Value and romance it's enough to make any heart swoon. James Zhang and Elsa Tang, a couple in Beijing, are making big plans for the Spring Festival holidays, which culminate on Valentines Day. They start by shifting through stacks of five-star hotel brochures, and are surprised to find a range of holiday packages, including discount room rates and candlelit dinners promising wonderful food in romantic settings.

"We are surprised that hotels are providing so many great choices for the holidays," Zhang says.

"But the problem now is that it's hard to make a decision."

Celebrating the Chinese New Year holidays in hotels has become more and more popular for millions of affluent couples in major cities such as Beijing and Shanghai.

"Holidays provide opportunities to relax and reward ourselves, so I don't want to bother myself with cooking," says Tang.

"But hotels can deal with everything and serve you well, so why not choose them?"

International five-star hotels across the country are also eager to capitalize on this golden opportunity.

"We go all out to meet their demands and try to take the lead in the market," says Jane Ji, public relations manager at the Kempinski Hotel Beijing.

A hotel can generate a significant percentage of its annual revenues through food and beverage sales over the major national holidays, Ji says.

Phoebe Lee, public relations manager with the Grand Hyatt Beijing, agrees. The five-star hotel is located on Beijing's bustling Chang'an Avenue, and enjoys a solid reputation throughout the Asia-Pacific region.

"People in China are more aware of the holidays than ever before, and they want to celebrate them with family, friends and colleagues. Hotels are always good because they can offer nice accommodation, entertainment, food and wine," Lee says.

"Grand Hyatt is at the forefront of this. We want to be the trendsetter."

Major hotels go to great lengths to offer special menus and services in an attempt to attract more holiday customers, including guest chefs, famous entertainers, New Year set menus, lucky draws, gifts, and special room rates.

Beijing's major hotels, including the Hilton, Kempinski, the Kerry Centre, Shangri-La, and Traders, began selling Nian Gao (glutinous rice cakes) sets in early-December for the Chinese New Year. The cakes are beautifully packaged, come in a number of flavours, and cost between 100 yuan (US$12.35) and 600 yuan (US$73.17).

Shaped like a fish to represent longevity, Nian Gao cakes are a way of appeasing the Kitchen God, who has the power to grant good or bad luck over the course of a year.

"Nian Gao is a perfect gift to send wishes of prosperity and good fortune to family, friends and colleagues, and Kempinski has sold them for several years," says Ji.

This is just the tip of the iceberg compared with the special dishes offered throughout the Spring Festival, however. Most major hotels in Beijing invite local and foreign master chefs and these, culinary experts can be a huge draw.

Every hotel has its own reasons to be more competitive.

"Kempinski brings in the greatest number of foreign chefs in Beijing and has a strong food and beverage (F&B) team. We provide a warm atmosphere and great food," says Ji.

Lee says the Grand Hyatt's strength in New Year F&B lies in quality and localization.

"What we present is suitable for local customers, because all our dishes use fine ingredients designed to satisfy even the most discerning tastes," she says.

The international hotels seem to hold different views on what makes an appropriate Chinese New Year reunion dish, however.

The Grand Hyatt has no plans and says they are unnecessary.

"We target the high-end market, and most of the Grand Hyatt's customers are executives with foreign companies. They would rather spend the Chinese New Year with their families overseas than come here for dinner," says Lee.

Many other five-star international hotels agree.

"The Sheraton tried once last year, but the results didn't live up to our expectations, so we will ignore it this year," says Wijaya Chew, marketing communications manager with Great Wall Sheraton Hotel Beijing.

Ji, however, disagrees. Kempinski is one of the few international hotels holding celebrations for Chinese New Year Eve.

"To be honest, the profit margins in this area have been thin because most of our potential customers will go home, but Kempinski has stuck to holding the Chinese New Year Celebration for several years," Ji says.

"On one hand, we could at least meet the demand of those few foreigners that will stay in China, by providing them a place to spend and celebrate the holidays. On the other hand, this is part of the hotel's branding, and that's important."

Kempinski's master chef will prepare a menu symbolizing fortune, health and prosperity. There will also be chances to win prizes.

Ji says the Kempinski will also sell dinner tickets, which have been increasingly used as gifts between Chinese businessmen over the past two years. A ticket usually covers 10 people, and ranges from 1,688 yuan (US$205.85) to 1,988 yuan (US$242.44). Many local managers prefer sending these to their business partners.

"Dinner tickets are becoming more and more popular as gifts, and we are happy to see that," says Ji.

Many hotels also offer room promotions, including "stay two nights, get one free" deals at the Kerry Centre Hotel and China World Hotel.

"Generally speaking, the Spring Festival is always a hard time for international hotels because of low room occupancy rates, which is why room prices are also lowest during that time," says Margret Hu, revenue manager with the Shanghai InterContinental Pudong.

Hu is quite optimistic about room occupancy rates during Spring Festival.

"We provide top services at competitively reasonable prices," she says.

Romantic options

Candlelit dinners, drinks, roses, dessert platters, and music are on offer at many hotels for Valentines Day. The only difference lies in prices, with menus ranging from 396 yuan (US$48.29) to 998 yuan (US$121.70).

Both the Great Wall Sheraton Hotel Beijing and Grand Hyatt Shanghai are presenting Valentines packages. The Sheraton's costs 5,000 yuan (US$609.76), which is more expensive than the Grand Hyatt's package.

"But the Sheraton has a lot to offer: one night's accommodation in a business suite, candlelit dinner for two, and breakfast," says Wijaya.

"It is absolutely worth it to spend a lot of money on this special day, because a business suite alone costs as much as 4,800 yuan (US$585.37) in the Sheraton without discounts. It's a great package."

(China Daily 01/23/2006 page4)