City of Dreams

Maven Meter: City of Dreams Casino & Hotel

(Last Updated: August 23, 2023)

INTRODUCTION

Is it just me, or was City of Dreams a lot better 5 years ago?  Melco Resorts seems to be pouring a lot more resources into Studio City now, a bad sign in an industry that chews up older venues for breakfast then spits them out by lunch.

I mean, where have all the hot mermaids gone?

Why are there no more smoking lobby ambassadors?

Whatever possessed them to close the best French restaurant in town (Tasting Room) in 2020?

Why has most of the interior been converted into a TFS Galleria Mall?

Why doesn’t Soho have live music anymore?  And why did it look a lot better when it first opened?

What happened to the Hard Rock Cafe, and for that matter, the Hard Rock Casino?

And what of the Hard Rock pool, which was one of the best one in Macau?

Why is there no more Poker Room?

What is this fresh hell?

Slowly but surely, Melco is turning the City of Dreams into a den of nightmares, so much so that  I no longer consider it one of the best properties on the Cotai Strip.  Its fall from grace has been one of the most disturbing developments of the last 5 years, with walk in visitors now free to ignore it completely.

City of Dreams Photo Gallery

CASINO GAMES

The City of Dreams used to be one of the best casinos in town.  Now I don’t see any reason to gamble there at all.

Baccarat – Minimum bet is $2000.

Commission Free Baccarat – Minimum bet is $1000, that hurts.

Blackjack – Minimum is $500.  All Melco casinos offer an inferior Blackjack game, as players lose both bets when doubling on 11 versus a Dealer Blackjack.  This disadvantageous rule increases the house edge by a disgusting 0.08%.

Also has a Lucky 7 side bet and Over Under 13 side bet.  Side bets are sucker bets period, as we all know.

Caribbean Stud Poker – Pricey minimum bet of $500.  Hot damn.

Craps – 5-5-5 odds, which are the highest in the city.  The pass line bet is up to $300 now.

Watch out for the Big 6 and Big 8 bets, which are identical to Place 6 and Place 8, just paying out less money (even odds instead of 7-6).

City of Dreams also has an Any Hard Way bet that returns 4-1.  It wins if any hard way is rolled before an easy way or a 7, for a house edge of 9.09%.

Roulette – Outrageous inside and outside minimum bets are $100 and $500.

Sic Bo – 7 different bets. Standard $300 minimums on Big/Small.

Slot Machines – 900 plus machines, with most minimums only 5 and 10 cents.  The most expensive machines are in the Qi Long slot room and max out at $10.  Also has Live Gaming Baccarat with lows from $100 to $300 and electronic versions of Sic Bo ($30) and Roulette ($30).

Three Card Poker – Minimum bet is $500.

VIP PROGRAM

Here’s City of Dreams main deal for whales.

If you roll $1,200,000 you’re eligible for four nights free accommodation.

They also run a VIP program for foreign guests that returns plus 0.05% percent more at every level.

1.25% is the highest VIP commission return allowed under Macau law.

CITY OF DREAMS OVERVIEW

Opening to massive expectations in June 2009, the City of Dreams was originally composed of three hotels: the Crown (now named Nuwa), Hard Rock (now named Countdown and closed), and the Grand Hyatt.  It further expanded in 2018 with the unveiling of the Morpheus Tower, bringing its total room count up to just over 2000.

When I first reviewed it in 2012 I was in total awe, leading me to wax ecstatic about almost everything they were doing.

In contrast to their arch rival, the family oriented Venetian, City of Dreams wants to let their hair down and rock. Clearly marketed for singles and young couples, the mega resort is a motley mix of brash furnishings and bold contemporary design, like being on an MTV set.  Every part of the property screams action, from the bustling boutique driven Boulevard to the frantic lobby of the Hard Rock, from the packed foyer of the Dancing Water theatre to the scrum of humanity awaiting a glimpse of a mermaid at the Vquarium.  Truly one of a kind, there’s no other place in Macau that moves quite like the City of Dreams. 

Suffice to say, those days are long gone and we’re left with a sad sedate resort that gets little right beside its pool and spa facilities.  2023 has also brought a strange collaboration with UK artist Mr. Doodle, whose work is a spiralling mishmash of squiggly lines, smiley faces and interlocking designs, a style he himself terms “graffiti spaghetti”.

Granted, as far as modern art goes, I’ve seen much worse, but Macau once gave us George Chinnery, and you’ve chosen this banality to be plastered all over your property?

This lobby used to be packed with people gawking at the mermaids.  Now it’s like the Marie Celeste.

As a way to celebrate Disney’s 100th anniversary, the Artelli Art Space by the main ground floor entrance is now displaying 24 of Mr Doodle’s works.  In them, he imposes his style and modern “sensibilities” on classic Disney pictures, dragging these seminal works down into the gutter that is the 21st century.

Not wanting to wait in line for about an hour, I snapped a few pics of what I could see from the outside, then kept on walking.  I guess the best thing you can say about the exhibition, which is on until October 15th, is that it’s free.

When it first opened in 2009, the City of Dreams was a landmark property that absolutely had to be visited when in Macau.  Now it’s yesterday’s news, a shell of its former self, and Melco needs to completely reconsider what they’re doing there.

MORPHEUS HOTEL

City of Dreams only expansion occurred on June 15, 2018, with the much awaited unveiling of the Morpheus Hotel.  Featuring a cutting edge exoskeletal steel body, the first of its kind to be used in a tower form, the exterior design is so groundbreaking that it’s already the most innovative architectural development on the Cotai Strip.

The space age theme continues inside with a sci fi inspired lobby, complete with panoramic lifts.  To me it has all the warmth and charm of the original USS Enterprise, as in something that should stay in 1966 forever.

Hey Morpheus, Captain Kirk just called, he said he wants his space deck back.

Tacky and tasteless, it’s pretty clear that Morpheus is nowhere near the game changer that I thought it was going to be. Even the Sky Pool on top of the new Tower is a massive letdown, a sad limited self-contained space with stupendous 360 degree views of windows and bars.

Why didn’t they do it right and put the pool right on top of the hotel?  That would have been 100 times better.

As for the Morpheus rooms, they’re marketed as the place where luxury meets the future in the here and now.  Easily the most expensive ones at the City of Dreams, prices below are in Macau Mops, inclusive of all tax and services charges.

As is the case with most high end hotels in Cotai, snagging a room on a weekend is damn near impossible.

MORPHEUS HOTEL ROOM

I was very skeptical of Morpheus rooms before staying there, and it turns out I was right to be worried. Premier King Rooms routinely go for $3000 Mops, and I couldn’t tell from the pictures on the website exactly where that money was going. The third hotel on my 2020 Coronavirus Tour, I stayed for one night on Thursday, February 20th at a massively reduced rate of $2190, booked online through C Trip.

Check in was excellent with the wonderful Apple from Indonesia doing a superb job getting everything sorted and taken care of. When she asked if I needed anything special, I said that I’d need lots of bottled water, as I’d just hit MacauSoul hard the night before, and was feeling a little dry. She said no problem, they’d bring 6 bottles to my room, and then produced one on the spot, which was really nice.

Apple then escorted me up to the room on the 17th floor, number 17050, and gave a quick tour, answering any questions I had. Before she left I said it was a shame that she had to go so soon, but that’s as far as I got with her and that.

My initial impression of the room was that it’s a lot like the one at Altira, just more modern.

The lights, curtains, AC, and TV functions are all operated centrally through an iPad, which also links to the restaurant dining options and Guest services. It’s a nice feature for sure, but I honestly have no problems opening the drapes or turning off the lights myself.

I couldn’t find the toilet at first, but finally tracked it down in what felt like a small concealed panic room, complete with emergency buttons and a landline to the outside.

The toilet was similarly high tech, with a heated seat and more symbols on the console than I could understand.

Look Morpheus, I’ve lived in mainland China for 15 years, all I need is a hole in the ground to TCB.

Soaps, lotions, and shampoo were provided courtesy of Hermes, while other toiletries included toothbrushes, a sewing kit, emory board, razor, comb, and shower cap. The mouthwash was a nice give too, I always like getting that.

The best part of the bathroom was the hot tub, of course, peculiarly shaped but awesome nonetheless, a perfect fit for 2 people.

There was even a TV right across from it, which totally rocked, and was the only technological feature in the room that I was impressed with.

Bottom line? The room is certainly nice, but it’s not worth $3000 mops per night. I think you can get many of the same things at Altira Macau for half the price, including more space and a much better view. Although it’s listed at 58 square meters, the Morpheus room didn’t feel that big, and they had to condense things a little by squeezing the sofa and chair in front of the TV.

There was also quite a bit of room wasted by the entrance way and behind the bathroom, which is where you can find the closet and safe.

Nothing in the mini bar was free, while the TV had a very standard assortment of channels, that paled in comparison to the ones the day before at Landmark. The welcome gift consisted of three paltry pieces of fruit, while the view outside of MGM Cotai was nothing special, and obstructed by the bars on the tower anyway.

They also didn’t offer any kind of free upgrade, which I was halfway expecting, given that the City of Dreams was 90% empty, and all of their spas, restaurants, pools and lounges were shut down. I mean, give me a little compensation for some of that Morpheus, but it wasn’t forthcoming.

The day of check out they forgot to deliver my newspaper, then I had to wait another 15 minutes to get it at the front desk. At least they gave me a free mask so that I could hop on the public bus.

If Morpheus rooms ran $2000 all the time, then I could definitely see it and might even be recommending them. They’re gouging at $3000 though, and for that price, I will never return.

MORPHEUS RESTAURANTS

Voyages by Alain Ducasse – L’Attitude used to be known as Voyages by Alain Ducasse, but it’s probably a good thing that he’s gone.  Less Ducasse = better food is a mathematical equation I learned the hard way.

French food dominates the menu with seafood and caviar $398 to $1088, appetizers and soups $108 to $298 and mains $289 to $898.  A 2 course set at lunch runs $258, while it’s $288 for 3 courses.

Happy hour is from 6 pm to 9 pm, when cocktails are on for just $88.  They also have cocktail tasting flights for $208.

Located on Level Three, Voyages is open Wednesdays to Sundays from 12:00 pm to 2:30 pm, and 6:00 pm to 9:30 pm..

Alain Ducasse at Morpheus – Alain Ducasse at Morpheus got 2 Michelin stars within 6 months of opening. He could probably open a noodle stand tomorrow and that’d get a star too. In case you haven’t noticed, this business is all reputation, and once you’re in, you’re in for life.

My dinner there in 2019 was absolutely horrible though, and I’d advise you to stay far, far away.  For a review of the wreckage, please follow the link: Alain Ducasse

The main thing available now is a 6 course set for $2988.  If you just want a couple of selections off the set, they are available a la carte for $788 to $1288.

I’m warning you now though, don’t even think about doing it.

Located on Level Three, hours are from 6:30 pm to 9:30 pm, Thursdays to Sundays.

Yi – Welcome to the most exclusive restaurant in Macau. They won’t even let you in the restaurant without a reservation, so I barely have any  idea how much anything costs. All I know is that they’re trying a new dining concept, by only offering Tasting Menus that change on a daily basis.  According to the website, their current one costs $2188 for 10 courses.

Dedicated and professional tea sommeliers are also on hand to help you choose the correct tea pairing, which sounds like a waste of time to me.  Unless I’m sipping on the sweet red nectar of life, no other beverage pairing is going to take me anywhere I want to go.

Yi also has one hell of an expensive and comprehensive drink menu: $128 cocktails, $16,800 bottles of Chinese spirits, $88,000 Moutai, and a whole roll call of stuff I’ve never heard before: Gu Yue Long Shan, Hua Diao, Wu Liang Ye, Aged Bun Chun, and Luzhou Laojiao National Pits 1573.

Word to the wise, there’s hardly anything left standing in China from 1973, let alone 1573, so take care when drinking that, especially one bottle costs $298,000.

There’s also a standard collection of gin, tequila, whisky, rum etc with most glasses over $98.

Located on the 21st Floor Sky Bridge, Yi is open daily from 6:00 pm to 11:00 pm.

Morpheus Lounge – Originally known as the Pierre Herme lounge, the Picasso of Pastry has split town for greener pastures.  Some sweets still remain though with 5 cakes that cost between $180 and $380 depending on how large you want it.  Smaller slices are also available for $68 to $88.

The rest of the menu is a la carte, featuring salads ($148 to $180), soup ($98), sandwiches ($168 to $828), eggs ($148 to $168), caviar and salmon ($1488 and $1888), and desserts ($128 to $148).

Afternoon tea is available for either $398 or $1988, the latter filled to the brim with pricey premium seafood.

Located in the Morpheus lobby, hours are from 11:00 am to 8:00 pm daily.

Morpheus Information

Tel (853) 8868 8888
Fax (853) 8867 6688
Email: rsvnmorpheus@cod-macau.com
No of Rooms and Suites: 780

NUWA HOTEL

Until Morpheus came along, the nicest hotel at City of Dreams was always the “six star” Nuwa Hotel, which used to be called Crown Towers.

Just like Morpheus, there’s nothing doing on weekends.

Prices are in Macau Mops, and include all tax and service fees.

NUWA RESTAURANTS

In April 2020, the Tasting Room and Shinji abruptly closed for good, even though both were just awarded Michelin stars in the 2020 guide.  Thankfully (maybe?), Jade Dragon still remains.

Jade Dragon – Jade Dragon is 3 star Michelin restaurant, serving contemporary Chinese in an gorgeous suave setting.

Prices have gone up a bit recently, with appetizers $98 to $520, soup $268 to $598, and rice and noodle dishes $148 to $398.  Mains are a tad more expensive with meat $288 to $1100, poultry $218 to $428, barbecue $328 to $588 and seafood $268 to $1380.  Abalone, finally, is monstrously priced (as it always is) going for $680 to $6800.

Dim sum is a main fixture of the lunch menu, with most of it between $48 and $108.

At lunch, a 5 course Tasting Menu runs $780 per person, with a minimum booking requirement of two people.  It’s the same story at night, when a Signature 7 course set runs $1900 per person, or $2500 with wine.

For a review of my meal at Jade Dragon, please click here: Jade Dragon.

Jade Dragon is located on the 2nd floor of the Nuwa hotel and keeps hours daily from 12:00 pm to 3:00 pm and 6:00 pm to 10:30 pm.

Sushi Kinetsu – Sushi Kinetsu takes over from the dearly departed Shinji Kanesaka in the Nuwa lobby.  Just like before, only sets are available, with two on at lunch: a sushi set for $980 and a second one for $1680 that comes with sashimi, sushi, one hot dish , soup and fruits.

The dinner menu is similar and pricier, with one set going for $2280 and the other $2880.

From Thursdays to Mondays, they’re open for lunch from 12:00 pm to 2:30 pm and for dinner from 6:00 pm to 10:30 pm.  On Wednesdays, they’re only open for dinner from 7:00 pm to 10:30 pm.

NUWA BARS

Lan – Without a doubt, Lan is one of the nicest looking lobby bars in Macau.

Prices are totally acceptable for the soft chic environs, with glasses of wine $70 (red), $80 (white), and $150 (champagne), while full bottles range from $350 to $1900.  Cocktails are $80 to $108, while most hard stuff is $68 to $150 and beer just $68 or $78.

Food includes typical bar fare like fajitas, burgers, chicken wings, fish and chips, and snack platters for $68 to $168.

Lan is only open on Fridays to Sundays, from 5:00 pm to 2:00 am.

Nuwa Hotel Information

Tel: (853) 8868 6868
Fax: (853) 8867 6888
Email: contactcentre@melco-resorts.com
No of Rooms and Suites: 300

GRAND HYATT HOTEL

The Grand Hyatt usually wins a slew of awards from travel organizations and business insiders and from walking around the hotel, I’m not surprised by it at all.  With the rates they charge, many aspects of the hotel are above average.

The third floor is home to the Club lounge, where Grand Club members get free breakfast, snacks and evening cocktails.

Prices are in Macau Mops and include all tax and services charges.

These rates are about $500 more than they were in 2019.

GRAND HYATT RESTAURANTS

Grand Hyatt has one Chinese and one Western restaurant.

Beijing Kitchen – The menu prices at Beijing Kitchen are among the most guarded in Macau.  I’ve always had to go to great lengths to get them incognito.

As the name suggests, the majority of it is Northeastern cuisine, with appetizers $128 to $368, soup $138 to $968, and vegetables $168 to $208.  Main meat dishes run $168 to $888, while noodles are $108 to $178 and seafood $248 to $598.  Dumplings are also available for $158 to $188.

A 6 course pairing menu is available for $1088 and they do it with whisky.  I think that’s a hard pass from me, thank you very much.

Beijing Kitchen is located near the Grand Hyatt lobby, and opens daily from 12:00 pm to 2:30 pm and 6:00 pm to 10:00 pm.

Mezza 9 Macau – Mezza 9 is just evening buffet now, and a seriously expensive one at that.  Running $819, it’s sold out for the whole summer, thanks to their dazzling assortment of fresh seafood.  Bookings need to be made in advance online and no refunds are possible.

Mezza 9 is located on the 3rd floor and opens daily from 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm.

GRAND HYATT BARS

Lobby Lounge – The Lobby Lounge at Grand Hyatt usually does a solid business, mostly because the hotel is often sold out.  Featuring a fairly extensive food menu, traditional Western favourites like sandwiches, burgers, pasta, soup and salad run $109 to $208, while pricier mains like Singaporean laksa, baked African chicken rice and Norwegian salmon cost $148 to $208.  Sides are also available for $28 to $58.

A weekday set lunch runs $138, featuring a different main every day of the week, headlined by steaks, burgers, and chicken rice.  On weekends, the set jumps up in price to $188 for 2 courses, or $218 for 3.

As for beverages, glasses of wine or champagne run $90 to $180, while local beer is $58 or $68.

Lobby Lounge is open daily from 11:00 am to 9:00 pm.

Grand Hyatt Information

Grand Hyatt Hotel
Estrada Do Istmo, Cotai
Tel: (853) 8868 1788
Fax: (853) 8867 1234
Email: macau.grand@hyatt.com
No of Rooms and Suites: 791

CITY OF DREAMS POOLS

All four hotels offer similarly styled pools in both size and grade, although the one at the Countdown is usually a lot busier, since they let outsiders use it in exchange for paying a fee. Current rates are $200 for singles, $360 for couples and $100 for children.

Update: The Countdown pools are currently closed.

It’s difficult to say which pool at City of Dreams is the best, although the one at the Grand Hyatt might take it, given its size and killer views.

The most exclusive pool is probably the one at Morpheus, given how expensive the rooms are.  It’s also easily the worst one in the entire property, done in by those claustrophobic views of nothing.

The Nuwa pool is interesting in that I’ve never seen one person in it since 2012!  A shame, since it’s pretty impressive in its own right.

CITY OF DREAMS DINING

The Boulevard and casino have a bunch of other restaurants as well, but I’m not going to get into them here. Most of them are small and insignificant, and not really worth your time trying. The best restaurants at the City of Dreams are all located in the three hotels which have already been described above.

Perhaps one exception is Soho, their pimped out food court on the 2nd floor. It used to look a lot better when it first opened though, and I can no longer recommend people stopping by to check out the “lean and mean urban design” which no longer exists.

Composed of about 12 different restaurants which serve a wide array of world cuisine, including Mexican, Japanese, Italian, Mediterranean, Chinese and Korean, most dishes cost between $100 and $300, with the cheapest eats running $78 to $98.

CITY OF DREAMS GYMS

The fitness centers at all four hotels all leave a little something to be desired – each one could probably be a little larger and better, but they’re still more than satisfactory.

In a mild upset, the best gym is found at the Nuwa Hotel, followed by the Grand Hyatt, Morpheus and then Countdown.

CITY OF DREAMS SPAS

With four in total, no resort in Macau has more spas than the City of Dreams.  Treatments, prices and packages are very similar, with most services at Morpheus, Nuwa and Grand Hyatt $1000 to $1500, while the Spa at Countdown is a touch cheaper, with quite a few procedures available for under $1000.

Morpheus Spa – Morpheus Spa gets my vote for the best on at the City of Dreams.

150 to 210 Minute Signature Treatments: $1980 to $3800
60 to 90 Minute Body Scrubs & Body Wraps: $1580 to $1880
60 to 90 Minute Body Treatments: $1380 to $1780
60 to 90 Minute Body Massage: $1380 to $1880
60 to 90 Minute Facials: $1580 to $1880

Morpheus guests also get free access to what might the most impressive change room in any legitimate Macau spa. In terms of size and comfort, it’s probably got the one at the Ritz-Carlton beat, which is no small feat. The sauna, steam room and hot tub are all immaculate, and given how expensive Morpheus rooms are, you might just have it all to yourself most of the time.

Hours are from 11:00 am to 10:00 pm daily.

Nuwa Spa – The Nuwa spa offers the following treatments and rates:

120 to 150 Minute Signature Journeys $2250 to $2980
4 hours signature treatment $3180 single and $5680 for couples
120 minute journeys: $2380 to $2680
60 to 90 Minute Facials: $1380 to $2280
60 to 120 Minute Body treatments: $1280 to $2280
60 to 90 Minute Massage: $1180 to $1680

There’s also a day pass option for $350, which allows guests to access the pool, gym and spa facilities for as long as they want during opening hours.

Like Morpheus, Nuwa guests can use the sauna and steam room in the spa for free, which is a great perk that most hotels in Macau don’t provide.  The majority of them charge a door pass fee, which I find completely ridiculous.

Hours are from 2 pm to 10 pm daily, only by appointment.

Isala Spa – Isala Spa is located in the Grand Hyatt.

2 to 4 Hour Isala Retreats: $2000 to $3450
60 to 90 Minute Facials: $1480 to $2180
60 to 90 Minute Massages: $1280 to $1680
60 Minute Body Treatments: $1190 to $1290
30 minute Body Massage, Head Massage, Body Scrub, or Facial: $700

Isala Spa is open from 10:00 am to 9:00 pm.

The Spa at Countdown – The Spa at Countdown keeps the prices low.

90 to 150 Minute Signature Journeys: $1100 to $1700
60 to 90 Minute Massage $780 to $1380
60 to 90 Minute Facials: $780 to $1280
Body scrubs and Body Wraps: $420 to $780

There’s also a door pass for $380 which gives access to a deluxe suite equipped with steam and sauna.

For steam, sauna and jacuzzi, the price is $680 for 60 minutes.

Update: The spa at Countdown is currently closed.

For other free spa facilities, each hotel (excluding Morpheus) has a jacuzzi outside beside their pools, while Grand Hyatt also offers a steam room and an ice shower in their change rooms.  Countdown guests, unfortunately, are SOL in this department.

CITY OF DREAMS ENTERTAINMENT

The City of Dreams needs to ramp their entertainment back up.

The House of Dancing Water – Macau’s most popular show has been packing audiences since it opened in 2010.  While I wish it had more of a story, I also wish I had a girlfriend named Lola too.

To read my full length entertainment review, please click here: House of Dancing Water.

Tickets now cost $598, $798, $998, and $1498 for adults, while children and senior citizen tickets are slightly cheaper.

Dark on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, the show runs twice daily from Thursdays to Mondays, starting from 5:00 and 8:00 pm.

UPDATE: House of Dancing Water has been discontinued till late 2023, or 2024.  Same goes for the Backstage Tour.

House of Dancing Water Backstage Tour – Perhaps some people will be interested in this, but you can count me out.  Every Saturday, City of Dreams hosts two backstage tours of the House of Dancing Water.

One, the Explorer Tour, gives guests insights into the technical aspect of the show, such as the machines, props, and costumes used, as well as how stage operations are performed. (45 to 60 minutes)

Second, the Experience Tour focuses more on the human element, where people do meet and greets with some of the cast and artists.  There’s also a backstage tour to get an up close look at props and costumes. (30 to 45 minutes)

I believe both tours cost $550 and start around 9:30 pm on Saturday nights, so long as 8 people have joined up.

Kid’s City – Kid’s City is designed for children aged 2 to 12 and sounds like an absolute blast.  With air cannons, ball fountains, racing slides, costume play, arcade games and assorted craft work, it definitely makes me wish I were 10 again.

Prices for 1 Adult and 1 Child are as follows.

As always, long pants, long sleeves and socks are required for all visitors.

Hours at Kid’s City are from 10:30 am to 7:00 pm daily.  To get there, go to Soho first and then take the elevator up to the 3rd floor.

Art on 23 Morpheus – Morpheus has a newly opened Art Space on the 23rd floor that showed all of 2 pieces the first time I went there.  In other words, I don’t think I’ll be going back any time soon.  (And I probably can’t anyway, since it seems it’s only for Morpheus hotel guests now).

If you want to see the pictures, they’re both in the City of Dreams Photobook.

Art on 23 Morpheus keeps hours from 12:00 pm to 6:00 pm daily.

CITY OF DREAMS SHOPPING

Starting from 2018, much of City of Dreams morphed into one large T Galleria by DFS outlet.  They seem to own every inch of the retail space, and there is basically no way to get around without being surrounded by shops peddling perfume, bags, sunglasses, designer clothes and other high end beauty and fashion accessories.

It sometimes makes getting around a little confusing, which is why I much prefer the old layout before.

CITY OF DREAMS NIGHTCLUBS

When Club Para gets going, it can be the best nightclub in town.  On other evenings however, it’s deader than Dillinger.  There’s no rhyme or reason to it, it just depends on the night.

Your best bet for a full house is on a Saturday, because it’s Ladies Night then.  That’s the only evening with a cover charge too, when it’s $250 after midnight.

I didn’t get a chance to go in and take pictures of the new club, but I guess it looks a lot like it did before.  Be forewarned, cameras aren’t allowed inside and they may demand you check some of your belongings at the door (for a fee of course).  If so, just pop down to the casino and do it at their cloak room for free.

Located on Level 2 of the Boulevard, Club Para is open daily from 9:00 pm to 6:00 am.

THE LAST WORD

Since its inception in 2009, the City of Dreams has always targeted the type of crowd who’d want nothing more than to flaunt it at an after hour pool party before hitting Club Para hard till 6:00 am.  The problem is they’re not really attracting that type of clientele anymore.  I really have no idea what Melco is doing with it, other than wasting one of Macau’s prime venues.  It’s almost an afterthought on the Strip now, which is sad considering how great it used to be.

LOCATION

City of Dreams is located opposite the Venetian Macao, and right beside Londoner Macao and MGM Cotai.  Wynn Palace is situated behind it.