This article first appeared in the Mar/Apr 2011 issue of World Gaming magazine.
The World Gaming team is famous for its expertise in the areas of gaming, partying, good food and travel. We can now add fashion to that list with the latest addition to our stable of contributors: style guru and seasoned shopper, The Butterfly. Her first assignment was to provide an overview of the shopping scene in and around the casinos of Macau.
New York, Paris, London, Milan and Hong Kong are cities famous for fashion and big brand names. I’ve been lucky enough to ‘shop till I drop’ in all those cities. I must say it came as a shock to me when I was asked to do an article on ‘high street’ shopping in Macau, a place I previously hadn’t thought of as a major shopping destination. But never let it be said that I need an excuse to hit the shops! I immediately accepted the challenge and let me say I was more than pleasantly surprised with what I discovered.
City of Dreams
City Of Dreams, located on the Cotai Strip, is a huge multi-level complex that comprises casino, entertainment, restaurant and shopping precincts under one roof. The Boulevard, Level One, has a complementary selection of shops to cater for all your wants. Visitors can browse for fashion and accessories at the likes of Burberry, Ralph Lauren, Coach, Salvatore Ferragamo, Bally, Alfred Dunhill, Hugo Boss, Marc by Marc Jacobs, Valentino, Vivienne Westwood, Emporio Armani, Gucci, Jimmy Choo, Tumi and Yves Saint Laurent. Premium beauty brands can be sourced from ‘insider’ and luxurious sunglasses stores iTOi and OPTICA stock the latest labels. Level One also boasts Butani, Swarovski and Omega for exquisite jewellery and timepieces.
Meanwhile, serious shoppers should head to The Boulevard, Level Two, which is mostly populated by high-end stores. Here you can find names such as Bvlgari, Chanel, Cartier, Chopard, Chow Tai Fook, Tag Heuer, Hublot, Longines, IWC, Rolex, Timeless and Tudor. In addition, Vertu (Level Two), Image Digital and Original Technology (both Level One) offer the latest in lifestyle technology. However, if shopping is not your thing and you simply want to take home a souvenir to remember your time in Macau, head to The Bubble Shop (Level One), the Rock Shop (Level One, Hard Rock Hotel) or Pastelaria Koi Kei (Level 0, Guest Shuttle Lobby).
On the other side of the Cotai Strip is The Venetian Macao Resort Hotel. Easily the biggest hotel casino in Macau, The Venetian undoubtedly has the largest shopping precinct with almost 300 stores located in The Grand Canal Shoppes. The stores are situated along a number of interconnected walkways. In addition, three impressive canals have been incorporated into the design to give The Grand Canal Shoppes a true touch of Venice. Even non-shoppers will enjoy the experience of wandering along the walkways and stopping by the canals for a photo opportunity. Shoppers on a mission should definitely obtain a guide map at the outset due to the sheer size of the shopping area.
Alternatively, you can go on a free shopping tour to get your bearings. While it is impossible to name every store they can be broadly categorised as follows: beauty and cosmetics, technology, fashion accessories and footwear, ladies’ fashion, men’s fashion, jewellery and watches, giftware, luggage accessories and souvenir stores. There is also the Atrium department store as well as shops specialising in health and medicine.
For those who prefer a boutique shopping experience, head to The Shoppes at Four Seasons. Connected to The Venetian, this shopping mall is host to around 75 designer and luxury brands including Chanel, Chloe, Dior, La Perla, Louis Vuitton, Hermes, Prada and Versace to name just a few. The Shoppes at Four Seasons also offers the astute shopper bespoke services including personal shopping and limousine transfers.
Stylish retail is not limited to the Cotai Strip. Visitors to Macau will not be disappointed with the selection of luxury brand stores at the opulent Wynn Macau, perfectly located on Macau peninsula directly opposite StarWorld and a stone’s throw from Grand Lisboa. There are approximately 25 exclusive designer stores at Wynn including Cartier, Chanel, Dior, Ermenegildo Zegna, Fendi, Gucci, Hermes, Jaeger-LeCoultre, miu miu, Piaget, Louis Vuitton, Tiffany & Co. and Van Cleef & Arpels to mention a few. The shopping precinct at Wynn is definitely an example of quality over quantity.
Visitors can also venture to One Central Macau, adjacent to MGM and the new Mandarin Oriental (not to be confused with the old Mandarin Oriental which has been renamed Grand Lapa). One Central features approximately 40 luxury brand stores and is home to the largest selection of flagship stores in Macau. The mall is constructed over three levels and its modern design captures views of the waterfront and beyond. You’ll find men’s wear, women’s wear, shoes and bags, watches and jewellery, audio-visual and travel items at One Central.
Macau’s shopping experience provides plenty to choose from and you won’t be able to fit it all into one day. In fact you will struggle to do the Venetian in one day! The other great thing about Macau shopping is how easy it is to get around – there is no traffic, noise or parking hassles as you move through the opulent casino surroundings, and finding something to eat or drink is easy.
Whether you are looking for something in particular or simply happy to browse, the Macau shopping scene offers an experience for everyone. For further information and contact details, take a look at the World Gaming directory either at the back of this magazine, or online.
