On the way back from Hengqin Bay, our family had a night in Macao. Macao is a city I’ve always wanted to take a day trip to, as it is a very culturally rich city, especially with the Strip on one side and old church buildings on the other. However, my mother never thought so, and only decided to go to Macao when some friends of ours said that they would be going as well. After reading some reviews, we decided that the Sheraton Macao, especially with free WiFi, would most suit our location, budget and needs.
Shopping in Macao
The hotel is a 3,800 room hotel and was only opened more than a couple of years ago. The hotel is Starwood’s largest property worldwide and, of course, also Macao’s largest. Funded by Las Vegas Sands, the property is part of the Cotai Strip, right in the middle of the action in Macao.
Booking the Sheraton Macao
The Sheraton Macao is a SPG Category 4 property, which means that the property costs 20,000 points for the Family Suite that we needed to book. Booking far in advance, rates can be as low as HK$3,400, so paying in cash makes sense then. However, we had quite a few points to burn, and prices were as high as HK$7,200 by the time we booked, so we used points for our family suites.
Sheraton Macao Points Rate
Sheraton Macao Rack Rate
My stay at the Sheraton Macao
The Chimelong bus brought us to the border, where we were let off while the bus continued to the Taipa Ferry Pier.
The Strip runs a bus to The Shoppes at Cotai Central, which is effectively connected to the Sheraton through a few bridges. The bus is WiFi equipped, and of course I took the time to catch up with Instagram, which I didn’t have in the mainland.
Sheraton Macao Shuttle Bus
From The Shoppes’ east entrance it was a ten minute walk to the Sheraton.
Sheraton Macao walk to hotel
The lobby at the Sheraton was massive. Not only was it huge, it was also true to its area – incredibly glitzy, with decorations that didn’t really make sense (really, this is the first time I’ve seen a tree in a hotel lobby). While it did feel one or two years past its prime (which is surprising for a new hotel), at least despite the massive amount of people in the area, it was kept in awesome condition.
Sheraton Macao lobby
Sheraton Macao lobby
Sheraton Macao lobby
Sheraton Macao lobby
Sheraton Macao lobby
Sheraton Macao lobby
Sheraton Macao lobby
While there was a special SPG Platinum™ check-in area for us, the main check-in area looked stunning.
Sheraton Macao main check-in area
Sheraton Macao main check-in area
Sheraton Macao main check-in area
Sheraton Macao main check-in area
There were even some substantial Christmas decorations.
Sheraton Macao Christmas decorations
As a friend of ours had SPG Platinum™ status, we were granted access to the SPG Platinum™ check-in area. It looked about twenty years past its prime and it wasn’t a quiet area as it was open to the rest of the lobby, but it was a nice, discreet space anyway, and I thought it was a nice touch.
Sheraton Macao SPG Platinum™ check-in area
Sheraton Macao SPG Platinum™ check-in area
There was some comfortable seating in this area, though it wasn’t roped off, so technically that’s common seating in the lobby, which the rest of the hotel lobby lacked.
Sheraton Macao SPG Platinum™ check-in area seating
Sheraton Macao SPG Platinum™ check-in area seating
There were also some “antiques” put up on display, though I’m not too sure what they were there for.
Sheraton Macao SPG Platinum™ check-in area displays
The Sheraton has two towers – the Sky Tower and the Earth Tower. We were assigned rooms in the nineteenth floor of the Sky Tower, and our family was assigned room 1957, a Family Suite.
For people who shop often, there’s a passageway straight from each tower to the second floor of the mall without having to bypass the lobby and the walkway, though that passageway is only open after 11am.
Sheraton Macao Sky Tower Passageway from Mall
The lift lobby on the ground floor was beautiful with wooden furnishings, still in great condition.
Sheraton Macao Sky Tower First Floor lift lobby
An associate offered to escort us into our rooms. The associate was friendly and tried to encourage small talk, especially to the children, but as a few families we were engaged in our own conversations anyway, even though I still commend the associate’s effort.
The hallways were really fresh, contrary to the lobby.
Sheraton Macao Sky Tower Lift Lobby
It was actually quite a long hike from the lifts to the rooms, though not as much as the hike required at the Grand Hyatt Fukuoka.
Sheraton Macao Sky Tower Hallway
Sheraton Macao Sky Tower Family Suite Door Signage
Sheraton Macao Sky Tower Floor Plan
Sheraton Macao
Check-in: Friday, December 26, 2014
Room Type: Family Suite
Room Number: 1957
Stay duration: 1 night
Check-out: Saturday, December 27, 2014
I had low expectations going in, especially upon seeing the PR photos, though the suite was ridiculously gorgeous. The suite featured two entryways (one on each side, as the suite covered both room 1957 and room 1958).
Sheraton Macao Sky Tower Family Suite Entryway
The “master bedroom” featured a Sweet Sleeper bed, a chaise longue, an ergonomic desk and chair (with a mirror in front of it), and a flatscreen TV.
Sheraton Macao Sky Tower Family Suite Master Bedroom
Sheraton Macao Sky Tower Family Suite Master Bedroom Sheraton Sweet Sleeper Bed
With some artwork on the walls, I found the room to be ideally minimalistic. It was fresh, modern, and beautifully designed, as well as incredibly practical.
Sheraton Macao Sky Tower Family Suite Master Bedroom artwork
The chaise longue was my resort whenever I was checking my phone, as WiFi was only functional without being exceptionally slow in the main bedroom.
Sheraton Macao Sky Tower Family Suite Master Bedroom chaise longue
Apart from being ergonomic, the chair was comfortable and well padded, though I didn’t spend much time there, as I didn’t have much work to get done.
Sheraton Macao Sky Tower Family Suite Master Bedroom desk and chair
Sheraton Macao Sky Tower Family Suite Master Bedroom luggage area
Sheraton Macao Sky Tower Family Suite Master Bedroom Shelf
There were even some sweets on the top of the shelf that we could consume at their compliments, which was a nice touch.
Sheraton Macao Sky Tower Family Suite Master Bedroom sweets
Sheraton Macao Sky Tower Family Suite Master Bedroom Free Water
Sheraton Macao Sky Tower Family Suite Master Bedroom Bedside Table
There was an iPod machine with what I assume would be a charger, but it didn’t charge an iPhone 5, so I’m not sure what it charged, or what it was there for (aside from being an alarm clock).
Sheraton Macao Sky Tower Family Suite Master Bedroom iPod machine
The WiFi machine was located in the main bedroom, and it was super fast. Unfortunately it was only functional in the main bedroom and not that much so in the kids’ room.
Sheraton Macao Sky Tower Family Suite Master Bedroom WiFi machine
Sheraton Macao Sky Tower Family Suite Master Bedroom Lamp
Sheraton Macao Sky Tower Family Suite Master Bedroom Pen and Paper
The master bedroom was connected to the kids’ room, where my sister and I would be staying in.
I was really blown away by the room. The room featured a Sheraton Sweet Sleeper bed below another (much less comfortable) single bed, a desk and a flatscreen TV.
Sheraton Macao Sky Tower Family Suite Kids’ Room
There was some loot on my bed, but it wasn’t really of any use, though was a nice touch.
Sheraton Macao Sky Tower Family Suite Kids’ Room Lower Bed
The furniture was more “kiddy” then I’d like it, but again, they call this their kids’ room for a reason.
Sheraton Macao Sky Tower Family Suite Kids’ Room Desk
All furniture was “kiddified” to an extent that looked great without being overly childish or shabby.
Sheraton Macao Sky Tower Family Suite Kids’ Room Lamp
Sheraton Macao Sky Tower Family Suite Kids’ Room Sheraton Sweet Sleeper Bed
The furniture was kind of kitschy and colourful. I don’t really like it, but being the babysitter always sucks. 😀
Sheraton Macao Sky Tower Family Suite Kids’ Room Flatscreen TV
Obviously the chair was smaller and less ergonomic as it’s meant for little kids, so if I really had work to do I’d have moved over the room beside.
Sheraton Macao Sky Tower Family Suite Kids’ Room Desk
There were still power ports, most likely left for the baby sitter (me!).
Sheraton Macao Sky Tower Family Suite Kids’ Room Power Ports
Speaking of beds, while the Sheraton Sweet Sleeper bed was simply heavenly, neither my sister nor I can say that the bed above was anywhere near that quality. It was pretty much not more than a foam mattress above a wooden plank.
The upstairs bed is meant for below twelves only, but my sister resorted to staying between my parents in bed, as she had a pretty high fever that night as well as the bed being so uncomfortable.
Sheraton Macao Sky Tower Family Suite Kids’ Room Upper Bunk Bed
Sheraton Macao Sky Tower Family Suite Kids’ Room Bunk Bed
While I was blown the f*ck away by the rooms, I can’t really say the same about the view. While I’ve had really amazing luck with hotel room views this year, I think I have a new “worst view out hotel window” after my stay at the Toong Mao Kao Shang Ching Hotel Kenting.
All we got out of the view was one side of the Earth tower and in between a chimney billowing smoke. Talk about a b*tch view!
Speaking of the view, I’m not really sure if the outdoor pool’s for me regarding where it was situated.
And we had two huge floor-to-ceiling windows of the factory (one from each room). WTF?
Sheraton Macao Sky Tower Family Suite Kids’ Room View
Sheraton Macao Sky Tower Family Suite Kids’ Room View
Both rooms had identical bathrooms, except for different amenities provided. They featured each a single sink, a separate shower/bath, a toilet and lots of space.
Sheraton Macao Sky Tower Family Suite Kids’ Room Bathroom
Sheraton Macao Sky Tower Family Suite Kids’ Room Bathroom Tub
The shower had phenomenal water pressure.
Sheraton Macao Sky Tower Family Suite Kids’ Room Bathroom Shower
Sheraton Macao Sky Tower Family Suite Kids’ Room Bathroom Toilet
Sheraton Macao Sky Tower Family Suite Master Bathroom Tub
Sheraton Macao Sky Tower Family Suite Master Bathroom Shower
Sheraton Macao Sky Tower Family Suite Master Bathroom Free Water
Sheraton Macao Sky Tower Family Suite Master Bathroom Toilet
There was a towel box in each bathroom, which I loved.
Sheraton Macao Sky Tower Family Suite Master Bathroom Towel Box
Both bathrooms featured the signature Sheraton toiletries, which I find perfectly fine. It’s definitely not my favourite, but I’ve seen worse, I guess.
Sheraton Macao Sky Tower Family Suite Kids’ Room Bathroom Toiletries
In addition to the normal tissues and bathroom kit, the kids’ room bathroom had quite a few other colourful amenities, such as Madagascar amenities and green tissue boxes.
Sheraton Macao Sky Tower Family Suite Kids’ Room Bathroom Amenities
Sheraton Macao Sky Tower Family Suite Kids’ Room Bathroom Amenities
Sheraton Macao Sky Tower Family Suite Kids’ Room Bathroom Amenities
Overall I thought the room was damn well furnished, and was hands down the most beautifully designed hotel I’d stayed at this year.
I don’t really have much to say about the rest of the hotel grounds, as we spent most of our time in the mall.
We had problems about if we had lounge access for breakfast the next day, so I went up to the lounge to ask. After all, “suite” and “club access” fit in the same sentence right?
I went up to the club, and they told me that family suites didn’t have club access. Through Twitter, I called them out on that.
Sheraton Macao SPG response to complaint
You can read more about my initial complaint here.
Sure enough, at check-out the next morning (after a bowl of noodles, as in assumption that we had breakfast at the club we didn’t add breakfast to our room rate), they sent up one of the higher ups just to explain to me that the Family Suite was a “special room” and it would be ideal for them to not have club access due to club disturbance etc. It was pretty useless and totally unnecessary, but I found it a nice touch, and just nodded my head.
Service in general was excellent. After we settled down, the associate offered to take our photo, and all associates we encountered were friendly as well. While they weren’t spectacular, in which not everyone tried to engage in small talk with us, I thought they were doing more than enough for a 3,800 room hotel.
Sheraton Macao Sky Tower Family Suite Kids’ Room Handwritten Note
After exploring Macau a little bit, we were back off on a boat to Hong Kong in no time.
Macau
Macau
Macau
Bottom line on Sheraton Macao
Apart from the club lounge access mishap (which I believed they handled as well as they could), I thought that the Sheraton was a great property. With great service, handling of complaints and an amazingly decorated room, it would probably be our go to family hotel in Macao, especially regarding the free WiFi. I’d return in a heartbeat.