You’ll be charmed by The Phoenicia Malta before even setting foot inside – the heavy revolving doors, the Art Deco façade, the neatly-trimmed gardens. But it’s fair to say that you’ll be positively taken aback the moment you do step inside, and better still, settle down in the Palm Court Lounge for delectable afternoon tea.

The Palm Court Lounge is more than just a hotel lobby – it’s an experience in itself. The high and ornate ceilings, grand arches and soothing palette of blue, white and pink décor are but a few elements which will have you looking around time and again to take it all in. And then there’s the summer afternoon tea, launched this August, which will take your experience up a few notches, and probably make you forget about any other afternoon tea you’ve had before!

I won’t blame you for thinking that afternoon tea in August is something of a mismatch, but that’s the catch. To begin with, the tea served here is no ordinary tea – it’s Jing tea, produced in the UK, sourced from and inspired by Asia’s ancient tea culture. Every table at the Palm Court has the full selection of teas presented as loose leaves in miniature jars for patrons to experience prior to ordering – open any jar and enjoy the exotic aromas, ranging from blackcurrant and hibiscus tea to whole chamomile flowers.

The Phoenicia has given afternoon tea a summer twist with a selection of alcoholic and non-alcoholic chilled teas, which is how my experience here began, starting with the jasmine and ginger, lime juice, sugar syrup and black currant tea, followed by a peppermint, ginger and lime juice tea. The flavours in both were exceptionally refreshing and rich, almost restorative, as the first drinks after taking shelter inside the hotel from the scorching afternoon sun.

What followed were two alcoholic chilled teas, or rather perfect combinations of ingredients which were equally unexpected and delightful. The first, Irish Tea, which included Jameson whisky, a dash of Pernod, sugar syrup and green tea, was followed by Cherry Delight, which included cherry brandy, gin, lime juice and blackcurrant. They went down a treat, and were just what the doctor ordered before moving on to a hot pot.

The first brewed tea I tried was the Chai, a rich Ceylon black tea with fragrant spices, while my guest opted for whole peppermint leaf tea, both enjoyed without milk or sugar. Matthew Caruana Smith, the hotel’s Food & Beverage Manager, explained that every tea takes approximately three minutes to brew, each one at a specific temperature and with a measured quantity of leaves. He brought a small hourglass to our table, which indicated when the tea is ready to be sipped.

What followed was the savoury course: a selection of perfectly-cut finger sandwiches, each with a different filling – farm eggs mayonnaise, roasted local ham and wholegrain mustard, a classic cucumber sandwich, smoked salmon with lemon and black pepper butter, and roast beef sirloin with horseradish.

With so many teas to choose from, we ordered a fresh brew to go with the sweet course – myself, flowering jasmine and lily tea, and my guest lemongrass and ginger tea, prepared at our table, using a carefully balanced mix of hot and cold water, and left to brew before being poured for optimum flavour. Neither of them disappointed, and, with such depth of flavour, it was refreshing to enjoy tea simply and as intended, with just hot water.

The pièce de résistance, however, was the silver stand of sweets – the essence of afternoon tea. We savoured white chocolate macarons, mini local honey Madeleines, eclairs and a berry meringue, all of which were sublime, especially the white chocolate macaron with a soft and fruity centre. But the cherry on the cake was the selection of freshly-baked scones served with clotted cream and seasonal preserve – we simply wished we had space for more than one each!

In fact, a slice of cake is also included in the Classic Afternoon Tea option, which is the one we ordered, and clocks in at a very reasonable €24. Include a glass of Prosecco or a glass of champagne to proceedings, and you’re looking at €30 and €40 respectively.

Hotel manager Thomas Agius Ferrante, who popped by our table, explained to us how afternoon tea is meant to be a celebration of time, savoured and enjoyed during a period in the day that is typically in between meals, when we’re peckish and in need of ‘something good’ before dinner time. Well, summer afternoon tea at The Phoenicia is much more than ‘something good’, and I highly recommend experiencing it for yourself – sipping on a selection of incredible teas and savouring delicious food while watching the world go by in a luxurious five star hotel!