Beijing

Festive feast

To celebrate the end of one year, The Ritz-Carlton Beijing Financial Street recreates a fairytale atmosphere of a winter wonderland, transforming The Ritz-Carlton Ballroom into a fantasy world full of twinkling lights and the crisp and clear feel of the North Pole. Gala celebrations will begin at sundown on Dec 24 with cocktails amid the sights and sounds. Executive chef Nathan Brown and his team will meticulously prepare and present a sumptuous dinner buffet overflowing with seafood offerings and accompanied by a selection of fine wines. 010-6629-6641.

New Italian chef

Executive chef Emanuel Ciarravano at Danieli's Italian Restaurant, The St Regis Beijing has prepared new antipasto, such as tomato sambuca romana bloody Mary soup, smoked duck and grilled vegetable salad. Specialized in authentic and modern Italian, Mediterranean, international and Asian cuisines, the new chef will present a luxurious variety of distinctive and flavorful culinary approaches. 010-6460-6688.

Winter warmers

This November at Aria, chef de cuisine David Pooley cooks up healthy winter warming dishes, the perfect antidote to a bitter cold winter. Deliciously warm and nourishing, they promise to entice your taste buds and lift your spirits. Some examples of these are oxtail minestrone, clam chowder, green pea and prosciutto soup, beer braised short ribs, beans and gratin, lamb sausages and crab pie. 010-6505-2266 Ext 36.

Haikou

All-day dining

Breeze All Day Dining Restaurant at Sheraton Haikou Resort has announced its opening for business after three months' renovation. The top-notch restaurant will indulge your senses with the most exotic buffet in town. Located on the ground floor below the lobby level, Breeze Restaurant has the best views of pool areas and sea. It provides all kinds of dining options from a la carte breakfast to lunch, dinner and snacks, as well as buffet on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays. Buy 10 get two free from Thursdays to Saturdays. 0898-6870-8888.

Bubbly brunch

Sofitel Guangzhou Sunrich presents French flair in a boutique-style buffet that will tempt your taste buds with fresh crustaceans, French oysters, lobsters, foie gras, French wines, cocktails and one glass of Taittinger brut champagne champagne. Free flow of soft drinks, coffee or tea included. 020-3883-8888.

Shanghai

Pretty in pink

Jumeirah Himalayas Hotel Shanghai goes pink for the second year in a row in October to support International Breast Cancer Awareness month. Throughout the month of October, the facade of hotel is lit in pink, and a large pink ribbon decorates every panel of the building. Additionally, a selection of delicious desserts with a pink theme is served at Arte Cafe throughout the month. 021-3858-0888.

Serve the people

In conjunction with Marriott International's ongoing "Spirit to Serve" community campaign, Marriott hotels in Shanghai, Hangzhou, Suzhou, Ningbo and Wuhan have joined forces once again to host the Greater Shanghai Marriott Charity Black Tie Gala Dinner to support Marriott's nonprofit charity partner, Shanghai Roots and Shoots. This year's event at the Shanghai Marriott Hotel City Center on Sept 15 was attended by 500 distinguished guests and raised 668,000 yuan. 021-5080-0201.

The Westin Bund Center is bringing the charm of the Mediterranean to Shanghai with its "Italy's magic hour" menu "Aperitivo", which is named for the Italian tradition of taking a pre-dinner drink along with hors d'oeuvres. Refreshing drinks and a rich selection of appetizers, antipasti, pizza, pasta and desserts can be enjoyed. 021-6335-1888 Ext 7368.

Better by the night

Starwood Hotels and Resorts Worldwide, Inc and its award-winning Starwood Preferred Guest program are introducing a new global promotion in China - SPG Better by the Night. Members registered for the promotion can earn unlimited bonus star points from Oct 1-Dec 20. Members will receive up to three times the normal star point awards at more than 1,000 participating hotels and resorts worldwide and can earn additional bonuses on reservations made through the new SPG App for iPhone or Spg.com. 021-6141-7716.

East meets West

Les Suites Orient is heralding the arrival of the chilly season in Shanghai with a special "East-meets-West" menu at Cafe Dongxi on the Bund from Nov 1. The menu features hearty comfort food from Asian and Western cooking traditions, presented with grace. Highlights include Taiwan beef noodles, stir-fried scallops and codfish, beef stew in red wine sauce with penne and Australian Wagyu grilled rib-eye steak. 021-6320-0088.