Booking Burj Al Arab Afternoon Tea

There are a lot of places in the world that offer a luxurious afternoon tea experience. But I didn’t know that one of the most opulent and luxurious afternoon teas in the world is offered by the Burj Al Arab in Dubai. It seems like it would be a once in a lifetime indulgence and it’s something I’m definitely going to add to my bucket list!

How much does afternoon tea cost at the Burj Al Arab? Afternoon tea at the Burj Al Arab will cost between 550 and 1030 AED (~$150 – $280 USD) for adults and between 275 and 315 AED (~$75 – $86 USD) for children.

There are actually two different places to have afternoon tea at the Burj Al Arab: the Skyview Bar or the Sahn Eddar restaurant. The prices are dependent on the venue of your tea, as well as on where you sit in the restaurant, and on what kind of champagne you get with your tea. It’s worth doing some research to make sure that you can get the exact experience that you want. I spent some time looking around online and I found out about all sorts of interesting things…like what exactly you’ll get to eat during this fancy tea!

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An Afternoon Tea Experience at the Burj Al Arab

The experience will vary slightly between the two restaurants, but you can rest assured that an afternoon tea in either location will be a perfect representation of the extravagance and opulence that has become synonymous with Dubai itself. You will feel like a movie star, a celebrity, and royalty all at once!

First things first you need to make a reservation and secure yourself a spot. Afternoon tea at the Burj Al Arab is a popular tourist activity and certain timeslots quickly become unavailable. More about this coming up in the next section of the article.

When you arrive at the Burj Al Arab (if you’re not planning to stay at the hotel) you might want to give yourself some extra time so that you can fully take in the grandeur of the hotel lobby. However, you’ll likely find yourself surrounded by dozens of tourists as anyone is allowed to enter the lobby to take a look around.

But once you head to the restaurant, the crowds will dissipate, and you’ll find yourself among a select few guests who are there to share the same exclusive experience as you are.

At the Skyview Bar you will have about 2 hours time to sit and enjoy the atmosphere, your delicious food and drinks, and the unbeatable view. After your time is up, you will be (politely) asked to give up your table for the next occupants. At Sahn Eddar restaurant your time frame is slightly more relaxed.

At both restaurants the program is essentially the same. You’ll start with a glass of Champagne, or the non-alcoholic beverage option, which will be followed by multiple courses of food and drink. It’s not out of the ordinary to have two or three coffee/tea beverages over the duration of the tea.

You’ll have your choice of coffees – café lattes, espressos, iced coffees and more are available. The tea list is also extensive and features options such as green tea, oolong tea, decaf tea, and tens of other specialty options.

As far as food goes, you’ll get to enjoy several courses of sweet and savoury snacks. And you’ll have the option to purchase additional courses if you are still hungry, but I don’t think many people choose to do so as the food you eat will be beyond decadent!

Tea Reservations at the Burj Al Arab

In order to go for tea at the Burj Al Arab you’re going to have to make a reservation. You can’t just walk in off the street and expect to get a table. You can make reservations a few different ways:

• Via email: BAArestaurants@jumeirah.com
• By phone: +97143017600
• The online booking platform on the restaurant website

Skyview Bar: https://www.jumeirah.com/en/hotels-resorts/dubai/burj-al-arab/restaurant-at-burj-al-arab/skyview-bar/
Sahn Eddar Restaurant: https://www.jumeirah.com/en/hotels-resorts/dubai/burj-al-arab/restaurant-at-burj-al-arab/sahn-eddar/

You’re also definitely going to want to make sure that you book your tea quite a while in advance. Some people will book 6 months or more in advance in order to snag that special date! Generally, a couple weeks or days in advance should be enough to guarantee yourself a spot if you’re not picky about where exactly you sit.

You also have certain timeslots during which you can book your tea and they are different for the Skyview Bar and the Sahn Eddar restaurant.
The options for timeslots at the Skyview Bar are:

• First Seating: from 13:00 (1:00 PM) to 15:00 (3:00 PM) – Window seating
• First Seating: from 13:15 (1:15 PM) to 15:15 (3:15 PM) – Non-window seating
• Second Seating: from 16:00 (4:00 PM) to 18:00 (6:00 PM) – Window seating
• Second Seating: from 16:15 (4:15 PM) to 18:15 (6:15 PM) – Non-window seating
• Reserve a specific table: 15:00 – Window seating
• Reserve a specific table: 15:15 – Non-window seating

Pre-payment is actually required for afternoon tea at the Skyview Bar. This ensures that your booking will be confirmed. Your reservation guarantees your entrance to the Skyview Bar and ensures that you will have a table on your desired date.

However, if you want to reserve a SPECIFC table then your time slots will be as shown above. Either way, you’ll have to plan ahead and make your booking/payment in advance.

The price options for the Skyview Bar are as follows:

• AED 635 (approx. 170 USD) per person
• Add AED 100 (approx. 25 USD) per table for window seating
• Add AED 295 (approx. 80 USD) for upgrade to Dom Perignon champagne

The time slots for Sahn Eddar restaurant are:

• 13:00 (1:00 PM) to 17:00 (5:00 PM)

The reservation process at Sahn Eddar is a little bit less rigid but you will still need to pay and make a booking in advance! When you book at Sahn Eddar you will be given the following options:

• Burj Al Arab afternoon tea – Children (AED 275/75 USD)
• Burj Al Arab afternoon tea – Non-alchoholic (AED 550/150 USD)
• Burj Al Arab afternoon tea – Alcoholic (AED 635/170 USD)

At both restaurants you are asked to designate whether you have any dietary requirements or whether you are celebrating some sort of special occasion. The restaurants are very accommodating to nearly any type of dietary requirement you can think of such as dairy-free, kosher, gluten-free, various food allergies, and the list goes on.

They are equally accommodating when it comes to special occasions such as birthdays, anniversaries, engagements, and more! How great is it that they will go through the effort to make this beautiful afternoon even a little bit extra special?

What’s the difference between the Skyview Bar and Sahn Eddar restaurant?

Your tea experience will be different depending on your location. You’re going to get the feeling of opulence and luxury no matter which location you choose, but here’s a break down of what you can expect from both places.

The Skyview Bar is going to give you the views – which might have been obvious to you given the name. But seriously, the awesomeness of these views cannot be over-emphasized. In order to get full advantage of those views you’re probably going to want to guarantee yourself a window seat, which, unfortunately, will end up costing you an extra 100 AED (about 25 USD) per table.

It’s up to you whether you think the window seat is worth the dough. I mean, you’re likely only going to be there once, so why not splurge? Your table with a view will overlook the Perisan gulf and depending on where you sit you might also have a view of the coastline, the Palm Jumeirah island, the Dubai marina, the World Islands, and the Dubai skyline.

Not to worry if you don’t feel like spending the money though. The views you’ll get in the elevator on your way up to the Skyview Bar are fantastic as well! Once you get to the restaurant you might be too busy admiring the interior décor and enjoying delicious foods to look out the window anyways.

Sahn Eddar is perhaps the slightly more laid-back option. It’s on the 1st floor of the hotel, whereas the Skyview Bar is on the 27th floor over 200m up in the sky. But, at Sahn Eddar you will have a different type of view. The restaurant actually overlooks the hotel’s atrium, which also just happens to be the world’s tallest atrium. You’ll get a feel for the unique architecture of the building and the mosaics and fountains that surround you will be sure to blow you away!

What if I want to bring my children to afternoon tea?

Any child would love the experience of being treated just like a princess/prince. It’s sure to be a memory they’ll carry with them and cherish for a lifetime! But, sometimes it’s difficult for kids to behave as they should in a fancy setting such as this one – which is why there are a few guidelines concerning children and afternoon tea at the Burj Al Arab.

Afternoon tea at the Skyview Bar is only for children who are 8 years old and above.

On the other hand, children of all ages are more than welcome at the Sahn Eddar restaurant. Children 3 and under will eat free of charge, children 4-11 will receive a discounted rate, and children 12 and up will pay the adult rate.

What am I going to eat and drink?

Whether you choose to have your tea at the Skyview Bar or Sahn Eddar you will get an amazing array of delicious treats, coffee brewed to perfection, and glasses of bubbly that will make your eyes sparkle. The menu is essentially the same at both locations with just a few location-specific options. I don’t want to ruin the surprise for you, but here is a glimpse of what you can expect!

Skyview Bar and Sahn Eddar restaurant menu sneak peek:

• Selection of specialty teas and coffees
• Delicate sandwiches
• Fresh pastries, cakes, and scones with home-made jam and clotted cream
• Caviar
• Selection of finger sandwiches
• Mignardises
• Choice between a glass of Champagne or a glass of Gold Emotion and soft beverages (see following section)
• And More!

If you absolutely MUST know what exactly you’ll be eating, the afternoon tea menus for both restaurants are available online on the respective restaurant web pages.

The Champagne

At the Skyview Bar:
One reason that there is such a big range in price for tea at the Burj Al Arab is that the afternoon tea comes with champagne – but the price of the tea as a whole depends on which champagne you order. The standard choice is a glass of Louis Roederer Brut Non-Vintage. But if you are celebrating an extra-special occasion or just feel like upgrading, you can pay more to get a glass of Dom Perignon instead.

• Price per person with Louis Roederer Brut Non-Vintage champagne: AED 635 (approx. 170 USD)
• Price per person with Dom Perignon champagne: AED 930 (approx. 250 USD)

A side note on why Dom Perignon is so much more expensive:

Dom Perignon is a vintage champagne. A vintage wine (or champagne) is made from grapes that are harvested all in the same year and they are not produced in weak years. This means that Dom Perignon is not produced every year. This – along with it’s prestigious reputation – significantly drives up the price of the champagne.

At Sahn Eddar:

• Price per person with Louis Roederer Brut Non-Vintage Champagne: AED 635 (approx. 170 USD)
• Price per person with Gold Emotion/soft drink option: AED 550 (approx. 150 USD)

What is Gold Emotion?

When I read about Gold Emotion my first thought was “what in the world is that?” It sounds swanky, but I want to know what I’ll be getting before I give up my glass of champagne for it. Turns out it is exactly as swanky as it sounds. Gold Emotion is a non-alcoholic drink that consists of sparkling apple juice and 24K food-grade gold flakes. No big deal! A bottle of Gold Emotion costs about 50 USD and is the non-alcoholic drink option at Sahn Eddar.

What should I wear for afternoon tea at the Burj Al Arab?

This is definitely a question worth asking as you don’t want to feel out of place or underdressed during your afternoon tea! There is a dress code for restaurant guests which is described on the hotel website as “smart elegant” for the Skyview Bar and “smart casual” for Sahn Eddar.

Smart elegant means that men should wear collared dress shirts, long trousers, and closed toe shoes. Smart casual means that men can wear a nice short sleeved shirt such as a polo shirt, jeans, tailored shorts, and closed toed shoes.

Women may wear open toed shoes, but their clothing should not be overly revealing, such as a super short skirt or low-cut top. As long as you keep it classy, you should be fine! And who doesn’t love a good excuse to dress up once in a while?

What makes the Burj Al Arab so special?

The Burj Al Arab is a world renowned 5-star hotel in Dubai. There are various reasons why this hotel is special. The architecture is exceptional, and you’ll be amazed by both the interior and exterior of the building. The Burj Al Arab is sometimes referred to as the world’s only 7-star hotel (even though this isn’t actually a real designation).

As soon as you walk into the hotel the over-the-top opulence smacks you right in the face. For example, one of the first things you’ll see is a huge, multi-level fountain. It’s also built on the Palm Jumeirah, which is a feat of engineering and construction in and of itself. The Palms are enormous man-made islands that are roughly the shape of palm fronds and have been subject of international attention for years.

Dos and don’ts for afternoon tea at the Burj Al Arab

• Do arrive early! You don’t want to slide in at the last minute feeling stressed
• Don’t be late! You are only guaranteed a certain amount of time and if you are late you probably won’t be granted any extra time at the end as your table is likely going to filled by another reservation as soon as you leave
• Do confirm that you can bring your children. You can definitely bring your child(ren) to the high tea at Sahn Eddar, but the Skyview Bar only accepts children who are 8 years old and above
• Do follow the restaurant dress code
• Don’t wear revealing, sheer or otherwise inappropriate clothing. And definitely no exercise or work-out wear!
• Do your research and make sure to book your afternoon tea time far in advance
• Don’t show up unannounced expecting to get a table

Am I paying way too much money for this?

If you’re struggling to find a way to justify spending this amount of money on afternoon tea, here are a few points of comparison. Afternoon tea is by definition decadent, over the top, and bourgeois, it’s going to cost a pretty penny no matter where you go, but it will surely be an experience of a lifetime!

• Afternoon Tea at the Baccarat Hotel, New York, USA: up to 700 USD (tea for two)
• Afternoon Tea at the Dorchester Hotel, London, England: £65-£75 (approx. 80-100 USD) per person
• High Tea at the Empress Hotel, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada: up to 122 CAD (approx. 93 USD) per person

References:

Afternoon Tea in Dubai – Sahn Eddar Restaurant: Burj Al Arab. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.jumeirah.com/en/hotels-resorts/dubai/burj-al-arab/restaurant-at-burj-al-arab/sahn-eddar/.

(2019, March 16). Review: Afternoon Tea At Skyview Bar Burj Al Arab. Retrieved from https://onemileatatime.com/review-afternoon-tea-at-skyview-bar-burj-al-arab/.

Dom Pérignon. (2019, October 18). Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dom_Pérignon.

Skyview Bar & Restaurant – Cocktail Bar in Dubai: Burj Al Arab, Jumeirah. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.jumeirah.com/en/hotels-resorts/dubai/burj-al-arab/restaurant-at-burj-al-arab/skyview-bar/.