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Six Hotels To Ring In Chinese New Year

Amber Gibson

Contributor

Chinese New Year falls on January 25 this year, marking the beginning of the year of the Rat. Over a quarter of the world's population celebrate the lunar calendar (that's just under 2 billion people), which means vibrant displays of culture and celebration take place all over the world. Here are six hotels that are going the extra mile to provide their guests with a Chinese New Year experience unlike any other.

FOUR SEASONS RESORT THE NAM HAI, VIETNAM

The week of January 25, Four Seasons Resort The Nam Hai welcomes the Year of the Rat with lavish floral displays, traditional Hoi An lanterns, delicious feasts, artisanal crafts and live entertainment. Immersive dining experiences on the property will include Illuminasia, a lively spectacle of bamboo dancers and traditional Asian culinary delight, along with a Street Food evening highlighting the art of fire cooking with street dance performances. There will also be a Nha Trang Lobster Night serving guests the finest and freshest catches in Vietnam.

Guests are encouraged to reset and relax with two enlightening sessions at The Heart of the Earth Spa that captures the rat's strong vitality. Energetic flow yoga helps boost energy and confidence, and a limited-edition Tet Revitalising Ritual helps to uplift the body and mind with a combination of fresh milk and rice grains – ingredients essential to a rat's diet and a Vietnamese secret to radiant, naturally nourished skin.

Vietnamese New year celebrations

Credit: Saigoneer

THE MULIA, BALI

Known locally as Barongsai, the traditional Chinese lion dance is performed to bring good luck and fortune for the coming year and has influenced local Balinese dances including the Barong dance. Enjoy the performance on the evening of the Lunar New Year, January 24 at 7pm at the Mulia Resort lobby. Table8, Mulia Bali’s signature Chinese restaurant, will present two delicacies - the Nian Gao and Yee Sang. 

Made of glutinous rice, Nian Gao is a symbol of self-improvement and is traditionally consumed during the new year as it is believed to bring good fortune. Yee Sang is a Teochew-style raw fish salad and is considered a symbol of abundance, prosperity and vigour. It consists of strips of raw fish, mixed with shredded vegetables and a variety of sauces and condiments. Both dishes will be available at The Mulia through to February 8.

Barongsai or 'Lion Dance' in Indonesian

The Mulia

THE RITZ-CARLTON, SAN FRANCISCO

Home to one of the largest and oldest Chinatowns in the United States, San Francisco's Chinese New Year festival and parade is the largest Asian cultural event in North America. Stay within walking distance of Nob Hill at The Ritz-Carlton and enjoy room service dim sum sets and a Chinese New Year-inspired afternoon tea with oolong madeleines and caramelised pineapple custard tarts. Chef Michael Rotondo has also created a self-guided walking tour of Chinatown for guests that highlight his favourite landmarks, bakeries and teahouses.

Dim sum ordered to your room at the Ritz Carlton

Credit: David Cowan

SIX SENSES CON DAO, VIETNAM

This untouched island getaway in Vietnam is the perfect secluded destination to spend the first days of the new Lunar Year with loved ones. You'll be whisked away by new private air service from Ho Chi Minh City or Hanoi directly to one of 50 villas and residences overlooking turquoise seas. Visit the hotel's Tết Market with Lion Dance performances, fireworks and traditional songs from local musicians. 

Take a cooking workshop and learn how to make leaf-wrapped envelopes filled with pork, mung beans and glutinous rice. Known as Bánh Chung, these sticky rice cakes are cooked on an old-fashioned wood stove, served with other celebratory delicacies like pork stew with egg and a whole steamed chicken for the Tết-Eve buffet feast.

A six senses con dao villa

Credit: Six Senses Con Dao

THE VENETIAN and THE PALAZZO, LAS VEGAS

Chinese New Year is always an extravaganza in Las Vegas, and there are nightly lion dances, a drummer parade and Chinese fan dances at the Grand Canal Shoppes the weekend leading up to Chinese New Year. To commemorate the Year of the Rat, The Venetian and The Palazzo’s horticulture team consulted a feng shui master to transform the waterfall atrium with an installation of a colossal 2,000-pound golden rodent sculpture, on display beginning January 15. 

The featured sculpture stands 18 feet tall and will be surrounded by green gardens brightly blooming with red calandiva, golden yellow chrysanthemums and red and yellow orchids shipped from around the country, plus citrus and lucky bamboo from Florida.

Grand Canal Shoppes will host the official Las Vegas opening ceremonies and ribbon cutting for the city’s ninth annual CNY in the Desert celebration on January 25. More than 200 red envelopes filled with special prizes, from gift cards to chocolate gold coins, will be given out daily at the all-new Wishing Tree installation located in the heart of the Shoppes in the Palazzo tower. 

Elsewhere on the Strip, there's a 22-foot-long dragon dressed with 30,000 red and amber LED lights at The Forum Shops inside Caesars Palace, and a beautiful display of frolicking rats at the Bellagio Conservatory & Botanical Gardens.

Celebration of the Lunar New Year at The LINQ Promenade

Credit: Tamara Rocha

FOUR SEASONS BALI AT JIMBARAN BAY

Four Seasons Bali Jimbaran Bay rings in Chinese New Year with a Lion Dance performance with drums and cymbals beginning in the lobby where the general manager will dot the lion's eyes and receive an orange as part of the blessing ceremony. 

The lion and dancers will lead guests in a joyful procession to the Taman Wantilan restaurant to open the Chinese feast at sunset with nine live cooking stations offering delicacies like moo-shu duck, Singaporean chilli crab, Peking duck, five-spiced bbq pork, an extensive noodle bar and more. Keep your eyes open for Ang Paos (red envelopes) to be collected with surprises within. 

Return to your villa for a sweet "Surfing Rat" chocolate dessert at turndown, created by executive pastry chef Yusuke Aoki.

A private pool at the Four Seasons Resort at Jimbaran Bay

Credit: Solarisys

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