Emulate Chinese Royalty With Afternoon Tea at Prince Jun’s Mansion Hotel

Katie Coy | Jul 25, 2022 1:40 pm | Add a comment | 487 reads

Hidden away just off the southeast side of Chaoyang Park lies Prince Jun’s Mansion Hotel. Here you can be transported back to the days of the Qing dynasty and enjoy Chinese-style afternoon tea while listening to musicians playing the guzheng (古筝 gǔzhēng), a traditional Chinese instrument similar to a zipher.

Firstly, a little bit of background on the hotel. It stands in what's allegedly the former residence of Prince Jun, a royal title passed down from 1648 until 1917. The mansion was physically moved from its original location in Xicheng District to Chaoyang Park in 1994, when it was purchased by the Chinese government and has a history of over 400 years. However, the garden and afternoon tea area at the back of the hotel was newly built when it was relocated. (You can see more about the history of the hotel here.)

It has been operating as a hotel since 2004 and is the only royal mansion open to the public as a hotel/restaurant, with all others either being converted into gardens or still remaining in private hands.

Nowadays, its beautiful gardens and lake make it the perfect setting for afternoon tea. The teahouse area sits directly on the lake and you can choose between sitting inside the main room or outside on one of the two pagodas.

The afternoon tea has a distinctly Chinese twist, serving up many traditional Chinese desserts along with some English afternoon tea essentials, here is a full list of the current treats on offer for their summer menu:

Coconut mousse
Butterfly Pea Ice Jelly
Pandan Cake with a Koi Fish
Earl Grey Tea Scone (with Coconut Cream & Pandan Cream)
Marinated Litchi & Cherry Tomato
Coconut Pudding with Raspberry Topping
Passion Fruit Mousse
Crab Meat with Cucumber
Smoked Salmon Croissant
Curry Beef Cheese Puff
Seasonal Fruits Plate

Along with food they have a special summer drink available, a Butterfly Pea Fruit Wine, or you can choose either coffee, tea or sparkling wine to accompany your meal. As expected from an afternoon tea, they use beautiful tea sets with matching teacups, saucers, teapots, bowls and plates.

Not only do the menu items have a focus on Chinese, but so does the way it is served. Unlike your usual afternoon tea which is presented on a three tier cake stand, this one arrives packed in traditional tiered Chinese food carrier baskets (食盒 shíhé) which really completes the feeling of being back in Qing era China.

When it comes to the food, the star of the show has to be the Butterfly Pea Ice Jelly (冰粉 bīngfěn), a traditional southwestern Chinese dessert seen most commonly in provinces such as Sichuan, Guizhou and Yunnan where it is commonly sold as a summertime street food snack. Here, the iced transparent jelly is topped with an array of fruit, nuts and seeds and is presented in a gorgeous hotpot bowl, complete with dried ice underneath to create a smoky effect when served.

Another impressive element of the afternoon tea has to be the Pandan Cake with a Koi Fish, the detail of the koi fish jelly sitting atop the cake is just amazing. The coconut mousse is also a wonder to behold, served inside a chocolate coconut shell that looks just like the real thing.

As I have a more savory tooth than a sweet one I also thoroughly enjoyed the Smoked Salmon Croissant which had the perfect hint of wasabi and the Curry Beef Cheese Puff which with its minced meat and puff pastry was a little bit reminiscent of a British sausage roll.

This carefully curated Chinese style afternoon tea, coupled with the guzheng musicians and lakeside views creates a truly unique experience that you should not miss out on!

The afternoon tea is RMB 798 and serves two people, and is available from 11am-5pm you can purchase the afternoon tea by scanning the QR code below or by going on Dazhong Dianping and searching for 北京郡王府饭店.