In the bracing cold wind, you are transfixed by what the locals are doing. Winter introduces an interesting activity in Manzhouli, and like the other tourists, you have come to watch. In the heart of bustling Manzhouli Hulun Lake is popular in summer for its cool climate and fresh air. Right now, in winter, it lies frozen. You marvel as the locals skilfully catch the fish that thrive under the ice. It’s getting colder, but you’ll soon be warm and well-pampered. You are returning to Shangri-La Hotel, Manzhouli, the only five-star hotel in this bustling city, located along the China-Russia border. Winter wear comes off in the hotel, with the helping hands of the attentive staff. They guide you through the magnificent corridors to the Salt and Bread Russian Restaurant for lunch. Later in the day, your exploration of authentic local food continues over dinner at Shang Palace, where fine Mongolian and Cantonese cuisine is served in Shangri-La’s signature grandeur. Kublai Khan couldn’t have done better. Resplendent and new, Shangri-La Hotel, Manzhouli, towers over older buildings in the city. Your elegant room exposes marvellous views of quaint edifices, where Chinese, Mongolians and Russians meet and mingle. Their vibrant colours and picturesque designs add striking accents to the hypnotic beauty of the vast Hulunbuir grasslands. Most colourful is Matryoshka doll thematic square. There are more than 200 giant nesting dolls – including the largest in the world at 30 metres tall – and not forgetting the smaller ones that grace gift shops. You hope you have time enough for everything. The city is beguiling. And the enchantment begins at Shangri-La Hotel, Manzhouli.