The Lana Archives - Dubai Delights

A Festive Afternoon Tea at The Lana Dubai

Every year I’ve lived in Dubai, I’ve kept one little tradition close to my heart: a festive afternoon tea. And yes, I know… Dubai isn’t exactly the land of snowflakes and mulled wine on cobblestone streets, but this city loves a bit of magic. Despite being an Islamic country, Dubai celebrates Diwali and Christmas like they’re old friends dropping by for dinner. It’s one of the many things that makes living here so special.

We might not get snowfall, but we absolutely get Christmas sparkle, cooler weather, and enough decorations to make Santa feel underdressed.

So this year, I booked my festive afternoon tea at The Lana, part of the iconic Dorchester Collection. I knew it was going to be beautiful., of course it was, this place doesn’t do average.

The Lana Dubai Festive Afternoon Tea Table — Table with a view

First Impressions of The Lana Dubai Afternoon Tea

Before we’d even stepped inside, a doorman in a top hat welcomed us. A top hat! Instantly giving London and boujee vibes.

The afternoon tea is served just off the lobby, overlooking Marassi Bay Marina. Sunlight floods through the windows, bouncing off the water, and if you’re lucky like we were, you’ll see Burj Khalifa sparkling in the sun as you nibble your sandwiches. The lobby is smaller than I imagined, but elegant, bright, and beautifully chic. It’s dainty luxury, quiet confidence, not loud bling.

The Lana Dubai Marina View — View From Our Table

The Price (Brace Yourself)

This afternoon tea is definitely a splurge. And I’ve done many afternoon teas in London… this one is up there price-wise.

AED 480 for the classic tea
AED 570 for the champagne version (comes with one glass of Pol Roger Reserve)

So yes, she’s expensive, but just wait.

The Lana Dubai Afternoon Tea Menu — The Menu

The Experience

This isn’t your typical “here’s a tower, enjoy” type of afternoon tea. It’s served in courses and paired with specific teas. It feels intentional, a little theatrical, and honestly, a bit fancy.

If you’re a tea lover, you’ll be in heaven. There were so many tea options I genuinely lost count. My friend was thrilled. I’m not a tea fan, but no issue at all, they let me swap every pairing for coffee. Bless them.

The Lana Dubai Tea — Butterfly Pea Flower Tea

The Lana Dubai Tea Menu — Pages of Teas!

The Sandwiches

Oh. My. Word.

These sandwiches deserve their own Netflix special. If a ruler wasn’t involved in making them this neat, I don’t want to hear the truth. Six fillings, each perfectly flavoured. My favourites? The festive foie gras and the truffle egg. Perfection!

Scones at The Lana Dubai Afternoon Tea

Two types: traditional and a festive spiced version. I braced myself for an overpowering spice situation, nope. It was delicate, and absolutely delicious. The Devon clotted cream and jam was of course delicious. I can’t believe I’m saying this, but it was genuinely… a memorable scone. Who ever says that?

Desserts

Tiny works of art. So pretty that eating them felt slightly wrong. By this point we were full to the brim, so we only tried a couple. But don’t worry, they didn’t go to waste, our husbands happily polished them off at home, carefully packed in adorable mini boxes.

The Vibe

We sat there for almost three hours, without feeling rushed. We chatted, ate, sipped coffee (or tea), and enjoyed a live pianist playing in the background. It was slow luxury, and exactly how an afternoon tea should feel, calm and indulgent.

Should You Book The Lana Dubai Afternoon Tea?

The Lana Afternoon Tea is beautiful, festive, extremely elegant and yes, pricey. But if you’re looking for something special to celebrate the season, this one hits the mark in every way.

I paid for it myself, and have no affiliation with the hotel.

If you’d like to book, you can find the details on their official website.