The Lunar New Year stands as the most significant celebration in Chinese culture. It symbolises renewal and the opportunity to seek blessing, luck, and prosperity at the start of the coming year, and a new annual cycle according to Chinese astrology. This Lunar New Year falls on 10 February 2024, where we welcome the Year of the Dragon.
The concept of togetherness and reunion is at the heart of Lunar New Year celebrations. Families, relatives, and friends come together to honour traditions, pay respect to elders, savour festive dishes, and venture to the many floral and festive markets dotted throughout the city.
The dragon and the lion dance are perhaps the most recognised symbols and the most exciting spectacle during Lunar New Year. Befitting its acclaimed status of being the “Grande Dame of the Far East,” this thousand-year-old tradition is performed in the grandest and most revered fashion at The Peninsula Hong Kong. Guests are invited to celebrate and witness this welcoming of the Lunar New Year in signature Peninsula splendour with a dragon and lion dance, comprising not only one, but nine energetic lions.
This tradition starts with a ceremony to seek blessings and is followed by the symbolic “life-giving” ritual to the dragon and lions by dotting their eyes with auspicious red ink. The mythical creatures will awaken and dance rhythmically to the energetic tunes of drums and cymbals, an experience which must be witnessed first-hand to appreciate the grandeur and grandiosity of this celebration.
Beyond being a spectacle for tourists, this culturally significant dance is believed by locals to ward off bad spirits and bring luck, great fortune, and divine blessings. On the first three days of Lunar New Year, Peninsula guests will receive auspicious couplets—auspicious wishes handcrafted in Chinese calligraphy on red scrolls by artisanal calligraphers—as cherished mementos to take home.
The Lunar New Year embraces the timeless tradition of family reunions, where generations gather to savour a myriad of exquisite traditional New Year dishes to symbolise a year of abundance ahead. All Lunar New Year festivities must begin or end with lavish meals—this is where the award-winning chefs at The Peninsula Hong Kong step up and prove their apron strings. Michelin-starred Cantonese restaurant Spring Moon will showcase an array of coveted treats in honour of the Year of the Dragon. Specialties include gourmet puddings and delicacies to share at family reunions, and a beautifully handcrafted “Divine Treasures Hamper,” which is filled with celebratory treats such as red date pudding, dried abalone, homemade XO chilli sauce, aged Yunnan Pu’er premium tea, and more.
For guests wishing to experience the myriads of festivities, The Peninsula Hong Kong has created a Lunar New Year stay offer, featuring luxurious accommodations, round-trip Rolls-Royce transfer, and a helicopter flight-seeing tour over Hong Kong. For guests staying over 11 February 2024, they will be treated to the best and most central view of the highly anticipated Lunar New Year fireworks at the hotel’s Sun Terrace, while the very exclusive Helipad awaits guests staying in suites. For those seeking pampering, the “New Year, New You” spa experience provides a fusion of traditional Chinese medicine-inspired treatments, featuring organic seaweed-based products and rejuvenating massages that draw from ancient philosophies of balancing yin and yang energies.
Due to its popularity, the hotel will once again partner with another Hong Kong legend, the Star Ferry, to offer a third season of “Afternoon Tea on the Harbour.” Both overseas visitors and local residents will have the opportunity to enjoy afternoon tea in the distinct Peninsula style against the dynamic backdrop of Victoria Harbour’s city skyline. The experience extends beyond exquisite tea to include a scenic sail past iconic spots like the West Kowloon Cultural District, Stonecutters Bridge, and Kennedy Town.
Amidst the captivating panoramic harbour, guests aboard will be delighting in an unparalleled afternoon tea experience. Executive pastry chef Florian Couteau and chef de cuisine Anton Ho have crafted a delectable spread, where decadent treats take centre stage. For those desiring a touch of opulence, caviar and premium wines are on offer. Elevating the ambience, the live band and singing onboard add a melodic layer to the entire experience. The indulgent “Afternoon Tea on The Harbour” is available every Saturday and Sunday, from 27 January to 30 June 2024.
As the iconic hotel rings in a landmark anniversary, this golden chapter in its storied books promises to be a memorable one. Famed as one of Hong Kong’s greatest icons, we invite you to experience this exciting Lunar New Year celebration for yourself.
Chinese New Year puddings and the Divine Treasures Hamper from Spring Moon are available for purchase online at The Peninsula Hong Kong e-shop.
For reservations and enquiries for Lunar New Year feasts at Spring Moon, please contact (+852) 2696 6828 or email springmoonphk@peninsula.com.
Book your Lunar New Year stay at The Peninsula Hong Kong here.
The Peninsula Hong Kong Afternoon Tea on the Harbour is priced at HK$820* per person. Online reservation is now available for tables of two or four here. Private and corporate charters are available upon request. For enquiries, please contact the hotel’s dining service team at (+852) 2696 6691 or (+852) 2696 6693 or email diningphk@peninsula.com.
All images courtesy of The Peninsula Hong Kong.
