The Overview

Think Macau, and intimacy probably doesn’t spring to mind. In the past two years, Asia’s answer to Las Vegas has seen a spate of splashy mega-projects: The Venetian, MGM Grand Macau and City of Dreams, which opened in June. Compared to these developments, the recently rebranded Altira Macau, formerly the Crown Macau, succeeds in creating a discreet, intimate feel.

The Location

Situated on Taipa, the hotel offers spectacular vistas of Macau’s surreal skyline. Perhaps more importantly, it’s within walking distance of a handful of neighborhood restaurants so guests can get a taste of Macau’s other side.

The Design

Unlike at other Macau properties, understated elegance prevails here; but don’t expect stark minimalism. Renowned L.A.-based designer Peter Remédios, the talent behind the Four Seasons New York and The Landmark Oriental, uses a palette of off-whites, golds and brown to create a sophisticated look. Miniature bamboo gardens hint at the hotel’s Asian locale, while modern art give the public areas a contemporary touch. He also wisely lets the views do the work: glass-to-ceiling windows in the lobby on the 38th floor and guest rooms afford panoramic views of the city.

The Premier Suite

Generously sized at 128 square meters, the suite reflects Remédios’s low-key approach; clean lines and dark-wood floors add to the general calm. If gambling isn’t your thing, the 42-inch flat-screen TV, Nespresso machine and iPod/iPhone dock—not to mention the nearly 3-meter-high windows—will keep you well-entertained. And as you’d expect from a property of this caliber, luxury touches abound, from the impossibly high thread count of the Egyptian cotton sheets to the complimentary bottles of Voss mineral water from Norway. The marbled bathrooms are enormous, with a separate Japanese-style shower room, circular bathtub and double sinks. We loved the satiny robes with terry-cloth lining and organic toiletries by the U.K.’s REN.

The Amenities

Among the four restaurants is the Michelin-starred Ying, which dishes up refined Cantonese cuisine. Spa goers will delight in the 6,000-square-meter spa, while gym rats will appreciate the state-of-the-art fitness facilities and infinity-edge heated swimming pool (music is piped in underwater). And there is, of course, the multilevel casino, with more than 200 gaming tables.

The Service

While butlers are at your beck and call, staff throughout the hotel are genuinely attentive.

One server, for example, instantly recalled what we had for breakfast the day before.

Address:
Avenida de Kwang Tung,
Taipa, Macau



Telephone: +853 2886 8888

Website: http://www.altiramacau.com