The Sofitel Hyland Shanghai is planning a few modest dinners on Christmas Eve. The Nanjing Road landmark is catering to those looking to enjoy a meal without the hoopla that other hotels are promising and of course, the high cost.

"Locals are getting more and more festive," said Arne Heuwekemeijer, the hotel's food and beverage director. "People here like to go out for Christmas, as opposed to Europe where they celebrate at home with just the family. International hotels are an obvious choice, as they pay more attention to the atmosphere."

The hotel is offering guests a chance to enjoy the festivities in its newly-renovated premises. Completed early this year, the facelift has given the 401-room property a chic and relaxed feel. While Sofitel may not have the most stars among local hotels, it is quietly focused on what it can achieve, and seeks to do these things well.

"We offer quality and a high level of service," Heuwekemeijer said. "Our location is not bad either. It's a nice spot where people can go out to see some places after dinner."

Four options will be available on the night. The main event, held in the Majestic Ballroom, costs 888 yuan (US$113) for adults and 488 yuan for children. It offers diners a choice from the usually excellent buffet where both Western and Asian food will be served. The price includes a half bottle of wine for each diner.

The Dutch food and beverage director is a connoisseur of the drop, and has been eager for his outlets to serve reasonably-priced bottles that encourages the culture of enjoying good wine with food.

Live entertainment is also a standard feature of these events and the Majestic will feature dance performances, acrobats, juggling and a puppet show for the little ones, among others.

Not everyone fancies the idea of sitting at a large table, however. For smaller groups, or even just a couple, the same high-quality fare can be enjoyed at the Mosaic restaurant on the lobby level. Costing about the same, guests can gaze upon the street below and enjoy the bright lights of Shanghai. The entertainment here is slightly different, with a magic show and jazz band being more appropriate for the space.

Slightly cheaper is the buffet dinner upstairs in the Bordeaux French restaurant. Costing 688 yuan for adults and 388 yuan for kids, the food served is of the same standard but with less variety.

For a more Chinese-themed Christmas Eve, the Mao Buffet Dinner is worth checking out. The entertainment here will be Chinese-oriented with traditional acrobats performing.

No Christmas dinner would be complete without the ubiquitous lucky draw. In this regard, the Sofitel Hyland does not lose any ground to its competitors.

The top prize is a video camera for the 888 yuan dinners, and a LG KG90 mobile phone at Bordeaux. Mao will present customers with a chance to walk away with a camera. Also up for grabs are watches, telephones and overnight stays in other hotels, among others. In total, the Sofitel Santa will dish out 60 prizes for 600 guests.

"This year will definitely be better than last," said Heuwekemeijer. "The important thing is that the prices have not gone up."

Address: 505 Nanjing Road E.
Tel: 021-6351-5888