Anantara Chiang Mai, the luxury resort on the banks of the Mae Ping River in northern Thailand, has relaunched the city’s iconic high tea experience. Served on the terrace of the century-old British Consulate building that now houses Service 1921 Restaurant & Bar, the afternoon tea blends heritage atmosphere with refined culinary craftsmanship.
Created by Belgian pâtissier and Michelin-starred Chef Roger Van Damme, the renewed high tea is presented on a classic tea tower and features an array of delicate pastries. Highlights include vanilla cream choux, moist carrot cake, passion fruit and lemon tarts, alongside a selection of savory bites that balance the sweeter offerings.
© Anantara Chiang Mai Resort
Alongside Chef Roger’s pastries, the menu includes elevated finger sandwiches such as smoked salmon mousse topped with caviar, ham and cheese truffle croquettes, and classic cucumber butter sandwiches. To complete the experience, crumbly scones are served warm with clotted cream, house-made jams and a scoop of artisan ice cream.
Guests relax under the shade of the wraparound verandah while sipping herbal teas and signature refreshments, enjoying vistas of the manicured front lawn of the former consulate—a space historically used for receptions, birthday celebrations and croquet. Riverside Afternoon Tea at Anantara Chiang Mai is available daily from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m.
The high tea is priced at 990 Thai Baht per couple (approximately US $27) and includes a premium selection of TWG loose-leaf teas, freshly brewed coffee and the resort’s signature mocktails.
© Anantara Chiang Mai Resort
Located in Chiang Mai province and about an hour’s flight from Bangkok, Anantara Chiang Mai Resort offers a range of accommodations: 52 rooms, 32 suites and 24 serviced suites. September rates at the property typically start around $187 per night for a Deluxe Garden View room and go up to about $353 per night for the Kasara River View Suite.
The resort’s spa facilities are comprehensive and thoughtfully designed. Treatment rooms include private steam showers and terrazzo bathtubs; couples’ suites offer herbal steam rooms, aromatic saunas and terrazzo tubs. There is a dedicated Thai massage room for solo and couple treatments, a manicure and pedicure lounge, and a rooftop relaxation deck with sun loungers, daybeds and umbrellas overlooking the river. An indoor relaxation lounge also adjoins the riverside pool for a calm post-treatment retreat.