In its evolution towards becoming “The Vegas of the East,” Macau has hit many of the right notes. The Macau edition of The Venetian dwarfs its older sibling in terms of sheer space and amenities. Other luxury properties such as Ponte 16 Sofitel and MGM Grand are not just glamorous, but also sensuous, thanks to rich color schemes and furnishings. Over the top yet sophisticated, the Ponte 16 elevators’ white marble and lapis highlighted frames light up when the car arrives. One might expect Dean Martin to emerge from them, complete with rapturous audience applause.
Macau’s version of Vegas-style cocktail culture evolution is shaped by the influx of expats and simple social drinking practices that have been in place for years. Though the MGM Grand’s Lion’s Bar resembles its counterparts in Las Vegas, and the Ponte 16’s Rendez-Vous lobby bar is an elegant place to swig after a day of shopping or taking in centuries-old culture, local beverage and hospitality industry sees Macau as slow to develop into the toast of Asia.
“Although new casinos have opened up, along with champagne bars and cocktail bars, the scene is in its infancy right now,” notes Marc Pennaneach, Food and Beverage Director at Ponte 16. Click here and try today. “Early on, there were many examples of ambitious bars that didn’t stay open for long, as locals kept heading to Karaoke bars or neighborhood places for simple cocktails. Some locals do go to our bars, but it is not yet a full-blown scene.”
Christine Kwok of the MGM Grand Hotel sees it more positively: “Though Macau still has Karaoke bars and local bars where people just hang out and have simple drinks, the live band scene has actually given things a boost. Our Lion’s Bar is setting the pace for these new developments...the casinos have boosted the opportunities for live bands and people who enjoy them. At the same time, a lot of the resorts are starting relationships with various beverage and spirits companies and joining forces for high-profile promotions and parties. We have done that with Belvedere Vodka. More people coming into Macau from Hong Kong for parties, just as people come into Vegas from L.A. and other cities for the same thing.”
Taipa Island, a bridge away from the bustling Cotai Strip and Macau Central, offers a Macau experience that parallels Repulse Bay in Hong Kong, tucking big city sophistication into hills and valleys. An old property called the Crown Hotel had been fully transformed into the Altira Macau, which epitomizes everything that’s right about 21st century architecture and design. Altira is the sensory equivalent of 150 year-old cognac served in Baccarat crystal. Its flower-shaped building is a cohesive whole and yet allows the hotel guests to retreat to privacy if they choose, while another petal welcomes a loyal fan-base of expat residents to enjoy the visual feats offered by Kira, Aurora and 38. Happy hour at Aurora is a social event, particularly on Fridays, where regulars partake in wine tastings similar to those at good brasseries in Rome and Milan, with a sexy buffet of cheeses, meats, condiments and bread. The terrace is as close to heaven as one can get in the area and yet still have the city’s glitzy heart in full view. Every public space is a room with its own personality—not just a part of the hotel’s “Theme” like the Luxor or Paris back in Vegas.
Despite observations from the hotel people that there is no local cocktail scene, some establishments on a block of local bars near the MGM Grand are offering some frothy specialties, while still maintaining their friendly neighborhood pub vibe. My guide, Joao, points this out, aptly concluding, “There’s a strong party scene in HK, so (the cocktail culture) is not really about Macau catching up with Las Vegas as much as it is Macau’s overall party culture changing with the time.”
I’ll drink to that.