BEIJING

Winning gift ideas

Celebrate the holiday season with China World Hotel's gifts at the Gourmet Corner. Choose from beautifully packaged festive hampers along with Champagnes, traditional gingerbread houses and handmade gourmet chocolates, besides sweets from the hotel's award-winning pastry chefs. West Wing, China World Trade Center. 010-6505-2266 ext 43

Weekend dim sum lunch

Yu at The Ritz-Carlton Beijing features a sumptuous dim sum lunch every Saturday and Sunday. It's an all-you-can-eat dim sum fiesta where guests can choose from a variety of dishes including cold appetizers, soups, specials, main courses and desserts. 11:30 am to 2:30 pm, 288 yuan per person, inclusive of the dim sum lunch, Chinese tea, juice and soft drink. Pay 388 yuan per person, and get additional free-flow house wine and beer. 15-percent service charge. 010-5908-8777

New Michelin chef from Italy

The new chef from Italy, Mario Cittadini at the Regent Beijing, prepares a classic Italian set menu with a personal touch at Daccapo, the hotel's Italian restaurant. Typical dishes include Italian seafood soup, pasta with wild fungus, beetroot risotto with cheese. Cittadini's love of food was inspired by his grandmother. His style is Italian home style with a unique and authentic Italian flavor. Before this post he was executive chef at Il Postale, a Michelin one-star restaurant, for 7 years. 010-8522-1888

Circus-style Christmas party

Crowne Plaza Sun Palace Beijing invites guests to a Magic Circus, set in the hotel's 1,400-sq-m grand ballroom on Christmas Eve. There will be an international buffet, a choice of wines and all-you-can-drink soft drinks and beer. Performing artists are from Russia, Romania, and China. The hotel promises to take good care of your kids. There will also be a lucky draw, besides live performances. 1,288 yuan per person. 010-6429-8888

My Shangri-La

Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts, in partnership with Top Travel magazine, Photographer's Companion magazine and sina.com, organized the awards ceremony of the first My Shangri-La Photography Contest at China World Hotel, Beijing recently.

The contest encourages people to capture the essence of "Shangri-La" through the camera lens.

SHANGHAI

Crab kingdom

The Langham Yangtze Boutique Shanghai highlights the season's favorite shellfish at its Mado Izakaya Japanese restaurant until Feb 28. The luxury crab menu includes crab meat cucumber salad, king crab with vegetable sushi and deep-fried soft shell crab for 180 yuan plus a 15-percent service charge. The deal comes with a free flow of beer and soft drinks.

021-6080-0745

Romantic breakfast

Enjoy a discounted stay in a single room and a breakfast buffet for two at the Mason Hotel Shanghai for 500 yuan per night plus a 15-percent surcharge until Jan 3. The deal includes free access to broadband and a late 2 pm check out.

021-6466-2020

Christmas banquet

The JW Marriott Hotel Shanghai at Tomorrow Square is hosting a Christmas Eve dinner buffet on the 38th and 39th floors of the hotel for 888 yuan per person. Festive fare includes roast turkey and glazed ham. Alternatively guests can treat themselves to a five-course dinner consisting of baby lobster, duck souffl and more for 998 yuan. The deal includes a free flow of Mumm Champagne.

021-5359-4969

Hampers for home

Sashimi, Delicatessen Cheese and more hampers filled with goodies are now available at the Park Hyatt Shanghai, courtesy of Executive Chef Jack Wetzel for those planning to throw cocktail or dinner parties this Yuletide. The former costs 1,400 yuan for 2-3 people or 2,300 yuan for 4-6 while the latter costs 1,600 for 4 people.

021-3855-1428/1429

Lucky cakes

Handmade rice cakes are available at the Okura Garden Hotel Shanghai's Baiyulan Chinese restaurant from Dec 28 to Feb 28 to celebrate the end of the year and the Chinese spring festival. The auspicious Fortune Year Cakes are priced at 108 yuan per box. The hotel will also host a Pounding New Year's Cake event (free entry) on Jan 1 from 2:30 pm to 3:30 pm at the lobby, so guests can taste some freshly baked cakes.

021-6415-1111 ext 5215

Tea time

The Peninsula Shanghai is reviving its traditional tea dance as the hotel's 18-piece band transports dancers back to the city's 1930s heyday on Sunday afternoons from 2 pm to 6 pm. Finger sandwiches, scones and cakes are included in the 480-yuan Peninsula Afternoon Tea deal, which excludes a 15-percent service charge per person.