A quick trip to Macao for the Grand Celebration for the Completion of The Londoner Macao sees Ong Chin Huat enamoured by the likeness of this flagship Sands China hotel to the British capital, along with grabbing the opportunity to taste the best Beijing Duck outside China’s capital city.
Arriving at the Londoner Macao, Sands China’s latest offering in this entertainment enclave, you’d be forgiven for thinking you had landed at the wrong destination after stepping off the plane.
Under its majestic entranceway made with a steel and glass-covered porte-cochère which is modelled after London’s Victoria Station, you step onto a cobbled driveway and catch a glimpse of a red double-decker London bus while a black London cab pulls up alongside your car.
Looking up, you’ll see the life-size replica of one of London’s most recognisable landmarks, the Elizabeth Tower, also known as Big Ben, and like the original, it chimes on the hour.
A smartly dressed bellboy greets you with warmth and offers to carry your luggage to your suite. I checked into one of the invitation-only Louis Suites, which comprise 14 super luxurious apartments ranging in size from 113 to 298 square metres located at the top two floors of The Londoner.
In case you are wondering, the British football icon hasn’t changed his profession entirely since retiring from professional soccer, but he did work closely with renowned London interior design firm David Collins Studio to help create these stunning suites by adding his own personal flourishes.
Comprising five lavish hotels in the entire complex, the Londoner is the flagship property and contains only suites. Together with the other hotels, the Conrad Macao, Sheraton Grand Macao, The St Regis Macao and the super luxurious Londoner Court, visitors have the choice of an incredible 6,000 rooms and suites.
Formerly known as the Sands Cotai Central, the Londoner Macao was recently rebranded in 2021 and refurbished at an eye-popping cost of US$2 billion and was opened in phases since 2021 with a grand celebration held in May to mark its completion and just in time for the lifting of travel restrictions.
Inspired by different aspects of British life – from heritage architecture and iconic London landmarks to gentlemen’s clubs and royal traditions – Cool Britannia has never been encapsulated in a hotel complex so stylishly and elegantly.
Boasting three spas, four health clubs, over 20 restaurants and dining options, and boutiques from 150 international brands located at the Shoppes at Londoner, the complex extends to a mammoth 1.2 million square feet of retail, entertainment, dining, meetings and convention space.
On the way to the lobby, you marvel at the Crystal Palace atrium with its glass, iron and marble features soaring 1-stories high and a full-scale reproduction of the famous Shaftesbury Memorial Fountain with the Anteros Statue bang in the centre of the atrium.
You manage to catch the ‘Changing of the Guard’ ceremony, a well-choreographed song and dance performance with Trumpeters, Drummers, Scots Guards and the Queen accompanied by lively music, LED displays and special effects.
Retiring to your suite, you marvel at the cosy décor, comfy bed and state-of-the-art bathroom, which among other things, has a feature that keeps the toilet seat warm. Breakfast is held at The Residence, a private club designed to evoke a feeling of a home away from home.
Interesting decorative objects behind glass cabinets make diners stop to admire before heading to the breakfast buffet. Order the lobster eggs Benedict or the abalone and prawn wanton noodles which are specially prepared by a chef in front of you.
Lunch North Palace, a Chinese restaurant located in the Londoner which specialises in northern Chinese food, was a nice treat for those who have a weakness for Beijing Duck.
An open kitchen showcases the traditional duck oven, open fire pit and rotisserie grills, which whetted our appetites. Our dishes included Roast Lamb Cutlets with Aksu Apple, Braised Sea Cucumber, Fish Maw and Stuffed Bamboo in Superior Yellow Broth, Beijing-Style Crispy Prawns with Nuts, Sweet and Sour Sauce, and of course, the delicious Roasted Beijing Duck. While enjoying the expertly prepared food, several traditional dance performances made our lunch more enjoyable.
But the trip’s highlight was, of course, the grand celebration for the completion of The Londoner Macao attended by international celebrities, VIPs, Macao’s top officials, business leaders, socialites and David Beckham, the Sands global ambassador.
A cocktail reception was held before we were ushered into the spanking-new 6,000-seat Londoner Arena, where we experienced performances by Hong Kong singer-songwriter GEM, piano virtuoso Lang Lang and theatre vocalist Ayanga, who brought the house down.
A succinct speech by Robert Goldstein, the Chairman and CEO of Las Vegas Sands, reminded everyone that the opening and completion of The Londoner Macao marked the culmination of the late Sheldon G. Adelson, founder of Las Vegas Sands’ vision of the Cotai Strip, as one of the world’s most spectacular leisure destinations.
The former Chairman and CEO of Las Vegas Sands Corp. saw Cotai’s enormous potential and invested in its development. The Londoner Macao, along with all of Sands China’s other resorts in Cotai, has realised that vision while raising the benchmark for hospitality, entertainment and gourmet experiences in Macao.
“Sands China has delivered on Sheldon Adelson’s vision through the ongoing development of Cotai,” Goldstein said. “Where 250 acres of empty reclaimed land once sat, we have built one of the world’s leading tourist destinations with an incredible future ahead of it.”
Goldstein further added that the launch of The Londoner Macao and additional investments in non-gaming infrastructure would play an increasingly visible role in the future growth of Cotai.
“We are excited to fully support the Macao government in its vision to develop a highly diversified tourism industry through enhanced MICE offerings, new sporting and cultural event programming, enhancements to Macao’s reputation as a global City of Gastronomy, and an embrace of the city’s unique cultural heritage.”
For more information about The Londoner Macao, please visit www.londonermacao.com.
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