ONE OF MY FAVORITE memories from my recent trip to London was enjoying afternoon tea with a lovely woman named Esther Williamson, of InterContinental Hotels, at St. James’s restaurant in the famed Fortnum & Mason department store. Ensconced on plump rose-colored couches in the opulent dining room, we sipped champagne, sampled a trio of exotic teas, and nibbled on all sorts of tempting finger sandwiches and bite-sized cakes and tarts. And I discovered the rapture that is clotted cream. Partaking of this finest of English traditions made me felt so elegant, so grown up, so, well, British.
Now I can relive those memories right here in Atlanta, when the St. Regis hotel—an oasis of elegance at 88 West Paces Ferry Road in tony Buckhead—introduces its own afternoon tea service. To be presented from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. each day throughout the month of April, this royally inspired new amenity is being introduced to commemorate the April 29 nuptials of Britain’s Prince William and Kate Middleton, and will feature an assortment of hot and cold teas, a glass of Laurent-Perrier champagne, and an assortment of themed treats to include Westminster Abbey Shortbread Cookies, Big Ben Chocolate Cake, Queen’s Pudding, and St. Andrews Trifle. Tea will be served by butlers decked out in tuxedos and white gloves, and will cost $48 a person—which I can tell you from experience is cheaper than most afternoon teas across the pond!
For afternoon tea reservations, call (404) 563-7910. To learn more about or book a stay at the St. Regis Atlanta, visit http://www.stregisatlanta.com.
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