Venetian Macao

Macao

As a former Portuguese enclave and a Chinese possession returned to China in 1999, Macao is a harmonious blend of Asian and European cultures. The four and a half centuries of Lusitanian (the old name for Portugal) domination has left its mark on this city giving it a special cultural identity. The city center, classified as a UNESCO world heritage, possesses magnificent and contrasting buildings including Baroque churches, Buddhist temples and pagodas. Another heritage born out this combination of cultures is Macao’s cuisine, a fusion of oriental culinary talent and ingredients brought over by the Portuguese during their numerous ocean voyages.

Also known as the « Las Vegas of the Orient », this tiny territory has become, in just a few years, a gambling paradise with an even higher turnover than its American counterpart. Macao has 32 gaming establishments, no less than 8,960 slot machines and 3,277 gambling tables!

This city, with a notorious reputation, which used to be a center of vice and debauchery, continues to attract more than 25 million tourists a year who now have the possibility of staying in luxury hotel complexes.

The Isthmus of Cotai is a tract of land reclaimed from the sea and used for a new gambling and tourist venue. Its name is a contraction of the two islands it connects, Coloane and Taipai.

It’s here that most of the huge complexes like the immense white and gold Galaxy is located, consisting of three 5 star hotels and vast recreational and shopping spaces, as well as the Venetian, which contains a casino, a hotel, boutiques, restaurants, a conference center and a 15,000 seat theatre.

A temple of excess

The monumental Venetian Macao is the largest hotel complex in Asia and the fourth largest construction in the world in terms of surface. Built in 2007 by the British Aedas architectural firm, the complex is an exact replica of the Venetian in Las Vegas and a miniature reproduction of the renowned Italian city.

All of Venice is here from the Piazza San Marco, the Rialto Bridge, the ochre facades and palaces, the Renaissance frescoes and even a canal complete with gondolas.

The 40 story main tower is where the actual hotel is located. This luxurious, design five star establishment has 3,000 sumptuous rooms between the 7^th and the 38^th floor served by 250 elevators with, in addition to marble floors and canopy beds, a decor in the image of the rest of the hotel: an excess of kitsch and luxury.

Before heading for the casino, situated in the center of the complex, guests can choose from among 350 boutiques for shopping, work out at the fitness center or swim a few laps in one of the numerous swimming pools. For dining, there are no less than 30 restaurants available with a wide variety of cuisines including Tandoori Indian, Kimchi Korean, spicy Thai soups, Vietnamese Pho noodles and laksa from Malaysia and Singapore. A safe bet in this gambling city is that even the most demanding gourmet will find what he or she is looking for.

Recording artists like Beyonce and musical groups like Police and Black Eyed Peas have given concerts in the Venetian Arena.

The entire complex cost 2.4 billion dollars to build.