Dining at the world’s finest hotels has always been about more than the food. It’s the theater of the table: porcelain and silver frame the meal, design sets the mood, and artistry unfolds in carefully choreographed courses. Now, a new wave of collaborations between heritage porcelain houses and iconic hotels is raising the curtain on something even more immersive. These bespoke collections extend beyond vessels for cuisine. They’re artifacts of design and history, crafted to heighten flavors, echo heritage, and transform a meal into memory.
The Broadmoor x Ginori 1735 (Colorado Springs, Colorado)
At The Broadmoor’s legendary Penrose Room, tradition and performance converge on porcelain. In honor of Julie Penrose’s love of fine china, the hotel partnered with Florence’s Ginori 1735 to craft a custom Antico Doccia collection. The crisp white porcelain, detailed with bespoke gold accents, mirrors the room’s new interiors by Tihany Design, where gilded finishes nod to the grandeur of the American West. Every plate is chosen with intent: a Caesar salad arrives on a rimmed dish gleaming with gold, Beef Wellington is framed by a charger that elevates the drama of its tableside carving, and Baked Alaska blazes as the finale, its flames mirrored in delicate porcelain sheen. Even cocktails claim their moment. The Broadmoor’s Cooking Club Punch is poured into a porcelain tea set designed exclusively for the restaurant. “Ginori is timeless, like The Broadmoor,” says Vice President of Food & Beverage David Patterson. For guests, the partnership adds a new layer of heritage, an experience where cuisine, history, and design speak the same elegant language.
The Maybourne Beverly Hills x Bernardaud (Beverly Hills, California)
In Beverly Hills, teatime has never been content to whisper. At The Maybourne Beverly Hills, the experience takes center stage. The hotel’s “Prêt-à-Portea” service, imported from sister property The Berkeley in London, unfolds on custom peach-striped Bernardaud china. The delicate hue nods to Claridge’s jade set while establishing its own Hollywood identity. Executive Pastry Chef Brooke Martin translates fashion into flavor: Harry Styles’ Grammy ensemble is reborn as cake, Björk’s swan dress takes wing in meringue, and J.Lo’s emerald Versace gown reemerges in spun sugar. Each porcelain plate is a stage, allowing couture-inspired pastries to gleam in their spotlight. The china itself, handcrafted in Limoges from kaolin-rich clay and spring water, adds the translucence of true Bernardaud porcelain. Paired with champagne, finger sandwiches, and warm scones, the service is reminiscent of a runway show. Each bite pays tribute to both fashion’s spectacle and porcelain’s elegance.
Cashel Palace Hotel x William Edwards (Tipperary, Ireland)
At Cashel Palace, an 18th-century Palladian manor in Tipperary, every detail speaks to heritage. When the hotel reopened in 2022, its team commissioned British porcelain artisan William Edwards to create an exclusive collection for its dining rooms. Edwards’ pieces, admired in institutions from Sandy Lane to The Connaught, were tailored here with subtle equestrian motifs, a nod to the estate’s centuries-old horse tradition. The Bishop’s Buttery, the hotel’s Michelin-starred restaurant, sets serene blue china beneath dishes by Chef Stephen Hayes, while the Queen Anne Room glows with deep red porcelain to match its historic interiors. Together, the sets form a visual narrative of Ireland’s Golden Vale, rooted in land and history, elevated by artistry. “Every detail was made for us,” says General Manager Adriaan Bartels. “It sets the mood in each room while tying back to the spirit of Cashel Palace.”
Hotel de la Ville x Ginori 1735 (Rome, Italy)
In Rome, porcelain is a destination. At Hotel de la Ville, perched above the Spanish Steps, Ginori 1735 opened its first-ever Café Ginori in 2024. Part boutique, part dining salon, the space envelops guests in porcelain’s world. Walls shimmer with Oriente Italiano wallpaper, chairs are upholstered in fabrics from Ginori’s Domus line, and shelves display collectible ceramics ready to take home. Chef Fulvio Pierangelini’s menu is plated on Ginori’s most storied patterns—Oriente Italiano, Il Viaggio di Nettuno, and Labirinto. Imagine savoring cacio e pepe on porcelain inspired by Neptune’s travels, or tiramisù framed in a labyrinthine motif. Guests step into a dialogue between cuisine, craftsmanship, and culture, leaving with both memories and, perhaps, a porcelain memento from the boutique.
Domaine des Etangs x Bernardaud (Massignac, France)
At Domaine des Etangs, a 13th-century château retreat in France’s Limousin region, porcelain becomes part of the pastoral rhythm. Here, Auberge Resorts Collection partnered with Bernardaud, whose ateliers in nearby Limoges have been crafting French porcelain since 1863. The collaboration offers tableware and a suite of immersive experiences: etiquette workshops where guests practice the art of tablescaping, festive afternoon teas served on gleaming porcelain, and private atelier visits where travelers can personalize their own piece. At Dyades, the château’s Michelin-starred restaurant, dishes are plated on Bernardaud creations that feel inseparable from the terroir, farm-to-table cuisine meeting region-to-table porcelain. “It’s a journey into the savoir-faire of two French icons,” says General Manager Ernesto Ovalle. Surrounded by forests, meadows, and mirror-like lakes, Bernardaud’s porcelain is more an echo than an ornament, reflecting the timeless elegance of its setting.
Pulitzer Amsterdam x Zoë de Givenchy (Amsterdam, Netherlands)
In Amsterdam, Pulitzer Hotel turns tulip season into porcelain poetry. Spanning 25 canal houses, the property collaborated with Zoë de Givenchy’s Z.d.G. line to create the Tulipa Collection, a hand-painted homage to Delft pottery and the Netherlands’ national flower. Pinks, greens, and yellows sweep across plates, candlesticks, and embroidered linens, echoing the tulips that bloom each spring in the hotel’s gardens and beyond. The design updates a pattern first created for Hubert de Givenchy, refreshed for modern hosts and travelers. Available for purchase, the collection allows guests to take a piece of Dutch artistry home. Dining on these plates moves in step with the city’s rhythm, where canals reflect centuries of history, gardens burst with tulips, and porcelain ties it all together in a motif of renewal.
