Hotels offer unique holiday hampers

Hotels offer unique holiday hampers

The end of the year is always a busy time for office workers and
businesspeople to start thinking about the gifts they will give
to their colleagues and loved ones. Moreover, Idul Fitri also
falls in December this year, and is sure to add to the headaches.

Despite the enjoyable pastime of shopping personally for
gifts, some people are simply too busy to choose one from a
department store or supermarket. They instead prefer to pick up a
hamper of food or other goodies.

Many hotels in the capital have also gotten into the act and
are creating a wide range of beautiful hampers. Some are
specially designed for Idul Fitri, while others have hampers for
Christmas and New Year's.

The Gran Melia Hotel in South Jakarta is one of the hotels
with hampers on sale for the three year-end celebrations. The
hotel has gathered together the best of the season for
celebrating Idul Fitri with its traditional hampers packed with
popular items, such as kaastengel (cheese cookies), nastar (small
cookies with pineapple filling), cashew nuts, lapis legit and
lapis Surabaya (traditional layered cakes), homemade jams, cheese
biscuits and, of course, fresh dates, all for Rp 450,000++.

Its Christmas hamper includes German Christmas stollen,
cookies, smoked salmon, English tea, a gingerbread Santa,
chocolate truffles, Italian Panettone, plum pudding and a festive
candle with Christmas socks for Rp 620,000++. You can also choose
a hamper that comes with a bottle of Veuve Clicquot champagne for
Rp 990,000++. The hotel's El Bombon offers similar hampers for Rp
399,000++ or with a bottle of French wine, Rp 480,000,++.

Hotel Mulia Senayan in Central Jakarta is working together
with the Metro department store to stage the Festive Gift Gallery
from Nov. 25 to Dec. 26.

Various Idul Fitri and Christmas hampers as well as festive
Christmas accessories can be found at the bazaar. It sells
poinsettias in pots for Rp 70,000++ each, elegant designer flower
arrangements from its Blossoms flower shop from Rp 300,000++ to
Rp 900,000++ and a set of pillow cases from Rp 1,100,000++ to Rp
1,650,000++. At the same time, its cake shop is preparing
interesting Idul Fitri and Christmas treats.

Hotel Aryaduta in Central Jakarta is also offering a wide
range of Christmas cookies, imported chocolates, cakes and
special gourmet items for family gatherings this season.

The gourmet hampers include a U.S. Butterball turkey, complete
with stuffing, giblets and gravy, cranberry sauce, potato gratin
and brussels sprouts for Rp 750,000++, roasted Australian prime
rib weighing 4 kilograms to 5 kg, black peppercorn sauce, red
wine glaze, potato gratin and vegetables for Rp 1,400,000++, and
orange and coriander marinated Norwegian salmon with condiments
and rye bread for Rp 40,000++ per 100 grams.

There are also three different hampers with a classic
Christmas stollen, large English fruit cake, Illy coffee and
George Simpson plum pudding. A more expensive hamper includes
Veuvee de Vernay champagne and luscious Lindt chocolates. Prices
for hampers range from Rp 600,000++ to Rp 1,000,000++.

With so many hampers on offer -- from delicious cakes, flower
arrangements and other items -- people will have lots of choices
to choose from for that perfect gift.

-- Maria Endah Hulupi