Raffles London at The OWO will launch a Gruffalo family experience on 21 September, pairing a children’s afternoon tea with story-led overnight stays on Whitehall.
The limited-time collaboration celebrates Gruffalo Granny, the first new Gruffalo story in more than 20 years from author Dame Julia Donaldson and illustrator Axel Scheffler. Families can book the afternoon tea separately or add the wider experience to eligible stays, including the hotel’s Family Celebration package.
Inside the former Old War Office, familiar characters from the deep dark wood will appear across sandwiches, pastries and children’s gifts. Rooms will also include a Toniebox audio player and Gruffalo figurine, giving younger guests the chance to listen to the original story before bed.
The Gruffalo Afternoon Tea brings the deep dark wood to Whitehall
Served in The Drawing Room at Raffles London at The OWO, The Gruffalo Afternoon Tea will be available from 21 September until early January 2027. It costs £50 per child and is designed as a children’s menu.
The Drawing Room provides a London setting for the experience. It overlooks the mounted soldiers at Horse Guards, with woodland-themed details set against the historic Whitehall building.
Sandwiches take their names from Donaldson and Scheffler’s characters and settings, with Roasted Fox, Little Brown Mouse, Deep Dark Wood and Scrambled Snake on the menu. Traditional buttermilk scones arrive with strawberry jam and Cornish clotted cream.
The pastry selection draws more directly from Gruffalo Granny. Designs include The Gruffalo and The Mouse, alongside Owl’s Pot of Soup, bringing elements of the new story to the children’s tea.
The character-led presentation retains the familiar format of a traditional hotel afternoon tea. Children get recognisable flavours and theatrical designs, and parents can enjoy the calm surroundings and central London views.
Families with dietary requirements should check the menu carefully before booking. The hotel’s dedicated Gruffalo experience page says that adjustments for vegan and gluten-free diners, or for other dietary requirements, are not available on the specialised menu.
Storybook stays include a Toniebox and themed gifts
The overnight experience extends the story into the guest room or suite, where children will find Gruffalo-themed keepsakes and gifts for a limited period. A Toniebox audio player with The Gruffalo figurine allows families to listen to the story together during their stay.
The Toniebox remains hotel property during the experience, although parents will have the option to buy one to take home. It provides an evening activity after sightseeing and keeps the book central to the stay, with character merchandise used as room decoration.
The Gruffalo additions can be attached to the Family Celebration package, which offers a second room at 50 per cent off when parents book a room. Guests reserving a suite receive a complimentary second room instead.
Breakfast for two adults and two children is included, alongside children’s amenities and other family-focused details. The experience can also be added to selected existing offers at Raffles London, giving families more flexibility over the room or suite they choose.
Full accommodation prices depend on the dates and room category selected. The hotel has not specified when the stay additions will finish, describing them as available for a limited time from 21 September.
Gruffalo Granny begins a new family adventure
Published by Macmillan Children’s Books, Gruffalo Granny returns to the deep dark wood as Gruffalo Granny visits the Gruffalo family. Familiar characters also return in the first new Gruffalo story for more than two decades.
Donaldson has connected the book with the pleasure of families reading together. “I really hope that children – and adults too – will enjoy the new story, as I know what a wonderful experience shared reading can be,” she said.
Scheffler has illustrated the new adventure after continuing to draw the Gruffalo and his daughter during the long gap between books. The hotel partnership involves Magic Light Pictures, the licensing company for the characters created by Donaldson and Scheffler.
The collaboration gives Raffles a family-stay theme that fits the hotel. The afternoon tea provides the more theatrical element, while the audio story and keepsakes create quieter moments in the room.
Raffles London offers a historic base for family sightseeing
Located on Whitehall, Raffles London at The OWO occupies the Grade II* listed former Old War Office and is the first Raffles Hotels & Resorts property in the UK. The building reopened as a hotel and wider hospitality destination in 2023 following an extensive transformation.
Historic details including oak-panelled walls, mosaic floors and the Grand Staircase were retained during the work. The hotel now contains 120 rooms and suites, while its wider facilities include restaurants, bars and a four-floor Guerlain spa and wellbeing space.
The building’s past also reaches into British intelligence history. During the Second World War, its basement hosted interviews and briefings for candidates for the Special Operations Executive, and agents tied to Operation Mincemeat also worked in the building. That deception operation, carried out in 1943, helped pull German forces away from Sicily.
For families, the location provides straightforward access to several of central London’s best-known sights. Horse Guards is immediately outside, while St James’s Park and Buckingham Palace are close enough to combine with the Changing of the Guard.
The West End is also within reach for a matinee or early evening performance. Raffles plans to offer a specially created trail that families can follow through the city before returning to The Drawing Room or their room.
The package links London landmarks with Gruffalo pastries and an audio story, while adults retain the design, service and accommodation expected from Raffles.
Booking details for The Gruffalo Experience
The core details announced by Raffles London are:
- The Gruffalo Experience launches on 21 September 2026.
- The children’s afternoon tea costs £50 per child.
- Afternoon tea is served in The Drawing Room until early January 2027.
- The themed menu cannot accommodate vegan, gluten-free or other dietary modifications.
- The Family Celebration package includes breakfast for two adults and two children.
- A second room is 50 per cent off with a room booking and complimentary with a suite booking.
- Overnight additions include themed gifts and access to a Toniebox with The Gruffalo figurine.
- The experience can be added to selected existing Raffles London offers.
Bookings and current availability are available through the Raffles London Gruffalo page. The afternoon tea begins nine days after the announcement, placing it in time for autumn stays and the October half-term period.
