Maven Meter: Londoner Macao Casino & Hotel
(Last updated: September 6, 2023)
INTRODUCTION
The Cotai Strip was on one hell of a roll. The arrival of the Venetian in 2007 ushered in a new golden age of Macau gaming, the City of Dreams got the party started in 2009, and then Galaxy went up and built the Palace of Asia in 2011. For awhile, it seemed all anyone had to do in Cotai was build something, and they’d be rewarded with a phenomenal world class resort.
With the unveiling of Sands Cotai on April 11, 2012 though, all of that momentum stopped completely, and instead of raising the bar with something innovative and inspiring, Sands China went backward with a property that’s boring, bland, banal and oh so played. It’s the kind of hotel that would have looked great on the Macau peninsula in 2007, but to stick out in Cotai these days you need to rise above your competitors and do something extraordinary.
Sands Cotai, unfortunately, does nothing. From the hotel exterior to the lobbies, the shopping to the pools, the entertainment to the nightlife, there’s not one aspect of the resort that’s memorable or groundbreaking. It’s a bust.
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I wrote that way back in 2012 about a month after Sands Cotai first opened. Truer words have never been spoken, and Sands China finally got the message 5 years later. Like the poor animal you shoot when it breaks a leg to put it out of its misery, Sands Cotai is no more.
The whole resort has been converted into the Londoner Macao, which enjoyed its (second) grand opening on February 8, 2021. Incorporating themes from England’s biggest and most beloved city, Macau is now home to Big Ben, Nelson’s Column, the Crystal Palace and Shakespeare’s Hall. The only next logical step? A row of fish and chip stands outside and horse drawn carriages galloping down the Cotai Strip, baby!
A thousand times better than its original incarnation, the Londoner has seen more foot traffic the past six months than it did its first six years. The mainlanders are lapping it up with big silver spoons and selfie sticks, further increasing Sands China’s control over the Cotai Strip. They have their competitors whipped so badly down there that even Meghan Markle is taking notes!
LONDONER MACAO PHOTO GALLERY
LONDONER MACAO RESORT OVERVIEW
Build a place for pictures, and they will come. That’s been the calculus on the Cotai Strip for over a decade now and Sands China has that math down cold. Any and every day outside the Londoner, professional photo shoots are being conducted by unprofessional people, as droves of Chinese women and their hapless boyfriends lug around lighting shades, tripods, three camera bags and six lenses. It really is something to behold, how seriously they’ve come to take their social media pics, as they pose, pout and preen in front of Big Ben and a row of red telephone booths.
It’s vain, it’s vulgar, it’s decadent. It’s also everything Sands China needs and wants!
To that end, they’ve created the most photogenic property in Cotai by a country mile, putting their own previous efforts at the Venetian and Parisian to shame (which were both outstanding by the way). Hence the Strip is now graced by Big Ben, a vintage 1966 double decker bus, Landseer Lions and the edifice of Victoria Station right outside the main entrance doors.
Inside, the Crystal Palace is home to the Piccadilly Circus’s Shaftesbury Memorial Fountain, topped off with a gilt statue of Anteros. Welcome to the Wild West End!
Shakespeare’s Hall is modelled after the Royal Albert Hall, complete with a replica of the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee carriage.
At night the facade on the side the building that mimics the Houses of Parliament is awash in a mesmerizing myriad of colours, a really neat light show that happens every 30 minutes or so.
That’s just the tip of the iceberg, with roaming billy cops, giant tea cups, black cabs and statues of Henry the VIII and Queen Elizabeth other key design features adorning the interior.
Given the mammoth task that Sands China took on converting the Sands Cotai into the Londoner Macao, they’ve done as well as could be expected. They’re probably not even halfway done yet, with clever facades hiding old retail and restaurant space that will be put to good use in the future.
At first I was going to ridicule them for putting up fake storefronts to fool us into thinking we’re in London, but I’m 99% sure they are just temporary. And I got to admit, they are sort of sharp too, and a pretty integral design feature of the new property.
CASINO
The Londoner Macao has two casinos, the Londoner and the Pacifica.
Londoner Casino
All it takes is one look of the Londoner casino to know it’s a Sands casino. Organized very well and extremely straightforward, all games are neatly grouped according to type, with signs above clearly stating what they are. The 8 games offered are all staple Sands selections, pretty much identical to what’s found at the Sands and the Venetian. As for how it looks, the Londoner casino takes a page from the latter casino, only on a much smaller scale, using the same type of decorative pillars and exquisite chandeliers.
Minimums are straight up obscene at the Londoner, with most everything starting from $1000, including Blackjack, Roulette, Sands Stud Poker, and Three Card Poker. The 600 or so slots in the casino mostly stay under a dollar, while Live Gaming Baccarat is $200 to $1000. As for electronic games, there are only two options: Roulette ($10) and Sic Bo ($20).
Drink service in the casino is pretty quick, although I didn’t see any alcohol served. In total, I counted 169 tables in the casino, down from 227 earlier in the year. The reason for the reduction is that Sands had to move some of them over to the Pacifica, which opened on September 20th, 2012.
Pacifica Casino
For some strange reason, the Pacifica casino looks nothing like its name might suggest. At the very least, I was expecting something tropical, a motif built around palm trees, waterfalls, and a lot of light, like how their shopping quarter used to be. At most, there would be sun streaming in through a huge sunlight dome, dancing shows conducted by hula girls shaking their thing, tribal drum music, and of course, cocktail waitresses working it in short skirts and leis serving Pina Coladas. It’d be just like being in Hawaii, but only better, since you can gamble too.
Unfortunately, the Pacifica casino is none of those things, and is fact, a lot worse. With wavy contoured ceilings, cheap plastic space age design, and a lot of blue, pink, and red lights, it looks just like some bad projection from the 1960’s about what the future might look like. More accurately, it’s probably just a failed rip off of the City of Dreams, but the effect fails at Pacifica because they don’t reinforce the cutting edge theme with enough secondary decorations. Of course none of that has anything to do with the Pacific, or with London either for that matter, which makes me wonder why they called the casino that in the first place. In my opinion, it should be called the Pluto instead, because everything inside is just that way out there.
As for the actual gaming, it’s a lot cheaper than the Londoner, with Commission Free Baccarat $1000, Blackjack $500, Three Card Poker $500 and Live Gaming Baccarat $100 to $300.
GAMES
The Londoner casino is without a doubt the most expensive one in all of Macau. I’d tell you caveat emptor but you should already know that when you’re in a casino.
Baccarat – I didn’t see any Baccarat in either casino. Got to go the Paiza club for that action, where I’d imagine lows start from $5000.
Commission Free Baccarat – Won Banker bets totalling 6 get paid 50%. It starts from $1000 at the Pacifica and $2000 at the Londoner.
Blackjack – Ridiculous $500 minimums at Pacifica, while they’re ever worse at the Londoner ($1000). Players lose both bets when doubling on 11 versus a Dealer Blackjack, which increases the house edge by a disgusting 0.08%.
Craps – 3-4-5 odds, minimum pass line bet is $500. Only available at the Londoner.
Roulette – Game is only on at the Londoner, with pernicious Inside/Outside minimums of $200 and $1000.
Sands Stud Poker – Only available at the Londoner, with vicious minimums of $1000. Kudos to the Sands for now giving the proper 100-1 payout on the Royal flush.
For information on how Sands Stud Poker differs slightly from Caribbean Stud Poker, please check the Sands Macao or Venetian reviews.
Sic Bo – Available in both casinos for $500 (Big/Small/Even/Odd).
Slot machines – Minimums from 5 cents to $10. Live Gaming Baccarat is $100 to $300 at the Pacifica and $200 to $1000 at the Londoner. There’s also electronic versions of Roulette for $10 and Sic Bo for $20.
Three Card Poker – Minimums of $500 at the Pacifica and $1000 at the Londoner.
VIP PROGRAM
The Londoner Macao dead chip program is the same as what’s offered at the Venetian, Parisian and Plaza.
The good people at Wynn give better rates on almost level, most notably at $100,000 (0.9% vs 0.6%), and 1, 3, 5, and 15 million marks (+0.05%).
The Londoner also has a VIP program for foreign players, but you can do a lot better with other operators as well.
LONDONER MACAO HOTELS
The fifth largest hotel in the world, the Londoner Macao is an absolute mammoth, with around 6000 rooms in all. Comprised of 5 different hotels of varying style and grade, cheapest rooms can be had at the world’s biggest Sheraton Grand ($1150 weekdays), while the opulence and overload really get out of hand at the Londoner Macao ($6400) and Londoner Court ($26,000), which only offer suites and English style townhouses.
A brief introduction of the hotels, as well as current rates, which include all tax and service charges, follow below.
Conrad Macao
The only original hotel left since the property opened in 2012, Conrad rooms used to routinely top the Trip Advisor ranks about 5 or 6 years ago.
I much preferred their original front desk and lobby, but this gold number still looks pretty sharp as well. The British themes do sort of escape me though.
The second cheapest hotel at the Londoner Macao still doesn’t come cheap, but are fair prices for the quality of the room.
Conrad Macao Quick Facts
Hotel Inquiries: 853 2882 9000
International Tel: 853 8113 6000
China: 4008 423 988
Hong Kong: 852 3065 9618
Email: conrad_macao@conradhotels.com
Number of Rooms and Suites: 659
Londoner Court
Billed as a “Quintessential Second Home”, Londoner Court suites are fit for royalty indeed. All of them come with 24 hour Butler service and full access to the Kensington Lounge on the 36th floor.
There are only two room grades, both of which cost the same price everyday: $26,333 for the Mayfair Suite, and $34,383 for the Knightsbridge Suite.
(Hey, wasn’t Mick Jagger playing with some girl from Knightsbridge in 1964, while she was playing with fire?)
Strangely enough, the front desk gives zero indication of the opulence in store for visitors, or the fact they’re dropping $3000 US for a night of shut eye.
All Londoner Court guests are entitled to free round trip limo service, as well as daily breakfast and afternoon tea for 2 people (Mayfair) or 4 people (Knightsbridge).
Londoner Court Quick Facts
Hotel Inquiries: 853 2888 6388
International Tel: 853 2888 6608
China: 4008 423 989
Hong Kong: 852 3065 9638
Email: londonercourt.res@sands.com.mo
Number of Suites and Townhouses: 368
Londoner Hotel
The Londoner Macao lobby is straight out of Buckingham Palace, complete with a marble fireplace where King Charles is said to receive his distinguished guests.
Wickedly expensive, I wonder if King Charles could stomach paying these prices himself. This Maven is definitely out!
Londoner Hotel Quick Facts
Hotel Inquiries: 853 2882 2878
International Tel: 853 2882 2862
China: 4008 423 987
Hong Kong: 852 3065 9628
Email: inquiries@thelondoner.com.mo
Number of Suites and Townhouses: 524
St Regis Macao
The St. Regis front desk and lobby escaped all renovations, which is good, because it straight up styles.
I’m very surprised at how cheap Grand Twin rooms were listed for in September 2023, because they should cost the same as Deluxe Kings. Was it or a bug in the system, or just a tremendous opportunity?
St. Regis Macao Quick Facts
Hotel Inquiries: 853 2882 8898
China: 4001 208 891
Hong Kong: 852 3051 2764
Email: stregismacao.res@marriott.com
Number of Rooms and Suites: 400
Sheraton Grand Macao
The world’s largest Sheraton Grand is so big that it has about four different check in desks.
I don’t know who goes to which desk or why, but the wait could be pretty long wherever you end up.
Sheraton Grand Macao Quick Facts
Hotel Inquiries: 853 2880 2000
China Toll Free: 4001 693 388
Hong Kong: 852 3051 2764
Email: sheratonmacao.res@marriott.com
Number of Rooms and Suites: 4001
Conrad Macao Hotel Room
The only hotel I’ve ever stayed in at the Londoner Macao is the Conrad, which happened way back in May 2012, a month after the Sands Cotai first opened. Running $1845 back then, rooms actually cost a bit less now, which is something I wish casinos would take note of with their minimum bets! Less is more, people!
Checking the pics on the website, the Deluxe King rooms appear much the same as they did then, with identical carpet and colour scheme.
At 52 square meters, it’s bigger than most newer rooms in Cotai, and actually reminded me a lot of the ones at the Four Seasons Macao when I stayed there in March 2020.
The bathroom, in particular, was very well appointed, rocking a nice sized bath tub that I sunk to the bottom to with ease.
For those who aren’t that into pleasure, there’s also a stand up shower on the other side.
All in all, the Conrad rooms stack up pretty well with their competitors on the ultra competitive Cotai Strip. I wouldn’t call them the best value though, as that’s clearly had across the road in one of the Venetian suites, which are larger and cost about the same thing.
LONDONER MACAO RESTAURANTS
One of the biggest blemishes on Sands Cotai was their dining, which for the most part was just putrid. Sands has put a lot of effort into these new restaurants, with Huaiyang Garden already garnering 1 Michelin star in the 2023 guide. Two other highly anticipated eateries, Gordon Ramsay Pub and Grill and the Mews, a Thai joint, also appear extremely close to opening.
The Cheesecake Factory – I only add the Cheesecake Factory because my brother is a big fan of the one in Toronto. I doubt he ever reads this though, since he has no respect for my life in Asia or this website, since it isn’t “lucrative.” Then he wonders why I never come home.
All Western eats, all the time, small plates and snacks run $58 to $98, while appetizers are $118 to $168 and specialties $138 to $228. Seafood and steak cost $188 to $438, while pasta is $178 to $208, and salad $168 to $238. Of course there is a ton of cheesecake as well, with slices running $78 to $88.
Hours daily are from 11:00 am to 11:00 pm. On Sundays they open an hour earlier at 10:00 am.
The Conservatory – Located next to Shakespeare Hall and the Sheraton check-in desk, the Conservatory looks more like a bar to me, but they insist it’s a restaurant. I guess they have the food menu to back it up, so we’ll take their word for it this time.
Beginning with breakfast, they have four different sets that range in price from $158 to $198. The rest is a la carte, featuring eggs, waffles, toast, and beef mince for $78 to $178. A number of noodle, rice and congee selections are also on offer for $138 to $262, and are available all day.
For lunch and dinner, the Conservatory mixes more Eastern and Western fare, with starters and salads $119 to $258, soup $108 to $398, and noodles $138 to $328. The menu is rounded off by sandwiches ($128 to $198), rice and pasta ($158 to $258), and mains ($208 to 1308).
For three hours every Monday to Friday from 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm, they hold Happy Hour, where a complimentary snack plate comes with each drink. Costing only $50, the Happy Hour drink menu consists of draft beer, spirits, and glasses of red and white wine. They also hold British afternoon tea daily, which two can enjoy for $408.
Turning to drinks, most spirits stay in the $68 to $158 range, while cocktails are $98 to $108 and beer $68 to $78. Glasses of champagne go for $98 to $198, while red wine is $80 to $118 and white wine $98 to $138. If you prefer full bottles instead, champagne costs $480 to $998, while white wine is $488 to $998 and red wine $388 to $988.
As for non alcoholic beverages, their coffee menu is quite extensive, running $45 to 75, while tea is $48 to $78 and juice $68.
The Conservatory opens from 8:00 am to midnight Sundays to Thursdays. On Fridays and Saturdays, they push closing time out to 1:00 am.
Churchill’s Table – One of the greatest leaders of the 20th Century has his own restaurant beside the Crystal Palace. They should really be selling cigars too, if you ask me.
The breakfast buffet takes place over 4 seatings, each of which is 90 minutes long, starting from 7:00 am and ending at 1:00 pm. Available only for in-house guests from the Londoner, Londoner Court and Conrad, it’s best to show up a little before the buffets start at 7:00, 8:30, 10:00 and 11:30 to guarantee a spot. Weekday prices are $240 for adults and $120 for children aged 4 to 12. On weekends, those rates jump up to $150 and $125 respectively.
The lunch and dinner a la carte menu features classic British eats, with appetizers and salads $108 to $248, soup $98 to $108, and pasta and rice $188 to $408. Seafood on ice costs an expensive $538 to $2078, while single oysters are $58 to $78, and signature baked pinsa (whatever that is) $168 to $208. The menu is rounded off by main meat favourites ($208 to $538) and desserts ($88 to $98).
Winston’s Favourite Dinner Menu is a four course set for $548, featuring a lot of food I’ve never heard of, such as seared hamachi, Jerusalem artichoke, Hokkaido scallop ceviche and jicama.
Afternoon tea for 2 runs either $328 (Monday to Wednesday), and $528 (Thursday to Sunday). There’s also a Dessert Tasting Journey at night for $188 per person, composed of just 1 dessert and 1 drink. From 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm, they have a Buy 2 Get 1 Free Happy Hour, featuring various grades of gin ($75 to $120) and beer ($55).
Part of the restaurant is taken up by Churchill Table boutique, a small corner selling chocolate, cake, tea, jams, honey.
Churchill’s Table is open daily from 7:00 am to midnight.
Feast – The only other buffet at the Londoner Macau, Feast holds one twice a day for breakfast and dinner. Breakfast is a good bargain, running just $198 for adults and $108 for children. From Monday to Thursday, a Seafood Barbecue buffet happens at dinner for $498/$249, while a weekend Crab Bash is $588/$294.
Feast is open daily from 7:00 am to 12:00 pm and 6:00 pm to 10:00 pm.
Huaiyang Garden – Awarded 1 Michelin star in 2023, Huaiyang Garden serves Jiangsu styled food, which is one of China’s most renowned cuisines.
Prices are pretty high for the minimal portion sizes, with appetizers $108 to $218, soup $188 to $538 and vegetables $108 to $148. Signature dishes run $178 to $1088, while mains are $178 to $3088, and noodle, rice, and dim sum favourites $108 to $218.
A 10 course set at night runs $1888, while a second one for 12 is $2388.
Closed on Wednesdays, Huaiyang Garden is open every other day from 5:30 pm to 11:00 pm. On Friday and Saturday, they stay open an hour later until midnight.
The Manor – The Manor is the St. Regis signature restaurant, and the prices sure match. A chilled crustacean seafood platter goes for $758 or $1098, while oysters are $207 for 3, $416 for 6, and $768 for 12. Appetizers run $238 to $328, while soup is $141, and premium mains like acquerello risotto, Japanese kinmedai, Iberico pork tenderloin and wagyu beef rib eye are $295 to $768.
A three course set at lunch runs $368 per person, or $468 if you prefer beef. At night the price ramps up with two 6 course sets for $1288 and $1388 respectively.
The Manor keeps hours daily from 6:30 am to 11:00 am, 12:00 pm to 3:00 pm and 6:00 pm to 11:00 pm.
North Palace – Serving scrumptious Northern Chinese dishes, North Palace stays open 24 hours. The menu is fairly extensive, featuring choices like appetizers ($98 to $258), soup ($78 to $158), and vegetables ($78 to $98). One whole roasted duck goes for $698, while grilled choices are $208 to $2528 and hot dishes $78 to $398. There’s also seafood for $108 to $538, noodles for $98 to $108, and dumplings for $58 to $98.
Tai Er Sauerkraut Fish – Super popular on the mainland and for good reason, Tai Er Sauerkraut serves up some delicious sour fish. Stick to the house special with this one, and just order either the big bowl for 1 to 2 people ($268), 3 to 4 people ($398), or 5 to 6 people (Aka “the Feaster”) for $598.
They also serve starters ($58 to $88), sides ($58 to $98), vegetables ($38 to $68) and two mains ($118 and $168).
I wouldn’t bother with any of those though, just make sure to order a bowl of rice to go with your fish for $15.
Hours daily at Tai Er Sauerkraut Fish are from 11:00 am to 9:00 pm.
Koufu – Koufu is the Londoner Macao’s sharp looking food court, located on the 3rd floor.
Composed of about 20 different fast food restaurants, most dishes stay in the $58 to $128 range.
CONRAD POOL
The Conrad pools have always been the worst ones in the entire resort, lacking both size and an attractive looking deck. The pools’ position between two hotels makes the area seem a little confined, and there aren’t any views of the Cotai Strip.
With only a few plants and trees present beside the cabanas, it’s feels a little like relaxing in a concrete jungle.
Update: The Conrad pool is currently closed. Guests can make use of the one at the Londoner Macao instead.
LONDONER HOTEL POOL
Formerly the Holiday Inn pools, the Londoner Hotel pools probably need to be upgraded, considering how expensive the hotel is. I mean, those pools used to be attached to rooms that cost $850, and now guests are having to shell out $6500 for the pleasure.
Located on the 4th floor, the Londoner Macao pools are open daily from 9:00 am to 7:00 pm.
LONDONER COURT POOL
Rough 6:40 pm light out there when I snapped this pic of the Londoner Court Pool, I’ll definitely get a better one the next time I’m in town.
Sad to say, but the pools at the Sheraton are 1000% better yet their rooms cost $25,000 less per night. No, that is not a misprint.
Located on the 8th floor right beside the St. Regis pool, the Londoner Court pool is open daily from 8:00 am to 8:00 pm.
SHERATON POOL
Without a doubt, the best pools at the Londoner Macao belong to the Sheraton, simply because they have so many of them. No other hotel in Macau offers three distinct swimming areas as they do, each one with a different function. The Sala pools are designed more for children to play in, since they’re not very deep and adults can’t really swim in them.
Apologies for not having a picture of the Jaya pools, but I will rectify that oversight the next time I’m in Macau. A very attractive outdoor space, it’s probably the nicest swimming area in the entire resort, featuring much larger pools adults can do laps in, as well as a jacuzzi. Unless children are with their parents, I don’t believe they’re allowed into the Jaya area alone, which is how it should be. Do you know how we keep the troublemakers out? We don’t let them in….
The third pool section is up on the 8th floor, but are only open for private events, and/or private guests. Known as the Tiki pools, there’s not much chance I’ll ever be allowed to suss them out, so my apologies in advance.
The Sala pools also have a Pool Bar where you can refresh with a quick bite and beverage. Starting with the food, salads are $138 to $158, while bites are $58 to $68 and burgers and sandwiches $128 to $148. Barbecue items, which are only available on the weekend, are $148 to $388.
As for drinks, they have a pretty decent menu, with cocktails $78, spirits $68 to $98 and beer $58. Glasses of red and white wine go for $78 to $108, while full bottles are $388 to $508. If you prefer champagne instead, glasses are $198 and bottles $998. They even have 20 year Port for $118, which is the one I’d go for every time.
Located on the 4th floor, the Sala and Jaya pools are open daily from 7:00 am to 9:00 pm.
ST REGIS POOLS
The St. Regis could probably use an extra pool or two, but the one they have isn’t bad. There’s also a jacuzzi and a few cabanas as well.
Situated on the 8th floor, the St. Regis pool is open daily from 7:00 am to 9:00 pm.
GYM
In terms of the fitness centres, the Sheraton Grand, Conrad, St. Regis and Londoner Macao all offer large, modern, and comprehensive gyms. Guests at the Londoner Court don’t have their own dedicated workout space, but can use the one at the Londoner Hotel instead.
SPAS
Anyone who’s read this site at all knows I’m a big fan of free spa facilities. Any hotel that bills itself as 5 stars needs to give guests free access to a sauna, steam room and jacuzzi, or else…. The Londoner Macao has heeded the call and provides all of those things, no matter which hotel you’re staying at. Just head to the pool change room to access all of these scintillating facilities.
Spas are plentiful too, with the Conrad, St. Regis and Sheraton all offering one.
Bodhi Spa – Located in the Conrad, Bodhi Spa uses premium (weekend) and weekday rates. For this review, I’m using the premium prices.
120 to 180 minute retreats are $2550 to $3450, while a 150 minute Oriental Couples package is $5500. 60 to 75 minute facials run $1480 to $1780, while massage is either 90 minutes ($1100 to $1650) or 120 minutes ($2050 to $2200). 30 minute body scrubs are also available for $550 to $640.
Bodhi Spa is open daily from 12:00 pm to 1:00 am.
Shine Spa – The Sheraton offers the same type of treatments in their Shine Spa.
150 minute to 180 minute signature treatments are $2580 to $2880 while a seductive Shine for Two couple package is $4680 and lasts 150 minutes. Massages are 60 minutes ($1280 to $1380), 90 minutes ($1580) and 120 minutes ($1980) in length, while 60 to 90 minute facials are $1380 to $1580. The menu is rounded off by 30 minute body scrubs for $580 to $680.
Shine Spa keeps hours daily from 2:00 pm to 12:00 am.
Iridium Spa – Located at the top of the St. Regis, Iridium Spa breaks the bank, but reviews of it are highly positive.
120 to 220 minute Journeys cost $1930 to $3780, while a 220 minute Couples Retreat is $3920 per person. 80 minute massage runs $1640 to $1810 while 110 minute varieties are $1980 to $2100. 45 minute body care ranges from $1420 to $1480, while 70 to 80 minute facials are $2100 to $2820. There’s also more expensive 30 to 80 minute intraceutical skin care for $2300 to $3780.
Iridium Spa is open daily from 2:00 pm to 10:00 pm.
LONDONER MACAO ENTERTAINMENT
Back when it was the Sands Cotai, the Londoner Macao used to be the best resort in Macau for children, thanks to their successful collaboration with Dreamworks Entertainment. There were lively parades in the shopping promenade, Shrekfest breakfasts where kids could do meet and greets, along with Kung Fu Panda Academies, Planet J, and other fun games and activities. Sadly that’s all gone now and there’s nothing left at all, not even Qube 2.
The Londoner is planning a Harry Potter exhibition in December 2023 though which could be quite excellent if they do it right. A Londoner Playground is also in the works to replace Qube 2.
LONDONER MACAO BARS
The St. Regis Bar could be one of the trendiest nightspots in town, but it’s in the wrong city to flourish. Put it in Manhattan and you’d have a winner, but this is Macau we’re talking about here, people.
St Regis Bar – Yeah, the St. Regis is trying a little too hard if you ask me, with their minimum charge table requirements and dress code for men that precludes us from wearing shorts. Hate to break it to you, but you’re a glorified casual dining restaurant with the clientele you pull, so put the Martinis and pretension down for awhile. Nobody goes there to drink, nobody goes there to socialize, nobody goes there even to be seen, it’s just to snap some selfies and eat dinner because other restaurants at the Londoner were sold out. You’re the wrong kind of bar in the wrong town trying to do the wrong thing.
That’s to say, I wouldn’t pay it any mind if you visit the Londoner, especially when you factor in the prices they charge. Nothing on the drink menu is under $100, with beers $113, glasses of red wine $178, glasses of white wine $108 to $168, and glasses of champagne $218. Most bottles of white wine start from $488 to $628, while reds go from $688 and champagne in the $1000s. Damn, I think I’d have to get myself another drink pronto after ordering any of that! If you prefer spirits, the majority of them stay in the $100 to $200 range and include absinthe, in case you want to cut your ear off later, for $128.
As for food, snacks go for $138 to $208, while bigger plates are $258 to $768 and desserts $88 to $158.
Afternoon tea runs $538 for 2 (or $788 if you prefer champagne) and they have a table charge in the evenings depending on where you sit, for $300, $3000, and $5000. If you just want to hang out at the bar, they don’t have any spending requirements.
Live entertainment happens two or three times daily, mostly featuring jazz piano and Chinese vocal performances. On Tuesdays and Wednesdays, the music starts at 2:30 pm and 8:30 pm, while it’s 2:30 pm, 6:30 pm and 9:00 pm on Sundays, Mondays and Thursdays. On Fridays and Saturdays, it’s still 2:30 in the afternoon, while evening festivities commence at 7:30 pm and 9:30 pm. No matter who you go and see, I doubt it will appeal much to Western audiences. I know it sure didn’t for me!
Located on Level 2 of the St. Regis hotel, the St. Regis Bar is open daily from 12:00 pm to 1:00 am.
LONDONER MACAO SHOPPING
Shopping is one of the Londoner Macao’s larger drawing cards, featuring around 75 shops in all.
The tropical motifs and waterfalls have all been replaced by stiff upper lip British charm and decorum.
All in all, it’s been a very positive change!
THE LAST WORD
6000 rooms. That’s mind boggling isn’t it? The Venetian next door only has 3000 for those wondering. An exciting new addition to the Macau hotel/casino scene, the Londoner Macao only promises to get better in the future, as Sands China continues to roll more of their renovations out. As of September 2023, it feels as if they’ve only gotten started, which is shocking considering the property already draws the second most foot traffic in Cotai, perhaps trailing only the Venetian, if indeed they even trail them anymore.
I know a certain segment of traveller will look at the Londoner Macao as frivolous fluff and a sign that the world is in serious decay, an opinion I would have agreed with a few years ago. But if you think about it, huge massive properties such as these probably need some larger than life theme to tie everything together, or else it’s going to be completely impossible to compete with the likes of the Venetian and Parisian. The proof is in the pudding with the Londoner Macao as it’s well on its way to becoming an iconic fixture on the Strip, a sharp contrast to the waste of space and energy it had been the first 9 years of its existence when it was the struggling Sands Cotai.
There’s good fun to be had here, with excellent English rock being blasted 24/7 throughout the property, hordes of tourists, and a lot to see and do. As a fun diversion, I’d totally recommend it for anyone visiting Macau. Just close your eyes, suspend disbelief and fully embrace the sights and sounds of London. Vacations should be an escape from reality anyway, right?
LONDONER MACAO LOCATION
You can’t miss it. The Londoner rocks a sweet position on the Strip, right beside the City of Dreams and across the road from the Venetian and the Four Seasons.