The festive season will be like no other, as Kimpton Clocktower Hotel’s dining destination The Refuge reveals its special festive offering – including a boozy hot chocolate trolley! Available every Friday and Saturday through the festive period, The Refuge is bringing a special Festive Afternoon Tea – a three-tier homage to Christmas nostalgia where sugar meets spice and elegance meets indulgence.
Served from 12pm – 3:30pm beneath the twinkling lights of the beautiful Winter Garden, this one-of-a-kind afternoon tea experience will feature festive treats such as Gin-cured salmon, nori butter and shrimp crumpet and Braised ox cheek and burnt onion doughnut for the savoury fans, and Caramel pavlova, Spiced Carrotcake and Mulled Wine Cider compote for those with a sweet tooth.
Making its debut this year is also The Refuge Boozy Hot Chocolate Trolley – a tableside festive ritual! Guests can indulge in an extravagant drink to round off the experience, simply choose your chocolate base, top it with seasonal treats or add a spirited splash of Christmas cheer.
The tea element has not been forgotten, of course – guests can choose from the refined tea selection by Tea from the Manor, including The Refuge Blend, English Breakfast, Earl Grey, Silver Needle, Gunpowder Green, Rooibos, Rum Arabica, Red Berries or Peppermint Black.
Bringing back a much-loved favourite from last Christmas, the chefs at Refuge are putting on the Festive Feasting Menu. Perfect for bookings of four people and more, the festive menu is served family-style and features festive wonders including Serrano ham-wrapped turkey ballotine, sage and onion stuffing, Honey and mustard-glazed pigs in blankets, the infamous Vimto-braised red cabbage and Clementine and gingerbread sherry trifle to end on a high.
From 17th November, guests to the landmark hotel can expect to walk into a Timeless Christmas Escape as decorations will be installed, lighting will shine, the lobby will shimmer with festive details, and the spirit of Christmas will fill every corner.
In addition to the dining experiences and festive transformation, guests are invited to spend the night in style at the iconic hotel. With Festive Stays packages available now through to 31 January 2026, guests can enjoy thoughtful seasonal touches, including a children’s tuckbox (or a festive Christmas stocking from 1 December), breakfast for two adults and up to two children, and a £25 credit for food & drink in The Refuge during the stay.
Adding to the festive cheer, community choirs will be making a return this year – spreading festive cheer in the Refuge public bar, every Sunday from 30th November, at 3pm until Sunday 21st December.
The Refuge, Kimpton Clocktower Hotel, Oxford St, Manchester, M60 7HA.