At a glance:
- 600 suites, each at least 75 square metres in size
- Exclusive club for guests in residence
- All-day dining venue, bar and terrace
- A host of dining destinations, casual or upscale, on your doorstep
- Gym, spa, outdoor pool
- Accessible rooms
Londoner Hotel? Hang on, I thought it was called the Londoner Macao, or Londoner Grand or…
Ah, you can be forgiven for being confused. So, the Londoner Hotel is one of several properties at Sands China’s massive British-themed resort called the Londoner Macao. It’s different to both Londoner Grand (a larger and only slightly less fancy “resort within a resort”) and Londoner Court (a super luxe place to lay your head in what is billed as “a residential London experience fit for royalty”).
I think I follow. But where does the Londoner Hotel fit in?
On the luxe scale, it’s on par with Londoner Grand, both holding their own just below Londoner Court. It’s rated five stars in the Forbes Travel Guide, and it’s also suite-only accommodation. There are 600 opulent suites to choose from, each at least 75 square metres in size – a rarity in space-constrained Macao.
Ooh, suite only. That is fancy.
Rather! Each suite is beautifully decorated, featuring framed art nodding to British pop culture or depicting iconic London scenes. Plush furnishings (we love the chesterfield sofas) and marble-clad ensuite bathrooms will have you feeling cheerfully cocooned – as will the sprawling king-size beds with high-thread-count sheets and fluffy down pillows. We felt like we were sleeping on a cloud.
[See more: ‘How was it?’ Mandarin Oriental, Macau]
For us, the pièces de résistance are the Victorian-style bathtubs that practically beg you to hop in and unwind. Oh and did we mention that sinks and rainshowers come in twos? So there’s no arguing with your better half over whose turn it is.
Wait, isn’t this where those fancy Beckham suites are?
Spot on. The Suites by David Beckham occupy the top two floors of the Londoner Hotel, but they are also – ahem – by invitation only, so don’t get any ideas. Unless you have the great man himself on speed dial.
But what about perks for regular guests of the Londoner Hotel?
Say hello to the Residence, which, despite its name, is not a residence.
Enlighten me
It’s a club for the exclusive use of in-house guests. Imagine a classic London private club, but given a stunning makeover, with modern British aesthetics and best-of-British artwork.
During the day, you can come here for a fantastic buffet breakfast or buffet-style afternoon tea. In the evening, the vibe shifts, with chic canapés, craft cocktails and maybe a round of snooker to cap off the night.
Presumably there are other dining options?
And how. The Londoner Hotel also features the Green Room (all day dining) and a bar and terrace (literally called the Bar and Terrace).
[See more: Cool Britannia: Which Londoner Macao stay is right for you?]
The wider resort isn’t short of great restaurants, meanwhile. We love the Gordon Ramsay Pub & Grill (gastropub dining reimagined by a multiple Michelin-starred chef) and Churchill’s Table (if you have a sweet tooth, don’t miss the “Dessert Tasting Journey”). There’s also the Mews (Thai food, served in a turbocharged reimagined setting of a London mews house, which is a very unexpected combination, but trust us, it works) and North Palace for northern Chinese fare.
And the resort itself is a sight to behold, I gather?
Where do we start? From a façade modelled after the Palace of Westminster and Houses of Parliament (no, really) to the “changing of the guard” ceremony and reproductions of Big Ben, the doorway of 10 Downing Street, and the Shaftesbury Memorial Fountain, this is a amped-up, whimsical version of the United Kingdom – and, if you take it in the spirit of fun that is intended, it’s immensely enjoyable.
Our favourite touch though is not even tangible. It’s the soundtrack of strictly UK hits from the 1960s to the early 2000s that accompanies you as you walk through the resort. This thoughtful little detail, more than anything, sets the right ambience.
In other words, a thumbs up for the Londoner Macao and, more specifically, the Londoner Hotel?
Absolutely. There’s probably no other leisure facility on Earth that has taken British culture and aesthetics to quite this level, and that’s reason enough to swing by. You’ll be very glad you did.
