There is something timeless about afternoon tea—tiered trays of cakes, delicate sandwiches, warm scones, and steaming cups poured with care. Yet enjoying this ritual on a snowy winter’s day in Prague makes it even more magical. And for me, there is no better place to indulge than the Four Seasons Hotel Prague, a property that offers not just one of the city’s finest afternoon teas, but also a sense of warmth and belonging that lingers long after you leave.

Prague in winter feels like a fairy tale. Cobblestone streets sparkle with snow, lanterns glow at dusk, and spires rise into silver skies. Add to this the comfort of an elegant tea service by the piano, and the experience becomes unforgettable.

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My Favourite Hotel in Prague

That afternoon tea reminded me why the Four Seasons Prague is my favourite hotel in the city. It isn’t only about its location, with sweeping views of the Vltava River and Prague Castle. Nor is it just about the beautiful rooms, though I’ve always loved the Renaissance-style suites in calming blue and white.

What sets this hotel apart is its service—seamless, personal, and genuine. Somehow, the staff always seem to know who you are from the moment you arrive. It’s the kind of welcome that makes a grand hotel feel intimate. I’ve stayed in many fine properties, but only a few offer this kind of connection. The Four Seasons Prague is one of them, which is why I return again and again.

Top 5 Things to Do in Prague in the Winter

Visit the Old Town Christmas Market
Prague’s Old Town Square transforms into one of Europe’s most famous Christmas markets. Wooden stalls sell mulled wine, trdelník pastries, and handmade gifts.
Walk Across the Charles Bridge in the Snow
Early mornings or evenings are magical, with statues dusted in white and views of Prague Castle glowing above the river.
Tour Prague Castle at Sunset
Explore the courtyards, St. Vitus Cathedral, and Golden Lane as twilight falls. The winter light makes the Gothic spires unforgettable.
Warm Up in a Historic Café
Try Café Slavia or Café Louvre, both legendary haunts for artists and writers. Order hot chocolate or traditional Czech pastries.
Take a Vltava River Cruise
Even in winter, heated boats glide past Prague’s skyline of domes, bridges, and spires. At night, the city lights make it spectacular.

Four Seasons Prague: Just Like Home

I checked in just after 11 a.m., and from that moment everyone already knew my name. From the bellman to the concierge to the staff in the lounge, each person greeted me as if I were a returning friend.

We dropped our bags, pulled on our coats, and walked toward the Charles Bridge, only minutes away. Snow fell gently on its ancient statues, and across the river, Prague Castle shimmered in white. Walking the bridge in winter felt like stepping into a fairy tale—one of those moments when Prague shows why she has captivated travelers for centuries.

As we left, the doorman smiled and called me by name. Then he said: “You’re just in time for your first afternoon tea in Prague.”

A small gesture, but it captured the essence of the Four Seasons Prague: thoughtful, attentive, and quietly memorable. This hotel doesn’t just welcome you—it makes you feel at home. And what a home it is.

A Proper Czech Afternoon Tea

After our walk, we returned to the lobby for afternoon tea in Prague. The light outside had softened into a golden winter glow, and the piano filled the flower-lined space with warmth.

We began with steaming cups of thick hot chocolate and then let our eyes wander to the dessert trolley. Temptation won quickly. We sampled a little of everything: a deceptively simple chocolate cake laced with liquor, biscuits, pastries, and strudels. I admit—I had two slices of that chocolate cake. But my favourite was a traditional Czech Christmas cake, soaked in syrup and topped with bright icing. Festive, unusual, and unforgettable.

 What is a Czech Christmas Cake?
Known as vánočka, the Czech Christmas cake is a sweet braided bread made with flour, eggs, butter, raisins, almonds, and sometimes rum. It is dusted with powdered sugar or finished with icing at Christmas. Served for centuries, it remains a symbol of Czech holiday tradition.

 What is a Traditional Czech Afternoon Tea?
A Czech afternoon tea differs from the British style. Expect cakes filled with cream or liquor, nut pastries, strudels, and biscuits. Hot chocolate, coffee, or strong black tea are common. In winter, mulled wine or rum-spiked cocoa adds a festive touch.

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As we lingered over sweets and hot drinks, the world outside disappeared. For a while, it was just us, the piano music, and the glow of a perfect winter afternoon in Prague. A #Travelife moment: indulgent, memorable, and never-endingly eventful.

Read more stories about traveling around the Czech Republic in Travelife Magazine

Hotel photos credit: Four Seasons Prague

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What began as the thought of a simple snack soon turned into one of the most elegant surprises of our trip — a full afternoon tea in Hakone’s mountains. At the Hyatt Regency Hakone Resort and Spa, a modern retreat with hot springs and pet-friendly rooms, the lounge was anything but quiet. On the ground floor, the glow of a giant fireplace lit up a crowd of cheerful guests, all gathered for a ritual of tea, champagne, and conversation.

A Warm Welcome at the Hyatt Regency in Hakone

“What’s happening over there?” I asked the bell boy, who was carefully handling our luggage. The welcoming team immediately set the tone for our stay, their cheerful smiles and crisp blue-and-white uniforms radiating warmth and polish.

“As you’ll be here for several days, you simply must try our afternoon tea,” he replied with a knowing grin. “It’s one of our most popular experiences. Many of our returning guests make sure to reserve it as soon as they book their rooms.”

That was all the encouragement we needed.

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Afternoon Tea in Hakone

Drawn by the promise of tiers of delicate savories, jewel-like pastries, and pots of fragrant tea, we joined the lively crowd in the lounge. The Hyatt Regency Hakone’s afternoon tea is more than a meal—it is a ritual in itself. Guests settle into deep chairs, conversation flows as smoothly as the champagne, and every plate seems touched with artistry.

Set against the serene backdrop of Hakone’s mountains, the experience feels both indulgent and restorative. Time slows here. Between each sip and bite, you feel the world recede just a little further away.

Starting with Ruinart Champagne

Considering we were high in the mountains of Hakone, the afternoon tea felt especially indulgent. We began with flutes of Ruinart champagne, one of France’s finest, and the crisp bubbles set the tone for everything that followed. It was an unexpected touch of Parisian elegance in a Japanese mountain retreat — the perfect prelude to towers of savory bites, delicate pastries, and steaming pots of tea.

First came the scones, still warm from the oven. They arrived with clotted cream, golden butter, and a trio of jams — the essentials of any proper afternoon tea. Breaking one open and watching the steam curl into the air felt like the most comforting luxury.

Then the waitstaff presented multi-tiered trays, each one carefully arranged with a mix of savory bites and jewel-like pastries. It was as much an aesthetic feast as a culinary one. For a moment, no one moved; the trays looked too perfect to disturb, as though each piece had been placed to be admired before tasted.

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Western elegance, Japanese hospitality

As the afternoon lingered on, I realized that this was more than just tea and pastries. It was a ritual of comfort, crafted high in the mountains of Japan. Afternoon tea at the Hyatt Regency Hakone blends Western elegance with Japanese hospitality, turning a simple pause in the day into something memorable. Surrounded by views of Hakone’s green hills, the scent of wood smoke, and the gentle hum of conversation around the fireplace, I felt time slow down.

In that moment, afternoon tea became what it should always be — not just food, but a way to savor place, season, and company. And in Hakone, that ritual felt especially luxurious.

Read more about the best hotels and resorts in Japan in Travelife Magazine.

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Kyoto is not a city usually associated with afternoon tea. For one thing, this is hardly a Japanese tradition. However, on a recent visit, we discovered a unique version in a most extraordinary hotel. This all came about by accident, too.

After a short walk around Ninenzaka, a famous old street near Gion, we returned to the Park Hyatt Kyoto to take refuge from the summer heat. We’d been too busy to have lunch and it was already mid-afternoon, which is neither here nor there time for a meal.

This was when the hotel concierge suggested: “Why don’t you try our afternoon tea?” I’d been hearing about this unique pairing of sweet and savory treats with assorted fine teas. So this was the perfect thing to do.

LOBBY OF THE PARK HYATT KYOTO

We sat in the corner of the lobby lounge, which is a wood paneled space filled with books and art. It’s a wonderful place to spend some time in, just relaxing over cups of tea. It’s cozy and intimate — perfect to escape the summer heat or to keep warm in the winter.

It turns out, the Park Hyatt Kyoto version of afternoon tea is a five-course event paired with tea. It can really stand in as a late lunch instead. So we were very pleased to have followed the suggestion of the concierge.

FOOD AS AFTERNOON TEA

Every course was a work of art, and the teas were delightful. We began with a plate containing two bite-sized morsels. One was a terrine of foie gras and passion fruit. Meanwhile, the other was a financier topped with fresh mango and ringed with grated coconut.

AFTERNOON TEA AT THE PARK HYATT KYOTO

One piece was savoury and the other was sweet. This turned out to be a very balanced combination of tastes, especially when drunk with a slightly acidic tea. The chef paired this with a rose hip blend from Kyoto, from the Herbalist Club Miyama.

VEGETABLES & SEAFOOD

Following a traditional multi-course meal, we then had the afternoon tea version of salad and seafood. The chef sent out a perfectly formed summer vegetable terrine and a corn waffle topped with scallop and sea urchin. We ate this with green tea wafers and cups of a green tea and ginger blend from Kotoshina in Kyoto.

EGGPLANT AS TONKATSU

The main course followed, and this was probably my favorite. A Kamo eggplant was fashioned into a deep fried cutlet and served with olive green tapenade. This was so similar to the Tonkatsu, which is everyone’s favorite Japanese comfort food.

PEACH PALATE CLEANSER

Prior to the last course, we had the equivalent of a palate cleanser. Slices of fresh peaches were arranged nicely in a basket and sprinkled with sake granite. It was a lovely pairing of sweet fruit and spicy alcohol.

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CHERRY SOUFFLE FOR DESSERT

Finally, the chef sent out dessert. Or at least the equivalent of it in this afternoon tea multi-course pairing. He made a cherry and ricotta cheese soufflé which was warm, sweet and filling all at once. A slice of chocolate covered jelly accompanied the soufflé. Guessing what to do with this, we dipped the chocolate sticks into the soufflé’ and this turned out wonderfully.

The tartness of the cherry in the soufflé also complimented our last tea. We happily drank cups of tea in a beautiful red color, a blend of hibiscus and Shiso. Everything was fruity and tart and yet also sweet and comforting.

We were full after that. But what a delicious and relaxing way to spend Saturday afternoon in Kyoto.

Read more about the Park Hyatt Kyoto in Travelife Magazine.

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So there we were in one of the most beautiful palaces in the world, in incredible India, living a Travelife. It’s called the Taj Falaknuma Palace, and we visited just a few months after it had opened. Every day was full of interesting things to do. After visiting the atelier of the most famous designer in Hyderabad on one day, the concierge was waiting for us in the lobby upon our return.

“May I suggest having the Taj Falaknuma Palace afternoon tea?” He said. “We usually have this in the Jade Room. But since it’s such a fine afternoon, we can set it up in the terrace. You will have the place all to yourselves.”

Home of the richest man in the world

That sounded like a wonderful idea. The Taj Falaknuma Palace, situated 2000 feet above the city of Hyderabad, is one of the most understated but luxurious palace hotels in the world. At one point in history, it was the home of the richest man in the world. This was the Nizam of Hyderabad, and his wealth was the stuff that legends are made of.

The hotel was acquired by the Taj Hotels from the descendants of the Nizam himself. The company then undertook a painstaking renovation of the palace, with inputs from a relative of the Nizam himself. The renovation work reportedly took ten years.

The elegant life in Hyderabad

Of course we had to have afternoon tea with champagne and everything possible. I definitely wanted to savour the genteel life from the terrace of the former home of the richest man in the world — scones, finger sandwiches, India delicacies, tiny cakes and all.

The Jade Room of the Taj Falaknuma Palace

Meanwhile, the Jade Room is one of the fabled rooms of the palace. Decorated mainly in a pale emerald green and full of antiques and jade objets d’art, it is simply beautiful. It’s my favorite room in the hotel, with its Belgian-cut chandeliers. So afternoon tea here is one of the highlights of a stay at the Taj Falaknuma Palace in Hyderabad. In fact, it’s the most famous place to have tea in Hyderabad.

However, we decided to follow the suggestion of the concierge and have our afternoon tea on the terrace. So we never did get to have our afternoon tea in the Jade Room.

Nevertheless it was wonderful just the same. The afternoon passed very pleasantly, enjoying champagne and a tray of sweet and savoury treats, with a view of the greenery and the city below. I certainly felt like a guest in the home of someone once called the richest man in the world.

Read more stories about traveling around India in Travelife Magazine.

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“This is a local favorite,” the waitress said, setting an elaborate stand of afternoon tea treats in front of us as we sat under the sun with a view of the Atlantic Ocean. She added: “Our chefs created originals — you won’t find these elsewhere.”

We had just landed in Cape Town that morning and from the airport we’d driven straight to the 12 Apostles Hotel & Spa for an early afternoon tea on the outdoor terrace without bothering to check in first.

SUMMER IN CAPE TOWN

The day was so fine and the ocean was calling out to us so we set aside the formalities for later. Also, we were eager to sit by the sea and to start our wonderful holiday at the edge of the world with a proper toast.

This was South Africa, after all, land of amazing nature and excellent wine, so drinks should always be within reach. Luckily a table was available; and soon flutes of sparkling wine and an ornate tray of treats arrived, just too beautiful to eat.

This experience, aptly named “Tea by the Sea” by the 12 Apostles came highly recommended and we were grateful we heeded someone’s advice.

AFTERNOON TEA AT THE 12 APOSTLES HOTEL & SPA

Even now, it gives me an adrenaline shot to write about this moment full of expectations at the very start of three amazing weeks in Africa. Everything was just perfect. The skies were clear and the sea was an intoxicating cerulean hue, and all around us were happy people celebrating something on a Friday at noon.

Perhaps they all had birthdays or anniversaries; or maybe Cape Townians do this all the time and need no excuses for a mid-day party ahead of the weekend. In any case, their joy was infectious, so by the time we’d put away our mobile phones, made the exuberant toasts and were ready to eat, I felt on top of the world in spite of the fact that I was geographically at the bottom of it.

AVOCADO SANDWICHES AT THE 12 APOSTLES

To break the ice between us and our elegant afternoon tea tray, from the tantalizing selections we chose the avocado sandwiches covered in crushed almonds. Perfectly formed, the initial mouthfuls of goodness left us wide-eyed with wonder.

The taste is simply impossible to describe; but we were in heaven and I’m sure the location had something to do with our elation as well.

We savored these rich finger sandwiches — crunchy on the outside and all mushy with avocado inside — as slowly as we could manage between sips of bubbly; and then we quickly ordered another round.

“Life is short and when else will we ever have these again?” My companion said, in the form of a rhetorical question. We both knew that I felt exactly the same way, and this is how we threw our calorie counts to the wind that afternoon at the 12 Apostles Hotel & Spa.

CLASSIC HOTEL BY THE SEA IN CAPE TOWN

There are many lovely places to stay in Cape Town, but the 12 Apostles Hotel & Spa is one of a handful that directly take you not only to a hotel of luxury, but also to a time of genteel and unrushed travel for a proper holiday. It’s a destination hotel full of quirks and personal touches; including winding corridors and narrow stairs that lead to picture-pretty landings.

Meanwhile, the interiors are about classic furniture, memorable art, stripes and flowery prints that create a country house atmosphere. Everything slowly grows on you so that eventually you feel like calling this hotel a home. Not a few guests return every year for this familiar and wonderful holiday.

DRIVING ALONG CHAPMAN’S PEAK

The main attractions are the ocean views, the famous 12 Apostles mountain range, and the nearby Chapman’s Peak Drive, one of the loveliest road trips in the world. These alone, along with the hotel’s wild garden of botanical, offer the perfect combination for down-time in Cape Town.

Here, you will wish for a book or sketchpad; or at least a playlist of your favorite music; once you sit down, you won’t want to get up, let alone go to the V&A Waterfront.

The need to have a busy sightseeing list will turn into a distant memory. Most guests at 12 Apostles purposely want to leave the world behind. So they end up enjoying what is in front of them instead of following the tourist trails around the city.

Read more about luxury hotels in South Africa in Travelife Magazine.

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Afternoon tea at the Four Seasons Prague, the best hotel in Prague

This post is about afternoon tea at the Four Seasons Prague, the best hotel in Prague.

Coming in from a zero degree afternoon in Prague the other day, living a #Travelife, we decided on the spur of the moment to have afternoon tea in the lovely flower-filled lobby of the hotel.

By the way, this is my favourite hotel in Prague.

Scroll down to read more…

MY FAVOURITE HOTEL

IN PRAGUE

It has a great location with views of the river and the castle, and it also has beautiful rooms. 

That’s the chandelier in our bedroom at the Four Seasons Prague…

I especially like the Renaissance-style rooms of the hotel which are decorated in blue and white.

There’s also something to be said about a hotel where all the staff know your name the moment you check in. It makes you feel really at home.

That’s me “at home” in Prague tonight, living a #Travelife…

There are a handful of other hotels like this with fantastic service like this — the Grand Hotel Bordeaux in France, a member of the Leading Hotels of the World, with concierge staff who are members of the prestigious Clef D’Ors, is another one.

And, believe me, I’m a very loyal customer to hotels like these. It’s nice to keep returning to a hotel where everyone greets you by name from Day 1.

Talk about great customer service.

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What’s on my iPod in Prague:

I Could Be the One

Donna Lewis

MMMBop

Hanson

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JUST LIKE HOME

The Four Seasons Prague, the best hotel in Prague

Still don’t know how they do it either, but I checked in at about 11 AM a few days ago, and from that moment onwards, I swear everyone from the bellman to the concierge and the lovely ladies and gentlemen in the lobby lounges and restaurant knew who I was.

We dropped our bags and then I put on my winter wear and then we went to walk to the famous bridge of Prague a few minutes away. The doorman greeted me by name as we walked out.

The Four Seasons Prague sure feels like home — no kidding, everyone makes you feel so at home and comfortable. And what a lovely home this is.

A PROPER CZECH AFTERNOON TEA

The Four Seasons Prague, the best hotel in Prague

Anyway, for a proper Czech afternoon tea after our walk, we had a steaming cups of chocolate in the Four Seasons Prague lobby and all kinds of goodies from a trolley by the piano.

As usual, my eyes traveled faster than my senses so we ended up ordering a little bit of everything as I wanted to try every single cake. There was a delicious and dangerous one that looked like an ordinary chocolate cake, except it was full of liquor.

I ate two slices of these.

The Four Seasons Prague, the best hotel in Prague

The most unusual one — and my favorite — was a traditional Christmas cake with liquor and melty syrup, covered with colourful gum icing.

It was lovely and, again, I ate way more than I should have done, on a beautiful winter afternoon in Prague, living a never-ending, and never-endingly eventful #Travelife. 

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