Review / Despite Covid-19 travel bans, the Northern Lights were still a possibility for our editor this Christmas – thanks to The Peninsula Hong Kong’s new Nordic-inspired staycation package

Dec 4 , 2020

The Peninsula launches its “Festive World – A Nordic Inspiration” package. Photos: Getty Images, The Peninsula

New luxury staycation package Festive World – A Nordic Inspiration offers delicious Swiss cheese fondue in a cosy chalet setting, a peek at a vintage Rolls-Royce and a fairy tale turn-down service that you need to see to believe

Seeing the Northern Lights has always been high on my bucket list, and this week I’ve finally seen them – at The Peninsula hotel in Hong Kong.

OK, fine, that was stretching the truth to a shameless extent, but it’s the year of Covid-19 travel bans and I’ll take what I can get. As it is, channelling Nordic Christmas spirit at the “Grand Dame of the Far East” has its definite charms.

Seeing the Northern Lights is at the top of my bucket list. Photo: Getty Images

The Festive World – A Nordic Inspiration package is available throughout December until January 3, and we begin our journey, as Hongkongers do, by treating our stomachs. The package includes a HK$500 (US$65) dining credit for any of the hotel’s restaurants save Imasa, but it feels most in keeping with the spirit of the staycation to dine at Chesa. The Swiss restaurant has retained its Alpine charm for more than half a century, and if the cosy chalet setting and cheesy fondue don’t get your merry vibes tingling, I suggest you order a tall glass or three of the hot chocolate with whipped cream and chocolate flakes and rethink your life priorities.

The Peninsula’s hot chocolate and cheese fondue at Chesa. Photo: Jacqueline Tsang

For those unfamiliar with the hotel’s layout, Chesa is located on the first floor, and while the lobby’s seven-metre-tall Christmas tree is an Instagrammer’s dream, my personal favourite festive decor has always been the massive snowy train set on the first floor landing. As it was, it takes me almost five minutes to get a good photo because a pint-sized fellow fan can’t stop climbing into the set-up.

The post-fondue food coma is enough to drive us back to our room, which manages to be festive rather than kitsch with its Christmas decorations (although the bright red reindeer cushions do rather stand out against the room’s elegant cream and brown palette).