New Perception of Grand Lisboa

Several times in our previous trips to Macau we stopped over at the Lisboa Hotel complex for meals, whether that be for a formal dinner at the top-floor Robuchon au Dome, classic Chinese at The 8 or lunch at the casual Portuguese Guincho a Galera, but for whatever reasons it never came to our mind of staying at the hotel. And that's partly because there's always something newer that we were more curious to check out. So I was glad that the kind PR team put us up for a weekend at Grand Lisboa Hotel so we could experience what it's like staying inside this legendary hotel with so many nice restaurants under one roof.

Our shuttle from the Macau Ferry Pier brought us right to the side entrance of the hotel away from the grand lobby of the casino and the crowd, and we were brought straight up to our room by the hotel staff, sparing us from having to check-in at the lobby (perks of being a special guest of the hotel, I guess). I must admit the room turned out to be more stylish than I thought - perhaps borderline over the top with lavish and eccentric design - which reminded me of those old-school Las Vegas style and the room was spacious and comfortable.

And no one could complain about the state-of-the-art amenities inside each room, from the 60-inch Bang & Olufsen flat-screen TVs with surround sound systems, to the full-set of Hermes toiletries in the bathroom, completed with bath tub with jacuzzi, rainshower head and Turkish steam bath. The hotel being the tallest building of the whole Macau meant every room has a good view of the city - the best ones were those facing the sea but I found the city view from our room just as charming.

We managed to have a stroll of the lobby early morning the next day before the crowd descended in from all directions. With so many art pieces showcased in the lobby, it's almost like walking into an art gallery and one could easily spend hours just admiring every single piece - each trophy from auction houses. There's a choice of breakfast venues too - either the cafe serving standard western dishes, or the Noodles and Congee overlooking the casino floor for the traditional Chinese breakfasts, which we enjoyed.

And the hotel being right in the city center with so many good restaurants within the complex meant it's super convenient, whether you want to go out to explore the city or dine in some of the finest establishments in town. I know that sounds like PR talk but we did take advantage of both during our stay with a new perception of this property.

(Our weekend in Macau is part of the fam tour arranged by the Grand Lisboa Hotel)

Grand Lisboa Hotel Macau: www.grandlisboahotels.com