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Mandarin Oriental Honours Chinese New Year

Guests of Mandarin Oriental have the opportunity to experience the vibrancy of Chinese New Year, not only in Asia, but worldwide as the Group celebrates the auspicious occasion in the Chinese lunar calendar. In keeping with Mandarin Oriental’s exotic oriental roots, the luxury hotel group is hosting a series of energetic Chinese New Year celebrations and enticing offers to usher in the Year of the Monkey from 22 January, 2004.


Spectacular lion dances, Chinese opera costume parades, acrobats, noodle-cooking and kung fu demonstrations, to palm reading and Chinatown walking tours are just a selection of the activities on offer, from Hawaii to London.


The following packages and events to celebrate the occasion are available at nine of the Group’s properties:


Mandarin Oriental, San Francisco -
A festive room package is available for the weekend of 6-8 February, 2004:
? Festive two nights’ accommodation begins at USD1,150 for two in a bay view king room on a per room per night basis
? Welcome jasmine tea served with traditional almond cookies
? Walking tour of Chinatown with Shirley Fong Torres - author and owner of Wok Wiz Chinatown Tours and Cooking Centre, to be followed by a dim sum lunch at the award-winning Yank Sing restaurant
? Two VIP tickets to the San Francisco Chinese New Year parade
*Prices of this package include all tax and services and other room categories are available. ÊÊ


Mandarin Oriental, Miami -
The celebration programme for Chinese New Year will be held on hotel’s new private
beach on 22 January. The package and programme include:
? Superior accommodation and American breakfast at USD399 per room per night
? Kung Fu demonstrations
? Exotic Asian Food stations
? Exclusive oriental fashion show
? Fireworks display
? Fortune telling and Chinese calligraphy demonstration

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Kahala Mandarin Oriental, Hawaii -
A vibrant Chinese New Year party will be held on 22 January, 2004 and includes:
? Parade of performers in full Chinese opera costumes
? Serving of traditional Chinese New Year delicacies
? Fashion preview by renowned Asian designer, Shanghai Tang


Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park, London -
A lavish Chinese New Year event will be held on 26 January, 2004:
? Leaping flames at the entrance of the hotel welcoming over 400 guests at the exclusive Chinese New Year party
? Live cooking demonstrations with noodle-makers
? Traditional dragon dance, palm readers, calligraphy and Chinese acrobats
? Room rates are available by contacting [email protected]


Mandarin Oriental, Hong Kong -
Lunar Celebration Package is valid from 16-31 January, 2004:
? Deluxe accommodation and breakfast in a harbour view room at HKD1,950, suite at HKD3,300 per room per night
? Daily American breakfast for two in the Café, Clipper Lounge, Mandarin Grill or in guest room
? Guests can partake in the new year celebrations that includes a lion dance on 22 January at noon
? Guests can enjoy spectacular fireworks on a firework dinner on 23 January
? Lai see delivery by God of Fortune on 22 and 23 January
? A traditional homemade Lunar New Year Candy Box


The Excelsior, Hong Kong -
Room packages for the Year of the Monkey are valid from 21- 25 January, 2004:
? Deluxe harbour view room from HKD1,088 to HKD1,338 per room per night
? Grandluxe harbour view room from HKD1,288 to HKD1,538 per room per night
? Guests booking the package will have admission to the Chinese New Year Rooftop Fireworks party for two on 23 January.
? A “lai see” packet with HKD288 food and beverage dining vouchers per stay for guests staying from 21 - 25 January, inclusive
? Special rate of HKD350 for the third person sharing the same room with an extra bed


Mandarin Oriental, Macau -
? Chinese martial arts performance in the hotel lobby on 22 January, 2004
? Lion dance parade throughout all restaurants and resort
? God of Fortune will distribute traditional lai see packets to diners on the first three days of Chinese New Year, 22 - 24 January
? Traditional Chinese candy box as welcome amenity in every guest room
? Traditional Chinese goodies such as glutinous cake, turnip cake and water chestnut cake at The Cake Shop


Mandarin Oriental, Kuala Lumpur -
The Lunar New Year treat package is valid from 18 January to 18 February 2004. Room rate for a Deluxe city view room starts at RM409 per room per night :
? Guests can delight in Yee Sang celebration at Lai Po Heen (Yee Sang is a symbolic meal that brings together family, friends and business colleagues, with the aim of ushering in good health, wealth and prosperity)
? Guest can rejoice in the enjoy an energetic dragon and lion dance on Ren Ri (Birthday of Human Beings)
? Free fortune telling at Lai Po Heen restaurant, subject to availability

Mandarin Oriental, Manila -
Special room rate offer begins at US$100 for single occupancy and USD120 for double occupancy per room per night, valid from 19 January - 19 February. Grand Lunar New Year welcome will kick off at 11:30pm on 21 January with festivities that carry on till 2am that include:
? “Prosperity” parade on streets surrounding the hotel, led by city officials
? Dragon and lion dances during the programme held outdoors
? Fireworks display; guests booked in the hotel will have admission to reserved seats
? Midnight buffet
? Complimentary copy of the Year of Monkey forecast authored by geomancer Joseph Chau
? God of Fortune greeting and distributing lai see packets to diners


The Oriental, Singapore -
? Lion and Dragon dance on 22 January at 1:38pm (138 is pronounced as “Life long prosperity” in Chinese and Mandarin)
? Chinese restaurant, The Cherry Garden will feature the ritual of tossing of good luck and prosperity of “Lo Hei” with the dish of Yu Sheng. (This Malaysian and Singaporean tradition is based on the legend of the creation of humans by the Chinese ancient herio, Pan Gu. People toss a dish of Yu Sheng to wish for an affluent and prosperous year ahead. )


Prices of the above packages are subject to availability, service charge and tax where noted. Reservations can be made through travel agents directly, through Mandarin Oriental’s worldwide sales and reservations offices or through the Group’s direct on-line reservations service, www.mandarinoriental.com. GDS code is MO.

Mandarin Oriental is the award-winning owner and operator of some of the world’s most prestigious hotels and resorts. In total, the Group operates 19 luxury hotels in key business and leisure destinations, with four additional hotels under development in Washington D.C. (opening spring 2004), Hong Kong (opening 2005) as well as Tokyo and Boston (opening 2006). Mandarin Oriental now operates some 7,000 rooms in eleven countries with nine hotels in Asia, seven in The Americas and three in Europe.


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