How Worthwhile Is a Trip to Macau? First-Hand Tips Arrive!

As I mentioned in the last post, currently you don’t need to quarantine when traveling to and from Macau—just a negative nucleic acid test report within 7 days (the test is simple too). In this post, I’ll share how I played this time. It’s a long article, so read carefully—don’t let my hard work (my eyes are nearly blurry!) go to waste, haha~

Hotels are quite important when visiting Macau because they are large, impressive, and offer great value. If you can stay three to four nights, I recommend switching between two hotels for variety. This time we chose the Sheraton (where I stayed last year) and the St. Regis, which sits at the top of the hotel hierarchy—haha, anyway, it’s really cheap now!

Room upgrades are a must. We directly checked into a豪华套房 (deluxe suite) with executive lounge access!

A huge living room,

Beautiful room,

A bathroom with a whole row of closets,

And amazingly, it even had its own media room! We played some music at night—the home theater sound system was fantastic.

Actually, the basic rooms at the Sheraton are already good—sometimes only 500–600 RMB per night, perfect for those who spend all day out. But now, you might get a room like mine for just over 1,000 RMB—isn’t that a steal?

Plus, there are tons of executive benefits—I’ll talk about those later.

Oh, and if you’re bringing kids, I highly recommend the family suites I saw last year—they can easily sleep three adults and two children.

▲ This was taken last year—notice how my photography skills have improved this year? Hehe~

Compared to the Sheraton (which has 4,000 rooms and is the world’s largest Sheraton), the St. Regis, with only 400 rooms, is more refined. We had a personal butler throughout our stay and I checked into the Metropolitan Suite with incredible views—I felt like a socialite instantly, haha.

The living room’s floor-to-ceiling windows face The Venetian Macau, and a small window looks directly at the Eiffel Tower at The Parisian Macau—pretending to be in Europe is effortless.

Through the dressing room with a vanity,

Then the massive bathroom,

The night view is even better!

Lying in bed—doesn’t it feel like Paris?

The welcome treats at the St. Regis were gorgeous! The lobster egg tart paired with a Bloody Mary—just don’t pour in the small bottle of vodka next to it, and even a kid can drink this cocktail!

The twin-bedded suite looks like this, also facing the Eiffel Tower.

I secretly arranged a surprise for my friend Mei Mei, whose birthday was coming. When we walked in, it was adorable and surprising! When we came back at night, we found a hand-drawn birthday card—I was so touched!

Even the basic rooms at the St. Regis are 53 square meters, with each bed 1.5 meters wide—perfect for two adults and two kids booking a twin room!

This time I was lucky enough to tour the 477-square-meter presidential suite at the St. Regis—one word: luxurious! Here are a few photos; for a detailed report, follow my video channel “Take the Kid Traveling” – I’ll post a VLOG in a few days!

It even has its own karaoke room, SPA hair salon, and gym! I strongly suggest “socialites” pool together for this room—that’s style, haha!

Worth mentioning is the St. Regis butler service—not only does the room phone have a dedicated butler button, but you can also add them on WeChat. They help with any issue anytime, and they can iron two items of clothing per day—just call and place them in the butler box that opens from both inside and outside. The best part is the unpacking and packing service (unfortunately we didn’t use it)—absolutely stress-free!

▲ My butler was from Macau but spoke perfect Mandarin!

The Sheraton uses citrus-scented Shine amenities,

While the St. Regis uses American Remede, including facial cleanser and separate soap for face and body.

In my last post I said that when visiting Macau, it’s best to stay in a integrated resort—like the Sands Resort I stayed in this time, which has 7 hotels, full dining, entertainment, shopping—so much to do that you can’t cover it all. With kids, you don’t even need to leave the property—so convenient. That’s why, when I first traveled far with my 10-month-old, I chose Macau.

Last year I visited the world’s first live-action role-playing theme park, Planet J Adventure Kingdom,

▲ You can dress up!

| The Parisian Macau Eiffel Tower

This year, I used the hotel’s vouchers to try something different, haha. A walk under the Parisian Macau Eiffel Tower—does it feel like being in Paris?

This tower is a 1:2 replica of the Eiffel Tower in Paris. The entire atmosphere is French. We took an elevator up with a little brother wearing a red French beret. At the top, the view was breathtaking.

I highly recommend going up near dusk—you can see both daytime and nighttime views. With luck, you might even catch the sunset. From 18:15 to midnight, there are 20 light and sound shows—stunning.

Adults and children: 75 MOP each.

Hidden benefit: Guests of The Parisian Macau and those with the “Colorful Macau” accommodation package (like at Sheraton) get free tickets to the 7th floor.

| Qube Kingdom

Kids will go wild at Qube Kingdom, also on the 6th floor of The Parisian Macau. It has an 18th-19th century French style.

At first glance, this fantasy playground looks like something out of Jules Verne’s novels—around the world in 80 days and hot air balloons!

If you accompany your child inside, dads can even sit down and play video games!

Hidden benefit again! Pay attention: Kids over 6 can be left in daycare! Wow, what a paradise playground—dump the kids and go shopping!

Besides the indoor space, there’s an outdoor castle!

But what attracted me the most is the French-style carousel that allows endless photogenic poses! Reviving my girlhood dreams under the Eiffel Tower—so sweet! With so few people now, you can ride and take photos freely! Check out my angle—this was the best spot I found after 15 minutes of shooting.

Remember to wear socks when entering Qube!

Ticket prices are as follows—the accommodation package still offers discounts:

Next to Qube is Water World. If you bring kids in summer, they’ll want to play all day!

The most amazing thing is the Marie Antoinette Queen’s Tower, whose original is in Versailles. This replica is 13 meters tall with a sky-blue transparent 12-meter spiral slide—thrilling and romantic just to look at! I’ve scouted it now—next time I’ll bring my kid to go crazy!

Ticket prices:

| teamLab SuperNature Macau

This opened this June inside The Venetian Macau. Compared to the crowded teamLab Borderless in Shanghai, besides different exhibits, the key is that this space spans 5,000 square meters with 8-meter-high ceilings—and it’s uncrowded! You can take photos freely!

Any pose becomes a masterpiece!

Another set! Am I looking pretty? Compliment me! Haha~

For parents, the strong family-friendly atmosphere here is a must-mention. There are several AR interactive zones where kids can sit and draw,

Can you find if your drawing turned into an animation bouncing across this 360-degree space?

Want to see how a black hole forms? Kids aged 3-15 can jump on the trampoline in the center—jump hard! A huge black hole will form under your feet, slowly swallowing nearby planets. You come for an art exhibition but accidentally learn astronomy!

There’s also a super fun fruit slide garden—slide down and hit fruit. My friends joked I was “blooming flowers” under my butt, hahaha!

I highly recommend visiting!

Wear white clothes and flat shoes. I suggest a fairy-like white long dress (you’ll see why—my dress wasn’t long enough, so I kept pulling it down, haha). Photos will look great! I wasn’t well-prepared this time—my outfit wasn’t suitable.

Their ticket prices are a bit complicated—here’s the chart. With the hotel accommodation package I mentioned, you get a 30% discount.

| Sheraton Spa

Earlier I mentioned that kids over 6 can be left at Qube. Moms, hurry and join me for a SPA! This Sheraton in Macau has the largest spa among all Sheratons globally—award-winning!

The fun part: you fill out a form to determine if your mood and body condition match one of the five elements (metal, wood, water, fire, earth). Each has a different scent. I got water—the essential oil had a light fragrance. My friend Mei Mei got earth (citrus), Lisa got wood (coconut).

At the end, with gentle yet firm massage, I fell asleep quickly, haha.

▲ This double room is especially popular with couples or close friends, and comes with a spa hydrotherapy pool.

Parents, bring your kids here for a cool haircut in a little car—about 200 MOP, maybe cheaper during sales.

Food deserves a detailed section in Macau, haha. You know—foodie Miao Ma is back online.

First, the best: A餐厅 at the St. Regis. Highly recommend the 788 MOP six-course tasting menu—about 700+ RMB including service fee. Every dish is rare; even in Shanghai, you’d pay at least 1500+.

Starting with appetizers—a lemon-flavored palate cleanser with innovative “Italian dumplings” (fish roe + thin ham) was already stunning.

Every subsequent dish amazed the senses. The Hokkaido scallop, plated like an underwater world, had foam made from roasted fish bone broth. After eating the huge scallop, don’t miss the savory foam—you can drink it straight from the scallop shell or dip bread in it.

The poured broth was actually creamy sunchoke—tasting a bit like potato soup but fresher—with Spanish bacalhau (salted cod) and Baikal sturgeon caviar.

Spanish red prawn was the highlight—probably the most expensive dish of the night. Its flesh was juicy; when you bite the head, a burst of flavorful broth fills your mouth. Paired with tube pasta beneath—heavenly!

At first, I was puzzled by “roasted Antarctic toothfish” on the menu—where is it from? It turns out Australian fishermen, under government supervision, catch toothfish in Antarctica at fixed times each year! The fish is tender and fatty—dip it in squid ink sauce and baked Portuguese sausage bread cubes—amazing, like traveling in Antarctica!

Aged Miyazaki wagyu sirloin with matsutake and black truffle—each bite was satisfying with a firm texture. By this dish, I was too full—regretting eating too much bread (but it was so good!).

Refreshing mango dessert came on a wooden plank lined with leaves, brought in with twigs. At first glance, I thought they were real mangoes, but the big one was a mango chocolate shell with mango mousse, and the small one was mango sorbet.

And it wasn’t over. A final petit four (photo above)—I was tempted but couldn’t eat another bite. Too rich! Oh, the St. Regis afternoon tea (photo below) is also delicious—take time to enjoy it.

The St. Regis also has a three-course lunch set for only about 200 RMB. Three of us, plus a Macau friend, ordered every option available—tried everything. Here’s a set of photos.

For dessert, I highly recommend the Spanish crème brûlée (second-to-last photo)—the caramel shards mixed into chestnut cinnamon ice cream created a fresh sweetness and creamy richness—countless flavors bursting in the mouth.

For the main course, I especially recommend the Australian wagyu duo (extra 110 MOP)—one side slow-cooked sirloin, the other medium-rare short rib—one tender, one firm—delicious!

The atmosphere at A餐厅 is wonderful. I strongly suggest celebrating an anniversary or special occasion here—great value.

Miao Ma and Lisa secretly planned a birthday surprise for Mei Mei at A餐厅, and the staff executed it perfectly! Grateful!

Visiting Macau—eating is really an important “task,” haha. Besides the taste, you can enjoy more and better food at the same price.

Taoyuan restaurant under the Sheraton is a must-visit Cantonese spot—I ate there last year. Currently open only Friday to Sunday.

Look at these shrimp balls, this honey-glazed char siu! Don’t think the black parts on the char siu are burnt—it’s a layer of caramelized honey, crispy and paired with big chunks of meat—layered and rich.

We even ate a roast duck! A huge duck was brought to the table, glistening. The waiter carved it in front of us—one plate with skin, one without.

Spread sauce, wrap in thin pancake—wow, satisfying!

Another way: the remaining duck meat stir-fried with bamboo shoots, mushrooms, crushed peanuts, etc., wrapped in cabbage leaves—fragrant. Just thinking about it makes my mouth water.

Feast is a huge, grand buffet restaurant downstairs at the Sheraton.

Currently, due to low visitor numbers, it opened for 8 days during National Day holiday. Next opening expected at Christmas season. (Hurry to Macau for Christmas!)

Whether dinner or breakfast, this is the scene every day!

Would mornings be lonely without the breakfast buffet? Haha, well, every day I worried: I ordered just a little, but they brought so much—I couldn’t finish it!

▲ Sheraton breakfast

I strongly recommend choosing the Metropolitan Suite at the St. Regis—in the morning, with the Eiffel Tower behind you, pretending to be in France is effortless. Haha!

The plating at both hotels is gorgeous—every shot is Instagram-worthy.

One night at Sheraton, we ordered in-room dinner. After ordering, they called to say: except for one item (do you still want it?), everything is covered by the executive suite!

That “covered” meant we only wanted a simple congee and noodles, but they sent a huge table! Macau-style minced beef rice was fragrant, and abalone chicken porridge was perfectly slow-cooked.

Another “socialite” dining experience: poolside meals! We booked a cabana at the Sheraton pool—perfect for a “socialite check-in” on social media, haha.

Only problem was these three “socialites” got a bit too excited—compose yourselves, be reserved, even facing such beautiful scenery and food—remember you’re “socialites”!

Oh, Sheraton’s pool has a nice Southeast Asian vibe but is partially blocked because the adjacent Londoner Macau hotel is under construction.

The St. Regis pool has a more modern look.

Macau’s fun—I said last time—might be the most European city in China.

This time I tried something different: using the hotel’s discount voucher, we went to a shop called “Casino Dress” on Rua da Felicidade to rent traditional Portuguese costumes and pretend we were in Portugal.

National Day deal was great: 280 MOP for 2 hours (the owner extended it for us), including bags, necklaces, earrings, parasols, etc. Different seasons have different outfits; kids’ sizes too. Normally with hotel discount it’s about 300+.

You can wear them to the nearby old streets,

Or to the five famous green Portuguese houses—the Taipa Houses (Casas-Museu da Taipa)—for photos. (Did you know Chow Yun-fat and Angie Chiu’s “The Bund” was filmed here? Haha~) Right now, the Taipa Houses are nearly empty—you can take all the photos you want!

Follow the old stone path,

To the church on the hill, or the Carmo Garden on the way down. I can confirm: this scene is almost identical to when I went to see a church on a hill in Palma, Spain a few years ago!

You can also get artsy Chinese-Western fusion photos.

Nearby is the famous food street, Rua do Cunha. Colorful little houses everywhere—very European.

There are museums to visit.

Venture into deep alleys—Michelin restaurants! Yes, Macau has many Michelin-starred places—find them one by one!

Pick any wall and you’ll get a great photo.

Walk through European-style corridors or alleys, turn sideways, and pretend you’re in Europe.

My friend Lisa was visiting Macau for the first time (she had never been to such a fun place!), so we took the bus (6 MOP per person) in a down-to-earth way to Ruins of St. Paul’s. The hotel area has bus 25; taxi about 70 RMB.

Since we also wanted to go to Rua do Cunha, it was even better—2 minutes from the hotel, take the light rail (opened at end of last year, 8 MOP per person), then transfer to bus to St. Paul’s.

After getting off, we climbed a long, steep slope for about 10 minutes, panting, up to Monte Fort (wanna climb with me? Haha~). But along the way, we saw local Macau homes—a down-to-earth glimpse into local life.

Suddenly I remembered the ancient castles I saw in Italy last year—so similar! No need to fly so far—just come to Macau.

Going up from Monte Fort is the Macau Museum. Unfortunately, we didn’t have enough time, but I must visit thoroughly next time—and bring the kid!

Breathtaking views! The young security guard (probably Portuguese) actively helped us take photos from different angles—a perfect example of Macau people’s warmth and friendliness, hehe.

The enthusiastic staff guided us through the museum directly to St. Paul’s. Right now, St. Paul’s is really empty! A friend commented on my last post: before, you couldn’t find yourself there; now, you can’t recognize it because there’s no one, haha!

Shoot freely! Getting a photo like this of St. Paul’s might happen only once in a lifetime.

Macau has so much to offer—impossible to cover in one article. For example, last year I visited a country park with pandas, Rua de Dez de Agosto for authentic Portuguese egg tarts, St. Francis Church…

▲ These are my photos from 2003 and 2019—same pose!

And Macau Tower, Senado Square… plus cable cars, fountains, Ferris wheels, etc.

Haha, haven’t even mentioned shopping! Our hotel area, Sands Cotai Central, alone is amazing!

See how few people are here—everywhere is on sale! Going now, the experience is wonderful!

When the Londoner Macau is complete (I can already see many elements), it will be even more fun!

Travel Notes Index: 1. Accommodation 2. Activities 3. Food 4. Transportation

Hotel Index, Attractions Index, Airfare Index, Website Navigation, Travel Index, Cruise Index, Corporate Travel Index, Franchise Cooperation, Distribution Alliance, Friendly Links, Corporate Gift Cards, Insurance Agent, Agency Cooperation, Hotel Franchise, Destination & Scenic Cooperation, More Partnerships, About Ctrip, Ctrip News, Contact Us, Careers, User Agreement, Privacy Policy, Business License, Security Center, Ctrip Content Center, Intellectual Property, Trip.com Group Algorithm Disclosure