BACKGROUND Opened in 2007, The Venetian Macau is symbolic of this special administrative region in more ways than one. It was the first property built by Sands China at the Cotai Strip that was once a barren land. Owned and managed by the company are hotels that include Parisian Macau, Sands and The Plaza. It also owns Conrad, Sheraton and St. Regis — these are managed by Marriott International though.
WHAT’S IT LIKE? The idea is to bring the Italian town of Venice to Macau. Grand and larger than life, this resort property is known for its size. The 39-storey hotel is a destination for travellers who don’t feel the need to leave this place until check-out. The exterior wall does resemble Venetian buildings quite authentically. There is also a canal on which the hotel offers gondola rides to in-house guests. There are two entrances to the property, but I always entered from the main lobby that connects to a walkway, leading to the rest of the hotels on the Cotai Strip. A large golden globe-shaped water fixture welcomes you to the hotel. It’s a very busy hotel so I was prepared to wait in queue for check-in. The Venetian has divided its 3,000 suites across two wings — North and South for better management. It’s easy to lose your way at this massive property lined with facilities designed for all types of travellers — including the business traveller who is visiting Macau for conventions or a MICE event.
WHERE IS IT? It’s a fifteen-minute drive from the Macau ferry terminal. One of the first hotels of the Cotai Strip, it’s a landmark that can’t be missed.
ROOM FACILITIES Being an all-suite hotel, the sizes of accommodation are fairly large and begin at 70 sqm. I stayed in the base category Royale suite that was enormous, divided into a sunken living space — separated by a step and bronze fencing — and the bedroom. There are paintings of the Italian town next to the wooden television panel that also holds the safe deposit. Bedside lamps have USB ports, with two additional charging points making it convenient to charge my phone next to me as I slept. There is an iron and ironing board in the closet along with bathroom slippers. The living space has an additional flat screen television, lounge seating and a work desk besides a glass window. My view overlooked the hotel’s mini-golf ground and the exhilarating Cotai Strip dotted with its sister hotels. Traditional, Italian patterns are used across the suite along with golden touches that spell decadence in an obvious way. It is a plush space inspired by traditional Italian heritage and elegance. The bathroom has a dressing table for ladies and two sinks, enclosed lavatory, glass shower area and bathtub. Touches of gold are used in the white bathroom too. Bella suites (70 sqm), Rialto suites (170 sqm), Verona suite (145 sqm), Famiiglia suite (70 sqm), Florence suite (290 sqm) and Cielo suite (355 sqm) are its other extremely luxurious and grand accommodation options.
RESTAURANTS AND BARS There are 30 restaurants at this resort property including Golden Peacock where I dined during my stay. It is the only Michelin-starred Indian restaurant in all of Asia. Since the Indian market is in the top five for the hotel, it also serves Jain cuisine. Some of the other popular restaurants are Bambu (Japanese), Imperial House Dim Sum (Cantonese), Madeira Portuguese Restaurant and Vergano Italian Restaurant.
BUSINESS AND MEETING FACILITIES Sprawled across 1,11,500 sqm, The Venetian has the largest MICE space in Macau. Designed to cater to large-scale corporate events, Cotai Expo is a two-floor exhibition area centre that has the 6,500 sqm pillarless Venetian Ballroom (it can be divided into 12 sections). In total, there are 108 meeting rooms spread across 18,600 sqm. Some of the significant spaces are — Hall A , Hall B, Hall C, Hall D, Hall E and Hall F in the Cotai Expo. There are three additional boardrooms (Da Vinci, Casa Nova-Galileo and Marco Polo) on the ground floor for private meetings. Capri, Torino and Verona are three more junior ballrooms, while Milan, Florence, Sicily and Naples are other four junior ballrooms on the ground level.
LEISURE FACILITIES Mini-golf for sport enthusiasts, a fitness centre, four swimming pools and 300 shops are only some of the leisure facilities here. It has the Venetian Theatre that frequently holds Broadway style performances, Cotai Arena that can accommodate 15,000 people for concerts and shows. There are many other additional facilities for families and children.
VERDICT An ideal resort for large-scale MICE conventions in Macau. Unparalleled grandeur exhibiting world-class lifestyle facilities and entertainment.
PRICE Internet rates for a midweek stay in May started at HK$1,616.57 (₹13,907.49).
CONTACT Estrada da Baia de Nossa Senhora da Esperanca, Taipa
