Hong Kong and Macau_ City Guide (Lonely Planet, 14th Edition) - Andrew Stone [271]
RIVIERA HOTEL MACAU Map Hotel $$
2833 9955; www.rivierahotel.com.mo; 11-13 Rua do Comendador Kou Ho Neng; r MOP$1080-1180, ste from MOP$2080
If you want to stay away from the casinos and prefer somewhere more secluded, head to this renovated hotel near the legendary Bela Vista. Most rooms have wonderful views of the historic Avenida da República and Sai Van Lake from the balconies.
POUSADA DE MONG Há Map Inn $$
2851 5222; www.ift.edu.mo; Colina de Mong Há; r Mon-Thu MOP$480-680, Fri MOP$580-760, Sat & Sun MOP$800-960, ste Mon-Thu MOP$960, Fri MOP$1160, Sat & Sun MOP$1360;
Sitting atop Mong Há Hill near the ruins of a fort built in 1849 is this traditional-style Portuguese inn run by students at the Instituto de Formação Turística (Institute for Tourism Studies). Rooms are well appointed (some equipped with computers) and ser-vice attentive. Rates include breakfast. The restaurant here is open from 12.30pm to 3pm for lunch on weekdays and from 7pm to 10.30pm on Friday for a Macanese buffet (MOP$180). Afternoon tea (3pm to 6pm) is served in its atmospheric cafe.
OLE LONDON HOTEL Map Hotel $
2893 7761; fax 2893 7790; 4-6 Praça de Ponte e Horta; d MOP$390-480
This Victorian-style inn near the Inner Harbour was extensively renovated with a pinkish facade and smart, spotless rooms. They are small, but given its location and rates you can’t really complain. You can get greater discounts if you book via www.macau.com.
HOU KONG HOTEL Map Hotel $
2893 7555; www.houkonghotel.com; Travessa das Virtudes; s/tw/tr MOP$310/400/580
Just opposite Kee Kwan Motor Road Company in the historic Porto Interior area, the newly refurbished Hou Kong retains its wonderful old facade but now offers surprisingly modern rooms for the money. Check a few rooms – some don’t have windows. You may get better deals mid-week.
EAST ASIA HOTEL Map Hotel $
2892 2433; fax 922 431; 1A Rua da Madeira; s MOP$270-370, d MOP$400-500, ste MOP$720
The East Asia is housed in a classic green-and-white colonial-style building and, though it’s been remodelled, has not lost all of its charm. The rooms are simple but spacious.
AUGUSTERS LODGE Map Guesthouse $
2871 3242; www.augusters.de; Flat 3J, Block 4, Edif Kam Loi, 24 Rua do Dr Pedro José Lobo; dm MOP$125, d MOP$260, tr MOP$390; 3, 3A, 10, 10A, 10B, AP1;
Though not atmospheric, this backpacker-friendly guesthouse, located above the CTM shop, has basic and clean rooms with shared bathrooms. It’s the most central option for budget travellers (so it’s always full).
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TAIPA & COLOANE ISLANDS
The land-reclamation projects on the Cotai strip straddling Taipa and Coloane have brought in a bunch of top-end accommodation options. While the new Crown Towers, Hard Rock and Grand Hyatt were opened on schedule in mid-2009, consortiums have halted most of the other developments, including Banyan Tree, Marriott and Ritz-Carlton, due to the global financial slowdown. There is also the half-built Sheraton, Shangri-La, Hilton, Conrad and InterContinental resort complex on Cotai across the street from the Venetian. Coloane offers quite a diversity of places to stay – from two budget hostels to a ‘cosy’ inn to the territory’s most exclusive resort.
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Taipa Island & Cotai Strip
FOUR SEASONS HOTEL Map Hotel $$$$
2881 8888; www.fourseasons.com/macau; Estrada da Baía de Nossa Senhora da Esperança; r MOP$2700-4200, ste from MOP$5100
Four Seasons is a newcomer to the luxury stakes on the Cotai. There aren’t many great views from the rooms as its surroundings were still under construction at the time of writing. But inside, especially by the leafy outdoor pools and waterfalls, it truly is a city oasis. You feel very royal once you step into its lobby. Services are attentive and impeccable, and rooms are beautifully appointed.
ALTIRA MACAU Map Hotel $$$$
2886 8888; www.altiramacau.com; Avenida de Kwong Tung; r MOP$3080, ste from MOP$4180;
A change of name (it was formerly the Crown) hasn’t changed