Travel

3 MINUTE READ

Seven of Macau’s best luxury hotels

Words by Lee Cobaj

10 May 2024

Image

There’s something for everyone in the Las Vegas of Asia.

The Las Vegas of Asia is on a winning streak, with new hotel openings, Michelin-starred restaurants on every corner, and hot new non-gaming attractions – like heritage museums, exuberant waterparks, and theatre spectaculars. Worth at least a one-night add-on to your next trip to Hong Kong, here's our pick of the best hotels, old and new.

Best for high rollers: Raffles at Galaxy Macau

A pair of gigantic gold ingots in the heart of the Cotai entertainment strip contain the world's largest all-suite Raffles. Its 450 accommodations range from one-bedroom suites with floor faux fireplaces and floor-to-ceiling windows to duplexes with double-height windows and glass staircases to vast signature suites with private decks and swimming pools. Afternoon tea is served in the lobby under a 15-metre-high chandelier made from 500,000 crystals. The spa is yet to open, but a gorgeous 40-metre-long outdoor infinity pool is lined with checkerboard tiles and plush cabanas.

Grand golden tall building with metallic reflection. Raffles at Galaxy Macau.
A beautiful grand room at raffles at Galaxy Macau with hanging chandelier and wide windows.

Best urban escape: Mandarin Oriental Macau

This elegant hotel overlooking the Pearl River Delta and Macau Tower is one of the few luxury hotels in Macau without a casino (although you can still easily access the neighbouring MGM complex). Instead, guests come for the spacious rooms, great restaurants, rooftop swimming pool, and exceptional spa. The personal service never misses a beat, and you're within walking distance of the charms of the Portuguese colonial-era old town.

Beautiful spacious room at the Mandarin Oriental Macau with a bar on the right and sofas on the left and tall ceilings. Beautiful spacious room at the Mandarin Oriental Macau with a bar on the right and sofas on the left and tall ceilings.

Best for hipsters: W Studio City

Opened in 2023, this 557-room hotel is part of the Studio City complex, which has an enormous double ferris wheel, a waterpark, and a casino among its numerous facilities. The interiors feel slick and modern, with ribbons of shimmering gold netting sweeping through the lobby, walls of vinyl records in the bar, and an abstract dragon circling the ceiling of fabulous Cantonese restaurant Diva. Rooms are soothing in navy and white, and while the spa is small, the expert therapists make it one of the best in the city.

Grey lounge room with wall of windows at the W Studio City. 
Dim lit bar at W Studio City with a circular centre table with hanging light instalment.

Best for leisure: The Ritz-Carlton Macau

Set within the top floors of the expansive Galaxy Casino, this glamorous property has 230 Champagne-hued rooms, including some with access to the generous executive club, plus a two-bedroom presidential suite with arched windows overlooking the strip. Four bars and restaurants include Lai Heen on the 51st floor, which was awarded a Michelin star for its contemporary spin on Cantonese cuisine (try the dim sum with a side of honey-glazed Iberico pork char sui). The leisure facilities are tip-top, too, with an award-winning spa, an outdoor swimming pool, and access to Grand Resort Deck's lazy rivers, wave pools, and lagoons.

Lounge room at The Ritz-Carlton Macau with beautiful arched wall window showing off city scape.
Bedroom room at The Ritz-Carlton Macau with beige interior and a huge bed with a chandelier above it.

Best for vogueing: Palazzo Versace Macao

The first Palazzo Versace in Asia knows its crowd. Everything is geared towards looking and feeling good, from the mosaic lobby and colour-pop Versace crockery to the anti-ageing facials at the Roman-inspired spa and indoor and outdoor swimming pools inlaid with golden dragons. Rooms are more tasteful than you might imagine, with rich clotted creams contrasted with sherbet pink, apricot, and turquoise soft furnishings. Part of the Grand Lisboa Palace estate, guests have access to all of the facilities at The Karl Lagerfeld and Grand Lisboa Palace Hotel, as well as the maze gardens.

Stunning bed with beautiful embroidered colourful sheets on a colourful grand rug in a bedroom at the Palazzo Versace Macao. Stunning bed with beautiful embroidered colourful sheets on a colourful grand rug in a bedroom at the Palazzo Versace Macao.

Best for design lovers: Morpheus Macau

One of the last buildings entirely designed by Dame Zaha Hadid, Morpheus feels more like a living, breathing creature than a building. Within its tangled exoskeleton, the lobby soars upwards towards great honeycombs of glass and metal, with glowing red elevators gliding up and down the wall. Three huge holes punctuate the building upstairs, creating airborne walkways and cocoon-like spaces. Rooms feel fabulously futuristic and luxurious, with a cream and cappuccino palette set with sloping angles, layered ceilings, 3D wall panelling, and asymmetric bathtubs. Book well in advance for a table at three-Michelin-starred Jade Dragon.    

Morpheus Macau building - tall reflective building with skeleton like pattern and holes in the centre.
Morpheus Macau bedroom, simple white sheets on a bed against a simple dim lit wall paper.

Best for kitsch: The Londoner

Sandwiched between the colossal Venetian Macau and The Parisian, The Londoner does exactly what you might expect, with a life-size Big Ben, a Crystal Palace-inspired atrium, and a replica of the Diamond Jubilee State Carriage (complete with gold wheels). When you're not gawping at the demented 'changing of the guard', enhanced with projection mapping and other zany special effects, you can ride a black cab, stroll the Victorian-style' shoppes', take afternoon tea in Alice in Wonderland teacups, and eat dinner at a Gordon Ramsey gastropub. The rooms are, thankfully, calmer in neat white, slate and plaid, with two floors of suites 'designed' by David Beckham.  

Bedroom at The Londoner - a round wooden table and chair with the reflection of a bed showing.
Bedroom at The Londoner - two chairs facing out onto a walled window showing the city scape.

Think you’ve seen it all? Think again. Our global network of dedicated travel specialists plans one-of-a-kind, tailor-made travel experiences to make every trip your best yet. Find out more about Quintessentially Travel here.

More to explore

Travel

Country manors for exclusive hire

Spend the weekend with everyone you love at these for-rent stately homes across the UK.

Read more
Travel

48 hours in Nice

Venture to this jewel on the Côte d’Azur for beautiful beaches and delicious cuisine, under a perpetually blue sky.

Read more
Travel

City oases

If you seek calm when visiting a busy city, we understand – choose one of these hotels for a break from the bustle.

Read more
Image

NOTED

Stay in the know with our monthly newsletter – a complimentary edit of everything new and noteworthy in the luxury world.

Loading Loading

By signing up to the newsletter you confirm you have read & agree to the Privacy Policy.

Make an enquiry