Ever since officially opening, the all-suite Londoner Court has become known as something of a private sanctuary on the Cotai Strip – a place to stay for understated British luxury, world-class butler service, and a treasure trove of contemporary art.
This holiday season, that sense of elegance and exclusivity feels even more evident, thanks to a new festive collaboration with Penhaligon’s. Running till 31 December, Londoner Court is offering a Christmas afternoon tea inspired by the revered British perfumer’s refined fragrances.
Served exclusively at The Kensington – the private restaurant for Londoner Court guests – the tea service aspires to capture the spirit of each scent, transforming them into edible works of art. What’s more, the hotel has also teamed up with Penhaligon’s to create a majestic festive display in the private lobby and offer exclusive gifts to guests, making every stay all the more enchanting.
A delicious multisensory experiment
Inspired by a few of Penhaligon’s top fragrances – such as Luna, Halfeti and The Coveted Duchess Rose – Londoner Court’s imaginative Christmas afternoon tea puts the senses at the centre of the experience.
“I hope this Christmas tea creates a lasting, multi-layered memory,” says Executive Chef Matteo Moretti, who leads the Londoner Court culinary team. “We are not just feeding the palate – we are engaging the senses of smell, sight, taste, and my ultimate hope is that guests feel a sense of wonder and sophistication.”
To translate fragrance into flavour, Moretti and Pastry Chef Guillaume Coulbrant approached each perfume like a recipe. They studied each aroma’s top, heart, and base notes, asking how those notes might translate into fruit, cream, caramel, chocolate or spices.
“We spent time with each scent, letting it unfold,” says Moretti. “It was a process of abstraction and then precise execution to ensure the final creation was both delicious and evocative.”
Texture, too, became a guiding principle – and helpful tool – for emulating the fragrance’s characteristics in an edible format. “Texture was crucial in creating a multi-sensory experience, much like a perfume evolves on the skin,” adds Moretti.
Crafting fragrance-inspired pastries
The resulting interpretations are intended to be subtle rather than literal, providing a whimsical experience for Londoner Court guests.
For example, Luna, one of Penhaligon’s iconic fragrances, takes the form of a delicate dome of orange compote and jasmine tea Chantilly beneath a rose glaze. It’s light and airy, channelling the fragrance’s ethereal jasmine, fir and bergamot notes.
Meanwhile, the chef’s interpretation of The Coveted Duchess Rose eau de parfum, which has a mandarin, rose and vanilla profile, arrives like a dainty little treasure. It’s an almond-vanilla tartlet, topped with rose and mandarin jelly. “The crisp, nutty texture of the almond tartlet provides a grounded, decadent base – like the structure behind the beauty,” explains Moretti.
And Halfeti, known for its dark spices and complexity, has been reimagined as a decadent morsel featuring milk-chocolate Chantilly with bergamot and pecan crunch. “Halfeti was our greatest challenge and our most rewarding achievement,” Moretti shares. “We went through many iterations before landing on this combination of milk chocolate for richness, pecan for an earthy crunch, and a very precise amount of bergamot to provide that essential, fragrant lift.”
Alongside the fragrance-inspired bites are holiday creations unique to Londoner Court: a speculoos (or Belgian spiced biscuit) choux pastry filled with spiced strawberry gel; a hazelnut sablé layered with gianduja; and a dark-chocolate Christmas tree filled with lemon-bergamot gel. You can also count on traditional bites like warm scones – pistachio, chocolate, orange and raisin – and clotted cream to round out the sweet selection.
Savoury bites and exclusive surprises
The Christmas tea caters to more than just your sweet tooth, with an array of savoury bites that seem perfectly geared for the occasion.
“We incorporated ingredients that signify celebration,” says Moretti, pointing out the foie-gras mousse with pomegranate jelly and pistachio crumble and the Alaskan king crab tucked into a brioche bun with lemon béchamel and Amur sturgeon caviar.
Other standouts savouries include hamachi toro perched atop rice with tuna bottarga and horseradish cream, and two tarts – sweet pea with mint pistou, and roasted corn topped with Parmesan foam and crispy prosciutto – that add even more colour and contrast.
As a thoughtful perk for guests, each tea set also includes a Penhaligon’s gift, complete with Luna body and hand wash, a travel-size Favourite eau de parfum, and a voucher that you can redeem for a fragrance experience at Penhaligon’s boutique in the Shoppes at Four Seasons.
The perfect holiday getaway
Beyond the tea experience, Penhaligon’s has brought its signature charm to the Level 8 lobby with a 1.8-metre festive installation, complete with a radiant Christmas tree and subtly scented touches that set an atmospheric tone from the moment guests arrive.
The partnership continues upstairs in the suites. Earlier this year, Londoner Court became the first hotel in the world to feature Penhaligon’s complete Hotel Collection of soaps and lotions in every suite. Thanks to the collaboration, guests can unwind with the crisp, aristocratic scent of Blenheim Bouquet – crafted initially for the Duke of Marlborough, with bright notes of lemon, black pepper, lavender and pine – throughout their stay.
And what a stay it is. Both the Mayfair and Knightsbridge Suites – spanning 121 to 260 square metres – make you feel right at home, thanks to their residential layouts with separate living rooms, full-sized dining areas and Jacuzzi tubs beside floor-to-ceiling windows.
Londoner Court’s renowned butler service further enhances the experience, as does daily access to The Kensington, where breakfast, afternoon tea, and evening cocktails are served in a serene setting with colourful salons and views to match.
And December brings one more surprise for guests: a chance to draw coveted Penhaligon’s Advent Calendar on Level 8, which is filled with fragrance samples, petite holiday gifts and discount cards to use at the Shoppes at Four Seasons boutique.
Between its fragrance-inspired tea experience, dazzling Penhaligon’s decor and exclusive gifts for guests, Londoner Court is shaping up to be the perfect choice for a holiday getaway this season.
