Macau has been steadily gaining momentum over the past few years as a smart, lively and affordable meetings destination for US groups. The city’s gaming edge, combined with 450 years of cultural heritage, create a plethora of experiential options—many existing on or within short driving distance to the Cotai Strip where most of the larger hotels are positioned. Sheraton Macao Hotel, Cotai Central, is one case in point, offering loads of cultural programming—from on-site fan dancing lessons to excursions to local temples and historic sites. It’s about what you’d expect from a hotel that is smack dab in the middle of a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Another Starwood implant is also stealing glances on the Strip these days as the largest St. Regis in the world.
The new 400-room St. Regis Macao, Cotai Central is ushering in a number of personalized services, including its trademark butler service, and access to more than 600 designer boutiques, gaming, and authentic entertainment and culinary experiences—from Macanese and Portuguese Michelin-starred restaurants.
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One of the more intimate venues is the St. Regis Bar, an elegant space for spirits, curated malts and new twists on old cocktails, like the hotel’s take on the legendary Bloody Mary. First created at the brand’s flagship hotel in New York in the early 1900s, the reinvention (called the Maria do Leste or “Mary of the East”) fuses classic ingredients with pink peppercorns, piri-piri, cinnamon and other spices brought to Macau by Portuguese sailors. The St. Regis Macao offers numerous places to meet, the largest offering over 6,700 sf of space. Like the Sheraton Macao, the St. Regis events team can customize any number of group experiences—from excursions to the ruins of St. Paul to Casa Garden.
Now, back to Sheraton, which has its own news to share. As the largest property in Starwood’s worldwide portfolio—including 160,000 sf of meeting space and over 4,000 rooms—the hotel has seen year-over-year growth since 2012, partly due to its size, but also due to a unique knack at event customization, which lends itself to more of what you’d expect from a boutique. This past November, the hotel added 80 new luxury suites to the mix—all located on the top floors of the hotel. The suites are geared toward business travelers and groups, offering a range of comfort and amenities for these most affluent travelers.
