Hotel Lisboa Macau

Hotel Lisboa Macau is one of the oldest hotels in the city. The 12-story tower and casino were built in 1970, and an extension was added in 1991. Today the hotel retains an over-the-top feel in its public areas, with elaborate marble floors in shades of black and gold accompanied by twinkling chandeliers and plenty of in-laid gems. The proprietor -- Stanley Ho -- has an impressive collection of antiquities that rings the space, including astonishingly carved clocks and stone Buddhas. To add to the grand effect, there’s a huge koi aquarium. Showy Portuguese- and Chinese-inspired decor continues throughout most of the restaurants as well. Noite e Dia Cafe, is especially flashy, with purple lighting and polished granite everywhere from the tables to the floors. Tim’s Kitchen, a smaller more subdued space, earned a Michelin Star in 2015 and some tables have views of Lago Nam Van. The casino lends itself more to gamblers interested in table games, as there are only around 100 or so slot machines. Overall this property certainly has flash, but the blend of traditionally elegant spaces and exuberant decor (which has seen better days) may not suit the taste of all guests. 

This hotel has convenient location in the city’s Central Business District. Several casinos are within walking distance, and the hotel is connected to its sister property, the Grand Lisboa, by a bridgeway that provides access to even more Michelin-star dining and another casino. Expect a 12-minute walk to the restaurants and bars making up the nightlife on Senado Square. The Ruins of St. Paul’s, a 17th century landmark, and Monte Fort take 15 minutes to reach on foot. The Hong Kong-Macau Ferry Terminal is a five-minute ride away on the hotel’s free shuttle, and from there, a ferry ride to Hong Kong takes about an hour. Taipa, a small "village" within the city that blends Asian and Portuguese cultures and is a popular tourist destination, can be reached in about 15 minutes by car or taxi as well. Both the Macau International Airport and the Cotai Strip, which is full of casinos and hotels, are a 15-minute drive from the hotel.

As one of the oldest hotel's in the city, the rooms here tend to feel their age. They are fine enough to look at -- with dark textiles and heavy wooden accents -- and while there is a certain sophistication, the decor feels outdated across the board. Heavy curtains, decorative wallpaper, and elaborately patterned bedspreads are stuffy and the Deluxe Lake View Room that we saw had motel-level charm, with tacky wood laminate furniture, bland wall art, and an abundance of floral patterns throughout (yes, those are wallpaper borders ringing the ceiling, too). Higher category rooms, like the Royal Tower Room that we saw, look marginally nicer, but still suffer from too much shimmery fabric, outdated woodwork, and gaudy extras like partial canopies on already over-made beds. All rooms have flat-screen TVs and free Wi-Fi. Electric kettles with free tea and minibars stocked with free soda, water, beer, and juice are thoughtful extras. Bathrooms are flashy, with colorful tile work and showy glass sinks, plus rainfall showerheads and jetted tubs in shower/tub combos. Some bathrooms in higher-category rooms have separate showers and tubs plus built-in mirror TVs. Bathrobes and slippers are provided as well as generous amenity kits including toothbrushes, shaving supplies, hair brushes, and Hermes toiletries. Suites are available with steam baths. 

There are plenty of restaurants at the hotel and, in a way, they are the stand-out feature of a stay here. Options on offer include a variety of Chinese, Japanese, and Portuguese cuisines in spaces that are equally as flashy as the hotel's lobby. Among them is Tim's Kitchen, which has a Michelin star, and offers seafood with Cantonese twists. Noite e Dia is the hotel's main buffet restaurant that stays open around the clock and serves the hotel's breakfast, which isn't included in room rates and can be a bit chaotic. There's also a cafe and coffee shop, while cocktails are available in the Gallery Lounge.

Like any massive hotel in gambling-mad Macau, Hotel Lisboa Macau has a small casino on-site with gaming tables and slot machines. For other leisure activities, there’s a heated indoor pool with limited seating on the surrounding deck plus a TV. It's incredibly small for a hotel of this size and the room that holds it looks lifted from another era. The hotel also has a spa providing massages and a salon for hair and nail services. There is a shopping arcade selling clothing and jewelry, and free shuttle service is provided to the ferry and neighboring casinos. Nine meeting spaces are available for private events and Wi-Fi is free throughout.