6 Places you can travel to for the Christmas and New Year’s Eve celebrations
Goodbye 2016 and hello 2017
Kuala Lumpur has a lot to offer for both Christmas and New Year’s Eve – we’ve rounded up some of the best places to feast at, where you can get a full Christmas spread (read: turkey!) for takeaway and how you can roast your own turkey for an intimate family affair at home – but nothing beats a holiday. If you’re looking for some ideas on where to go, we’ve got six.
1. Celebrate Christmas at Seminyak Village, Bali
Ending the year at an island as beautiful as Bali is always a welcoming idea but it doesn’t exactly spell Christmas – except it does at Seminyak Village. The iconic shopping destination will be decked in the most creative decorations inspired by butterflies where the Christmas trees dresses are adorned with them and fairy lights and the tree itself with be luminescent with a thousand white butterflies. On 23 December, there will Christmas Carolling at The Atrium and then you can adjourn to cocktails at Tiger Palm Bali or Wahrung Bali. Before you shop for more presents – they’re having major promotions and offers mall-wide – don’t forget to get the Seminyak Village Tourist Card for extra privileges.
2. While in London, visit Harrods to catch A Very British Fairy Tale in collaboration with Burberry
It’s the first festive partnership at Harrods so of course, there are several things in store (pun unintended). The first ever Harrods Christmas tree on Hans Crescent, designed by Burberry, is just outside the store’s brand new Door 5 Grand Entrance. On Brompton Road, the 29 windows have been turned into a theatrical digital experience where guests are able to interact with a sensory window and experiment with the lighting and music. Inside, you’ll find a dedicated selection of pieces from Burberry’s all-day cafe Thomas’s at the Harrods Food Hall which includes chocolate mince pies, biscuits and a limited edition bottle of English sparkling wine, Nyetimber. Last, but not least, there are a programme of activities for customers to enjoy the partnerships such as stations that unveil the craftsmanship behind Burberry products and personalisation services.
3. Get away to the bustling city of Hong Kong and check in to The Upper House for the festive celebrations
If Hong Kong is your city of choice for Christmas (it’s not roast turkey but who can honestly resist the local delights there) then The Upper House is a great option for accommodation, especially since they’ve enlisted leading architect Andre Fu as the designer of the hotel’s Christmas tree, a pop-up installation by Andre Fu Living. They’ve also introduced a series of dining offerings at the award-winning Cafe Gray Deluxe where guests can indulge in the special Christmas Eve Dinner menu or a four-course Christmas Day Lunch. Over at The Lawn will be fun “Deck the House” activities ranging from an interactive stocking decoration competition to face painting to unlimited festive food and drinks for both adults and children.
4. Watch the world-famous New Year’s Eve fireworks from the best vantage points in Sydney
Fireworks above the Sydney Opera House is a popular photo of New Year’s Eve around the world so it comes as no surprise that both locals and tourists gather in the city to celebrate the coming of a new year. Destination NSW recently unveiled some of the best places to catch sight of the fireworks and they range from Circular Quay (free entry, site opens at 9am) to Darling Harbour (free entry, site opens at 11am) to Barangaroo Reserve (tickets start at $29.50 for adults which includes a picnic dinner and drinks, site opens at 6pm) to Taronga Zoo (tickets start at $190 for adults with a choice of a banquet dinner, a cocktail party or a family-friendly zoo lawn picnic experience; site opens at 3.30pm) to Bennelong Lawn@Royal Botanic Gardens (tickets start at $329 for adults, site opens at 7pm).
5. Toast to the New Year at The Mark in New York
New York’s most stylish hotel that is situated in one of Manhattan’s most exclusive neighbourhoods is set to help you wake up to 2017 with a bright smile on your face and an amazing breakfast in bed wakeup call by Michelin three-star chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten. Prior to that, there’s champagne and signature chocolate truffles upon arrival. If you’re going to be in New York, why not, right?
6. Be the guest of Coco Chanel for New Year’s Eve in Paris
A bespoke experience such as this sounds too good to be true but anything is possible with Pure Entertainment Group, a global bespoke event management and luxury concierge company that provides access to places that are usually unaccessible to the public. The package includes a welcome reception and personalised shopping experience at the Chanel jewellery store on Place Vendome, a private visit to the Coco Chanel apartment at both the Ritz Paris and Rue Cambon, a New Year’s Eve tasting menu at a Michelin-star restaurant, accommodation in a Grand Deluxe Room at the Ritz Paris, and more. How’s that for saying goodbye to 2016 and hello to a more exciting 2017?
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