As the Chinese Lunar New Year approaches on 29 January, The Peninsula Manila invites guests to embark on memorable experiential journeys and festivities that reflect the hotel’s commitment to honoring Filipino-Chinese cultural traditions with elegance and authenticity.

Guests of the hotel can enjoy the vibrant customs of this festive season, from striking red lanterns and mesmerizing lion and dragon dances at The Lobby to exceptional culinary offerings at its restaurants, these events will embody the spirit of the Year of the Snake while showcasing The Peninsula Manila’s legendary service and attention to detail.

Usher in the Year of the Snake with friends and family at The Lobby, Escolta and The Peninsula Boutique, a period of wisdom, knowledge, intuition, fertility and longevity.

A Roaring Dragon and Lion Dance

On 29 January at 10:15 a.m., the Peninsula’s mesmerizing Lion and Dragon Dance will once again take centerstage at The Lobby. This lively performance, believed to dispel evil spirits and usher in luck, always adds an extra burst of excitement to the Chinese Lunar New Year festivities. Red lai see envelopes, symbolizing fortune and prosperity, will also be shared.

Striking red lanterns will adorn the hotel lobby, creating a vibrant display by day and a captivating glow by night, an unforgettable sight for this special celebration.

Limited-Edition Peninsula New Year Pudding

Ongoing until 2 February at the The Peninsula Boutique is the much-coveted Chinese New Year Red Date with Ginger Juice Pudding.

The Chinese New Year pudding symbolizes success and prosperity and is a favorite gift for family and friends. Meticulously crafted with premium ingredients, it is perfect for celebrating the beginning of a new year.

The Peninsula Boutique is also offering its limited-edition line of Lucky Lunar New Year Chocolate Trees as auspicious gifts for family and friends!

Pastry chef Annalyn Solano’s Chinese New Year-themed trees — a Mandarin Orange Tree and a Golden Fortune Money Tree — are painstakingly molded and finished by hand. The “soil,” trunk, branches, leaves and fruit of the Mandarin Orange Tree and the goldfish-embossed gold coins of the Golden Fortune Money Tree are fashioned from chocolate.

The mandarin orange fruits are filled with an intense mandarin-flavored ganache while the gold-dusted coins embossed with lucky goldfish are made using dark chocolate.

The large Mandarin Orange Tree and Golden Fortune Money Tree are available at The Peninsula Boutique for P3,888 while the small trees are priced at P2,888 (inclusive of taxes).

There will be a big and delicious platter waiting in the middle of The Lobby’s dining tables this Chinese New Year for guests eager to welcome the Year of the Snake!

First to be tossed into the platter are slices of smoked salmon, with everyone cheering nin nin yau yu (“let there be abundance every year”). Then the carrots go in, followed by a roar of hong wen dong tau (“good luck”). Then everyone puts in their chopsticks and mixes the ingredients together, tossing them as high as they can. This goes on for a while, as various components of the traditional Chinese New Year lo hei — or prosperity toss — are mixed and thrown in, and the higher they are mixed and lifted, the more good luck there will be in the new year.