The House Collective Collaborates with Tea Brand BASAO to Embark on a Cultural Tea Journey

This collaboration brings forward the relationship between tea and urban identity, infusing that with a luxury hospitality experience.

13 January, 2023, Shanghai – Since the time of the Silk Road and the ancient Tea Horse Road, a broad and diverse Chinese tea culture has spread around the world, and alongside it the Chinese sense of aesthetics and tradition surrounding the tea ceremony. To pay homage to this unique and significant element of Chinese culture, The House Collective is proud to announce a collaboration with BASAO, a local tea brand that offers sensory experiences themed around the spirit of gung fu tea – harmony, respect, sophistication and joy. Uniquely inspired by the location of each House in Shanghai, Beijing, Hong Kong and Chengdu, the tea experiences reflect the colourful stories of the respective Houses, and wishes every traveller a blessed Lunar New Year through a peaceful, relaxing journey. 

Culture has always been one of The House Collective’s core values, and this passion comes to life again through the collaboration with Xiamen's brand BASAO. The sensory tea experiences are inspired by the Chinese tea drinking culture and the different characteristics of the cities, telling the unique stories of The House Collective this Lunar New Year. Further, to embrace sustainability, the packaging of the tea boxes and scented candles are both made of renewable, degradable and eco-friendly recyclable materials. They are also made to be reused and upcycled, encouraging guests to give them a second meaning beyond their initial purpose. 

One Brew for One City: Embarking on a Sensory Journey
To ring in the New Year, The House Collective collaborates with BASAO to present a New Year tea collection themed around harmony, respect, sophistication and joy, drawing inspirations from local culture and the vibes of the cities. Bai Ya Qi Lan, Jasmine Silver Needle, Hand-Rolled Nepali Tips and Lapsang Souchong have been meticulously selected, respectively for Shanghai, Beijing, Hong Kong and Chengdu. Mixologists from each House create tea beverages inspired by the cities’ identities, inviting visitors to appreciate the cultural heritage of the destination and the little things in life, sparking wanderlust and endless travel inspirations.

While tasting specialty tea drinks, guests can also indulge in the BASAO experience in the comfort of their own hotel room, including Tie Guan Yin, Summer Shimmer, Pre-QingMing Dragon Well, Luna and Honey Oolong Tea whole-leaf tea pouches, as well as BASAO kombucha. Travellers are also gifted DIR bamboo-scented candles by BASAO, which allows guests to experience the aroma of the infusions through smell, and not just taste. The serene Zen-like ambience and the aesthetics of The House Collective blend together, while the refreshing citrus, aromatic floral and crisp woody scents intertwine, designed for relaxation and rejuvenation of the body and mind.

The Middle House, Shanghai: Gracefully Turning a New Page of Tea Culture
Shanghai is a metropolis with a unique urban identity, given its favourable geographic location on the estuary of the Yangtze River. Echoing the theme “harmony”, The Middle House in Shanghai features the one-of-a-kind oolong Bai Ya Qi Lan with a delicate orchard fragrance. Café Gray Deluxe mixologist Rachel plays with the rich floral aroma of Bai Ya Qi Lan and presents the “Joyful” tea drink. It is round and full-bodied with a lingering aftertaste, blending perfectly with a rich sea salt caramel milk foam and rock sugar and date syrup, bringing back many sweet memories. 
Chef Tony Ye from Sui Tang Li showcases his culinary creativity with the use of Bai Ya Qi Lan in his dishes, including Bai Ya Qi Lan lightly smoked soft-boiled egg, Bai Ya Qi Lan steamed milk pudding and Dahongpao tea ice cream. These dishes strike the right balance of taste with the aroma of tea, bringing a refreshing touch to the palate, and inviting our guests to rediscover tea in a multisensory experience. In addition, guests can also purchase BASAO products at The Shop in the lobby to appreciate tea in its purest form.

*From now until 13 March, treat your loved ones to a BASAO accommodation package at The Middle House in Shanghai, which includes a room upgrade to Studio 90, Café Gray Deluxe breakfast for two, signature tea cocktails, a Lunar New Year crossover gift set, customized room scented candles, BASAO tea pouches, kombucha and other exclusive accommodation privileges.

The Opposite House, Beijing: Appreciating the Fine Art of Tea Drinking
A world-leading city, Beijing has a long history and a rich culture that is unique and captivating. The Opposite House in Beijing features Jasmine Silver Needle, a nod to the city’s charm and the theme “respect”. Inspired by BASAO’s tea, UNION, a modern-day salon and cocktail bar, creates a cocktail menu highlighting FIZZY JASMINE, DESERT WONDER, SMOKED APPLE SOUR and JADE DREW. The art of mixology is decoded in the four cocktails, infused with the crisp aroma of green tea and strong fragrance of jasmine.

On 23 and 24 February 2023, guests can savour a BASAO tea themed dinner at The Opposite House’s one-Michelin-starred restaurant Jing Yaa Tang. Chef Li Dong keeps the focus on local specialties and seasonal ingredients and crafts tea-infused dishes with a twist, waking the taste buds up in a refreshing way. 

*From now until 13 March, The Opposite House in Beijing offers a BASAO accommodation package. The package includes a stay at a suite with an area of 95-square-meter or above, breakfast for two, BASAO-inspired signature cocktails, a Lunar New Year crossover gift set, customized room scented candles, BASAO tea pouches, kombucha and other exclusive accommodation privileges.

The Upper House, Hong Kong: A Cup of Wellness in Multicultural Surroundings
An eccentric mix of tradition and modernity and a unique history and lifestyle gives Hong Kong its charm. In this ever-changing city, there's always something new to try. The Upper House in Hong Kong features Hand-Rolled Nepali Tips from the Moonlight tea estate in the southern foothills of the Himalayas, which celebrate the cultural diversity of The Upper House and Hong Kong. Drawing inspiration from nature and embracing the concept of wellness, Salisterra at The Upper House highlights the richness and roundness of the Hand-Rolled Nepali Tips, while adding a fruity flavour with freshly squeezed orange juice. Together with a grapey muscat and a hint of mint, guests can enjoy the delicate balance between working and living to renew the body and mind.

*From now until 13 March, any guest staying at The Upper House in Hong Kong can enjoy The House Collective and BASAO crossover customized room scented candles, BASAO tea pouches, kombucha and other exclusive accommodation privileges that awaken and reinvigorate their senses.

The Temple House in Chengdu: Finding Joy in Tea Appreciation 
Chengdu is admired in China for its rich tea culture, which is deeply rooted in its communities with abundant teahouses. The Temple House in Chengdu features Lapsang Souchong, a type of tea that has been exported since ancient times, highlighting the theme of joy. Jing chief mixologist William Zhang plays with the idea of Chengdu's traditional markets and specially creates four tea drinks that showcase the distinctive sweetness and smoky flavour of the smoke-dried souchong tea. Evoking the ambience of the lantern market in January, a festival filled with “Lantern Festival” in the winter season, William was inspired to create a beverage that combines the nutty fragrance of pecan and the smoky flavour of Lapsang Souchong and cognac. The “Flowers Blooming” echoes the flower market in February, bringing out the sweetness of Lapsang Souchong and the floral and fruity aroma of homemade fruit wine, for guests to feel the vibrancy of the flower market in a glass. The silkworm market is the highlight of March and “Gathering in the ‘Du’” about mulberry and hemp is made of mulberry leaf powder, chocolate and smoke-dried souchong tea, with all these ingredients coalescing into a memorable drink. With “Upcoming Spring”, the tea is infused with the aroma of rose and the citrus fragrance of grapefruit, announcing the arrival of spring and blossoms. 

*From now until 13 March, guests staying at The Temple House in Chengdu can enjoy The House Collective and BASAO crossover customized room scented candles, BASAO tea pouches, kombucha and other exclusive accommodation privileges that invite our guests to rediscover tea in a fresh experience.

Enjoy a once-in-a-lifetime tea experience at The House Collective, indulging in a rich cultural journey while awakening the senses and refreshing the mind with a cuppa, as tea and art collide.