Wednesday, March 1, 2023

All Inclusive

We made our booking for a Macau weekend getaway way before the Covid lockdown was over - a brilliant move in hindsight as the hotel rooms were soon fetch up by people eager to travel once the travel restriction was lifted. And we got this incredible package for booking when they got almost zero visitor. 

A few new hotels have opened up in the past couple of years in Macau (yes, despite the pandemic) but this time we opted for somewhere "older" (relatively speaking) that we have stayed before. We always love St Regis for its convenient location, spacious room and friendly service so we are happy to return.

I am impressed the property didn't show much sign of age (it's opened in 2015) and now being part of the new Londoner complex there seems to be even more to see and do with a few new restaurants and shops in the proximity, complete with the fake Big Ben and other British-inspired life-size props perfect for an IG snap. 

Our weekend stay package came with breakfasts, spa treatment for two and hotel credits to spend, so the lack of room upgrade didn't feel too much of a miss, especially their "basic" room felt more like a junior suite. The signature St Regis butler service was impeccable despite this being a busy weekend with full occupancy - a few times when I called for their help they took care of things promptly. They gave us the option of enjoying the breakfast in our room or at the restaurant downstairs (The Manor) - not so much different in terms of food served, with the exception of the dine-in option came in semi-buffet style so there were more choices. Both worked just fine for us. 

We spent the Saturday afternoon at Iridium Spa for the massage treatment - they put us in a nice couple spa suite so it's all relaxing and pampering. I regret not bringing my swimwear with me as the weather was perfect for a quick dip in the pool especially the water was temperature controlled and there's no one else there; same for their fitness center actually, but then there's much more to do in town other than hitting the boring treadmill. 

Friday evening at The St Regis Bar downstairs just got the perfect vibe with a lively crowd without being overpacked and live music entertainment going all night long. Would have returned for a nightcap the next evening only to find that it's totally swamped with a long waiting line even at wee hours. 

We stayed for lunch at The Manor restaurant on Sunday before we checked out, just so we could use up our hotel credits. We had little expectation but the meal turned out to be more than decent. The Macau-inspired cream of Jerusalem Artichoke was served with a small piece of salted Bacalhau fillet and a quenelle of caviar on top, then the "Pinched" Agnolotti, which I picked as my main course, was served in generous portion with excellent flavor of soft wagyu short rib filling and the rich parmesan espuma spooned on top. 

A weekend away never felt enough but we were happy to visit Macau once again after such a long hiatus. Would love to come back soon but probably not with such great deal. 

St Regis Macao: https://www.marriott.com/en-us/hotels/mfmxr-the-st-regis-macao-cotai-central/overview/



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