Find your bearings
Few cities have transformed as quickly or as dramatically as Macau. Once a sleepy Portuguese outpost, this southern Chinese metropolis has, in a few short years, established itself as the region’s undisputed entertainment mecca, with quaint colonial neighbourhoods making way for mega resorts. At the nexus of this is One Central Macau, the most exclusive shopping mall in town. Senado Square and the Ruins of St Paul’s are an easy stroll away, as are the city’s top museums and a heap of tempting traditional eateries.
Feed your mind
Macau is home to some fine museums, including the Macao Museum of Art, just ten minutes by foot from the hotel. It’s a compact showcase of local and Chinese art and antiquities, and admission is free. The museum is part of the Macao Cultural Centre, which also hosts concerts, plays, dance performances and film screenings. If you have children in tow, take them to the Macao Science Center, a modern landmark designed by star architect I.M. Pei housing lots of fun, interactive exhibits and a planetarium.
Shop like a local
Retail in Macau equals malls, and one of the city’s best, One Central, is directly accessible from the hotel. The city’s flagship Louis Vuitton Maison is here, as are luxury houses Hermès, Gucci, Dior, Cartier, Rimowa and more. A handful of independent boutiques also exist, including Mercearia Portuguesa, also known as the Portuguese Corner Shop, a charming vintage-style purveyor of Portuguese comestibles and soaps, and Old House Gallery, a treasure trove of antique and reproduction Chinese furniture, ceramics and art.