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THE NUN at Macau’s Penha Chapel was keen to chat about everything from the former Portuguese enclave’s pace of life (well slower than that of Hong Kong) to the toll land reclamation has had on its beaches. We were at the top of Penha Hill, where the chapel, first built in 1622 and completely reconstructed in 1837, offers a contemplative lookout spot and is conveniently close to many of the city’s cultural sights and beautiful old colonial buildings. Now neon-wrapped Macau casinos vie for space with churches and temples. So the views from up high are of the city’s bustling gambling centre, where famous Hotel Lisboa with its distinctively gaudy neon lighting, once the main event, is now dwarfed by the literally rising competition.
This once sleepy enclave has woken up – fast – with more Macau hotels and casinos than you could shake a stick at. But, though you could be forgiven for believing otherwise, especially when you consider its vast gaming halls and the statistics (Macau now makes more money out of gambling than the Las Vegas strip), there’s a whole lot more to this “special administrative region” of China than just flirting with Lady Luck.
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Quick geography lesson before we leap into our Macau guide: Macau, which returned to China in 1999 after more than four centuries of Portuguese rule, is located on the western bank of the Pearl River Delta in southern China. The 25.4sq km enclave includes the Macau Peninsula, the islands of Taipa and Coloane and the 3.1sq km area of reclaimed land known as Cotai, now linking Taipa and Coloane. Two bridges connect the Macau Peninsula with Taipa. Of the around 531,000 inhabitants, about 95 percent are ethnically Chinese. The rest are of Portuguese or other European descent, or from elsewhere in Asia.
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| Senado Square antiquity |
Speeding into Macau for a weekend, chances are you’ll arrive by high-speed Turbojet ferry (www.turbojet.com.hk) from Hong Kong (about an hour’s journey). It is about 150 patacas (or Hong Kong dollars) one way. The price varies on the time of sailing and also the day (weekend ferries and night sailings may be more expensive). The Macau pataca (MOP) is common rated with the Hong Kong dollar (US$1=HK$7.8) and Hong Kong dollars circulate freely everywhere from taxis to shops and casinos. Any Macau guide will say you can buy ferry tickets on the day of your departure, but it’s best to pre-book as there can be long stand-by lines to get onto ferries, particularly on weekends and public holidays.
Turbojet also has a new service between Macau and Shenzhen in southern China. Another option is the Cotai Strip CotaiJet (tel: [852] 2859-1588 or www.cotaijet.com.mo) operating from the Hong Kong Macau Ferry Terminal to Cotai – the fast developing casino area where The Venetian Macao and Four Seasons are located. Again, expect to pay more for a ticket on weekends. First Ferry (Macau) (www.nwff.com.hk) operates a service between Tsim Sha Tsui, Hong Kong and Macau. An average one-way fare is around HK$150.
You can also enter Macau from mainland China, through the Cotai frontier post or the “Barrier Gate” on the northern border of Macau. Money to burn? Fly in by helicopter (a 16-minute flight from Hong Kong; one-way ticket from MOP1,925, tel: [852] 2108-9898 or www.heliexpress.com) like the big boys do. The helipad is at the ferry terminal. You can also catch flights to a range of destinations from Macau International Airport.
Apart from Air Macau (en.airmacau.com.mo), a number of low-cost airlines, including AirAsia (www.airasia.com), and Cebu Pacific (www.cebupacificair.com), fly in and out of Macau linking up places like Bangkok, Manila, Japan, South Korea, Beijing and Shanghai.
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| St Paul's church facade |
Feisty budget airline Viva Macau (www.flyvivamacau.com) even flew to the Maldives and Australia and operated charter services to Tokyo, Okinawa, and Ho Chi Minh City, among others. It has now ceased flights.
Outside the terminal, Macau hotel shuttle buses line up (most hotels have regular free services to the ferry), or grab a taxi. First flagfall is MOP11, and fares are metre-regulated and reasonable. It should cost you about MOP20 to any point in the city. A journey to the furthest point on Coloane Island is between MOP65 and 90, depending on the traffic. It can be a frustrating ordeal to come by a taxi between 5pm and 7pm, when traffic is at its most congested and taxi drivers change shift. If all else fails, you can always hail a pedi-cab. Not a cheap option, but a bit of a thrill (about MOP150 for three passengers for a 20-minute ride). Do settle on a price before you set off.
Buses are cheap (only MOP2.50 within Macau Peninsula and MOP3.30 to Taipa). With a little time and patience, they’re a perfectly easy way to get about. All bus stops display bus numbers and destinations.
Chinese (Cantonese) and Portuguese are Macau’s official languages, so all street and other signs are in these two languages. Many taxi drivers speak little or no English. Ask your hotel concierge to write out the Chinese characters for your various destinations in advance. Some Macau maps have the main tourist attractions and hotel addresses written in Chinese, so it’s handy to carry one of these in your backpack or briefcase. Macau is spelled Macao in Portuguese.
Macau Guide to Sightseeing and Heritage
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| Grand Lisboa and Lisboa Hotel: old stalwart |
Before plunging into our Macau hotels review, kick off your Macau sightseeing in the heart of the city, at Senado Square with its distinctive Portuguese paving off the busy thoroughfare Avenida Almeida Ribeiro, also known as “San Ma Lo”. Here, old men cluster in groups at sundown and families gather. It feels Latin, with the churches to match. People whiz by on scooters, European-style, and it’s not unusual to see two men greeting one another with a kiss on the cheek. The architecture is old world and you could wander the area for hours, exploring the alleyways and admiring quaint louvred windows and plant boxes. The 16th-century neo-classical Holy House of Mercy (the oldest institution in Macau, founded in 1569 as a home for widows and orphans) has a museum displaying old paintings and artefacts. Further down the square is the San Domingos (St Dominic’s) church, built by the Dominicans in the 1590s. An adjacent museum – Treasure of Sacred Art – occupies what is left of the ancient cloisters and contains religious artefacts that date from the 17th century.
The 1784 neo-classical Leal Senado Building, Macau’s first municipal building, overlooks the square, which is just a short walk from the famous Ruins of St Paul. Its façade (the only part of the church left after it burnt down when struck by lightning during a typhoon in 1835) is an imposing sight. Some steel steps and a vertigo-inducing podium have been constructed at the back, so you can climb up to admire the views of Macau all around. In Macau, there’s a temple for every church, so also check out the little Taoist temple, Na Tcha, just left of the ruins.
Macau’s “historic centre” is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, of which locals are justifiably proud. Walking is the best way to see the sights in this area. From Senado Square, head to cobble-stoned St Augustine’s Square (just cross the main road up Rua Dr Soares and follow the signs) for a traditionally Portuguese streetscape. Even on weekends, it’s a quiet spot with pretty paving and beautifully restored and protected buildings.
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| Venetian Macao statue performer |
Dating back to 1814, St Augustine’s Church (or Santo Agostinho) on the square has the distinction of housing the statue of Our Lord of Passion, which Roman Catholic worshippers annually carry through Macau’s streets at Lent. Yes, this IS China. Just to make sure, check out the Sir Robert Ho Tung Chinese Library with its peaceful garden dotted with reading tables close by. (Sir Robert was a Hong Kong businessman who bought the house – built in the 1890s – as a retreat in 1918 and left it to the Macau government in his will.) A stone’s throw away is the oldest European-style theatre in China, the green-painted Dom Pedro V Theatre built in 1858. It still hosts regular symphony concerts and other recitals.
If you’re up for more walking (or grab a taxi), head to the Rua da Praia Grande (the main road along the man-made lakes in the Macau Tower area), and turn right into Calcada do Bom Parto to reach the well-guarded, yellow-and-white colonial home of the Portuguese consul-general (formerly the Bela Vista hotel), set in a quiet residential neighbourhood.
Not far from here, at Barra Point, is the famous Ming Dynasty A-Ma Temple, built on terraces against the hill and dating back to the 1400s. No Macau guide would be complete without mention of this august spot. The temple is dedicated to the goddess of seafarers, A-Ma, and Macau’s name is derived from “A-Ma-Gau” (or Place of A-Ma). Bring your earplugs – devotees come here to explode firecrackers to scare away the evil spirits (stock up at the temple kiosk). Malign spirits might be scarce, but there’s a liberal sprinkling of beggars at this spot, which overlooks the Maritime Museum (www.museumaritimo.gov.mo), worth a visit for highlighting Macau’s interesting seafaring history, but closed on Tuesdays.
Check out the Moorish Barracks on Barra Street nearby. This is another new-classical building “with a Moghul influence” hailing back to 1874, originally built to accommodate an Indian regiment from Goa that was appointed to reinforce Macau’s police force at the time.
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| Bullish at Sofitel Macau |
Leaving Macau Peninsula behind, Taipa’s old village still has a laid-back feel. Take a stroll down its historical centre, Rua do Cunha, with ubiquitous cookie and cake shops, quaint traditional shophouses and a relaxed pace. The old Praia waterfront is idyllic, with a row of five beautifully restored old neo-classical houses, grassy areas and benches to mellow out on. Until recently, the views from here were of tranquil, rural Coloane, but now The Venetian looms in the distance.
Coloane is the most untouched part of Macau, with two beaches, small eateries and low-rise housing. Locals like to hang out at Hac-Sa beach, with small beachfront stalls and barbecue areas. Take a stroll though Coloane village, where there are also a few small galleries for browsing.
Guide to Macau Hotels and Casinos
There’s no shortage of accommodation in Macau, but book ahead, particularly on weekends and China holidays when the city fills up to bursting point. Macau is the only Chinese territory where gambling is legal and, it has to be pointed out, until not too long ago, it had a bit of a reputation for gambling dens of a more sordid nature – not to mention the odd shootout or two. Fear not. These days, the headlines are dominated by stories of phenomenal growth – tempered by the occasional China visa restrictions – dominated by a burgeoning casino culture, and glamour. On with our Macau hotel and casino review.
Near the city centre is the 600-room Wynn Macau, the first foreign competitor to magnate Stanley Ho’s original, glittering granddaddy of Macau gaming, the Hotel Lisboa. It is easily among the top Macau luxury hotels. The sleek glistening mirrored-glass design has made its mark on the Macau skyline. And the fountain that occasionally explodes into some serious water-dance action outside the main entrance is quite a draw. The hotel has been constantly evolving, a consequence of its owner Steve Wynn’s mercurial style and taste.
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| Wynn Macau: imposing sweep |
The result is a sense of freshness, brisk service and engagement. No question, this is a large casino hotel in the Las Vegas mould. But, within that ambit, it manages to exude a stately, even formal, presence. Deluxe rooms at the Wynn are huge (56sq m), with heavy, extra-large wooden doors, massive two-basin bathrooms and grand entrance halls. Tasteful creams and light browns abound and the facilities are extensive (from flat-screen LCD television sets in bathrooms, to safes that will fit a laptop, to Broadband Internet access, and ironing boards). One-bedroom Suites have a bit more glitz, with mirrors on the living room ceiling, blood-red couches, black marble entrances, an extra room with a massage bed, and Jacuzzis and LCD TVs in bathrooms.
For VIPs, there are ten 278sq m Sky Suites with spectacular city and harbour views out floor-to-ceiling windows, two bedrooms, TVs that ascend on remote command from the depths of sleek wood cabinets, a serving bar, an in-suite spa, a dining room, a kitchen, his and her bathrooms, and more. What else do you expect for a rack rate of MOP35,000 per night? There are seven bars and restaurants, with 10,000sq ft of gaming tables and one-armed bandits, plus an 11-metre ‘Tree of Prosperity’ at the centre of the casino’s atrium, which rises up in all its golden glory from the floor. The 200,000sq ft Wynn casino is laid out in intimate pockets with rich drapery creating a sense of privacy and seclusion. For those who don’t like to mix their vices, a non-smoking section is available, which is somewhat rare in the casino landscape. Try the signature Cantonese restaurant, Wing Lei, with its separate entrance and striking interior. The nightclub was stripped and is now the chic Cinnebar.
Wynn comes complete with a top-notch spa and a glitzy high-end mall for Macau shopping of the rarefied kind. The Wynn Esplanade features several top brands like Dior, Chanel, Fendi, Gucci, Louis Vuitton, Bulgari, Prada, Rolex, Versace, Miu Miu, and Vertu. This is where punters spend their winnings on trophy bags and jewellery (as scuttlebutt goes, the roomier your handbag, the better your chances to win big). This hotel is a top address on our Macau hotels review.
Next to Wynn is sister property Encore, an all-suite boutique hotel. There are 369 Deluxe Suites and 31 Grand Salon suites. Interiors feature mesh scarlet and blond wood, effusing a funky art vibe. For the Deluxe Suite, expect an average living space of 102sq m, twice daily housekeeping service, twin vanities, LCD TV in the room and bathroom, iPod docking station and floor-to-ceiling views of the Nam Van Lake or city skyline.
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| Grand Lisboa room/ photo: hotel |
Billionaire Ho, who controlled Macau’s gaming market for four decades before it was liberalised, has answered back with the new high-end Macau luxury hotel, the Grand Lisboa, which comprises of casinos, nightclubs and a hotel. At night, the casino resembles a giant psychedelic, flashing globe with petals. It offers 300 gaming tables and more slot machines than you can shake a stick at. The unique lotus-flower-shaped hotel, with 430 rooms, opened 17 December 2008 as a flagship for the group. It aims to be among the best Macau luxury hotels and casinos. Expect unrestrained opulence – rooms have handmade carpets, 500-thread-count sheets, down quilts, hi-tech facilities including 40-inch flatscreen TVs and smaller TVs in the bathroom, Turkish steam baths, rain showers, and Jacuzzis. Average room size is a sweeping 50sq m with suites touching 75sq m. Rooms start on the eleventh floor offering open views of the city and the seafront. Dine at Michelin-rated restaurants, swim in an outdoor all-weather pool and later unwind at the Lisboa Spa by Clarins. The Grand Lisboa is also positioned as a Macau conference hotel with a Grand Ballroom capable of accommodating up to 1,300 persons.
Right next door is the original Hotel Lisboa, which – with its over-the top entrance halls and chandeliers, collection of priceless Chinese art pieces for viewing, 1,000 rooms, and many restaurants – is well worth visiting for a whiff of nostalgia, frescoes, or more. The old wing offers comfortable rooms with a faux-Versailles touch and soaring half canopies above the beds. Rooms offer all modcons with the de rigueur hair-drier, in-room safe, and satellite TV. Broadband as well as local calls are free. It’s high camp, fun, with a touch of mischief, and the location – smack at the epicenter of things – is unbeatable. Several rooms look out to unobstructed city and lagoon views. The Lisboa Wing offers rooms that conform more to a conventional modern standard. The Lisboa hotel has been through extensive refurbishments that have produced brighter restaurants and bars and a brisk feel to things, not least due to the money coursing through the thrumming Casino Lisboa. Of an evening, the basement is commandeered by a colourful cast of fast-strolling ladies with business intent.
The Grand Lapa Hotel (formerly Mandarin Oriental) stands in the shadow of its shimmering neighbour, Sands. The changeover from stalwart Mandarin Oriental to Grand Lapa won't see too much of a shift in room software to begin with, just a stronger Macanese influence on restaurant menus. Mandarin Oriental will be back with a new property on the Macau waterfront. Watch this space. Rooms come with Internet access, TV, small working desk, large safe and iron and board. It also has meeting facilities, a business centre, an outdoor swimming pool framed by lots of green, a well-equipped children’s centre with an outdoor playground, and a spa where each treatment room has an outdoor garden with a Jacuzzi.
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| Mandarin Oriental deluxe/ photo: hotel |
Guests can challenge themselves to a bit of rock-climbing on the outdoor climbing wall at the back of the property, or explore Macau the eco-friendly way by making use of one of the hotel bikes. The bar – Vasco – on the second floor of the lobby provides great views of the Macau Grand Prix route, held every year in November. The property is conveniently located close to the ferry terminal and offers modern comforts with a touch more understatement. It works both as a Macau business hotel within easy reach of the boat, as well as a child-friendly family hotel.
Not far from the Wynn, the Mandarin Oriental, Macau has thrown open its doors (June 2010) by the downtown waterfront in the area referred to as NAPE. The hotel, integrated with the mixed-use development One Central, has 213 rooms including 26 suites and one presidential suite. Rooms are modern with subtle European flair, and dominated by warm tones of dark wood, caramel and gold. You’ll also get to enjoy views of Taipa Island and Nam Van Lake. Amenities include 42-inch LCD TV and another 19-inch LCD TV in the bathroom, yoga mat, iPod docking station and Nespresso coffee machine. You can slip and slide on the 480-count satin bed sheets and if normal pillows tickle your nose, ask for hypo-allergic ones. There is also the spa, Vida Rica Restaurant & Bar (serving Chinese, Japanese and western cuisine) and the Mandarin Oriental cake shop on the premises. Don’t expect roulette tables and jackpot machines here though – the hotel is strictly a non-gaming property. Right outside, One Central features 400,000sq ft feet of retail space.
Also in this area is L’Arc Macau. With its East-meets-West theme, the 301-room hotel lobby may come across a little ostentatious with its Renaissance-inspired mural painting on the ceiling and elaborate chandeliers. But the rooms are surprisingly subtle with simple, contemporary touches in white, beige and peach. Amenities include safe, work desk, hairdryer, tea and coffee-making facilities and minibar. The in-house casino comprises over 140 gaming tables and 400 slot machines.
Hotel Lan Kwai Fong Macau waltzes in downtown cheekily exploiting Hong Kong’s popular entertainment district of the same name. This is no relative of Hotel LKF or Hotel Lan Kwai Fong Hong Kong. The intimate 200-room hotel makes a sharp u-turn from all things Vegas, the gaudy gold and lucky red that make up Macau’s usual fare. Faux Philippe Starck lampshades set the scene in 300sq ft rooms which sport 400 thread count linen, iHome, BVLGARI toiletries and lots of light. The resort style Grand Deluxe almost doubles the floor space and extras include a coffee machine, multi device charger, hairdryer, rain shower and a huge wall safe with jewellery box.
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| Encore/ photo: hotel |
There’s the necessary casino offering, but also a large spa with hair salon, fitness centre, slimming machines, alongside 13 rooms and 11 more at the “clinic”. Channelling the spirit of Hong Kong’s hippest evening venue but dancing to a different tune might be just the ticket for Hotel Lan Kwai Fong Macau. Being painted bright purple doesn’t hurt either.
In the vicinity is Sands Macao Hotel (along with the Sands casino), a gold, mirrored-glass creation that opened in 2007 (the casino opened a few years earlier). With the same owners as The Venetian (Las Vegas Sands Corp), it is more restrained than its Cotai Strip sibling with a relatively smaller number of rooms at 289. There’s no shortage of in-room amenities though with plasma-screen TVs, iPod docks, WiFi Internet access, walk-in wardrobes, a clothes press, roomy safes, and microwaves. The feel is modern, emphasised by catchy art pieces and dark wood doors with pearl-shell mosaics.
The Landmark, Macau, is attached to a larger-than-life 24-hour casino, Pharaoh’s Palace. As well as its 451 rooms, The Landmark has Chinese, Shanghainese and Japanese restaurants, a business centre, an indoor swimming pool, and is your ticket if you’re after a themed karaoke lounge. Return guests – which are largely from the business sector – rave about the comfort of the beds, and, because of its location close to office blocks, this is a reasonable Macao business hotels choice.
One of the glittering newbies – opposite the Wynn – is the lavish MGM GRAND Macau, with 600 rooms, villas and suites. It cuts a fine figure on the waterfront with its waved design. For sheer wow factor, this is a place to see. The lobby is deep and wide with reception off to the left (backed by huge abstract paintings), a sitting area to the right, and a huge red glass chandelier hanging in the centre, created by renowned American glass-blowing artist, Dale Chihuly. The same artist has a store (one of two in the world, the other being at the Bellagio in Las Vegas) in the ‘Art Corridor’ off to the left of the main lobby – a surreal light-changing tunnel lined with more glass sculptures leading to one of the hotel’s 12 eating outlets.
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| MGM GRAND / photo: hotel |
Through the lobby is an atrium – the Grand Praça – modelled on a typical courtyard that you might see in Lisbon, complete with faux European buildings, tiled floor, a clock tower, a fountain, real trees, sitting areas, restaurants, and a sweeping staircase often used by couples for wedding photos. Rooms at MGM, which start at 48sq m and vary in design because of the curved nature of the building, feature 42-inch flatscreen plasma TVs, Wireless (and wired) Internet access (HK$160 per day; free for Grand Suite guests), and possibly any other amenity you could wish for. Grand Suites have TVs embedded in bathroom mirrors. The Six Senses Spa has an array of treatments on offer, as well as ‘Experience Showers’ that spurt out different scents, a herbal steam bath, flotation and vitality pools and a ‘snow’ room – no room for skiing, but, yes, it does have real snow. There are also yoga, tai chi and meditation classes, or just pop outside for a swim in the infinity pool.
The Grand Casino offers around 375 gaming tables with 900 arm-exercising slot machines and a further 16 private gaming rooms. The Grand Ballroom can host 680 persons theatre-style while assorted function rooms and alcoves for those sound-and-fury board meetings provide versatile space for small meetings or larger conferences. Close by, the lobby of the new 39-storey StarWorld Hotel & Casino is all giant chandeliers, marble, and fluorescent escalators. The 500 rooms (including a 6,000sq ft presidential suite) offer Broadband Internet access, 40-inch plasma TVs, and panoramic views of downtown Macau. There are nine eating and drinking outlets, as well as a VIP lounge. The hotel also has an infinity pool, gymnasium, and vast conference facilities, while the casino boasts 240 gaming tables and 500 slot machines. For something over the top, this is a worthy Macau casino hotel contender.
Closer to the ferry terminal, at Fisherman’s Wharf (more on this later), is the new “boutique” Rocks Hotel, a 72-room low-rise white-washed building with balconies, wrought-iron railings and green shutters. Walk into any room here and you may feel you’ve stepped into 18th century Victorian England. Rooms are charming, well lit, feminine, and kitted out with claw-foot wood cabinets, blue-and-white bed linen, floral wallpaper, free standing bathtubs, and Maxwell and Williamson floral teacups. Rooms may be dainty, but they come with modern amenities such as flatscreen LCD TVs, complimentary Broadband Internet access, CD stereo systems, and large safes.
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| Warm hues of Sofitel Club Room |
Another kid on the gaming block, the Babylon Casino, is right opposite. The Macau Fisherman’s Wharf Limousine Rental Service (with kiosks outside the casino and the convention centre) comes in handy when regular taxis are few and far between (MOP40 to the town centre, MOP70 to Taipa and MOP100 to Coloane).
Another attraction along the "Inner Harbour" is the Ponte 16 entertainment and resort complex that includes the mustard-yellow five-star Sofitel Macau at Ponte 16. Sofitel opened in August 2008, and offers a great location only a short walk from Senado Square. There is a casino attached, but the hotel manages to distinguish itself from the gaming world with its subtle flourishes, relaxing ambience and sense of history – the original clock tower still stands from the old pier. The lobby is marked by a central “time passage” – a spangled tunnel in the ceiling which has escalators running across it leading to the casino.
Sofitel’s 408 rooms are warm toned, blend French and Chinese design, and come with flatscreen 42-inch TVs, Broadband Internet access (MOP165 per day), large safes, and irons. Some have nice open views out to the fishing boats bobbing on the Pearl River Delta with China just an arm’s-length away. Guests in Club Sofitel rooms get access to a lounge which offers breakfast and evening cocktails, free Internet access, as well as personalised check-in and additional services. A multi-function meeting room has a balcony attached, while the pool with its blue tiled mosaic is a fine spot to cool down after work (or gaming). Coffee served up poolside is perfect. Expect spacious, well-lit, colonial interiors with grand views in most directions. This ranks as a classy, in-city, choice on our Macau hotels review.
The atmospheric Pousada de Sao Tiago, set on Avenida da Republica near the A-Mah temple, in the restored remains of an early-17th-century fort, is small and traditional with stone walls and floors. It’s a cool, calm haven, where you might wake up to the birds singing from a 200-year-old tree out the front of the building. Almost all of the 12 rooms have their own balcony and, after an extensive refurbishment in 2007, the décor is an eclectic mix of modern and retro.
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| Rocks Hotel suite/ photo: hotel |
Expect black leather floors, leather-topped desks (made from crocodile skins), traditional Chinese paintings, Bang & Olufsen plasma TVs and DVD players, free WiFi Internet and the occasional antique – one room has a globe that is over a century old. Bathrooms have TVs embedded in the mirrors, bidets, Jacuzzis and Hermes toiletries. There’s a small (but deep) pool on the premises, and a small chapel that can stand in for wedding or blessing ceremonies.
Taipa, Cotai Strip Hotels and Casinos, Coloane Resorts
At the top of Taipa Island is the Altira Macau (formerly Crown Macau). The 36-storey casino-hotel has 216 rooms (including eight villas), a spa and over 200 high-end gaming tables. In-room features include floor-to-ceiling windows, a separate lounge, walk-in wardrobes, plasma TVs, Wi-Fi Internet, and stone tubs and LCD TVs in the bathrooms. Hang on to that wallet.
Taipa Island has a few more hotel choices. One older stalwart is the Regency Hotel, a former Hyatt Regency. The Regency is an oasis of calm for family or business stays surrounded by thrusting condominiums. The 326 rooms are well appointed and attractive, several looking onto the bay. You’ll find an open-air pool area with a Mediterranean feel, two restaurants, and 12 function rooms. Another option is Grand Waldo Hotel with 340 rooms, a casino – of course, meeting facilities, a spa, a pool overlooking the Cotai Strip, and restaurants in both the casino and hotel blocks.
But wait, there’s more. Continuing our Macau hotel guide, along the way from Taipa to Coloane, you’ll drive by the shimmering and hard-to-miss The Venetian Macao-Resort-Hotel, which opened in late August 2007, set on 10.5 million sq ft on the reclaimed Cotai Strip. The Venetian is a sister development to The Venetian Resort-Hotel-Casino and the golden Sands Macau casino near the Macau ferry terminal, and claims to be one of the largest casinos in the world.
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| The Venetian, Royale Suite/ photo: hotel |
Any Venetian Macau review involves acres of walking. We came heeled in sturdy rubber. The Venetian has its sights firmly set on becoming the best Macau luxury hotel around and is pulling no punches in the Cotai brawl. As an “integrated resort” with a spa, gym and vast 350-store shopping mall, 3,000 spacious suites and exhibition and conferencing space "large enough to hold 90 Boeing 747s", The Venetian is gigantic, and getting bigger. Joining this colossus mid 2009 is the MaloClinicSPA – an 85,000sq ft integrated wellness centre comprising of 58 spa suites, six operating theatres, 50 doctors, and more therapists than you could shake a stick at. The Malo Clinic SPA is a specialist in dentistry that has grown to embrace wellness, preventative care, and “implantology” (plastic surgery in plain English). Now it is branching out into newer Chinese medicine of scientific bent. Then, lest we forget, there’s the whopper of a casino to exercise your wallet further. The 546,000sq ft gaming floor boasts about 6,000 slot machines and over 700 tables. This casino and Macau spa resort is a gigantic whimsical recreation of the "canals and icons of Venice”. If you’ve had enough of the Italian gondolas with singing gondoliers, you’ll, reassuringly, be able to catch a Chinese sampan too. The place is gunning to be among the best Macau conference hotels and, given its sheer size and glitz, this should not be beyond reach. Pick from small meetings or bigger conventions. Bring your team across for inspiration or plan a wedding at the Venetian Macao.
Best to simply kick back in one of the huge rooms that come with canopy-draped king-sized beds, sunken living areas, WiFi Internet access, two large TVs, and all-in-one fax/printer/copiers. The more the merrier in these oversized suites, so invite your mates. It’s easy to get lost in this monstrous complex, so pick up a resort map at the concierge. In November 2008, ZAIA by Cirque du Soleil was the resident show at The Venetian, providing a spectacular diversion from the gaming floor. Macau shopping buffs can hunt the streets of Venice for the likes of agnes b, Anteprima, b +ab, Blancpain, Bossini, Giordano, i.t, BVLGARI, Calvin Klein, Emporio Armani, Versace, and Nike. Yes, there’s a Starbucks too. As a gaming capital, The Venetian is among the top addresses on our Macau hotels review.
Newest beast on the Cotai block is the enormous City of Dreams, which the sponsors term "an integrated urban entertainment resort", comprised of three hotels, 420,000sq ft of casino space, an equally huge shopping mall and over 20 restaurants and bars. Check in and check out Hard Rock Hotel and Crown Towers, followed by Grand Hyatt Macau at the end of 2009. Each hotel tower, rising up from the casino base, aims to have a different personality, centred round a flowing water theme. Crown Towers curved façade employs vertical “fins”. The cylindrical glass tower of Hard Rock Hotel veils rotating bands that create a constant spiralling effect – the morning after the hard rocking night before? Grand Hyatt Macau claims two of the four towers that curve in waves. And if you haven’t drowned in all the water references and can gamble, shop and find your way back to your hotel room, we salute you.
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| Four Seasons Macao, Cotai |
Four Seasons Hotel Macao, Cotai Strip is luxurious but not obviously so. It has a colonial Macanese feel with ochre walls, cream stone detailing, and hand-made tiles from the entrance through to the main lobby. The 360 rooms and suites mix Portuguese and Chinese decor with modern amenities including 42-inch plasma TVs, WiFi Internet (HK$160 per day), large safes, and multi-pin plugs. For an extra HK$500 per day (for a single; HK$700 double), guests get access to an executive lounge, which serves up breakfast and all-day snacks in addition to its personalised business and concierge services.
Feeling indulgent? Try the Royal Suite, which has a balcony with sprawling views of Coloane and mainland China, a separate living room with 42-inch TV plus DVD, Chinese art and tasteful décor, Bulgari amenities, and spacious bathrooms. A 1,858sq m spa is on hand with treatments, saunas, ice showers, as well as yoga and Pilates. The hotel offers five pools (two for kids) and poolside cabanas come with LCD televisions. High-end designer brand Macau shopping is the name of the game here. Shoppers have three floors of spit-and-polish stores to explore at Shoppes at Four Seasons – ogle Dior, Chanel, Loewe, COACH, and the like – and after that big splurge, recover in one of the four fine dining restaurants.
The Cotai Strip development will eventually offer a mind-boggling 20,000 rooms, changing the face of Macau forever. On the cards are a Banyan Tree, a Sheraton (the first phase of which is to open in 2009), a 600-room Shangri-La Hotel with sister 1,200-room the Traders Hotel (both opening in 2009), not to mention an additional 1.2 million square feet of luxury serviced apartments and hotel rooms under the St Regis brand, scheduled for 2009. Also looming at the head of the Cotai strip is the Galaxy Mega Resort, sold as a child friendly “family-orientated” resort (not forgetting several thousand gaming tables). Part of the 44-hectare development is scheduled to open in mid 2009. Also swelling the ranks of top Macau business hotels and resorts will be the W Hotel Macau and Ritz-Carlton Macau – two biggies set to open in 2009 and 2010 respectively.
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| Bright Westin Macau/ photo: hotel |
For a five-star experience in Coloane, the farthest island from Macau proper, The Westin Resort Macau is a favourite among golfers and families with young children – or those who want to get away from the city lights (there’s no casino, for a start, though The Venetian is only a 10-minute taxi ride away if the craving gets too much). On with our Westin Macau review. Enjoy an 18-hole golf course (Macau Golf & Country Club, www.macaugolfandcountryclub.com), sea views, pleasant gardens with a large swimming pool, friendly staff and an outdoor children’s playground. The 208 well-equipped rooms have large balconies with outdoor furniture and vibrant colours. These are extraordinarily spacious at 72sq m and balconies, each large enough to manage a family of four. With 12 meeting rooms, a permanent marquee for elaborate functions, and large grassy grounds, The Westin is also a popular Macau conference hotel both for corporate meetings and company team-building exercises as well as larger events. By night the hotel doubles as a venue for fashion shows or a breezy Macau wedding dinner. The marquee can manage up to 250 guests. This is a family friendly Macau resort not to be missed if the quiet life is what you’re after. It is, after all, the face of vanishing Old Macau.
The Pousada de Coloane, out on Coloane island, another friendly, if less polished but traditional establishment, has 30 double rooms with balconies, long run by the same Portuguese family. There’s a wonderful, large outdoor area with tables to enjoy sundowners and the views. Sunday buffet lunch here is MOP148 (with 10 percent service). A small pool will keep kids happy, and there are baby cribs available for the tots.
Macau Guide to Dining and Portuguese Food
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| Senado Square: old world charm |
Pick your cuisine. Macau has Cantonese, Portuguese and “Macanese” (a combination of Portuguese, Chinese, Indian and Malay), and everything else, from Italian to Shanghainese and Japanese. You’ll find dishes such as caldo verde (a potato vegetable soup), bacalhau (a type of fish), Portuguese sausages and “African chicken” cropping up everywhere. Good prawn dishes too. Here are some stalwarts with staying power.
For authentic Portuguese food, a great atmosphere, pretty interior and good prices, seek out A Lorcha (Rua Do Almirante Serigo, tel: [853] 2831-3193), just a stone’s throw from the A-Ma Temple and Maritime Museum. There’s lamb, calamari and Portuguese wine. Service is amicable but not speedy. This is not the kind of meal you want to squeeze in just before a meeting. Nearby Restaurante Litoral (tel: 2896-7878) has a good reputation for its Macanese dishes such as curry shrimps, fried prawns and stewed duck with herbs.
Let's move the focus of our Macau guide to dining, to the offshore islands. For excellent but simple dining, cobble-stoned strolls and relaxed village life, head to the old part of Taipa Village. Every local knows Cozinha Pinocchio (tel: [853] 2882-7128), a spacious and quite famous restaurant, in Rua do Regedor, serving Macanese dishes such as charcoal-grilled squid and Portuguese sausage. You’ll also get typical Cantonese vegetable dishes. A glass of sangria is around MOP25. The one-sheet menu has photos of every dish on the menu.
Moving on from wooden puppets to baby elephants, nearby Dumbo Restaurant (on a street corner with the big Dumbo elephant sign) is a large space serving more Macanese food. Small and unpretentious, A Petisqueira (tel: [853] 2882-5354), just off Taipa Village’s main road, is popular with locals for its traditional Portuguese food and great cheeses.
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| Pousada De Sao Tiago/ photo: Jane McLean |
Casa de Pasto San Tou Tou (tel: 2882-7311) is recommended for Chinese food (especially the sweet and sour pork), though the staff may not speak English – take a Cantonese-speaking friend. Café Lisboa (tel: 2884-3313) in Taipa is good for Macanese. Try the baked duck rice. For good Portuguese nosh in Taipa Village, Antonio (tel: 2899-9998 or www.antoniomacau.com) is a good bet. The average cost per person is around MOP200.
In Coloane, near the Hac Sa beachfront, you’ll find one of Macau’s most famous restaurants, the rustic Restaurante Fernando (widely known as simply “Fernando’s”). Don’t expect anything grand, and the menu is only in Portuguese (there are photos to help you choose, though). The food is hearty, if less inspired than in days of yore, but the atmosphere is enjoyable. Book ahead (tel: 2888-2264).
For more Macanese, try Fat Siu Lau (tel: 2857-3580) or www.fatsiulau.com.mo) near Senado Square. It is one of Macau’s oldest restaurants and dates back to 1903, although the interior has been revamped with an art deco look. There is also a branch of Fat Siu Lau near the MGM GRAND. A ‘100-year-old secret recipe’ is used for the roast pigeon marinade. The pigeon is a bit younger, of course.
You may be a long way from the Mediterranean, but for Italian food those in the know swear by the humble Pizzeria Toscana on Calcada da Barra near the ferry terminal (tel: [853] 2872-6637). The walls are graced with signed photographs of VIPs who have dined here. For more upmarket Italian, try the Grand Lisboa’s Don Alfonso restaurant (tel: 8803-7722).
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| Fisherman's Wharf/ photo: Jane McLean |
Every sweet tooth must head for Macau’s pastries, the most famous of which are Portuguese egg tarts. Margaret’s Café e Nata (near Senado Square, on Rua Almeida Costa Cabral, tel: [853] 2871-0032) is a tiny, bustling sidewalk joint with wonky tables and grey plastic stools, offering arguably the best pastries you’ll find anywhere. The egg tarts are fresh, creamy, straight from the oven and cost a paltry MOP7. This is a great place for a cheap breakfast or coffee break, and you’ll see the locals in action. A huge croissant with cheese and ham costs around MOP12.
The Senado area itself offers more than people-watching and old buildings. Find more Portuguese egg tarts (and great noodles and congee) in a more elegant (and touristy setting) at Wong Chi Kei on the square. (Wong Chi Kei has a famous sister branch on Wellington Street in Hong Kong.)
Near the ferry terminal on the waterfront lies Macau’s Fisherman’s Wharf (www.fishermanswharf.com.mo), a shop and restaurant-lined strip with a United Nations of architectural (and food) styles: from an African village, a Roman amphitheatre, the Italian Riviera and Arabian minarets to a Chinese imperial palace. “Aladdin’s Fort” is the entrance to a theme park, which includes a man-made volcano and a war game arena, as well as the location of a 5,000sq m convention and exhibition centre. Several Macao hotels and casinos are arrayed around this area. It’s Macau, but not perhaps as you know it. Dozens of restaurants line the cobbled streets. The sushi at Sushi Nagoyaka Tei (tel: [853] 2872-5664) is the freshest this side of Tokyo. In short, it’s “oishi desu”. Expect crowds at dinner time. The spicy Szechuan dishes at Hero Chinese Restaurant (tel: 2872-8807) are not bad, and the suckling pig at sister restaurant Camoes (tel: 2872-8818), serving “modern Portuguese” food, is recommended by local diners.
Or take in the excellent views of the Pearl River Delta and city from the revolving restaurant at Macau Tower, 360° Café (tel: [853] 8988-8622), serving an international buffet.
Macau Nightlife and Bars
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| Wynn Sky Suite: room with a view |
When the lights go on in Macau, drab buildings by day become pulsating neon palaces. All the casinos and hotels have bars and nightclubs, many of which go on through the night. One old institution not to be missed is the “Crazy Paris Show” at the Hotel Lisboa. More upmarket (with matching prices) is the Cinnebar at the Wynn Macau, where you can sip a cocktail or two in style until the early hours. In the same league is the M Bar in the MGM GRAND’s lobby.
At night, Fisherman’s Wharf is slightly less plastic, with a bit of nightlife. AfriKana BBQ Restaurant (tel: [853] 8299-3678) has live music every night, apart from Mondays. The Fashion Bar (tel: 2872-5579) has picked up quite a following, as has DD 3 Disco (tel: 2871-1800) right next door, which opens at 11pm and pulsates till 7am. If you’re after karaoke, try Cash Box KTV (tel: 2872-8806).
The Docks (or Docas) – an area between the Macau Cultural Centre and Wynn – has a few outdoor cafes, pubs, clubs and karaoke bars, though it’s not as popular as Fisherman’s Wharf. Most of the places are located on Avenida Dr Sun Yat Sen near the 20-metre statue of Gun Yam, the Buddhist Goddess of Mercy.
Take the Plunge… or take in a Macau Museum
For “the world’s highest bungy-jump” from a 233m platform, head to the landmark 338m Macau Tower (tel: [853] 8988-8656; www.macautower.com.mo), which is the 10th-tallest freestanding tower in the world. Not for the fainthearted. Macau guide books are quick to recommend this free-fall epicenter. Adrenaline junkies might also want to try the “Long Ironwalk”, “Sport Climbing” or “Long Flying Fox” on offer on weekends and public holidays. No? Then take a lift to the top and simply admire the views from the balcony.
For something more sedate, take in a Macau museum or two. The Wine Museum at the Tourism Activities Centre near the ferry terminal has displays and tastings (tel: [853] 8798-4188; closed Tuesdays; MOP15 for visitors over 18, including wine tasting). The five-floor Macau Museum of Art (tel: 8791-9814; www.artmuseum.gov.mo, closed Mondays) hosts temporary exhibitions by local and international artists. Permanent exhibitions include Chinese calligraphy and paintings and historical art.
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| Designer brand shopping at Wynn |
The Macau Grand Prix (held annually in November since 1954) is a huge event for Macau residents and racing enthusiasts – if you too are a racing fan but don’t happen to be in Macau for the event, check out the Grand Prix Museum (tel: 8798-4108; closed Tuesdays; MOP10 for over 18s). It’s in the same location as the Wine Museum, and a joint ticket can be bought for MOP20. Dr Sun Yat-Sen Memorial House (tel: 2857-4064; closed Tuesdays; free admission) is a stately old building that pays respect to the “Father of Modern China” – family members lived here, and Dr Sun himself stayed at one time.
Look out for the Macau Science Museum, currently under construction on reclaimed land in front of Macau Cultural Centre. It will include 15 galleries, a planetarium, conference centre, and an observation deck. It is set to open in 2009.
Macau Shopping – Designer Brands and Flea Markets
The territory is a free port with no taxes or duties, and Macau shopping is not bad at all. There are a few malls with all the usual goods and brands and the new trend is for glitzy malls attached to five-star hotels, such as the Esplanade at Wynn Macau. The notables here include Chanel, Fendi, Ferrari, Gucci, Hermes, Miu Miu, Rolex, Piaget, Prada, Van Cleef & Arpels, and Versace. The Venetian meanwhile has enough shops to run the coffers of a small nation dry including (among many others) Bulgari, agnes b, Tiffany & Co., CK Calvin Klein, Omega, Vertu, and DKNY. Some less expensive options can also be found such as Club Monaco, French Connection, G2000, Giordano, United Colors of Benetton and the super cool i.t.
Shoppes at Four Seasons offers more than 180 luxury brands such as Anna Sui, Coach, Baccarat, Audemars Piguet, Bottega Veneta, Breitling, Alain Mikli, Marc Jacobs, Givenchy, Kent & Curwen, and Jimmy Choo, as well as a DFS Galleria.
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| Macau shopping, Venetian |
Not only does Senado Square have superb architecture and a lively atmosphere, it also has dozens of mid-range shops including The Body Shop, SaSa, Bossini, Bonjour, Levis, Esprit, Mango and Bauhaus. Of course, Senado Square is not immune from the inexorable spread of Starbucks and McDonalds.
If you’re looking for more of a “local” Macau shopping experience, you’ll find it in older parts of the city. Popular purchases include jewellery (if you buy precious metals or gems, ask for a warranty card and a receipt you can read), Chinese antiques and porcelain, electrical appliances and watches and textiles. The best jewellery stores are on Rua de Almeida Ribeiro, where there are also many Chinese herb and dried seafood shops. Also browse the shops on Avenida Infante D Henrique, or Rua do Campo (for rice paper and Chinese calligraphy). Rua da Felicidade (commonly known as “Souvenir Street”) has shops selling Macanese souvenirs as well as restaurants. It used to serve as a red-light district, but now pretty much the only red you’ll find is reserved for the distinctive, lovely doors and shutters of storefronts. This area hosts a weekend flea market.
There are many shops between the Rua dos Mercadores and Rua de San Paulo near the Ruins of Saint Paul, selling anything from wooden and rattan goods to traditional medicines (don’t be afraid to bargain). The San Domingos market in the streets behind Senado Square offers shoes, clothes and bags as well as souvenirs and lingerie, and the side streets around the Ruins of St Paul’s (such as Rua do Santo Antonio and Rua das Estalagens) have lots of furniture and antiques shops to browse.
Taipa Village has a regular Sunday flea market in the village centre, where you can pick up knick-knacks, toys and traditional crafts.
So, that’s our Macau guide to heritage, hotels and shopping in a nutshell. Grab a phrase book or two and you’re on your way.
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