Hotels Celebrate New Year, Aidil Adha
By Shafiyi Azahari Bandar Seri Begawan

Bandar Seri Begawan - Hotels in the country are ushering in the New Year without the usual pomp and pageantry expected of such occasions.

Most of the hotels opted for a more toned down celebrations due to the observance of Hari Raya Aidil Adha or Feast of Sacrifice. But people looking to celebrate a joyous welcome for the New Year will still be enjoying scrumptious buffets offered by hotels in Brunei.

The more sombre celebration this year is due to the fact that the last day of 2006 will also be the first day for Muslims in Brunei Darussalam to mark the Feast of Sacrifice. One of the leading hotels in the country, the Empire Hotel and Country Club welcomes the New Year by luring the high paying customers with its international cuisine dine-in and its annual fireworks display as the main highlight of the evening.

The hotel's Assistant Public Relations Officer, Awangku Danny Pengiran Tajuddin said that the promotions to entice diners to spend New Year’s Eve at the hotel's fabulous restaurants have been prepared to usher in the New Year while at the same time respect the religious celebration.

The hotel's head security, who requested anonymity, said security will be tightened to ensure the safety of patrons coming to celebrate new year's eve just like it hack-been doing in the past years during this occasion.

He said the strict security was in order particularly due to prank calls the hotel receives. A few days ago, a person claiming to be a reporter, phoned the hotel telling them of an impending tsunami.

Meanwhile, other hotels are also having promotional dinners not only to welcome the New Year but also to celebrate the Hari Raya Aidil Adha.

The Rizqun International Hotel Brunei in Gadong, said they will have a special new year's eve buffet and Feast of the Sacrifice, the last major celebration in Islamic calendar for the year.

"We'll have a single-day buffet on new year's eve which is also in conjunction with the Hari Raya Aidil Adha celebrations, ''said the hotel's food and beverage manager, Johari Abd Jalil.

Another hotel in Berakas, Orchid Garden Hotel said they are offering a new year's eve buffet and no other forms of celebrations have been arranged at the hotel.-- Courtesy of The Brunei Times

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