As soon as you turn into the Four Seasons Resort Dubai at Jumeirah Beach, you realize you’re someplace special

A bit discreet, its dreamy driveway of Palm Trees swoons you on the drive up. Dubai luxury hotels tend to have this effect on people. As you valet park your car and enter the hotel, the first thing you notice are the Christmas decorations and the cascading arches to the right side of the hotel lobby. On this visit we’re here for afternoon tea at the Shai Salon.

The décor of dark marble columns off-set with gold accent on the walls and yellow chairs are most inviting. The hotel is regal, but not your grandmother’s living room, rather more like having an appointment with a monarch of a Gulf country. The warm hospitality of the servers helps you make your way through the plethora of teas or coffees that will accompany your afternoon tea experience.

The experience is created by the hotel’s Senior Executive Pastry Chef Nicolas Lambert, who comes from a family of boulangers and patissiers in France. With experience of working at Four Season properties in Hong Kong, and St. Petersburg, Lambert prides himself on being able to work with local and seasonal ingredients. The festive afternoon tea includes Christmas flavors, and ingredients of ginger, dried fruits, pecans, and seaweed. Served on a circular tiered tray, savory items are laid out on the bottom row.

A glass of non-alcoholic sparkling juice made with green apples, white peach and melon is served and goes well with the savory sandwiches, which are laid out on the bottom tray for $82 per person. For a glass of Taittinger Brut NV Champagne, afternoon tea is $123 per person. Quail Eggs Filo Cigar with chives, Dijon mustard, and olives are unique and divine. An oh-so French touch, the Duck Foie Gras Terrine on toasted brioche, consommé jelly, and mushrooms will bring a tear to the most inviting foie gras taste bud. The Bresaola and Cream Cheese Roll with truffle cream cheese, tomato bread, and honey mustard and Smoked Salmon Mousse is very salmony but a refreshing welcome to those who delight in salmon. After eating the savory items, the first and second row of sweet items, along with a pot of tea seem overwhelming. But somehow, a reserve stomach magically appears as you make your way to the sweet stuff.

In all honesty, it’s best to share a tiered stand, even if you’re hungry when you arrive. I hadn’t eaten breakfast or lunch before I arrived and was unable to finish my own stand. The tea and food items are extremely filling. There’s a selection of black, oolong, green, white, herbal infusion, flowering teas, and coffees. The Sapphire Jasmine Needle tea is most unique. Blue in color, it’s under the white teas and has a subtle hint of Jasmine with butterfly pea. The matcha specials, iced teas, and special coffees come at an extra cost. If you order tea, it comes in its own pot and goes good with the pastries.

On the second row of the tiered tray you will find Santa’s Hat-Cinnamon and Figs with a flavored biscuit for the base, and caramelized figs, cinnamon and dulcey, and whipped ganache. The Reindeer-Cranberry and Maple pastry is a crispy profiterole, apple compote, caramelized maple syrup, and cream emulsion. The Festive Aroma-Mandarin and Coffee includes a chocolate biscuit, confit mandarin skin, arabica coffee Chantilly; and the Christmas Tree-Chestnut and Blackcurrant includes a chestnut paste biscuit, blackcurrant marmalade, and chestnut mouse. On the top tier are the delicacies with a Chocolate Cookie, Gingerbread Cake, and Pecan Nut Brioche.  

If that doesn’t sound like a lot, save room. Scones must be had. Two scones that are sweet and buttery, but not too sweet are served per tier tray. Coming with the scones are clotted cream and Quince & Madagascan Vanilla Jam and Tres Leches Jam.

The festive afternoon tea experience goes from December 5 – January 5th from 3:00-7:00 PM. Bûche De Noël, a slice of a chocolate biscuit base of a crunch of coffee feuillantine, confit mandarin skin, and Arabica coffee mousse made by Chef Lambert. This is available between December 20-26, 2023, and comes with a choice of tea or coffee for $123, though pre orders can be taken now. 

Find out more information on the Four Seasons Resort Dubai at Jumeirah Beach website or contact Shai Salon directly at +971 4 270 7805.