An Arabian Oasis Comes to Shangri-La Hotel, Vancouver

Combining elements from the Middle East, 1,001 Nights at Shangri-La encourages guests to savour exquisite Arabian flavours, sip spicy and sweet cocktails, all while enjoying live music and entertainment in Xi Shi Lounge. Debuting 26 November 2013, 1,001 Nights at Shangri-La will run until 5 January 2014.

“We wanted to create something fun and different this year to offer our guests a memorable holiday experience,” said Vito Romeo, general manager of Shangri-La Hotel, Vancouver. “We looked to our sister properties in Oman, Qatar, Turkey and the United Arab Emirates for inspiration, and how we could bring elements from the Middle East to life in Xi Shi Lounge. 1,001 Nights speaks to the diversity of cultures within the Shangri-La family.”

During 1,001 Nights guests can expect to see traditional Lebanese cold and hot mezze served in Xi Shi Lounge. Menu items include hummus, baba ghanooj, homemade pickles and spice-marinated olives, as well as favourites like falafel, tabboulleh salad, lamb kibbeh, and halloumi cheese. To finish on a sweet note, guests can savour baklava and Turkish delight while sipping on traditional Turkish coffee or Moroccan Tea. Xi Shi Lounge's popular afternoon tea will also receive a dose of Middle Eastern and Turkish flavours, and will be available daily from 11:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. for CAD$38 per person. Holiday cheer is spicy and sweet in Xi Shi Lounge, with cocktails like the Sparkling Ruby, made with bubbly, raspberries, honey and cinnamon, or the 1,001 Nights Martini, a mix of vodka and brandy, with hints of apple, maple and cardamom.

While enjoying the exquisite flavours of 1,001 Nights, a range of live music and entertainment will be available in the lounge Monday through Saturday, from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Traditional sitar and oud players will alternate during the week, and Tarab, a Vancouver-based Middle Eastern jazz-fusion band will bring modern interpretations of Egyptian, Arabian, Lebanese and other Middle Eastern songs to the stage on Thursday evenings. Kicking things up a notch are belly dancers performing on Friday and Saturday nights.

An additional element of 1,001 Nights includes a Merchants Market in the hotel's lobby, inspired by the traditional souq markets found around the Middle East and Mediterranean. Guests can sample and shop for hand-roasted nuts, dried fruits, spices, as well as hand-made jewelry and custom Persian rugs, just in time for the holidays. The Merchants Market will be open 3:00 p.m. to 7:00pm on weekdays, and 1:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. on weekends. Shangri-La gift cards will also be available for purchase in the hotel's lower lobby.

Exotic indulgence can also be found in CHI, The Spa, with the Arabian Nights Journey. Enveloped with the heavenly scents of coconut and jasmine in a soothing bath to start, guests will relish in an Arabic Coffee Scrub and an Arabian Date Body Wrap, two treatments inspired by CHI, The Spa in Abu Dhabi. The Arabic Coffee Scrub is known for its cellulite-reducing benefits, thanks to natural detoxifying ingredients such as caffeine and tannins, which assist in the removal of excess body fluids. While the Arabian Date Body Wrap nourishes skin with a blend of dates, coconut milk, almonds and vanilla, gently hydrating and enriching skin with essential vitamins and minerals. The Arabian Nights Journey starts at CAD$395, and is available exclusively at CHI, The Spa in Vancouver.

Xi Shi Lounge, located at Shangri-La Hotel, Vancouver is open Monday through Sunday from 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 a.m. The lounge is accessible through the hotel or via its direct entrance on Alberni Street.

Visit website: www.shangri-la.com/vancouver