Gearing up for another big party<\/p>\n
Hendarsyah Tarmizi and Rita A. Widiadana, The Jakarta Post,
\nJakarta, Denpasar<\/p>\n
Less than a month after all the year-end festivities,
\npartiers, gourmands and shopping maniacs will have another big
\nevent to celebrate on Feb. 1, the day Chinese communities around
\nthe world mark the Lunar New Year, known here as Imlek.<\/p>\n
Although there is still one week to go before the Year of the
\nRam, Chinese New Year fever has already hit shopping centers in
\nJakarta and other cities. Red and gold-colored New Year's
\ngreeting cards, lanterns and other Imlek-related items are on
\nsale in every major mall.<\/p>\n
The festive atmosphere is also evident in hotels, cafes and
\nrestaurants, which have hung colorful decorations and ornaments
\ndisplaying the Chinese lucky character \"Fu\".<\/p>\n
For Indonesians, this year's Chinese New Year will not only
\nmark the coming of the Year of the Ram, the symbol of warmth,
\nunderstanding and creativity, but will also mark the first time
\nthe Chinese New Year has been a public holiday.<\/p>\n
Chinese-Indonesians, who comprise about 5 percent of the
\npopulation, were previously restrained from celebrating the Lunar
\nNew Year publicly and with all the trimmings, such as traditional
\nlion and dragon dances.<\/p>\n
Imlek was regarded as a family affair until former president
\nAbdurrahman Wahid removed restrictions placed on the celebration
\nof Chinese culture early in 2001. His successor, President
\nMegawati Soekarnoputri, declared the Chinese New Year a public
\nholiday earlier this year.<\/p>\n
With the ethnic Chinese now free to celebrate the holiday with
\nno restrictions, it is natural that hotels and entertainment
\ncenters alike are more serious than before in their preparations
\nfor the celebration of the New Year.<\/p>\n
\"Besides offering a special room rate, we also are offering a
\nspecial Chinese menu before and after New Year's Eve,\" Mandarin
\nHotel public relations manager Dhaneswari Retnowardhani told The
\nJakarta Post. \"This year, Imlek will be celebrated as cheerfully
\nas possible.\"<\/p>\n
Two days before New Year's Eve, the hotel's lobby and
\nrestaurants will be decorated with Chinese ornaments such as
\nlanterns, good luck characters and scrolls to give guests a taste
\nof Chinese culture, she said.<\/p>\n
The Mandarin is not the only hotel in Jakarta that is doing up
\nthe New Year with special events and menus.<\/p>\n
The Crowne Plaza Jakarta, JW Marriott Jakarta, Jakarta Hilton
\nInternational and the Sari Pan Pacific will also be celebrating
\nthe Lunar New Year with special programs.<\/p>\n
\"We are trying hard to make this year's Chinese New Year
\ncelebration more lively and cheerful than before,\" Crowne Plaza
\nmarketing services manager Tati Haryo said.<\/p>\n
Although the Crowne Plaza will not have any special room
\npackages for the holiday, the hotel's Branda Cafe, Semanggi
\nLounge and Cake Shop will offer a wide range of Chinese goodies
\nfrom Jan. 30 to Feb. 7, Tati said.<\/p>\n
Crowne Plaza also will offer a Lucky Draw for diners in the
\nBanranda Cafe, with a grand prize of a trip to Hong Kong with
\ntwo nights accommodation at the Grand-Stanford Inter-Continental.<\/p>\n
\"The hotel's restaurant will also be giving away ang pau,\" she
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
Other hotels and entertainment centers in other major cities
\nacross the country, particularly on the tourist island of Bali,
\nwill also be celebrating the Chinese New Year.<\/p>\n
A number of hotels and resorts on Bali will offer special
\nChinese New Year packages in an attempt to lure Chinese-
\nIndonesians to the island.<\/p>\n
However, some hotels are pessimistic that these packages will
\nbe enough to lure visitors to the island, which has suffered from
\na major tourist slump since the deadly bombings in October.<\/p>\n
\"Honestly, this year's celebration of the Chinese New Year in
\nBali will be quieter than previous years because of the bombings
\nand the upcoming trials of the bombing suspects,\" said a public
\nrelations manager at a star-rated hotel in Bali.<\/p>\n
However, Deddy Sasmita, the Hard Rock Hotel Bali's marketing
\nand communications manager, expected his hotel would be fully
\nbooked during Imlek.<\/p>\n
\"We offer a very special and unique Chinese New Year package
\nthat we call the 'Like China' package,\" Deddy said.<\/p>\n
The package will give guests a number of exclusive privileges,
\nincluding a special rate of about Rp 750,000 for a minimum of a
\ntwo-night stay. The package also includes daily breakfast for
\nadults and two children.<\/p>\n
The \"Like China\" package provides other benefits such as free
\nentrance to the hotel's swimming pool and beach club, free use of
\nthe fitness center and access to the L1 Rock Kids Camp.<\/p>\n
\"What's more important, guests will receive two fashionable
\nHard Rock Hotel Classic T-shirts and a book of shopping
\nvouchers.\"<\/p>\n
The \"Like China\" package is valid from Jan. 30 to Feb. 3,
\n2003.<\/p>\n
During the Chinese New Year celebration, the Hard Rock Hotel's
\nGamelan Restaurant will serve a special Chinese New Year's buffet
\ndinner. A vast selection of delicious Eastern dishes will be
\nserved for only Rp 125,000.<\/p>\n
\"We are expecting guests from Jakarta, Surabaya (East Java),
\nSemarang (Central Java) and other big cities in Indonesia,\"
\nElleanora, public relations manager from the Discovery Kartika
\nPlaza Hotel, said.<\/p>\n
She said the hotel was offering a special Chinese New Year's
\npackage for only Rp 1.37 million for a two-night stay.<\/p>\n
\"The package is very special for those who want to celebrate
\nthe Chinese New Year in Bali,\" she said. The package, she said,
\nincludes daily buffet breakfast for two people, dinner for two
\npeople on New Year's Eve on Jan. 31, with a Legong dance
\nperformance.<\/p>\n
The Melia Bali Villas and Spa resort, situated in the
\nexclusive Nusa Dua enclave, has prepared various activities for
\nthe month of February.<\/p>\n
Anastasia Liyadi, the hotel's marketing and communications
\nmanager, said to welcome the Year of Ram, the Melia Bali was
\noffering a very attractive special Chinese New Year's package.
\nThe package costs only Rp 1.8 million for a four-day stay in a
\nsuperior room, including American breakfast for two adults and
\none child below the age of 12 and one dinner buffet at the El
\nPatio Coffee Shop.<\/p>\n
\"This package is very competitive,\" she said.<\/p>\n
The offer is valid from Jan. 30 to Feb. 10.<\/p>\n
To add to the fun, on the Chinese New Year guests can enjoy a
\nChinese New Year dinner buffet at the El Patio Coffee Shop for Rp
\n130,000 per person, plus a 50 percent discount for children below
\n12 years of age.<\/p>\n
The Bali Intercontinental Resort in Jimbaran, Bali, is also
\noffering special rupiah packages -- Jimbaran Super Deal and
\nJimbaran Luxury Deal -- for the Chinese New Year.<\/p>\n
With such competitive and attractive packages, Bali's hotels
\nand resorts expect the Year of the Ram to bring prosperity to the
\nisland's tourist industry.<\/p>\n
All these special packages will undoubtedly liven up the
\nholiday, but the most important thing is that hopefully the
\nChinese New Year celebrations will further cement the
\nrelationship between Chinese-Indonesians and native Indonesians.
\nGong Xi Fa Cai, or happy Imlek.<\/p>",
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