Because some afternoons deserve a little ceremony.

There is something wonderfully old-fashioned about getting dressed for afternoon tea.

Not because you have to. Because you want to.

You choose something a little nicer than usual. Perhaps you meet your sister downstairs. Perhaps you're travelling with your daughter or your closest friend. Perhaps you came on your own and, somewhere between Toronto and Québec City, the women you arrived with as strangers have already begun to feel like friends.

And then you walk through the doors of Fairmont Le Château Frontenac.

This isn't simply a place to stop for tea.

It's an occasion.

Château Frontenac dominates the Québec City skyline so completely that it's difficult to imagine the city without it.

Most visitors photograph it. Many walk through its lobby. Some take a guided tour.

But staying at the Château gives you something different: time.

You aren't rushing through before moving on to the next attraction. For a few days, this extraordinary building becomes home.

And afternoon tea is one of those experiences that gives you an excuse to slow down and actually enjoy where you are.

The Château's current Afternoon Tea experience features LOT 35 teas accompanied by open sandwiches, freshly baked scones served with Devonshire cream and homemade preserves, seasonal pastries and sweets. Live piano music adds to the atmosphere.

It's elegant without needing to be complicated.

And that is precisely the appeal.

Come for the Tea. Stay for the Ritual.

There are plenty of excellent cafés in Québec City. Afternoon Tea at Château Frontenac is something else.

Part of its charm is the ritual.

The tea arrives. The sandwiches appear. Then come the warm scones, cream, preserves and beautiful little pastries that almost seem too pretty to disturb.

Almost.

Nobody needs to hurry.

You talk. You taste. You pour another cup. The piano plays in the background.

For an hour or two, sightseeing can wait.

And perhaps that's the luxury we don't talk about enough when we travel: having nowhere else you need to be.

Yes, Bring Something Special to Wear

We think you should.

Not a ball gown. Not uncomfortable shoes. There is no need to turn afternoon tea into a fashion assignment.

But bring something that makes you feel good.

A favourite dress. A beautiful blouse. A scarf you've been waiting for an excuse to wear. Something you might normally leave hanging in the closet because everyday life never quite provides the occasion.

This does.

And Château Frontenac happens to provide a spectacular backdrop for photographs.

Take the picture with your sister.

Take one with your daughter.

Ask someone to photograph the whole group.

Twenty years from now, nobody is going to care whether you looked a little overdressed for tea.

You'll simply be glad you have the photograph.

Make a Day of It

One of the pleasures of staying at Château Frontenac is that you don't need to build an exhausting sightseeing schedule around the experience.

You're already in the heart of Old Québec.

Have a leisurely breakfast at the Château. Wander through the boutiques. Stop for coffee. Visit a gallery. Walk along Dufferin Terrace. Return to your room with plenty of time to get ready.

Then meet for Afternoon Tea.

Afterward, the evening is still yours. You can stroll through Old Québec, have a cocktail at the Château, choose a favourite restaurant for dinner or simply stay in and enjoy the hotel.

There is no rush.

For us, that's an important part of a good getaway.

Is Afternoon Tea at Château Frontenac Worth It?

The Château currently publishes Afternoon Tea at $89 per person before taxes and service, so it isn't an inexpensive cup of tea.

But judging it as tea alone misses the point.

You're paying for the setting, service, food, music and tradition — and for the pleasure of spending part of an afternoon inside one of Canada's most celebrated hotels.

Some travel experiences are about seeing something.

Others are about how you felt while you were there.

This one belongs in the second category.

A Different Kind of Girls' Getaway

That idea helped inspire our newest Québec City journey for women.

We wanted something different from the typical motorcoach tour where every hour is filled and every morning begins with another departure time.

So we built Meet Me at the Château around experiences — and around having enough time to enjoy them.

You'll spend three nights at Fairmont Le Château Frontenac, with breakfast each morning. You'll discover Old Québec with a local guide, experience the winter countryside and rescued wolves at LUPO Wolf Sanctuary, and enjoy a leisurely Afternoon Tea at the Château.

But we've deliberately left room in the itinerary, too.

Room to wander.

Room to shop.

Room for coffee with a friend.

Room to dress up for tea.

And room to simply enjoy the fact that, for three nights, you're not merely visiting Château Frontenac.

You're staying there.

Meet Me at the Château

March 8–11, 2027 | 4 Days / 3 Nights

A Québec City getaway created for women — whether you're travelling with your sister, daughter or best friend, or simply ready to go somewhere wonderful and meet new people along the way.

Three nights at Château Frontenac. Old Québec. Afternoon Tea. Winter landscapes. Wolves. And a little time to yourself.

Because sometimes the best reason to take a trip is simply:

Why not?

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