Happy Valley Race Track: Beer, Gambling, and Horses

I was born in Hong Kong and have been back to visit pretty much every year of my life. When you have this sort of pattern with a city, you tend to want to visit the areas you are familiar with and won't see for a year. My brother and I stuck to Causeway Bay, TST, Mong Kok, and Sham Shui Po. These were the parts of the city where you used to be able to get bootleg games and movies (the government cracked down a few years ago and now pirated stuff is harder to find). However, in doing so, I missed out on a lot. 

This year, we decided to try something different and headed to the famous Happy Valley Race Track.

This was extremely convenient since our hotel, the Cosmopolitan, is located directly across from the course. Races at Happy Valley are only on Wednesday nights and traffic around the area can be dicey since roads are blocked off because of how large this event is. I saw this firsthand when I was heading back to my hotel later and a mass exodus was streaming onto the streets at 11:00PM. 

The Cosmopolitan Hotel

View from Happy Valley

As I headed over to the stadium, I didn't realize that the public entrance is at the complete opposite end of the area close to the hotel. It was a bit of a hike and we had to pass every specialty members only area before finally arriving at the common people turnstiles. It is a 10hkd entrance fee and you can use your octopus card if you have one. You will know that you have reached the cheapee area because you can see beer stalls just beyond the entrance.

Right past the turnstiles

The first of many, many beer stands

Lit up stadium full of people!

The tables where you can place pitchers

If you have never been to the horse races, GO. It is so much fun! The energy, the people, the beer, all make for a great night. I ended up going at around 7:00 but I found out that gates open at around 5:15-5:30.

Here is the official Hong Kong Jockey Club site with information about times, etc:

Race Courses FAQ 

If you are with a group, I would recommend going early since there are tables attached to the various beer stands and they fill up fast. If not, you can get right up to the track. If the places around the fence are full, wait until the next race finishes. It gets really crowded leading up to a race and as soon as it is over, people disappear to go gamble more or buy food and drinks. People are extremely friendly and open to talking. Some random guy filled up my beer cup with the pitcher that his group had. Another couple started chatting with me about how to bet and that they go for fun every single week. 

Right up against the rails

 I ended up gambling about 20hkd (minimum is 10hkd). I was with two other people and we all picked different numbers. We still lost, but it was all in good fun. Even if you aren't much of a gambler, put one bet down. It's an experience and even if you lose, there are bound to be people around you who are in the same position and then you can commiserate together!

There is something magical about being surrounded by the tall, lit buildings of Hong Kong and smelling horse and turf. When the horses start approaching your area, the crowd begins to roar and cheer, and even though the horses race past in a second, you can feel the ground shake. 

I think some of the horses were unruly and had to be led...

Yet another

Others just ran by themselves to the starting point

Man with newspaper he hopes he holds the answers to the race about to come past us

8 had a huge lead!

Next race

Even though 9 is leading, there is plenty that changes right near the end

Official Hong Kong Jockey Club board with the HK flag in the background

My winner!

The people who clean up the divots while watching out for the steaming ones!

The couple that was explaining the different types of bets told me how the boxes at the top of the stadium cost millions of U.S. dollars every year. They thought this was a complete waste of money since you would be so far from the action that it would be as if you were watching the race on TV. Even being in the restaurant distances you from the horses and the excitement of the crowd. I completely agreed. I would not have sacrificed being amidst the sea of energy for a better view. I think seeing a group of horses thunder past you is the best view in the house.      

The restaurant

The horses being paraded around before the race

Up close and personal

I can't imagine that is comfortable for the jockeys...

Races are every 15-30 minutes. You can pick up a handy guide which tells you race times and the competitors. I ended up placing another bet and winning! Off of 20hkd, I received 134hkd. It was enough to get dessert and I count myself lucky. I chose number 4 on a whim even though it wasn't given high statistics for winning. As much fun as it is to be outside, that is how depressing it is to be in the area where you place the bets. The sheer number of people staring avidly at the giant screens, scribbling furiously on notebooks or newspapers, and debating the merits of each horse is a little troubling. During each race, the board posts how much money is riding the winner and on which bets. These numbers reach 20,000,000hkd and up, and this is per race. 

SO much money

I won!

The winning ticket

I can't even fathom betting my life on something so chancy. I understand that this seems to allow people the illusion of more control as opposed to games like roulette, but it is still unpredictable. I think the cartoon film All Dogs go to Heaven gave a more plausible explanation of which horses win. The movie joked that it was the horses themselves who decided who should win based on whose birthday it was!

All in all, if you are in Hong Kong on a Wednesday, I highly recommend you go. In a couple, a small group, or a large group, there is a great night to be had.

A Snapshot of Lhasa

 

Monks in a department store. Clearly making some prayer rounds.

 The majority of articles on Tibet are filled with burgundy-robed monks silently twirling handheld prayer wheels. In a red columned assembly hall, they sit cross-legged on worn red pillows as shafts of light stream down from the rafters. Atop buildings and connecting pillars, prayer flags flutter in the wind as the faded yellows and greens contrast sharply with the piercing blue of the sky. Outside saffron stained temples, faithful adherents garbed in dull black and brown chupas prostrate themselves in front of statured gods. Palms together in prayer, they swing their arms from their forehead to their chest before gingerly falling to their knees and lying face down on the dusty, stone floor. After a moment of stillness, they get up and start the process over again. Staring out at this show of faith, wide-eyed deities with finely arched eyebrows sit with silky white prayer scarves draped around their shoulders and laps. Some faces are painted gold, others red or blue, as their hands grasp various instruments wrought in brass. The snarling faces of a few protector deities are covered up since they are deemed too terrifying to behold. During special occasions, the coverings are removed from their faces, revealing bulging eyes and fangs sprouting from grimacing mouths. Some of these deities sit astride various steeds as they trample demons whose bodies are pinned to the ground. Lining the front of these beings are iron troughs that look blue in the lighting. Hammered designs can be seen twining around the bases. The pungent smell of yak butter and burned juniper wreathe any who approach the twinkling of the lit altars. Pools formed in the soft, off-white wax landscape reflect serried rows of tiny flames. The flames dance, flickering and twisting whenever the faithful dribble liquid butter onto cratered mounds. Others use spoons to flick clumps of solid butter which create mountains surrounding the lakes encircling the flames. Waves of people pass through the various chapels and murmured prayers create a soothing lull that fills the air.

This is the classical image of Tibet, but Lhasa today is a burgeoning metropolis. Branching out from the walls of the temples, winding white walled streets give way to wide paved roads. Cars swerve around darting pedestrians while pedestrians weave around cars parked on sidewalks. Dogs of all shapes and sizes, in various states of uncleanliness, navigate through vehicles and people with their tongues happily lolling. Some have tinkling bells, while others are adorned with ratty red mane collars, which transform even the smallest Lhasa Apso into a fierce, albeit adorable, snow lion. In addition to multi-colored, tarp covered market stalls, department stores glitter with polished floors and bright fluorescent lights. Tibetan women hawking neon yellow blocks of yak butter contrast with manicured saleswomen displaying the latest brand name perfumes and make up. Those same burgundy robed monks stroll through the lanes between clothing sections, chatting on their cellphones. Street-side dentist stalls with rusted, peeling signs advertising gold emblazoned teeth are eclipsed by three-story centers with dental chairs and sterile equipment. Heaps of white curd, dried meats, and fungi compete with well-stocked supermarkets filled with plastic sealed soy sauce eggs and knock-off Oreos. 

No matter where you go in the world, you will never be able to escape dogs dressed in cute clothes.

Backpacks and leopard print are for all activities.

Skateboards galore!

The central tourist hub of Lhasa is the Barkhor, a wide-ranging market that sprawls around the Jokhang Temple. Armed with giant cameras with even larger lenses, packs of international and domestic visitors roam between stacks of thangka paintings and turquoise jewelry. Swept up in the clockwise tide of practitioners that circumambulate the Jokhang, visitors find it hard to leave. There are tons of restaurants, sites, and shops within this maze, so barring trips to major sites outside of this area, most tourists only see one side of Lhasa. Neglecting the rest of this rapidly expanding city is unfortunate since it has so much more to offer. Take, for example, cuisine. There are food stalls and tea houses everywhere. While these offer tasty fare, there are tons of other restaurants in the city that are overlooked. One such is called Hot Space. It is a hotpot restaurant that is renowned among the local Chinese and Tibetan population, but very rarely frequented by tourists. There is usually a wait. To keep patrons entertained, a row of computers boast the addictive game Plants versus Zombies. Waitresses even bring cups of juice so that those waiting will be hydrated for the spice. When ordering, the staff is incredibly helpful and will offer suggestions. This is very important since the menu is entirely in Mandarin. Due to the dearth of foreigners, it’s possible that the meal will end with singing and a flurry of white prayer scarves. This is just one of the many experiences awaiting tourists who explore outside the norm.

Dico's replaces McDonald's as the fast food of choice.

Prime hotpot goodness.

Lhasa is in the midst of industrial, cultural, and technological development. The giant St. Regis Hotel resort occupies an entire block, and it’s not even a small block. Likewise, a Four Seasons Hotel has also sprung up with a fancy restaurant that serves Hong Kong delicacies. There is also a large computer center with a roller skating rink on the top floor. While historical sites like the Potala Palace and Drepung Monastery should be the focus of any traveler’s sojourn to Lhasa, exploring the more modern areas is well worth the time. There is nothing like walking past the daunting walls surrounding St. Regis, straining to gain a glimpse inside while, on your other side, stalls are filled with yak carcasses. Meanwhile, children of all ages, who never tire of seeing foreign faces, will good-naturedly call out “hello” as they pass by with baseball caps balanced precariously on the tops of their heads. Playboy stores are couched between dry cleaners and tea houses where Tibetan men in fedoras sit outside playing various games with tiles. Part of the charm of Lhasa is seeing this unique mixture of cultures and experiencing the growth of a city firsthand. Lhasa cannot be limited to a single perspective and travelers should take the new with the old. 

Technology surrounds the ancient Potala Palace.

Globalism at its best.

Hong Kong and Lhasa

I am currently on my way back to Hong Kong after three months in Lhasa. For the occasion, I have compiled a list of things that I am looking forward to in Hong Kong and things that I will miss about Lhasa. 

Everything that I am looking forward to applies only to my individual situation. I am not making any sweeping claims about what anyone else experiences or their priorities. I also know that some problems are beyond the control of any of the hotel staff and the people I am around.

Hong Kong 

I think Hong Kong looks better at night.

1. Food variety

I miss the sheer diversity of food in Hong Kong for cheap to reasonable prices. I love Tibetan food, I love Chinese food but I miss being able to go out for something as simple as a burger. Or going up the alley in LKF that serves Thai, Indonesian, and Malaysian food without costing me all my money. While most restaurants here offer western fare, with the exceptions of St. Regis and La Bon Vie, they aren't great.

     2. Reliably hot showers

Call me spoiled but nothing beats the feel of a piping hot shower, especially as it gets colder. Showers at Dekang tend to be hot but will occasionally, seemingly at random, become lukewarm to chilly. 

    3. Not smelling smoke everywhere

Bans against smoking in public spaces/hotel rooms haven't quite made it over. I am really looking forward to being able to not be surprised by clouds of smoke in elevators and bathrooms in the hotel. Hong Kong is crazy about not smoking in public places and that is ridiculously exciting.

   4. Having the shower drain properly

During my stay, I have noticed that the shower drains more and more poorly. Every time I shower, it is like taking a knee bath at the same time. 

   5. Consistent internet

For about a month now, the internet has been shutting off at 2:00-2:30am. This isn't a problem for most people but because I am a night owl, it isn't very pleasant. Having made my peace with this restriction, a new issue has cropped up within the last couple of weeks. The internet will now randomly fluctuate throughout the day and become agonizingly slow for long periods. I am SO excited about having fast, reliable internet 24/7.

   6. Family and friends

I haven't seen my mom or brother for over a year and I am flying to Hong Kong to see them. I am very excited to be able to spend some time with them since I won't be heading back stateside until March. I also have some close friends in HK and, as much as I enjoy the company of the Boy, it will be nice to see everyone again.

Lhasa

It's nigh impossible to get a night shot of the whole of Lhasa.

   1. Tibetan food

While I do crave variety, I am a huge fan of anything with yak meat. I will especially miss Momos (the yak filled dumplings), Thukpa (noodle soup), and Tsaksha Lapuk (yak and radish soup).

  2. The view

The mountains surrounding Lhasa are some of the most gorgeous I have seen. There is nothing quite like waking up in the morning and seeing snow covered mountains in the distance. Not to mention the fact that because they are so far and vast, the clouds and the sun illuminate various portions.

  3. Dekang Hotel

For all my griping, Dekang has become my home and my comfort zone. The room is spectacular and I know the area really well. The staff here are incredible and extremely accommodating. They are so friendly and I will definitely miss them.

 4. Some of the monasteries

There are some monasteries here that are quiet and under the tourist radar. These are my favourite to visit since they have really neat little areas like caves and rooftop chapels.

  5. Mastiffs

I love, love LOVE mastiffs as you can see from this post An Ode to Tibetan Mastiffs. I will miss seeing mastiffs everywhere and especially the big red girl right now the street.

 6. Friends

I have made a few friends here and will miss seeing them!

Hopefully I will be able to come back in a month, but for now I will enjoy some delicious dim sum!

St. Regis Lhasa Resort: Inside the Wall

*Sorry this is so long! I wanted to be as descriptive as possible. I've created headers so you can just skip around if you can't be bothered to read it all. Also, apologies about the image quality. I had to compress them so that loading them onto blogger wouldn't take a year.*

 

Main points:

1.  You don't have to be a guest to enjoy the restaurants, bars, and spa (although I think you have to pay to go to the gold-plated pool if you are not a guest).
2. If you need a break from roughing it or have been without a good variety of food for awhile, go to St. Regis.
3. If you are extremely wealthy and don't really want to have to deal with the hassles of being in Lhasa, stay at St. Regis. Seriously, it feels like you are in another city.
4. If you are sick of the ever-present smell of smoke, go to St. Regis. 
5. Bring your swimming suit since the gold-plated pool is heated and you can swim at any time during the year! 
6. Western food and drinks are great but expensive. 
7. If the internet is out elsewhere, head to St. Regis. I don't know how they do it but I have never noticed their internet going out.

Introduction 

On Friday, November 11th, I headed to St. Regis to experience the luxury for myself. Three months I have lived in Lhasa and each day, I walk past the daunting white walls surrounding the resort. They are just low enough that you can catch tantalizing glimpses of the inside. Even the entry way shows enough to intrigue without really allowing you to see anything. Before going, I read a few reviews on TripAdvisor to get a feel for how other peoples' experiences were. I have noticed a tendency in China for my expectations to be very disappointed by the reality, and I think that this is because U.S. comfort is very different from Chinese comfort. I did not want this to be the case this time around. The first thing I noticed from the reviews were that most of them had been responded to by a man named Edward Korving. This gave me hope that the few issues had been rectified. These stemmed from the texture of the toilet paper to sub-par service by the staff. Overall, in spite of a few negative reviews, these were by far and away the most positive that I have read about any hotel in China. 

Lobby (Salon) and Check In

Everything about this resort screams elite. Driving up (literally, it slopes up a hill), the cab levels onto a very spacious courtyard that looks just the littlest bit like the color scheme and decor of the film The Cell (specifically the suits that Jennifer Lopez has to wear to go into the sleep state).

The wall from the inside.

Intimidating entry way.

The Cell color scheme is a bit more clear at night.

This was taken in a golf car that they use to drive people to the front to get a cab. Most cabs won't drive up unless they have a patron inside.

Walking into the entry way, you are immediately greeted with the view of the Potala Palace. Unlike most hotels, the lobby of St. Regis is located on the third floor and is on level with the defining landmark of Lhasa. 

You can actually go out onto that balcony for a better view.

Zoomed in shot.

At night. It is a lot more clear when you are actually there.

Facing the entrance. To my back is the view of the Potala Palace.

This is to the left of the entry way and leads to the Social.

This is to the right and is where the reception and library are.

Zoomed out shot of the viewing area.

 To the right is the reception where there are multiple desks to make sure your check-in is not delayed. Here you will most likely meet Edward Korving, the Executive Assistant Manager (yes, the same one who answers the reviews on TripAdvisor). I am pretty sure he was brought on to improve customer service. He is extremely friendly, accommodating and helpful. Without even asking, he offered us the option of late checkout at no extra cost. I chose 2pm, but I think I could have pushed it later. You will also probably meet your butler. I had Audrey who was very friendly! While I do speak some Mandarin, everyone's English was very good and I don't think other travelers should have any issues.

Room

I got the cheapest room for the night which in total cost around 1,900 yuan (300 usd). It was kind of jarring because it was on the second floor and I had to take an elevator down from the lobby. It was a garden view with a king-sized bed. The rooms here are HUGE. It was almost like a fairly large studio apartment. The view was not the most spectacular in the world, mine at Dekang is nicer with the mountains all around. I imagine it must be much more beautiful during the summer since the garden will be a bit more vibrant. 

The bed was soft. For those who haven't been traveling around China, you can't understand the ecstasy of having a bed you can sink into instead of clunking onto.

Coach area with the wooden slides that can be moved to cover the bathroom.

Entrance to the spacious bathroom.

There was a HUGE bath in addition to a rain shower.

To the right is the toilet and on the left is the rain shower.

You can just get a glimpse of the magical shampoo and conditioner.

There are so many towels. I have never seen so many towels in a hotel room before.

View of the rest of the room and the closets by the door.

Study area with the Boy.

Plenty of room for two laptops and two people to sit!

Bubble bath! With Modern Family at the ready, not to mention a glass of wine.

The room also has curtains and screens that you can slide to box off the main "bedroom" area. There are even multiple thermostats to control the temperature in different parts of the room. 

I just have to take a moment to rave about the shampoo and conditioner that they provide. It left my hair feeling so silky and looking incredibly shiny! Loved them and wish I could buy large bottles to take around with me. 

They smell delicious too.

Map and Food (lunch) at Social

After settling into the room, I went exploring. You might want to ask for a map since One thing I have to mention is that there is wi-fi everywhere. It is high speed and all you need to do is login. This is really handy if you have an i-anything or a laptop that you want to take around. 

It is fairly detailed...

 While there are three restaurants in St. Regis (the Yan Ting Chinese restaurant, the Si Zi Kang Tibetan restaurant, and Social restaurant), I spent all my meals at Social, the Western restaurant. It's been awhile since I have eaten good western food, and I wanted to see what they had to offer. Plus, reviews were not the greatest for the Chinese restaurant and I figured we could get anything in the Tibetan one for cheaper elsewhere. Check-in is at 3:00pm and so I deliberately ate light so I would be hungry enough to enjoy St. Regis.

For any How I Met Your Mother fans, I am sure you remember the episode with New York's greatest burger. Every single time I watch that episode, I immediately crave a burger. This has been particularly difficult here since most "western" restaurants here only have yak burgers and/or chicken burgers. They aren't very good. With this in mind, the Boy decided to take the plunge and order a burger at Social while I opted for a steak (non-stringy steaks are impossible to find here). We even got a Tom Kha Gai to split since I miss Thai food. 

Everything was AMAZING. The burger was a thick, beef patty with pickles. "Swirling in your mouth, breaking apart and, combining again in a fugue of sweets and savor..." I can't tell you how awesome it was to finally eat pickles... The soup was great, if a bit on the sweet side. And my steak was terrific. I finally got a medium-rare steak that wasn't the least bit stringy. I know those who have easy access to this sort of food are scoffing at my excitement, but those who have been without for awhile will understand how thrilling it is to sink your teeth into something so incredibly juicy (apologies to all vegetarians/vegans).

Be warned, I went to dinner that night around 10:00pm (the buffet had closed by then) and so only a la carte was available. I ordered the duck breast as my main course and it was pretty small, as you can see from the following pictures. Beyond the size, the food was delicious and I highly recommend the lobster ravioli. 

Decimated grilled salmon starter.

The tiny duck breast.

The awesome lobster ravioli

Creme Brulee. As you can see, the caramel crust was separate for some reason... Still tasty!

Carbonara for lunch.

Scallops that were awesome!

On Sunday night, I returned to give the buffet a whirl. The buffet is nice and has a lot of options but there is an issue with the placement of the food. Instead of starting with the salad, it has a soup station and then goes into main courses. Before going to this area, head to the back (in a separate area) and work your way around! 

Last thing on the subject of food: order Voss. Voss is a brand of water and it is delicious. I can't actually tell the difference between Evian or any of the other fancy brands of water from the cheaper-end bottles, but I can with Voss. I have gotten used to drinking Nongfu Spring, only 5 yuan per medium sized bottle. If I don't drink it in a day, it tastes like either oil or rubber... I don't want to know what is going into my system but as soon as I drank my first sips of Voss, I didn't want to stop.

The Drawing Room

After the meal, I headed over to the Drawing Room for a glass of whiskey to digest before heading to Iridium Spa.This is a very nice lounge area past the library (don't get too excited, it isn't extremely extensive). The whiskey was really smooth, beware though since they might be out of what you want. 

The Drawing Room.

Iridium Spa

Iridium Spa is outside the main complex. To get there, you just pass Decanter (a bar) through a door that seems to be always open. After passing along the wall, there is a discrete entrance to the spa. There are many different spa treatments (all for a fairly hefty price). I chose the cheapest option which was for a 60 minute aromatherapy Swedish massage. Upon choosing this, one of the masseuses will have you smell a bunch of different oils. I opted for Lavender. I was then taken to another room and provided with a robe and disposable underwear. The massage was very pleasant and relaxing and I highly recommend it for anyone who wants to be pampered.

Iridium Pool

I don't know how I missed this but there is a gold-plated heated pool in the spa complex. The Boy and I were actually really worried that we had mailed our swimming suits back to the states. While disposable underwear was available, that didn't extend to disposable bathing suits. Since Dekang isn't very far, we immediately headed back and luckily found out swimming suits in the room. 

The pool is pretty fantastic. The air is heated and feels like a sauna. There are even couches with tea bags and bottles of water lining the entire area. The water isn't very deep and the temperature was around 80 degrees Fahrenheit. All around the pool, gold leaf is protected behind what looks to be a thick plastic coating. This pool is free for hotel guests but I got the distinct feeling you would be charged if you weren't. If you are a guest, bring your swimming suit and go for a dip, it is well worth the bragging rights! 

Shot of the changing room

Lockers. Be careful though, they are tough to open. Just keep wiggling with the magnetic key pressed against it!

The Iridium Pool.

Front shot of the Iridium Pool.

View from the pool.

Gold, water, and dragon.

The roof was actually pretty spectacular as well.

Can you see the gold now?

How about now?

It really glittered when I used flash.

More shots.

The lounge area with water and tea packets.

Gold!

A dragon made out of shells.

From outside the room.

Better shot of the Salon and main area.

Decanter by Haut-Brisson

Decanter is a really nice bar that is located on the first floor. This is the same Decanter near the path that leads to the spa. It is very much like a lounge and I highly recommend the specialty Lhasa Bloody Mary.  It is delicious and made from real tomatoes. Also be sure to try the regular cocktail list since they are bigger drinks and very tasty! This is also the place where you can book the romantic outdoor dining, although I would not recommend it in the winter... This is also a cigar bar. If you want a pre-dinner relaxing spot, this is the place to go. The specialty it advertises is that they will open a bottle of wine and you can choose the decanter to air it out in. I opted out of this and instead got a half-bottle for the room for later.

Outside

Inside

Better shot of the seats.

The half-bottle of wine.

Grounds

The grounds are very extensive and have all sorts of ponds and winding gardens. It is a little bleak during the day in the winter but really beautiful at night.

One of the buildings with the moon in the background.

More night shots of the complex.

View of the spa from Decanter.

Closer shot. You can almost see the pool.

Directions during the day!

View during the day.. Pretty sure that is the area where the romantic dinner takes place when it's warm.

The lovely spa.

Rooms.

One of the ponds.

Driveway for a golf cart?

Side shots!

Serenity

I liked the reflections a lot...

Hours and Suggestions

Here are some suggestions I have to improve St. Regis. 

The first is to post opening and closing times more clearly. It was difficult to figure out the hours of every thing. While there is a booklet in the room, these times don't coincide with what some of the staff told me. Different people had different opinions on the opening and closing times of each attraction. Here is what I tentatively found out:

Social: All day dining which opens for breakfast at 7:30am. Dinner buffet is from 6:00 or 6:30 to 10:00pm. You can order a la carte up until 11:00 pm.

Decanter by Haut-Brisson: Opens 4:00pm (or 4:30 according to the bartender) until 12:30am.

Iridium Spa: Not sure when it opens but it closes somewhere between 11:00pm-1:00am.

Iridium Pool: Not sure when it opens but it closes around 11:00pm.

The other suggestion I have is in terms of staff. While most of the receptionists speak English really well, the wait staff is another matter. I found that in Social, only a few spoke English really well, the rest didn't. This means that the English speakers are in high demand but short supply. The directions when it came to the buffet and wine list took a little time and was a bit confusing. Also, it wasn't until I specifically asked that I was provided with a menu for glasses of wine, instead of bottles.

My last suggestion is that the pathways to walk in the gardens be a bit more clear. I saw pathways through the gardens but none actually leading into any. I had to walk through a slight dirt path that staff had clearly tread down to even get to one. Also, in terms of long term goals, I would recommend more colorful, local flora that does well in the winter. The grounds would be more beautiful with plants that bloomed or looked their best during different times of the year.

This is not a suggestion but merely an additional bit of information.

For those in Lhasa during Christmas and who want a Christmasy feel, St. Regis has a variety of options (of varying prices). If you are interested, contact them and ask, or just go to the Christmas desk which is right in front of the Social to make a reservation.

If you are looking to be decadent and pampered, head to St. Regis.

Well, that's about it! I hope this covered everything. If anyone else has been here, feel free to add stuff I missed in the comments. Otherwise, feel free to write any general feedback/criticism you have.