Eat & Stay
Afternoon tea in Dubai with a view: what it costs and which table to ask for
Afternoon tea in Dubai comes in three tiers: landmark teas at At.mosphere and the Burj Al Arab from about AED 430 a head, hotel classics like The Lana and Al Fayrooz from about AED 300, and a real value tier from around AED 180. Ask for a window table by name.
Afternoon tea in Dubai splits into three tiers, and the tier matters more than the venue. The landmark teas, At.mosphere on Level 122 of the Burj Khalifa and Sky Tea at the Burj Al Arab, run roughly AED 430 to 700 a head and you are paying for the building. The hotel classics, The Lana and Al Fayrooz Lounge among them, sit around AED 300 to 600 and you are paying for the pastry. Then there is a genuine value tier from about AED 180 a head where the view is still lovely. Whichever you choose, ask for a window table by name, because nobody hands you one by accident.
How much does afternoon tea in Dubai cost?
From roughly AED 180 to over AED 700 per person at the time of writing. Hotel pricing moves, so treat this as a guide and confirm when you book.
| Tier | Rough price per person | Where |
|---|---|---|
| Landmark | AED 430 to 700 | At.mosphere, Sky Tea at the Burj Al Arab |
| Hotel classic | AED 300 to 600 | The Lana, Al Fayrooz Lounge, The Royal Tearoom |
| Value with a view | AED 180 to 250 | Tocha, Raffles Salon, Godiva Cafe |
One trap in the small print: some venues quote per person and some quote for two, which is how an AED 380 tea turns out to be the cheaper one. The sparkling tier usually adds AED 100 to 200 a head.
Which landmark tea is worth it?
At.mosphere, if you want the view to stop the conversation. Level 122 of the Burj Khalifa, entered through the Armani Hotel lobby rather than the mall, tea through the middle of the day. At the time of writing a non-window table is around AED 430 and a window table with sparkling around AED 500 to 550, with a Champagne tier above that. Children aged six and over are welcome, smart casual is enforced, and window seats are not guaranteed online, so phone and ask.
Sky Tea at the Burj Al Arab is the other one, in the Skyview bar on the 27th floor with the Gulf and the Palm below. It is 21 and over. There are two sittings and the later one catches golden hour. Budget roughly AED 600 to 700 a head at the time of writing, plus a supplement for a window, and check the current rate. Book through the Jumeirah website, keep the confirmation, and do not turn up an hour early: security lets you across the bridge about half an hour before your slot and no sooner. There is a charge for late cancellation.
Which hotel teas do the food best?
- The Lana, Dorchester Collection, Business Bay. The pastry is by Angelo Musa, a world pastry champion, and it shows. Roughly AED 400 to 600 a head depending on the season, more with Champagne. For people who care about the cakes more than the altitude.
- Al Fayrooz Lounge, Jumeirah Al Qasr. The Burj Al Arab framed across the Madinat waterways, outdoor tables from about October to April, all ages welcome, relaxed dress code. Best view for the money here.
- The Royal Tearoom, Atlantis The Royal. Theatrical, seasonal, priced per couple. The Emirati version, with luqaimat and khanfaroosh, is what I would order with visitors.
- Mosaico, Palazzo Versace, Jaddaf. A Creek-facing terrace, gold Versace chairs, dhows drifting past. Around AED 380 for two, roughly AED 500 for two with Prosecco, at the time of writing, and only pleasant October to April.
Where do you go if you will not spend AED 500?
The value tier is real, and I would not apologise for booking it.
- Tocha, Banyan Tree Dubai, Bluewaters. A Japanese tea house doing yuzu, matcha and green tea, or a classic scones-and-sandwiches option, daily 2pm to 5pm, from about AED 180 with unlimited tea and coffee at the time of writing. Ain Dubai out of the window. My pick.
- Raffles Salon, Wafi. No skyline, but the room is the event, tea is around AED 200 a head, children pay a fraction of that, and there is a tea-plus-massage package. Parking is easy, which matters when you have dressed up.
- Godiva Cafe, Rixos Premium Dubai JBR. Chocolate-led, sea view, around AED 250 a head including unlimited drinks, running from mid-afternoon into the evening for people who cannot get away at 2pm.
The one I actually did: Hermes high tea at Zenon
In July 2025 I did the high tea at Zenon in Kempinski Central Avenue, Downtown, when they ran it as an Hermes theme. It was AED 280 for two at the time, orange in every direction, and every corner of the room was a photo. The food was pretty rather than serious, which for that price is exactly the right trade. It is the afternoon I still recommend to friends who want the ritual without the landmark bill.
One honest caveat. That was a themed run, not a permanent menu. The hotel's standing high tea now sits in the Amber Lounge at around AED 300 for two including four non-alcoholic drinks at the time of writing, so ask which room you are being booked into and what the current theme is. And go at the start of the sitting, when the stands come out fresh.
Disclosure: Zenon and Kempinski Central Avenue invited me to that high tea. My opinion is my own.
How do you actually get the window table?
- Say the word "window" when you book. A general reservation gets you a general table.
- Phone rather than book online at the landmark venues. The good seats are not in the online inventory.
- Repeat the request at the host desk before you are walked over. It is much harder to move afterwards.
- Say if it is a birthday. It is the cheapest upgrade there is.
What changes in Ramadan and in summer?
In Ramadan, timings move and many lounges pause tea and reopen as iftar, so check directly rather than trusting a listing. From about May to September every terrace is out, so Al Fayrooz, Mosaico and the Rixos sea view are winter bookings, and the high indoor rooms are the summer ones.
What I would skip
Paying a window supplement where the room is the attraction and the glass is not. The "seven star" line about the Burj Al Arab, which is marketing, not a rating. Booking a landmark tea for children without checking the age rules, since Sky Tea is over 21 and At.mosphere starts at six.
If you want the longer, louder version of a weekend table, that is brunch, and I have sorted those by the kind of day you want in my Dubai brunch guide. Several of these hotels do resident rates worth knowing about, which I cover in staycations in Dubai. And for what passes as smart casual in this city, venue by venue, see what to wear for a night out in Dubai.
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