Macao (also spelled Macau) is one of the two Special Administrative Regions of the People’s Republic of China. Since Macao was a Portuguese colony until 1999, it still retains a very European feel. Macao relies heavily on tourism and gambling as economy drivers and it covers a small area (less than 12 square miles) made up of the Macao Peninsula and the islands of Taipa and Coloane, which are now connected by landfill for the area called the Cotai Strip. I love to travel and nothing excites me more than getting a peek into new cultures and places. You can’t get much more of a break from the ordinary than a trip to Asia. Naturally, I was thrilled to attend a press trip to Macao. I received a free stay at the Sheraton Macao Hotel to facilitate my review but all opinions expressed are my own.
Review of Sheraton Grand Macao Hotel, Cotai Strip, Macao
Great Location On The Cotai Strip
First, let me talk about the location of the Sheraton Macao Hotel. It is located in the Cotai Strip which I believe is a very family friendly choice. The Macao peninsula seems more crowded and has much more traffic. (I still recommend a day tour to see all the fantastic sights and eat some fabulous food.) The Sheraton Macao has plenty of space to unload your bags and there is plenty of sidewalk room for strolling about the Cotai Strip.
The sophisticated Sheraton Macao is located right in the center of Cotai Central and within Sands Coatai Central, Macau’s fully integrated resort, so you will have easy access to over 100 world-class retail stores with duty-free shopping (including Armani, Burberry, Gucci and many more), 20 restaurants and cafes (including some Michelin star restaurant options), live entertainment and two exciting casinos. You can also easily explore more cultural gems such as the local markets or visit the UNESCO World Heritage destinations.
Great Service
The Sheraton Macao is actually the world’s largest Sheraton hotel with close to 4,000 rooms and conference ball rooms, but surprising it doesn’t feel at all overwhelming. They pride themselves in delivering individualized service and they really do succeed. They have representatives placed all over to help point you in the right direction and nod and smile at you as you pass. When I had questions there was always a few people at the concierge stand to answer my questions and refer me to someone who could assist me. When I locked myself out of my room (whoops, let’s just pretend it was a test of service), the cleaning lady called the front desk and a bell boy came up with a key and verified my passport.
Great Room Options
There are lots of great hotel room options to chose from- Deluxe Rooms, Sheraton Club Room, Suites, Family Suites, and Premium Suites.
The Deluxe Rooms and the Sheraton Club Rooms seem to be pretty much the same (absolutely fabulous with 452 sq ft and free Wi-Fi internet) except that the Sheraton Club Rooms come with more amenities- the Club lounge experience, Club breakfast, and an upper floor for fantastic views. Comes with these extra touches:
- Lighted Makeup/Shaving Mirror
- Hairdryer
- Bathrobes and Slippers
- Weight Scale
- Cute bathroom extras like sewing kit and cotton swabs
- Bath Amenities (bath salts, lotion, shampoo, conditioner, shower gel)
- Complimentary Bottled Water
- Fully Stocked Refreshment Center
- Tea and Coffee Making Facilities
- Cable Channels
- iPod Dock
- Electronic Safe
- Iron and Ironing Board
- Individual Climate Control
- Recycling Bins
Sheraton Suite Options
I stayed in an Executive Suite which is a larger version of the room option. I felt spoiled in my Sheraton Executive Suite with the stylish and spacious living room, half bath, bar area, huge king bed, desk, two flat screen TVs, decor touches, and gigantic master bath. The living area was quite large and perfect for me to have a few of my colleagues over for a gathering to discuss the day’s events. I could have spent the entire visit in the perfect, deep tub with great water pressure that filled up quickly and the complimentary bath salts! I loved everything about my room including the maid service! Always nice to come back to an impeccably clean room.
A tour of the Family Suite left me longing for my children because I knew how much they would love it! My kids would have so much fun in a family suite! The kids room and bathroom are decorated in one of three fun themes- Shrek, Madagascar, and Kung Fu Panda. There are cute, colorful bunk beds, a table area for drawing, and the kids have their access to a TV, Nintendo Wii, and board games. Plus, the kids Dreamworks chraracter bathrobes are just so darling! They are very spacious suites (893 sq ft) and the parents bedroom and the child’s bedroom both have their own doors.
I also received a tour of a few premium suites. They were amazing. So luxurious, I didn’t want to leave them at all! The presidential suite was a vast space of 2,239 square ft. (twice as big as my first house) of glorious, inviting decor in living areas, business areas, and sleeping and bathing areas. Amazing views of the Cotai Strip are available if you can tear yourself away from the luxury suite long enough to look through the huge windows to the outside! I even got to view a new luxury suite that will be coming soon with a wrap around balcony. I could just move into that one permanently I was so in love with the floor to ceiling views, natural light, and spacious layout, and posh decor. If you want luxury worthier of Macao’s bigger is bigger standards, you have found it!
Great Amenities
Sheraton Fitness
The largest of its kind in Asia, Sheraton Fitness at Sheraton Macao Hotel offers an expansive fitness space. It is decked out with all the latest modern fitness equipment including state-of-the-art cardio and strength training equipment, comprising treadmills, steppers, bikes, rowers, cycles, and more! There are even fitness instructors available! Plus you can enjoy the sauna and steam room. Talk about above and beyond!
Sheraton Pools
That is right, I used the pural- “pools”. In case one pool is just not enough! And really it isn’t. Sheraton knows that sometimes you want a family friendly pool, like their heated Sala Pool, so your kids can splash around and act like kids and you can relax knowing no one minds. Cabanas with plush daybeds and ceiling fans offer the opportunity for some time-out and the beautiful, lush tropical foliage and fountains make relaxing come easy.
The Sheraton Macao Hotel’s Jaya pool is also gorgeous and has lots of great lounge chairs. Since I didn’t have my kids with me, I did a little lounging at the Jaya pool and I loved every peaceful minute of it!
They even have a pool exclusively for private events! A pool for everyone and all of the pools offer a wonderful view of Cotai Strip and access to poolside cafe service.
Kids Activities
The Sheraton Macao Hotel has great offerings for family guests. To begin with they have the Family Suites I mentioned earlier and the amazing Sala pool. In addition, every weekend there is a big movie screen set up alongside the pool. They have plenty of plush beanbags, popcorn and other refreshments poolside. It is a great way to get the whole family in the mood for the movies.
There are often seasonal family-oriented initiatives planned to engage kids. At the present time they are offering the Junior Hotelier program. It allows kids to learn about operating a hotel while having fun along the way. This exciting weekend program gives four- to 12-year-old children the opportunity to gain firsthand knowledge into running a hotel. I was able to witness a bit of a Junior Hotelier class when I was there. The kids were having so much fun making beds and making towels into animals of all kinds as part of the housekeeping unit. Be sure to inquire about their family initiatives as they do change their offerings to keep things fun and fresh. Next up is a Kung Fu Panda training camp!
The Sheraton Macao also offers babysitting services for children aged three and above for a fee. This can be arranged through the concierge.
Sheraton Club Lounge
Club guests have special access to the Club Lounge and let me tell you it is a real treat. A relaxing, upscale space, the Club Lounge offers complimentary breakfast, afternoon hors d’oeuvres and a variety of beverage options. The Club Lounge is a great place to connect with friends, socialize with other club guests, or even get some work done!
The Club Lounge restaurant area features an extensive buffet breakfast daily for Club guests. Now I need to tell you that this buffet is amazing. Really, really, really good! It includes Chinese breakfast items and American breakfast items. You can get dishes such a duck breast congee, rice buns, and pork wantons, or muffins, pastries, waffles, and omelettes made to order. Best breakfast buffet I have ever had come to think of it. I hear that the Club Lounge bar is also a great spot for pre-dinner drinks and delectable hors d’oeuvres.
Shine Spa for Sheraton
The Shine Spa for Sheraton Macao is the largest Shine Spain Asia Pacific. It is a beautiful, inviting space with warm, earthy tones and a luxurious design. You can get customized treatments and enjoy the spa steam, sauna, and jacuzzi. Choose from a range of specialist body and facial treatments inspired by the Five Element Theory of Feng Shui. You will feel so pampered in their amazing treatment rooms that are luxurious with their own shower area. They have beautiful design and decor. I absolutely loved my fire element massage and it took away every single aching muscle. I think I could spend my entire vacation in their testing out the different treatments!
Conclusion
In case you couldn’t tell, I was more than satisfied with my Sheraton Macao Hotel stay. I would give it 5 stars out of 5 stars. If you would like to learn more or book your stay, you can do so at sheratonmacao.com
If you found this Sheraton Macao Hotel review useful, keep your eyes peeled because I also plan to blog about things to do in Macao and places to eat in Macao soon!
Related Posts: