Instant Holidays By Winnie Yeung

Christmas Weekend

The chic Radisson Hotel Pudong Century Park in Shanghai is celebrating Christmas with a special offer

– book a table at their “First Christmas” dinner buffet on Dec 23 (RMB 688) or “First Christmas” party for RMB 888 (with dinner buffet, free flow of wine and lucky draw), and you can enjoy the “First Christmas” accommodation package for just RMB688, which includes one night’s stay at this five-star hotel, 30 percent off on food and beverage, use of the gym, sauna and tennis court, broadband internet access,  admission to the Zendai Museum of Modern Art next door and a late check-out time of 4pm. Sounds like a holiday plan there.
1199 Ying Chun Lu, Shanghai, +8621 5130-0000, www.radisson.com/shanghaicn_pudong

Bangkok Baby
To beat the winter chills, head to Bangkok on New Year’s Day. The fashionable Metropolitan hotel of the COMO brand is offering a one-night package on Dec 31 which includes accommodation, dinner at their signature Mediterranean restaurant Cy’an, welcome cocktails, countdown fireworks at Hotel Porte Corchere, and entrance to the exclusive Met Bar, which will host a New Year’s Eve party till 5am. Together with limo airport transfer, breakfast, brunch and even a free yoga class, this package is quite a bargain at rates from $2,184.
Book at +66 2-625 3322-4 or visit metropolitan.como.bz/bangkok/reservation.asp.
Booze Cruise
For the ultimate in indolent living, book an early spot on one of MSC’s new Food and Wine Cruises next year. These cruises will offer cooking demonstrations of Mediterranean cuisines, including wine pairing courses, mixology classes and several different menus for the meals on board. The earliest trip is on April 19, departing from Venice, Italy. The eight-day journey will call in at Katakolon in Greece, Izmir and Istanbul in Turkey and Dubrovnik in Croatia, before returning to Venice. Early booking rates start at $7,640 and apply up to 61 days before departure date.
Book at local agents or MSC Cruises at +852 2230 6310, or visit www.msccruisesasia.com.

Swedish Snow
Get your skiing gear ready - Qatar Airways just started service to Stockholm, Sweden, and is celebrating with a bargain package starting at just $7,740, which includes return flights to Stockholm via Doha and three nights accommodation at a hotel of your choice. Qatar also allows each traveler to bring one set of ski equipment without charge. Package valid till Mar 28.
To book, call 2868-9833 or go to www.qatarairways.com.
Old Dog, New Trick
Hotel Miramar in Tsim Sha Tsui is undergoing a US$50 million renovation project. The legendary hotel will have a complete facelift, and its newly completed ballroom gives us a hint of what the hotel would look like when the project completes in late 2008. Designed by world-renowned lifestyle guru Colin Cowie, the ballroom has lost its original classical design for a modern silver and gray backdrop with white manifold fins and 18 chandeliers in four different sizes for a total of 20 tons of crystal.
118-130 Nathan Rd., Tsim Sha Tsui, 2368-1111