Special hotel rates, dining packages available for party lovers

Special hotel rates, dining packages available for party lovers

Agustina Wayansari, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

A festive atmosphere loaded with decorations dominated by red
and gold color can now be experienced in almost all major hotels,
malls and restaurants in Jakarta as people are gearing up to
celebrate the Chinese New Year on Thursday.

Banners with Gong Xi Fat Coi, or Happy New Year, greetings
with lanterns, ang pau trees are among the ornaments found in the
corner of restaurants and shopping malls to welcome in the Year
of the Monkey, also known locally as Imlek.

The monkey's spirit is said to be able to enhance energy and
charm. No wonder that parties and good times will be the rule
rather than exception on this special day.

For Chinese-Indonesians and expatriate Chinese, the
celebration of the Lunar New Year, also celebrates the public and
government's recognition of Chinese culture in this predominantly
Muslim country.

The Chinese New Year, which, just a couple of years ago was
strictly a private family affair as it was banned by the
government, officially became a national holiday last year. This
explains why this special day takes on even more significance
than ever, as shown by the big events celebrated by hotels,
restaurants and other entertainment centers.

This year, besides offering special room and dining packages,
many hotels are also holding cultural events to entertain guests.
The Barongsai (traditional Chinese lion dance) as well as
traditional Chinese music are among the most popular ways to ring
in the new year.

Hotel Pecenongan in Central Jakarta, for example, is offering
a special Chinese food promotion, with the Wang Palace, its main
restaurant, providing a special set menu for dinner on New Year's
Eve. The dining package for 10 people, for example, has a very
reasonable price tag of Rp 600,000.

According to Shanti Setyaningrum, one of the hotel's public
relations staffers, this year, the celebration is expected to be
more lively and cheerful than in previous years.

For the hotel, which is located near Kota, celebrating Imlek
is one of its most important events of the year.

To welcome the Year of the Monkey, the Redtop Hotel will also
entertain its guests with a Barongsai dance that will be staged
on New Year's eve and on Cap Go Meh day (the full moon
celebration) on Feb. 5.

The Redtop Hotel also offers a special room package with a
very special rate. A two-night stay in the hotel is only Rp
805,000 including tax and breakfast.

Several other star-rated hotels in the city are also joining
in the festivities. Crown Plaza, JW Marriot, Gran Mahakam and
Inter-continental Midplaza Hotel have their own special packages
to celebrate the Year of the Monkey.

The Beranda Cafe at the Crown Plaza Hotel on Jl. Gatot Subroto
in South Jakarta, has started the festivities earlier than
others. The hotel has had a Chinese Food Promotion going since
Jan. 12.

The hotel's marketing service manager Tati Haryo said that
guests can enjoy a variety of Chinese dishes at the Dim Sum and
Chinese barbecue counters which will be specially opened during
the New Year celebration.

"During the promotion, guests will also be given ang pau after
dining in the restaurant. With the ang pau, they can have a free
meal when they come back to the hotel in the near future", Tati
said.

Besides, giving ang pau (red-color envelop containing gift
mostly in the form of money), the hotel will also put on a
Barongsai dance on the evening of Jan. 21, Tati said.

In this special occasion, the Marriot Hotel is offering its
famous dishes both in its Sailendra and Pearl Chinese
Restaurants. The kitchen brigade of the Sailendra which is
located in the lobby level of the hotel will prepare a BBQ
platter, Dim Sum, Hainan Chicken, Lungkung Chicken and not to
forget the Yee Sang (raw fish salad) on the buffet menu.

The Pearl Chinese Restaurant is likely to be the center of the
Imlek celebration at the JW Marriot hotel. In front of the
restaurant, a Barongsai dance will be performed during dinner on
Jan. 21.

The lion dance will also be the main attraction at the Hotel
Gran Mahakam in Kebayoran Baru, South Jakarta, in addition to
other cultural highlights. Each guest dining at Le Gran Cafe can
get their fortunes foretold on Jan. 21 and Jan. 22 all free of
charge.

At le Gran Cafe, there will be a Chinese Food festival. "Our
guests can enjoy more than 40 different Chinese dishes every
day," Lira Dahlan, the hotel's spokesperson said.

The Inter-continental Midplaza Hotel on Jl. Sudirman, Central
Jakarta will also offer its specialities to celebrate the New
Year.

The hotel's Java restaurant, which usually serves mostly
European food, will provide guests with special Chinese dishes
such as Yee Sang salad from Jan. 22 to Feb. 5, Midplaza's public
relations manager Yudith Nurwulan said.

Yudith also said that The Deli Cake Shop would also present
special gifts to guests as part of the celebration.

Guests can also take advantage of a special room package to
stay at the hotel. The package will include one night's stay with
buffet breakfast and a 60-minute body massage treatment at its
Wellness Centre & Spa available for two persons, at a special
rate.