Gigi Onag in Macau checks out several five-star watering holes that guarantee non-stop, high-octane entertainment
Macau is a city that comes to life when the sun sets. Beyond the sounds of rolling dice, shuffling cards and the clicking of slot machines, this Chinese enclave offers a vibrant nightlife.
Business travellers looking for a nocturnal activity will find that the best places to be in Macau are within its premier hotels, which have been in the forefront of redefining and putting new benchmarks to quality dining and live entertainment across the city. For your next trip, these bars and lounges are worth visiting.
BLUE HAVEN
Bar Azul at Four Seasons Hotel Macao, Cotai Strip
A new hot spot for nighttime entertainment in Macau, “Azul” is the Portuguese and Spanish word for “blue”. The interior of this chic and energetic bar is lit with different shades of blue to conjure up the overall mood, which is achieved through clever and creative lighting. This is a fine place to unwind and relax. The bar seats up to 68.
Signature drink: Bar Azul features a well-stocked wine bar with over 100 bottles of premium spirits. It also has a comprehensive list of cocktail drinks, starting from MOP65 (US$8). The most expensive cocktail is aptly called The High Roller, which is a Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel-based cocktail with rich smoky orange and citrus aroma mixed with sweet vermouth and cognac. This premium drink commands a hefty price at MOP250 (US$31) but is a must-try. Other notables include Jacob’s Orange, a chocolate biscuit-flavoured cocktail blended with orange juice, fresh cream, cacao and orange liqueur, and The Sling which is concocted from a mixture of gin, cherry brandy, orange peel liqueur and pineapple, putting a new twist on the famed Singapore cocktail.
Opening hours: From 1730 to 0100 on Sunday to Thursday; 1730 to 0200 on Friday and Saturday.
Contact: www.fourseasons.com/macau
MUSIC ROOM
Bellini Lounge at The Venetian Macao Resort Hotel
Macau’s trendiest watering holes can be found in the most unlikely places – on the casino floor. Bellini Lounge attracts not only the high rollers on the floor, but also a wide demographic from aged 20 onwards and a nightly crowd for the exceptional quality of its live band. Las Vegas group Take Nine was the featured entertainers last August and it had a terrific R&B playlist. Comfy seats all around the place, but the best seat in the house is at the bar right in the centre – which provides a good vantage point to watch the show.
Signature drink: The house specialty cocktail, the Bellini, is made of fresh peach, schnapps and champagne. Note that Wednesday is ladies’ night, so it’s free drinks for the fairer sex from 2000 to 0100.
Opening hours: From 1100 to 0400 daily; the evening show is from 2230 to 0300.
Contact: www.venetianmacao.com
THEME NIGHTS
Café Deco at The Venetian Macao Resort Hotel
Located on the ground floor of the Grand Canal Shoppes, this 1,000-seater restaurant is the largest within the hotel. The all-day dining establishment takes on a different ambience when the clock strikes nine and it prepares to receive the after-dinner and after-theatre crowds (Cirque du Soleil’s ZAIA stage is just next door). Nighttime entertainment at Café Deco varies from month to month and sometimes revolves a particular theme, such as the ’80s Mania and the Glitz and Glam Party which converted the place into a huge dance floor. But there were also times of a more sedate and quiet entertainment from the likes of Round Midnight, a multinational jazz band whose members hailed from New York, Chicago and Sydney, who performed in August.
Signature drink: An extensive bar list that pretty much covers every taste. For those who want healthier, non-alcoholic alternatives, there are punches and coolers. Try CDM, Café Deco’s signature blend of carrot, Darjeeling tea and mango.
Opening hours: 24/7 but the after-dinner crowd trickles in from 9pm onwards.
Contact: www.cafedecogroup.com
HOME OF MALT WHISKIES
Cinnebar at Wynn Macau
This chic lobby bar exudes the warm glow of fuchsia, vivid orange and honey onyx. Cosy seating invites relaxing conversation. Delectable homemade snacks are served and guaranteed to titillate a discriminating palate.
Signature drink: Cinnebar is home of the finest malt whiskies that one can find in the territory.
Opening hours: From 1400 to 0100 on Sunday to Thursday; 1400 to 0200 on Friday, Saturday and eve of public holidays.
Contact: www.wynnmacau.com
PARTY CENTRAL
Lion Bar at MGM Grand Macau
One of the places to see and be seen, Lion Bar is a must-see for a feel of contemporary nightlife in Macau. Set right in the middle of the casino floor, this swanky joint packs in the party crowd with its upbeat musical entertainment. When we dropped by last August, Drop Zone, a multinational band from Hongkong, was rocking the place with Top 40 hits. The first set starts at 10.30pm and the last set ends at 2.30am.
Signature drink: Pretty extensive from A to Z. It has a variety of mocktails and cocktails as well as a range of coffee blends, tea, fresh juices and energy drinks, to name a few.
Opening hours: Live act from 2200.
Contact: www.mgmgrandmacau.com
QUIET ELEGANCE
M Bar at MGM Grand Macau
Found on the lobby level at the end of the hallway that features a row of Chihuly glass sculptures, M Bar is an elegant, quiet little space where visitors can enjoy their pre-dinner cocktails and relaxing conversation. Enclosed by floor-to-ceiling glass walls, the bar exudes understated luxury with its cascading crystal chandelier, plush velvet curtains and high-back chairs. On weekends from 10pm onwards, guests will find a Latin American quartet performing a combination of pop, jazz, R&B and exotic rhythms.
Signature drink: Choose from a varied menu of liquors, including more than a dozen premium Irish whiskies, single malts and blended whiskies. There is also a range of non-alcoholic drinks to choose from.
Opening hours: From 1700 to early morning.
Contact: www.mgmgrandmacau.com
CLASSICAL DESIGN
Vasco at Mandarin Oriental Macau
The lounge, on the mezzanine floor overlooking the lobby, is named after the famous Portuguese navigator Vasco da Gama, who was the first European to discover an ocean route to India and the East in the late 1400s.
The interiors blend very well with the lobby’s classical architecture and the lounge décor features large upholstered lounge chairs in rich purples and greens, huge silver-framed mirrors and British artist Richard Winkworth’s works. There is also an elevated bar with timber floors. This is an ideal rendezvous place for light snacks and cocktails. Soothing pipe-in music adds to the laid-back ambience.
Signature drink: A wide range of wines is available, but try its innovative champagne cocktails and homemade martinis that are the house specialties.
Opening hours: From 1700 to 0200.
Contact: www.mandarinoriental.com/macau
