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Afternoon Tea History

The storied tradition of afternoon tea began in 1840 in England when the seventh Duchess of Bedford found herself peckish around 4pm. Dinner was served fashionably late at 8pm, so she began to order tea with bread, butter and cake to her room. Soon enough, she began to invite her friends to enjoy it with her. By the 1880s, afternoon tea had become a high fashion event served in the drawing room with silver teapots, fine linens, elegant teacups, and world-renowned teas.

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Tea at The Empress

The iconic Empress opened its doors 110 years ago. Today, Fairmont Empress proudly serves freshly prepared scones and tea pastries to over 80,000 guests per year. During the summer months, Fairmont Empress in Victoria, British Columbia, serves Afternoon Tea to more guests than most hotels in London, England. More than 400 people per day come to enjoy a tradition that commenced when the hotel opened on January 20, 1908.

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The Beauty of Tea

People travel the world to enjoy the world famous Tea at the Empress. The tea served in our grand Lobby Lounge are some of the finest teas and herbal teas the world has to offer -  from the world’s top 10% tea producers - true luxury teas. These teas are exquisite, ethically produced and not available on supermarket shelves.

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