The 2011 Asian Winter Games will be held in Almaty and Astana, Kazakhstan, Jan. 30-Feb. 6, hosting 2,500 athletes from 32 countries plus 10,000 visitors. Events include alpine and cross-country skiing, speed skating, figure skating and ice hockey. Visit www.astana-almaty2011.kz.

London’s historic hotel The Savoy (Strand, London, WC2R 0ET, phone +44 20 7836 4343, www.the-savoy.com), which first opened in 1889, reopened on Oct. 10 after nearly three years of restoration. All 268 rooms now include modern amenities. A new glass dome has been installed on the Thames foyer. The hotel’s frieze is restored.

Nightly rates range from £350 (near $540) up to, for the Royal Suite, £10,000 ($15,455).

In Beijing, China, Wan Feng Xiaochi (Snack Shop) (No. 306 Wan Feng Rd., Fengtai District; phone 6488 6868), is the only place where the cuisine of all 56 of China’s ethnic groups is represented. The three-story, more than 172,000-square-foot food palace seats 2,000, and its stalls have 3,000 selections, including samosas from Xinjiang, Tibetan wine and mutton from Mongolia.

In addition, folk art and jewelry are for sale and craftspeople demo cooking techniques.