Holiday Tea at Fairmont Olympic Seattle

Afternoon tea at the Fairmont is a tradition in many cities along the coast. You can sit in a regal tea room at the Empress in Victoria, enjoy scones before your flight at the Fairmont Vancouver Airport, and I’ve recent experienced a special holiday treat at the Fairmont Olympic in Seattle.

Holiday Tea is hosted under the under sparkling chandeliers the Georgian dining room, just through the hotel’s festively decorated lobby. Tea selections include their signature Olympic Holiday Tea, 1907 Blend, English Breakfast, Empress Blend 1908, Darjeeling, Japan Sancha, Jasmine Green, Kae Lani Orange Pineapple, Cherry Rose, Chamomile, Peppermint, Ceylon, and a decaffeinated black tea option.

I picked up a box of the Empress Blend in Victoria and often substitute my morning cup of coffee for this rich brew. For this sitting however, I went with the peppermint, which is sourced locally from the Cascade Mountain region. Should you have any questions, Tea Sommalier Jessica Mullhollen is on-hand to provide insights.

Scones
Orange-cranberry with orange marmalade and Devonshire cream.

Sandwiches
Roasted tom turkey with cranberry spread, sticky rooftop honey bacon
Smoked wild king salmon crepe with young salmon pearls
Butternut squash tart with aged swiss, toasted pumpkin seeds
Lemon infused English cucumber with candied red onion

The sweet bacon (with honey from the bees on the roof of the hotel) added some texture that I think turkey sandwiches usually lack. The desserts that followed on the bottom tier of the tower were just as diverse as the sandwiches above. There was the freshness of the peppermint pavlova, the tender gingerbread, and the crunch of the stollen, which provided varying textures with these sweets.

Sweets
Raspberry almond cake, a chocolate gingerbread man, peppermint pavlova, stollen

Holiday Tea at the Olympic is served Monday through Saturday from 12:00pm until 2:30pm, and until 5:00pm on Sundays. While at $55 it may be outside an everyday budget for tea, the Fairmont’s afternoon tea experiences are special occasions. You can celebrate the holidays with friends and family in this dazzling setting and take a break from the hustle and bustle of the busy downtown shops. The Fairmont Olympic is just an 8 minute walk from the shops at Westlake, Nordstrom, and Macy’s [Google Map].

While you’re at the Fairmont Olympic during the holidays, check out the Teddy Bear Suite on the third floor. It’s open to the public for visits and story-telling daily from 10:00am until 7:00pm. Admission is by donation to the Seattle Children’s Hospital.