Beijing

Candlelight dinner

Justine's French Restaurant at Jianguo Hotel Beijing organizes a traditional, romantic gourmet dinner on Christmas Eve, at 2,010 yuan per person. The price includes a glass of champagne, free flow of red and white wines, besides local beer and soft drinks. There will also be live entertainment, a lucky draw, and a Christmas gift.

010-6500-2233 Ext 8192

Seafood fest

East 33 at Raffles Beijing prepares a buffet featuring seafood, with a range of nutritious broths, in addition to lobsters, prawns, crabs, prime-cut meats, and mushrooms. End your dinner with a dessert buffet and Haagen-Dazs ice cream. Available from 6 pm, Sunday-Thursday, 248 yuan per person, plus 15 percent surcharge.

010-6526-3388 Ext 5171

Festival extravaganza

Grand Hyatt Beijing's Christmas Eve Extravaganza in the Grand Ballroom features free flow of pre-dinner French champagne, an exquisite buffet, besides wonderful prizes, and a performance by international band Hot Shock and an all-female in-house band. The cost is 2,888 yuan per person.

010-8518-1234 Ext 3738

Christmas with a view

The Summit Club at Hotel Kunlun, a revolving restaurant with a good view of Beijing, offers a semi-buffet dinner with free flow of imported wine and soft drinks, performances and a lucky draw, with the big prizes being an iPad, and return tickets to Spain. 6-9:30 pm, Dec 24.

010-6590-3388

Italian delicacies

Chef Massimo will cook up a five-course dinner at Barolo, The Ritz Carlton Beijing, full of authentic flavors. All diners will enjoy one complimentary drink at the Ritz Carlton Bar.

6-10:30 pm. 1,088 yuan per person for five-course set dinner, and 1,288 yuan per person for five-course set dinner with wine.

010-5908-8151

Shanghai

Dynamic duo

The two award winning restaurants at the Portman Ritz-Carlton Shanghai - Tables and Palladio - will become one on Dec 25 to offer a splendid Christmas brunch. Chefs Gianluca and Roy take diners through a culinary journey featuring their favorite Christmas Day dishes. The brunch, which includes free flow Moet & Chandon, red and white wine, is priced at 668 yuan per person plus 15 percent surcharge.

021-6279-7977

Japanese delight

I.Z.K.Y., the Japanese Izakaya restaurant at Guoman Hotel Shanghai, held its official opening in December. The restaurant, with an authentic Japanese cuisine and casual atmosphere, is a good place to relax after a day's work. The restaurant highlights a selection of well-loved Japanese delicacies in three fabulous set menus, starting from 228 yuan for two people. Price excludes a 15 percent surcharge.

021-6095-8888

Christmas buffet

Get in a festive mood at the signature Essence restaurant at the Hilton Shanghai Hongqiao to enjoy traditional Christmas dishes, including roasted American turkey, honey mustard glazed country ham, roasted boneless lamb leg with garlic and rosemary and a range of seafood specialties. The Christmas Eve buffet dinner is priced at 588 yuan per person and the Christmas day brunch is priced at 498 yuan per person with free flow of champagne.

021-3323-6571

Boutique hotel to launch on the Bund

Hotel Indigo, the upscale boutique brand of InterContinental Hotels Group, will launch Hotel Indigo Shanghai on the Bund, the brand's first hotel in the Asia Pacific region, by the end of 2010. The 184-room hotel is located at the southern end of the Bund, offering a unique view of both sides of the Huangpu River. Like other Indigo brand hotels, Hotel Indigo Shanghai on the Bund is designed to reflect the culture, character and history of Shanghai through local works of art, furniture, fabrics and locally sourced materials.

800-830-8998

Jazz brunch

The O2on2 All-day-dining Restaurant at the Longemont Shanghai now features Sunday jazz brunch, which combines a live jazz band with amazing food such as minute beef steak, chicken vegetable skewer, snow crab, scallops in a half shell and more. Diners can enjoy the brunch for 268 yuan per person with free flow of soft drinks. An additional 200 yuan gets you free flow of Moet Chandon champagne, red and white wines and local beer.

021-6115-9988 Ext 8220