18 Hotels Worth Visiting for Their Gorgeous China Patterns

No one does afternoon tea like a Fairmont. But of them all, the Empress is the crown jewel. The historic property in charming Victoria, B.C., features tea service in the turn-of-the-century Lobby Lounge with a china pattern that’s as close to the royals as we commoners will ever get. It’s called the Royal China Collection and includes 14 layered lithographic transparencies with hand-painted 22-karat gold trim. In 1939, King George VI and Queen Elizabeth stayed at the Empress and as part of the Royal Visit had a 250-person setting of the china shipped to the hotel from England. Instead of shipping it back at the end of their stay, they gifted the set to the hotel. The Royal China Collection was also used in 1951 when Queen Elizabeth II visited the Empress as a then princess. The china was forgotten about for half a century until it was rediscovered and reproduced in 2001. Now, the pattern is used every day for afternoon tea and you’ll find a crown inside each teacup. Even better: You can buy your own set from the Fairmont online shop.

But that’s not the only famed china pattern at the Empress. While it doesn’t have the razzle-dazzle of royals, the Library China Collection is just as stunning. Inspired by the ornate ceiling in the hotel’s library, which used to be a Ladies’ Parlour for tea, the bone china pattern features 22-karat gold that mimics the hand-painted gold floral motif in the room. Today, the library is reserved for weddings and private events, but you can also buy a reproduction of this pattern from the Fairmont online shop. The bon bon dish alone would make the most chic ring dish for a bedroom nightstand.

Don’t let the name fool you. Camp Lucy is luxe. The resort in Dripping Springs, Texas, is owned by Kim and Whit Hanks who also own Old Bell Hotel in Malmesbury, UK, one of the oldest hotels in England. As a former antiques dealer, Whit Hanks brought some quintessential British roots to Texas Hill Country and curated the 282-acre resort with many historical gems and family heirlooms such as the Blue Willow teapots from iconic brand Churchill China. This china pattern has been around for hundreds of years and is featured at Tillie’s restaurant during afternoon tea.

It doesn’t get more Upper East Side than The Carlyle. The luxury NYC property has some of the best views of Central Park and the most storied guests. And while Tiffany has blue, The Carlyle has its signature yellow. But what’s most impressive is The Gallery, a tiered space created by Italian designer Renzo Mongiardino. Inspired by the sultan's dining room at Topkapi Palace in Turkey, The Gallery is used for afternoon tea service and features beautiful banquette vignettes with antique kilims and Mongiardino’s hand-painted wallpaper. The wallpaper even inspired The Carlyle’s exclusive china used for tea. And you can buy the same patterned tea set from the hotel’s online boutique.

Gourmet pork rinds on a fine china tea tier? This is not your grandmother’s afternoon tea. Because it’s not tea. It’s brunch. The Peacock Room at Hotel Fontenot in New Orleans is a little bit fancy and a lotta bit funky. Several china patterns are used throughout dinner for a whimsical, mismatched effect. And weekend brunch features the restaurant’s signature Peacock Brunch Towers served on handmade tea tiers using various antique plates.

Naramata Inn describes itself as a “really great restaurant with rooms” and, as it is nestled within British Columbia’s wine country and stone fruit region, that tracks. The 116-year-old inn was founded by John Moore Robinson in the hopes of putting the Okanagan Valley on the map for international travelers. At the time, the railroad hadn’t come to town and the only way to visit the inn from neighboring villages along the Okanagan Lake was by boat. The building is full of stories from parties past, from regattas to seances. The Restaurant’s private dining room is said to be the same space used for conjuring up spirits. These days, it’s a lovely private table with midcentury modern Royal Daulton Melrose china. Renee Matheson, Robinson’s great-granddaughter, donated the vintage blue set to the inn when new owners took over.

Right down the road from the house from Father of the Bride, The Langham Huntington, Pasadena is Nancy Meyers aesthetic heaven. And afternoon tea service is no exception. Langham properties feature an exclusive, custom-made Wedgwood pattern with vibrant red roses. (The brand has been using Wedgwood since 1865!) It’s especially fitting at The Langham Huntington, Pasadena, as the lobby lounge where tea is served overlooks the hotel’s Horseshoe Garden.

Everything at The Vinoy is just so. Even the Mediterranean Revival-style resort’s signature pink is bespoke. The Gutta Percha Paint Company created an exclusive "Vinoy" shade nearly 100 years ago. A hallmark of the Roaring '20s, the St. Petersburg, Florida, gem was almost forgotten and in the 1980s was completely abandoned. However, after major renovations and last year’s glow-up to a Marriott Autograph Collection property, The Vinoy is finally being celebrated. And there’s a lot of history to celebrate. Now, the lobby mezzanine features a History Gallery with items found while restoring the hotel. And it’s an incredible window into the razzle-dazzle era of The Vinoy’s past. There are original skeleton keys for rooms, the fanciest coat hangers you’ll ever see, beautifully designed dinner menus that rival any wedding invitation and even rare dinnerware hidden in the walls when the hotel shuttered. There’s a history and tea experience offered from 2-4 p.m. Thursday through Sunday with a docent-led walking tour of the resort followed by an afternoon tea service in the History Gallery with The Vinoy’s gorgeous art deco tea sets.

Hearst Castle is Julia Morgan’s most famous work. But of the 700-plus buildings the architect and engineer dreamed up in her lifetime, the “Little Castle” is far more interesting. Originally built as a women’s activity center in 1930, Berkeley City Club is so much more now. It’s still a club, but it’s also a hotel, meeting and event center and wedding venue. And the historic indoor pool looks like an ancient throne room. Like other architects of the era, Morgan oversaw the concept, design and even furnishings of the building — right down to the club’s china. Morgan’s pattern, a deep, moody green band with birds and florals, is a stunning example of the Arts and Crafts movement, which shaped much of her career. Today, the hotel is open for all, and while teatime or dinner doesn’t feature the china, you’ll find it on display as decor all around the property in glass-front cupboards.

It used to be common for hotels to commission their china, often with the hotel’s logo in the center of plates or incorporated into the band design. And souvenir plates were a common collectible. You’ve probably seen a random dinner plate or teacup and saucer at your local thrift store from someone’s vacation long ago. But modern hospitality — maybe due to the sheer scale of resorts these days — doesn’t feature enough bespoke china. The china may be fine and it may be bone, but you don’t see as many hotel logos and monograms. However, some historic hotels in the US are bringing it back. Hotel Du Pont, a Preferred Hotels & Resorts member, commissioned a custom set from Bauscher Germany within the last 15 years. The ornate gold and teal band is inspired by the hotel’s Gold Ballroom, a French neoclassical design circa 1918 with hand-carved medallions and a gilded ceiling. The china is primarily used for banquet events and weddings, so, if you’re planning a reception, consider Wilmington, Delaware, if only for this china!

If you’re forever in your Red era or just love the Gryffindor common room aesthetic, dine at The Milestone Hotel & Residences. Located just across the street from Kensington Palace and Hyde Park, The Milestone Hotel is the epitome of London luxury and style. The hotel’s Park Lounge serves afternoon tea daily with cranberry scones that complement the room’s deep red decor. You can also book a private afternoon tea or meal in The Oratory (the mansion’s original chapel), which features bespoke crimson and ruby tableware from luxury British brand Maison Margaux.

There’s patisserie and then there’s afternoon tea at The Peninsula Beverly Hills. Served in the hotel’s Living Room, the experience is more over-the-top than most with an option to upgrade to endless bubbles during the tea. From sweet to savory, it’s all served on custom, hand-painted porcelain china by Lissi Kaplan, who has designed porcelain patterns for diplomats and celebrities as well as other luxury hotels. The pattern for The Peninsula Beverly Hills features whimsical florals and vines. It’s the perfect backdrop for wow-factor pastries such as the signature Peninsula Page Boy Cap Cake which is wrapped to take home at the end of the Royal Tea experience. The passionfruit treat looks just like vintage pillbox hats worn by hotel pageboys in the past.

If there was a Venn diagram for tea aficionados and book lovers, The Otesaga Resort Hotel in Cooperstown, New York, would be the sweet spot in the overlap. The historic Federalist-style mansion is located along the Otsego Lake, nicknamed “Glimmerglass” in The Leatherstocking Tales by James Fenimore Cooper — the author widely considered America’s first novelist. Afternoon tea is offered in the hotel’s Glimmerglass dining room (which overlooks the real Glimmerglass) and is served on German Villeroy & Boch china. The discontinued Perugia pattern features the daintiest thin gold band and teeny, tiny vines with pink flowers. If you want to build your own set at home, you can find a couple of pieces on Replacements. And if you find the world of crockery overwhelming, The Otesaga offers an Afternoon Tea & Table Setting class so guests can learn or brush up on dining etiquette.

Scotland’s iconic Gleneagles hotel is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year with a tea concept designed by creative collective Ennismore featuring a “delightful journey through 100 years of culinary history and tales from Gleneagles.” Centenary Afternoon Tea is served in the hotel’s Glendevon, an incredibly elegant space with giant curved windows looking out over the estate’s manicured lawn. The menu includes bites from the Roaring '20s as well as Scottish dishes the late Queen Elizabeth II enjoyed during her visits to the estate. But another reason the service seems more sophisticated than other teas in the UK (and there are so, so many) is the absence of florals. We love a good bone china rose pattern. And toile is always in our hearts. But the minimal design from crockery brand Narumi is high class without saying it. The thin, geometric gold band is the epitome of ‘20s art deco fashion. And when paired with a Gleneagles terrine with caviar, it's the height of quiet luxury.

Considered the first resort in America, Virginia’s Omni Hotel Homestead has been welcoming guests for more than 250 years. There’s a lot to do here, from skiing to soaking in the resort’s iconic natural hot springs. And if you love toile, you’ll love taking afternoon tea here. There’s a complimentary social hour every day in the Great Hall from 3-4 p.m. with a selection of teas and a surprise bite from the resort’s pastry chef. But Omni Homestead also offers a formal afternoon tea service on Friday and Saturday in the breathtaking American Audubon Dining Room with crystal chandeliers and soaring Roman columns. Even more gorgeous: the blue floral toile mugs, teacups and saucers used. It’s grandmillennial heaven. You’ll also find a floral china pattern used for dinner in the 1800s on display in the resort’s library. It features a Homestead monogram in a beautiful deep jade green.

Following a $200 million renovation, The Watergate Hotel is bustling again. Yes, that Watergate. There’s even a Scandal Suite with Nixon nods in the decor. In its modern luxury era, The Watergate Hotel holds on to its retro reputation (the staff uniforms were designed by Mad Men costume designer Janie Bryant) while folding in state-of-the-art amenities (the Argentta Spa is stunning). And the hotel’s signature afternoon tea service is the perfect mix of old and new, served at Kingbird, the hotel’s sleek space designed by industrial artist Ron Arad. It’s a dramatic juxtaposition to the traditional Wedgwood Royal Albert tea sets used, which include a mix of the New Country Roses pattern as well as tiers from Miranda Kerr’s peony adorned collab. Want to get the look at home? A full table setting of these pieces could easily set you back a couple hundred bucks, but one teacup and saucer set from the pattern is currently on sale at Amazon!

Indiana’s French Lick Resort features two hotels on the Historic Hotels of America list: French Lick Springs Hotel and West Baden Springs Hotel. And both properties give guests a window into the past of extravagant dining in the early 1900s. At French Lick Springs Hotel, display cases feature the hotel’s exclusive dinnerware produced by Lorenz Hutschenreuther in Selb, Germany, from 1928-1933. The gold-trimmed pattern features a Tree of Life design, but what’s most interesting about the set is the rare pieces for particular dishes and courses such as a custard cup or a bouillon cup. And for an even closer look at this vintage pattern, the hotel’s Pool Suite features a hutch with several pieces on display.