Mid-Autumn mooncake gift boxes showcase creativity — carved wooden books and music-playing exteriors vie for customers

Tourism Center / Comprehensive Report

It hasn’t been long since the Dragon Boat Festival, yet hotel operators have already begun launching mooncake gift boxes. In addition to the flavors of the mooncakes themselves, many brands are also getting creative with the packaging. For example, Taipei W Hotel has hidden a music player inside its gift box — simply connect via Bluetooth to your phone to play your favorite tunes. Meanwhile, The Regent Taipei introduces the “Moon in a Book” mooncake gift box, packaged in an antique carved wooden book. Additionally, The House Group has collaborated across its hotels and external restaurants to jointly launch three types of mooncake gift boxes.

▲ Taipei W Hotel hides a music player inside its mooncake gift box. (Photo / Provided by Taipei W Hotel)

Taipei W Hotel exclusively launched the “Moon-Gazing & Music-Gifting ‘Surprise-Filled’ Mid-Autumn Mooncake Gift Box” in 2015, fully embracing the brand’s vibrant personality. In addition to three types of mooncakes, the gift box was custom-designed by Taiwanese rising star designer Wu Xieheng, renowned for his design genius. Inspired by the brand’s signature element — “music” — the music player is concealed within the box and can play favorite tunes via Bluetooth connection. Each box is priced at TWD 1,180. Available for sale starting July 21 at the Mid-Autumn Mooncake Counter on the first floor of Taipei W Hotel, this unique gift box is tailored for trendsetters, offering a one-of-a-kind gifting style.

▲ The Regent’s “Moon in a Book” mooncake gift box. (Photo / Provided by The Regent)

This Mid-Autumn Festival, The Regent Taipei continues its tradition of combining innovation with classic Cantonese mooncake flavors, pairing them with an antique carved wooden book package that exudes European aristocratic charm. The Regent’s “Moon in a Book” mooncake gift box is priced at TWD 2,800 (6 pieces, three flavors), and is available for pre-order from now until September 27, limited to 600 boxes. The “Moon in a Book” box features three classic Cantonese mooncake flavors made with authentic traditional techniques: date paste with salted egg yolk, pine lotus with cranberry, and pineapple mango with walnut.

▲ Taipei Mandarin Oriental Hotel mooncake gift box. (Photo / Provided by Taipei Mandarin Oriental Hotel)

Led by Chef Huang Tianwu, Executive Chef of the 40-year-experienced Arcadia Chinese Restaurant, Taipei Mandarin Oriental Hotel is releasing a limited-edition premium handcrafted Hong Kong-style milk custard mooncake. Each box contains 8 pieces in four flavors: abalone and matsutake milk custard, aged ginseng milk custard, Jinhua ham milk custard, and pumpkin seed and mung bean milk custard, priced at TWD 2,388. Customers who place an order for 20 boxes (or more) before July 31, 2015, will also receive an early-bird discount — a complimentary Arcadia double dining coupon worth TWD 5,500.

▲ The House Group launches three mooncake gift boxes. (Photo / Provided by The House Group)

The House Group has collaborated with its properties — Taipei Sheraton Grand Hotel, Taipei The House Boutique Hotel, The House Living Hotel, SUKHOTHAI Shin Kong Mitsukoshi Xinyi, Thai Favour Breeze Fuxing, The House Kitchen, and The House Le Le Xuan — to jointly release three “The House Mid-Autumn Mooncake Gift Boxes.” They are: the “Moon-Gazing” Cantonese Mooncake Gift Box (6 pieces for TWD 1,250), the “Feast Moon” Deluxe Mooncake Gift Box (6 pieces — 2 large, 4 small — for TWD 990), and the “Taste Moon” Egg Yolk Pastry Gift Box (8 pieces for TWD 750). Pre-orders for The House Mid-Autumn Mooncake Gift Boxes open on July 15, with an 15% discount (pay 85% of price) if payment is completed before August 31.


▲ Yuanshan’s “Moon-Filled Elegance” Collection Gift Box and Elegant Gift Box. (Photo / Provided by Yuanshan)

Yuanshan Hotel’s Cantonese mooncake gift boxes include the six-piece “Moon-Filled Elegance Elegant Gift Box” and the four-piece “Moon-Filled Elegance Collection Gift Box,” priced at TWD 1,180 and TWD 1,080 per box, respectively. Reservations are now welcome, and orders of 30 boxes (or more) are eligible for a 10% discount.


▲ Shangri-La’s Far Eastern Plaza Hotel, Taipei 【Pleasure】 Classic Mooncake Gift Box. (Photo / Provided by Shangri-La’s Far Eastern Plaza Hotel, Taipei)

Shangri-La’s Far Eastern Plaza Hotel, Taipei has introduced six stylish and colorful mooncake gift boxes this year to capture the holiday gifting market. First up are the Cantonese “Classic Mooncake Gift Box” (TWD 1,088 / 6 pieces), along with the perennial bestsellers — the exclusive handmade “Bird’s Nest Milk Custard Mooncake Gift Box” (TWD 1,088 / 8 pieces) and “Golden Sands Milk Custard Mooncake Gift Box” (TWD 988 / 8 pieces). For the first time this year, they are also offering the playful Japanese-inspired “Kids’ Mooncake Gift Box” (TWD 888 / 4 pieces), as well as the “Elegant Mid-Autumn Gift Basket” (TWD 3,600 / set), which includes the classic mooncake gift box, seasonal pomelo, oolong tea, and Australian red wine. Pre-orders are now open, and customers who place orders and complete payment before August 31 can enjoy an early-bird 15% discount. Starting September 1, customers receive one free gift box for every ten purchased, and can collect their orders.