Reunion with an Old Friend: My Three Days and Two Nights at The Venetian Macao

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For me, Macao is not only a city suitable for travel and living, but also like an old friend that I catch up with every year. My friends all know that I frequently visit Macao and am quite familiar with the local hotels, food, and entertainment, so they often come to me for advice. Today, I’d like to share my recent trip to Macao with everyone, hoping you’ll find some useful information.

I’ve stayed at many hotels in Macao, big and small, with varying experiences. If you want a comfortable stay, I recommend checking out the luxury suites under Sands China: The Venetian Macao, The Parisian Macao, Conrad Macao, Sheraton Grand Macao, and The St. Regis Macao — all are top-tier with a wide range of options. This time, I chose The Venetian Macao as usual, as it offers the best experience for me, with comprehensive dining, entertainment, and shopping services. The hotel’s architecture is elegant and grand, like a European castle, surrounded by green water and a lovely artificial lake with pleasant natural scenery. The air is fresh, and a walk around the lake makes me feel more energetic.

After a stroll, it’s time to check in. Due to the recurring pandemic, the Macao authorities take prevention and control seriously. Currently, visitors to Macao do not need to undergo mandatory quarantine, but they must provide a valid nucleic acid test report issued within the last seven days and the Yuekang Code. If your nucleic acid test report expires during your stay, you can get retested at the hotel’s dedicated testing area.

The Venetian Macao offers a variety of suite types. I’ve stayed in several, and the Bella Suite is the one I’ve used most often, so I feel especially familiar with it. The room is 70 square meters, with a separate living room, a pantry, a luxurious marble bathroom, free Wi-Fi, and 24-hour hot water. In short, the facilities are complete, and the room details are well thought out. The two large beds are of medium firmness, very comfortable to lie on, and the pillows are just the right shape and softness. Even light sleepers don’t need to worry about insomnia in an unfamiliar environment — getting a good night’s sleep during a trip is very important.

The bathroom is very clean, with beautiful marble tile patterns. The wet and dry areas are separate, so both showering and bathing are convenient.

The hotel has plenty of entertainment facilities, such as Qube Kingdom, which is great for kids. The admission fee is inexpensive, and there are dedicated staff members to watch over the children, so moms can free their hands and go have fun themselves. The hotel’s own Grand Canal Shoppes are filled with countless beautiful sights: a blue sky that never rains, arched bridges and flowing water, and characteristic gondolas.

Taking a gondola ride is a must in Macao. When booking a suite, you can purchase a package that includes two free tickets. Don’t worry about safety — the gondoliers are very skilled at “rowing,” haha. Not only will they keep you steady, but they’ll also sing for you. Remember to applaud and thank them for their wonderful performance.

As one of the top ten must-see venues globally, teamLab SuperNature is definitely a must-visit attraction. If you don’t have the chance to come to Macao now, don’t worry — this exhibition is permanently located in Macao, so it’ll be there whenever you come! To make the most of your visit, a little planning ahead can greatly enhance the experience. The exhibition is divided into different themes, including flower sea, crystal, light, and many other high-tech works. The names of each zone are also very interesting, such as “Valley of Flowers and People: Lost, Immersed, and Reborn,” which makes you feel like you’re in a world of flowers — as you move, the petals change, creating a dynamic effect.

In the “Endless Crystal World,” the entire room is hung with crystals, with mirrored floors reflecting light. If you want to take photos freely, I suggest not wearing short skirts — the mirrors reflect a lot of light!

There’s a room filled with balls of various colors, called “Expanding Three-Dimensional Existence in Transforming Space.” The freely floating balls constantly change color, making it difficult to walk around. I honestly took a few photos and moved on to the next room.

This Chinese restaurant called Northern Kitchen has high reviews online and offers good value for money in Macao. The restaurant’s atmosphere is typical Chinese style, with the festive red color giving a holiday feel. After confirming our reservation with the staff, we were led to our seats. Before ordering, we boiled a pot of tea. The teapot had a daisy design, looking quite fresh and contrasting with the surroundings.

Northern Chinese dishes are very generous in portion size, so small eaters should be careful when ordering. This restaurant is actually great for family or friends gatherings; if you come alone, you can’t order many specialty dishes. The must-try “Garlic White-Cut Pork Slices” — the combination of fatty and lean meat slices with cucumber slices is a divine match, and with the special garlic sauce, it’s a flavor you’ll keep craving. The “Crab Roe Xiaolongbao” is made in the Shanghai style, with thin skin and ample filling, and the broth inside is delicious. Be careful when kids eat them — they’re very hot when first served, so let them cool down a bit. There are also some homestyle stir-fries that taste good, like Mapo Tofu, spinach, shrimp with eggplant and long beans, etc., dishes you can also make at home. Oh, and if you like spicy food, you can try their boiled fish fillets.

After a hearty meal, it’s time for shopping. Sands China has four major shopping malls: The Grand Canal Shoppes, The Shoppes at Parisian, The Shoppes at Londoner, and Four Seasons Shops. Each has a different style and mainly sells different product categories. For example, The Grand Canal Shoppes is more suitable for ordinary tourists or families, offering many practical products at relatively lower prices. If you like sports, check out lululemon for sports bras — they’re super comfortable for exercise.

Also, CHOCOOLATE has up to 40% off on selected spring and summer items. A tip for saving money: buy clothes off-season. Of course, if you’re someone who cares about seasonal trends, then forget it.

The Shoppes at Parisian mostly feature concept stores, multi-brand stores, or designer brand shops. The mall environment deserves praise — it’s romantic and fresh. Many people get so engrossed in shopping that they forget their main purpose and can’t stop taking photos. Despite its size, you don’t need to worry about getting lost or not finding a store — there are signs everywhere. Each store’s logo is also very prominent, easy to spot. I regretted not wearing my glasses when I went out — everyone should learn from me.

I.T is a trendy brand from Hong Kong, offering many niche brand clothing and shoes. The store is large, divided into several areas, so you can freely browse around.

Walking through The Shoppes at Parisian on the way to The Shoppes at Londoner, we saw many interesting designs full of British flavor, such as London Bridge, Londoner Metro, Crystal Palace, and large teacups. The strong British style is one of the features of this mall. There aren’t many people, and the environment is quiet.

JIMMY CHOO’s crystal sandals are very beautiful and dreamy, like “Cinderella’s glass slippers.” With in-store discounts and the exchange rate, you can get them at a great price. They feel great on the feet too — even with a bit of heel, they’re stable to walk in. After browsing these affordable luxury stores, who wouldn’t want to visit Four Seasons Shops? Even if I don’t have money, I still go in to broaden my horizons. It gathers world-class luxury brands, with excellent service and high-quality products that easily stimulate the desire to buy. There, you’ll see long queues outside many big-name stores, and I wonder if I’m the only one “traveling on a budget,” haha.

After browsing these affordable luxury stores, who wouldn’t want to visit Four Seasons Shops? Even if I don’t have money, I still go in to broaden my horizons. It gathers world-class luxury brands, with excellent service and high-quality products that easily stimulate the desire to buy. There, you’ll see long queues outside many big-name stores, and I wonder if I’m the only one “traveling on a budget,” haha.

The huge duty-free shop inside Four Seasons Shops is DFS, a real killer for women. High-end beauty products are sold at bargain prices, with 50% off deals popping up. Lotions, serums, lipsticks that you’d normally hesitate to buy are all affordable here.

Chanel bags have new arrivals — even through the glass window, you can tell how beautiful they are. Although charisma comes from within, carrying a Chanel bag definitely adds to your aura.

In summer, besides sandals, I love these flats the most — comfortable and breathable, perfect for commuting to work.

Do you like looking at city night views? I especially love taking walks after meals, watching the street lights gradually turn on — it feels so romantic. The Sands China resort area has many hotel buildings, and at night, they transform into glowing castles. Compared to the elegant and grand Venetian Macao during the day, it becomes a bit more playful at night. Be sure to take a full photo of the hotel — one of the best spots is across the street.

Under the evening breeze, we unknowingly walked to the Eiffel Tower of The Parisian Macao. The light at the top of the tower splits it from the dark sky, like a beacon in the night. I highly recommend going up to the 7th-floor observation deck to experience the tower’s light show up close. From the tower, you can also overlook the entire Cotai Strip at night, with surrounding high-rises lit up, dappled with light and shadow.

If every city had a large hotel like The Venetian Macao offering one-stop services, it would save so much trouble. Most importantly, the hotel knows how to reward customers, with various promotions that make you feel it’s great value. Women can shop to their heart’s content in Macao; men can check out their favorite trendy stores; foodies can indulge; and those seeking romance and freedom can find peace in Macao’s old district. Whatever you need, it provides — that’s why I keep choosing it.

Travelogue Table of Contents

1. Familiar Luxury Suites

2. The Grand Canal Shoppes

3. teamLab SuperNature

4. High Value Restaurant – Northern Kitchen

5. Shopping Carnival Officially Begins

6. Captivating Night Scenery

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