Celebrate Chinese New Year at The Peninsula Chicago

As Asia’s oldest luxury hospitality brand, The Peninsula Hotels worldwide will celebrate Chinese heritage and ring in the Year of the Snake. The Peninsula Chicago is pleased to present inspiring initiatives and special décor throughout the holiday, along with music, food and activities on the most auspicious date of the year, January 29, 2025. The hotel will offer guests a personalized experience during the Chinese New Year designed to create memories, including the traditional lion dance, and authentic dining delights from Chinese New Year Afternoon Tea, special Chinese menus at Shanghai Terrace and for the first time ever, a Chinese New Year’s Sunday Brunch.

Auspicious Traditional Lion Dances to Start a New Year

On Saturday, January 25, 2025, a traditional lion dance will commence at 3:00 pm at The Peninsula Chicago’s front entrance amid a joyful atmosphere, while loud drumbeats and strong cymbal crashes scare away evil spirits. The lion troupe will then make its way down the gallery on the hotel’s main fifth floor lobby, weaving through the tables in The Lobby during Afternoon Tea at approximately 3:15 pm. A child will be invited to “feed” lettuce to the lion, representing good luck for the coming year.

Holiday Décor to Bring Fortune and Luck

The Peninsula Chicago will be adorned with red lanterns and festive décor throughout the hotel. The color red represents joy and luck in Chinese culture, and so the hotel’s facade will be illuminated in red, adding to the spirit of the season. The Lobby will be decked with red flowers and tangerine trees, representing good fortune. Guest rooms will also feature festive customs, including a red packet containing a chocolate coin placed in all guest rooms on Wednesday, January 29, 2025. Traditionally, Chinese customs are to place a red packet with lucky money underneath the pillow on the eve of the New Year to wish for a healthy and prosperous year.

Quintessential Gourmet Delicacies to Share with Friends and Family

Food plays a key role in Chinese culture, and no less so than at Chinese New Year. This year The Peninsula Chicago will start a new tradition with an annual Chinese New Year Sunday Brunch. The brunch is a curated Chinese menu of buffet items featuring four stations: Dim Sum, Peking Duck, Entrées, and Desserts. Shanghai Terrace signature entrée items include XO beef tenderloin, sweet & sour prawns, kung pao chicken, Shanghai fried noodles, new year fried rice, and jade vegetables. Steamed halibut will be served table-side. Chinese New Year Sunday Brunch will take place on Sunday, January 26, from 11:30 am to 2:00 pm and is priced at US$ 188, plus tax and gratuity. The Lion Dance will take place at 11:30 am and 1:30 pm in The Lobby. A string duo provides the entertainment.  Reservations may be made via TOCK.

Children’s Lion Mask-Making Activity

Children are invited to embrace the Chinese New Year with a fun, interactive mask-making activity on Sunday, January 26, 2025, from 11:30 am to 4:00 pm in the Library, located adjacent to The Lobby. Using a variety of craft supplies, The Peninsula Chicago staff will guide children, ages 3 to 12, on how to create a festive Lion mask to don in time for the New Year. This activity is priced at US$ 75 per child, plus tax and reservations may be made via TOCK.

At Shanghai Terrace from Friday, January 24^th through Sunday, February 2, 2025, guests can raise a toast in celebration of a signature Chinese New Year-inspired cocktail, ‘Yellow Earth,’ featuring chili and goji berry-infused Grey Goose vodka, mandarin clementine, lime, and grapefruit bitters, for US $24. Then indulge in a six-course Chinese menu of authentic favorites. The menu features a Shanghai Terrace appetizer trio, followed by traditional Peking duck, steamed lobster, homemade scallion chicken, wok-fried beef tenderloin with foie gras, and for dessert white chocolate mousse. This menu is priced at US$ 168 per person, excluding tax and gratuity. This special menu will be offered in addition to the regular á la carte menu. Guests will receive the traditional red packet as a parting gift. Reservations may be made via OpenTable.

Special Chinese New Year Afternoon Tea

A special Chinese New Year Afternoon Tea will be served at 2:30 pm and 4:30 pm in The Lobby on Friday, January 24^th through Sunday, January 26^th, 2025. The menu features distinctively festive flavors including traditional Chinese fare with entertainment provided by a string duo. On Saturday, January 25^th attendees will witness the annual Lion Dance in The Lobby during the 2:30 pm tea seating. The Chinese New Year Afternoon Tea is available for US$ 150 for adults, including a glass of Champagne; and US$ 85 for children ages 5 to 12. Guests will receive the traditional red packet as a parting gift. Reservations for Chinese New Year Afternoon Tea may be made via TOCK.

To make reservations or for more information, please call direct at +1 (312) 337 2888, toll-free at +1 (866) 288 8889, visit peninsula.com/chicago or e-mail diningch@peninsula.com or reservationPCH@peninsula.com.  Some experiences may only be booked via TOCK. Terms and conditions apply.