tour,” says Memmo about the hired musician.
Younger clientele were also marketed to for a Pixi Beauty tea series that launched in July at The London West Hollywood at Beverly Hills in Beverly Hills, California, which has hosted afternoon-tea service for about a decade. “Their color scheme and logos are incorporated into the pastries,” says Robert Kellermann, the hotel’s director of sales and marketing. For example, one pastry resembles a make-up compact. Guests can also try out Pixi Beauty products with a make-up artist at a pop-up called the Pixi Glow Bar. Another themed tea was inspired by the 2024 film Wicked, with dry ice in teapots and the same color palette. Guests arrived in witches’ outfits and the event was so popular that dates were extended. The year prior, a Willy Wonka tea was timed with the film’s release. Guests were treated to chocolate bars and “golden tickets.”
The Peninsula Paris in Paris, France, also collaborated with a brand—Maison Chaumet—on a tea this summer, inspired by the Parisian jewelry house’s Bee collection. “I imagined a menu that’s delicate, floral, and completely seasonal,” says Anne Coruble, The Peninsula Paris’ pastry chef, “things like a light yogurt foam with milk jam and fresh pollen, a pastry called Fleur de Propolis made with avocado honey and beeswax, and a lemon tart paired with arbutus honey sorbet.”
In lieu of a brand, sometimes the inspiration is as close as in the same city, like with The Peninsula New York’s Van Gogh Floral Afternoon Tea, initially launched this past spring and extended into the fall. It’s an homage to the current New York Botanical Garden exhibition, "Van Gogh’s Flowers." “We’ve also curated Instagrammable elements into the presentation by using edible flowers (inspired by Van Gogh’s paintings), artfully plated ‘potted plants,’ and playful touches such as a chocolate paintbrush,” says Aymeric Brillaud, the hotel’s director of food and beverage.
Hosting seasonal afternoon tea, or a tea tied to a specific pop-culture trend, as The London West Hollywood at Beverly Hills did with its “Wicked” tea, is a chance to test drive the concept and see if it resonates with guests and locals. This year, Bowie House in Fort Worth, Texas, launched summer tea service—leaning into floral and fruity flavors. Biscuits, sweet treats and savory bites are served with tea, plus caviar service for an extra fee. “We’ve designed the tea service as more than just a menu: it's a social ritual, a pause for connection, and a chance to dress up and celebrate,” says Treasure Maddox, Area Director of Marketing, Auberge Resorts Collection. “We’ve expanded the experience with curated add-ons like caviar and champagne, making it ideal for birthdays, bridal showers and gatherings of all kinds.”
Even with all of these fun, trendy teas, classical experiences remain popular.
Thousands of people are on the wait list for The Rittenhouse’s annual teddy bear tea (in December), and receive preferential sign-up before slots are released to the public. Children bring a teddy bear, while participating in story time and tea time, and enjoying hot chocolate plus sandwiches shaped like teddy bears. A new photo nook encourages family photos and social-media posts, helping market the tea through word-of-mouth.
Another long-standing spot for tea—Willard InterContinental Washington, D.C., which has hosted tea since the 1920s—recently refreshed its offerings, starting with the Willard Tea Room that debuted in 2023. “This dedicated, more intimate space allows us to welcome more guests without losing the relaxed, refined feel that makes afternoon tea so special,” says Cesar Roa, resident tea expert and food and beverage manager, adding that introducing caviar service and tableside crepes Suzette “elevated the sense of celebration, making afternoon tea feel like an event worth traveling for.”
But despite its elegance, afternoon tea is also whimsical, like Electric Playhouse’s Alice in Wonderland-themed tea, Teatime in Wonderland, at The Forum Shops at Caesars in Las Vegas, Nevada. This interactive, family-friendly experience launched in the fall of 2024. Storytelling, fine dining, motion-activated games and projection mapping are intertwined. What inspired the idea was a problem that had to be solved. “It took a long time to get our liquor license,” explains Vivian Sorenson, its creative culinary director. “What can we do that doesn’t involve liquor at all? Keris Kuwana (the chef) had always wanted to do an afternoon-tea experience around Alice in Wonderland. Imagine what it would be like to go down the rabbit hole, to be curious, to go beyond limits, to try something new? We ask all of our guests to be Alice.”
Many guests arrive in costume. Time is frozen at 6 p.m., at a Mad Hatter dinner party. “What I love about that, in the messaging, is that we all must slow down,” says Sorenson. “It allows us this beautiful pause that’s intentional. It’s not just about food. It’s about storytelling. It’s about elegance and a moment to escape, and it’s all about community.”
Embracing a theme is one way to creatively market afternoon tea. But multiple themes throughout the year create even more reach, and target repeat guests, because the experience is never the same. “Our menu changes five times a year to capture the flavors and feelings of the season, yet certain classics, like our vanilla scones and cucumber tea sandwiches, are always part of the experience,” says Roa, of Willard InterContinental Washington, D.C. Capitalizing on increased visitors to the nation’s capital during cherry blossom season each spring, there’s a tea themed to that, too.
At The Peninsula Paris, the tea’s culinary menu is changed almost every month, even though afternoon tea has been served at the hotel since its 2014 opening. For example, menus have included Lunar New Year, Easter, Christmas, spring, or Pink October, a campaign against breast cancer. “It keeps things fresh and creative, and for our guests, it means discovering a new story every time they visit. It’s not just tea. It’s a whole experience,” says Coruble. “The seasons always inspire me. Sometimes I’ll work with chanterelles, fir buds, caramelized hazelnuts. Other times it might be dark chocolate with Taggiasche olives, citrus paired with seaweed, or even vanilla with a hint of tobacco.”
Could this new love for afternoon tea also be linked to health reasons? “Collectively, as a society, we’re leaning towards more health-conscious decisions and tea is a healthy alternative, especially when compared with coffee,” says Memmo. “It doesn’t feel like you’re drinking a soda or a high-sugary juice, but you’re still getting lots of flavor.”
Even so, the pull to linger over tea hasn’t been this strong for a long time. “People are looking for experiences that feel both meaningful and restorative: a moment to pause, connect, and savor,” says Roa. “Afternoon tea offers precisely that. It’s timeless, yet it speaks to today’s traveler: celebratory, comforting, and filled with the kinds of moments people carry with them long after they’ve left.”
“It’s easy to see why people are falling in love with it again,” says Coruble. “It’s not just about drinking tea. It’s about taking a pause, sharing something lovely, and maybe being surprised along the way.”
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