RAFFLES SETS UP IN MACAU (China)
The brand's first hotel in the former Portuguese enclave, Raffles at Galaxy Macau, is beginning its soft opening ahead of an official opening scheduled for the end of the year. |
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RAFFLES SETS UP IN MACAU (China)
The brand's first hotel in the former Portuguese enclave, Raffles at Galaxy Macau, is beginning its soft opening ahead of an official opening scheduled for the end of the year. |
Category: Asia Pacific - China - Industry economy -
Hotel opening
Article written by Christopher Buet on 2023-08-22
Part of the curtain has finally been lifted on the Raffles at Galaxy Macau. The new flagship hotel of Galaxy Entertainment Group (GEG) opened partially on 16 August, with the aim of honing its teams and testing its organisation before the official opening, scheduled for the end of the year, on a date as yet unknown. The launch has been delayed. Originally, the trial run was due to start in April, but a shortage of staff forced the hotel's directors to revise their plan and complete recruitment, which has now been done, with almost all positions filled.
"Macau's most exciting and luxurious hotel”
“Set against the backdrop of Macau's captivating allure and glittering glamour, Raffles at Galaxy Macau represents a remarkable addition to the Raffles portfolio, where stories become lasting legacies and the art of hospitality is ready to flourish," enthuses Omer Acar, CEO of Raffles & Orient Express.
Gary Rosen, CEO of Accor Greater China, confirms this enthusiasm when he talks about the third Raffles-branded hotel in China, following those in Shenzen and Hainan. "The Raffles at Galaxy Macau is the most exciting and luxurious hotel in Macau and a new flagship for the brand. Demand for high-end luxury hotels is growing exponentially across the region," he says.
A monumental chandelier at the entrance
It has to be said that Raffles and Galaxy Entertainment have spared no expense to ensure that this hotel is worthy of the Galaxy Macau project, which began in 2011 and required an investment of just over €5 billion. The Raffles at Galaxy Macau will have 450 suites spread across two towers, with all floors connected by transparent glass platforms, offering a unique view of the city. The hotel was conceived as the private residence of a 14th-century Italian merchant who amassed a collection of works of art from all over the world. The collection ranges from Statuario white marble to handmade crystal chandeliers.
At the entrance, visitors can admire a monumental 15-metre-high diamond-shaped chandelier made up of 500,000 crystals linked by 23,000 crystal rods, weighing almost five tonnes. Nearby, the 'Green Art Wall' will be the other attraction at Raffles Lounge & Terrace. Measuring 70 metres high, it will feature hundreds of plants and an LED light show. Still looking up, the ceiling has been transformed into an imaginary sky thanks to more than 30,000 individually programmable LED nodes. These two elements provide an ideal backdrop for Singaporean artist Sun Yu-Li's 'Kaleidoscope' - a striking three-metre-high sculpture that uses changing lights to allude to nature while exuding a distinctly Macau atmosphere.
The wonderment doesn't stop there, and you'll have to push your curiosity all the way to the lobby. The lobby has been designed as a hybrid sanctuary where indoor and outdoor spaces meet. Works on the theme of the four seasons will be scattered throughout a garden with 90 trees, 50,000 shrubs and seasonal flowers. An eco-responsible green island as an ode to nature.
By invitation only
However, the general public will not be able to discover this show straight away. As Andy Lio, assistant vice-president of hotel operations at Raffles at Galaxy Macau, points out, only invited guests will be able to stay at the hotel and enjoy the bar or the Lounge & Terrace.
The signature restaurant, another bar and the spa, however, will be inaccessible and will not be revealed until the official opening.
Start of phase 4
The Raffles at Galaxy Macau project is part of phase 4 of GEG's development programme. This focuses on offering activities other than gambling. "We are convinced that non-gaming activities are the future of Macau in terms of attracting new visitors and encouraging them to stay longer," asserted GEG chairman and founder Lui Che-woo, whose group announced that it had taken in 1.1 billion dollars in revenue in the second half of 2023, and made a net profit of 319 million dollars.
In addition to the Raffles, on 15 September GEG will open the Andaz Macau, a hotel with 700 rooms and suites, including a convention centre and a 16,000-seat auditorium (Galaxy Arena). No fewer than six new top-of-the-range hotels will be built during phase 4, bringing Galaxy Macau's hotel capacity to 7,500 keys.
More generally, the Macau Government is encouraging the development of economic activities other than casinos, with the aim of turning the former Portuguese property into a world tourism mecca. Between January and July 2023, nearly 14.4 million people visited China's gambling eldorado.
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