Macau – The opening of the Venetian Macao in 2007 marked the beginning of the mega transition of Macao from a quiet ex-Portuguese colony to the Vegas of Asia.
Now a bustling city, it boasts a long list of integrated resorts, offering a range of amenities such as hotels, convention facilities, entertainment shows and luxury retail and fine dining. And with still more developments on the horizon, delegates will get to choose from a whole range of post-meeting activities in these one-stop destinations.
City of Dreams (CoD)
Opened in 2009, CoD is designed in the style of a podium with four towers: the Hard Rock Hotel, Crown Towers Hotel, and the Grand Hyatt Macau (the latter with two towers). City of Dreams’ three-storey podium includes a mega-casino, over 200 shopping facilities and more than 20 restaurants and bars.
Packages are available for planners to utilise the meeting facilities of the hotels in the loop, and then head-out for fine dining and entertainment shows afterwards. The Michelin-starred dining offerings include Jade Dragon and The Tasting Room, which can also be booked for special events.
The latest addition in the compound, Soho, which opened in August, is a new dining and entertainment hub. An interactive digital wall offers personalised greetings to visitors to Soho, while street performers, spray-painting artists, comedians, magicians and musicians are permanently stationed to spice up the new venue. Performances like Taboo and the famous House of Dancing Water are popular post-event choices for delegates.
Galaxy Macau
The first phase of Galaxy Macau opened in 2011, providing a total of 2,200 hotel rooms, which consisted of the 1,500-room Galaxy Macau hotel tower, plus two partners, Hotel Okura and Banyan Tree Hotel.
The complex is home to luxury retail facilities, F&B outlets and gaming facilities. It is known for its extravagant attractions and event venues, including the ‘Fortune Diamond’, an over-the-top fountain in Galaxy Macau’s lobby, which transforms into a roulette wheel before a giant diamond rises out of the top; and the China Rouge Private Club, a popular venue for product launches and luxury events. The three five-star hotels house venues in sizes ranging from 80 to 1,330 sqm, positioning themselves as a one-stop destination that features everything from pre to post event activities.
Phase two of Galaxy Macau will see the addition of The Ritz-Carlton and the JW Marriott Hotel to the complex; both scheduled to open in 2015.
The Ritz-Carlton will feature 250 one and two bedroom suites and is the first all-suite Ritz Carlton hotel. It will include an all-private-dining Chinese restaurant, the lobby lounge and bar, a pool bar and the Ritz Bar with spectacular views over the glittering Cotai skyline. The JW Marriott Hotel will have 1,100 rooms and suites.
The two developments are set to boast event spaces, including individual ballrooms on the ground floor of each hotel that will seat up to 2,000 guests. Flexibility is enhanced, as groups will have access to a range of facilities across the properties.
“We are very excited to be launching our brands in Macau,” says Simon Cooper, president and managing director Marriott International, Asia. “China is our second largest market outside North America and opening two of our premier brands on the same site in such a fast growing market is a major commitment, underscoring our confidence in Macau.” Source: CEI
