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| - This review is for the high tea at the Phoenician only.
High tea here is awesome to say the least. It's not a cheap lunch, but included in the price is a sense of being elevated to a higher social standing with impeccable service and elegant settings (all wedgewood tea sets and utensils). You might think you couldn't get full on those teeny tea sandwiches and pastries...but it's unlimited! The servers will keep coming around until you tell them to stop!. First you choose your tea...the tea pots are really large unfortunately, so when everyone gets their own tea pot, it crowds the table quite a bit. You feel obligated to drink quite a lot of tea as well. Then you get one of their delicious scones with a choice of butter, jams and lemon curd, and what I think is clotted cream (?) in front of you. The scones are also quite large. After that you're presented with a tray of rows sandwiches, although there are only 5 types. You can choose however many you want, in whatever combination. I chose one of each on the first round, then just the ones I liked most on the 2nd and 3rd rounds. You'll probably be getting somewhat full at this point, especially with all the tea you're drinking, but save room for dessert! The dessert tray is again, rows of miniature pastries and cakes, but 5 types. It's the same process as with the sandwiches.
The kicker is, for something like $20 extra (can't remember the exact price), you can have the unlimited champagne option! Not really something I pictured high born ladies in Britain doing, guzzling down glasses of champagne during lunch, but it's still brilliant. If you plan to do this, make sure someone is willing to be a designated driver if you're not staying at the hotel. The champagne isn't that bad either, not too sweet, little bit on the drier side if I remember correctly...I never did see what the label was.
Anyways, it's an experience, and quite fun. Ilike to bring visiting girlfriends to it. Saw a father and young daughter there enjoying the tea and sandwiches together (minus the champagne), which was quite cute...with the little girl wearing her Sunday best. It's worth the added expense to feel like you're dipping into a bit of luxury.
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