DEPARTURES TRAVEL
DEPARTURES TRAVEL CHECKING IN 30 “Macau is always going to have the gamers – no question – but it is also a luxury shoppers’ paradise and a haven for foodies, and now it’s evolving to encompass major exhibitions” partner who understands what it takes to reach this level of luxury and to maintain this level of luxury.” What it took was for the Lui family (owners of Galaxy Macau) to invest US.3 billion into creating the largest allsuite Raffles hotel in the world, with 450 ultra-luxurious accommodations set across two blinding-gold towers connected by transparent glass walkways. Conceptualised as the private residence of a 14th-century Italian merchant, the soaring lobby features columns of snowy white Statuario marble and a showstopping 15m-high chandelier made up of 500,000 crystals supported by 23,000 crystal rods, weighing just shy of five tonnes. Suites range from one-bedrooms with floor-to-ceiling windows, faux fireplaces and digital art canvases, through duplexes, penthouses and pool suites, all the way up to a sprawling 228sq m Presidential suite with Imax views of the Special Administrative Region. For now, though, all are reserved for invited guests only – a cunning tactic which has led to almost full occupancy every night since the hotel opened. “The dynamics are changing,” says Rosen. “Macau is always going to have the gamers – no question – but Macau is also a luxury shoppers’ paradise and a haven for foodies, and now it’s evolving to encompass major exhibitions, concerts and conferences with the aim of becoming a global tourism destination.” Ladies and Gentlemen, place your bets. The show-stopping lobby of Raffles at Galaxy Macau is illuminated by a spectacular 15m-long crystal chandelier © RAFFLES AT GALAXY MACAU
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