Venice and Paris already stood on the Cotai Strip. You could ride a gondola and take photos in front of the Eiffel Tower. Logic suggested: London should be next. And in 2021, it finally arrived. The Londoner Macao is not one hotel, but an entire complex, created in a unified English style.
How The Londoner Macau was built
Before, there was simply a large complex with Conrad, Holiday Inn, and Sheraton hotels — Sands Cotai Central, which opened in 2012. Almost 5,800 rooms, a huge area, the eighth largest building in the world. But all of it was somewhat faceless.
In 2017, they decided: enough. For two billion dollars, Holiday Inn was demolished inside, reshaped, and by 2021 they presented Londoner to the world. The old building was transformed into a new luxury hotel — The Londoner Macao Hotel with nearly 600 luxury suites. Conrad and Sheraton remained, but also underwent rebranding.
Today there are five brands under one crown: the new Londoner Hotel (suites only), Londoner Court (apartments with butlers), Conrad, Sheraton, and St. Regis, which opened here back in 2015. In early 2025, Londoner Grand was added, part of Marriott`s The Luxury Collection — another 2,405 rooms in Georgian style.
The facade that makes you wet in the rain
You approach Londoner, and the first thing you see — a copy of the Palace of Westminster. Almost real. Next to it — the 96-meter Victoria Tower, also known as Elizabeth, also known as the local Big Ben. The clocks on it don`t lie: they show Macau time, but the dials are cast to British specifications.
In cloudy weather, this works flawlessly. The sky is gray, the facade is dark, the tower disappears into the clouds — and for a second you forget you`re in southern China. The architects deliberately didn`t make it "always sunny." In London, it`s always cloudy — and here, too.
The Atrium of The Londoner Macao
You step inside, and the first thing that greets you — the Crystal Hall. Officially, it`s called the Crystal Palace. Unofficially — just the atrium, where everyone freezes.
In the center — a bronze sculpture of an angel with a bow. This is Anteros, an exact replica of the famous monument from Piccadilly Circus in London. Originally, it`s dedicated to philanthropist Lord Shaftesbury, but people still just call it "the angel." In London, it has long turned black from time and soot. Here in Macau, it shines as if it was cast yesterday.
The ceiling rises several stories high. All around — British flags, coats of arms, stucco. Everything is so clean, so polished, so crowded that a real Londoner would probably feel uncomfortable.
The Second Atrium: The Carriage of the queen
A little further — another square under a roof. Here stands a glass dome, and beneath it — a carriage. A real, English, state carriage. You can approach, sit inside it, and take photos. There`s always a queue in front of the carriage for photo sessions.
Nearby — a Black Cab. A real London taxi cab. Inside — a screen. You sit down, and a virtual tour of London begins. The guide is played by David Beckham. He takes you around his favorite places, shows Buckingham Palace, Soho, his old house. His voice sounds tired but pleased.
Interiors of The Londoner Macao
Inside, everything is designed as if the designers bought out a London antique market wholesale. Chesterfield sofas — leather, deep, with perfect button tufting. High-backed armchairs. Lamps with green shades. Walls paneled in dark wood, knight`s armor in the corners — not replicas, but heavy, real, made of steel.
In the hotel lobby stand seven life-sized sculptures. A Victorian policeman, a punk, a knight, a guardsman, Shakespeare, a Beefeater, and a gentleman in a bowler hat. They don`t move, but they seem to breathe.
Where to Eat at The Londoner Macao
If you think Britain is just fish and chips, you simply haven`t been to Gordon Ramsay`s. His pub at Londoner is called Gordon Ramsay Bar & Grill. They serve the perfect steak, proper Shepherd`s Pie, and that same fish and chips, but very tasty. The interior — dark, oak, masculine. The bartender pours ale.
A little further — Churchill`s Table. The name speaks for itself. Here they serve breakfast, lunch, and, most importantly, Afternoon Tea. Tea is served from a silver trolley; a tea master approaches your table and thoughtfully explains which blend best suits your mood. There`s a special menu inspired by Alice in Wonderland: "Eat Me" cupcakes, tea from upside-down cups, and enormous meringue mushrooms.
The Residence — a private club for guests of the Londoner Hotel. You can`t just walk in. They serve breakfast until one o`clock, and the bar pours cocktails named after British writers. Virginia Woolf is sweet here; Oscar Wilde is bitter.
And separately — "Muse." A Thai restaurant that completely doesn`t fit the concept, which is exactly why it`s so good. Inside — thousands of colorful lanterns, carved wooden panels, the scent of lemongrass. The Michelin Guide awarded it a plate. Portions are huge, tom yum is fiery, mango with sticky rice — the best thing that`s happened to you this year.
The Londoner Macao Casino: Himalayan and Pacifica
The casino at Londoner is called Londoner Casino. They used to have the names Himalayan and Pacifica, but during rebranding they were unified. Inside, everything as expected: patterned carpets, low ceilings, no windows, oxygen pumped slightly above normal so players don`t fall asleep. Tables — about 350, slot machines — nearly two thousand. There are high-roller rooms with separate entrances and personal hostesses. The casino operates 24 hours. The smell of money mixes with the scent of expensive perfume. No one looks at the clock.
Entertainment: Guardsmen, VR, and Shows Every Day
Every day at 5:00 PM in the Crystal Hall, the Changing of the Guard takes place. Twenty dancers and musicians in royal guardsmen uniforms march onto the square beneath the statue of Eros. Bearskin hats, red tunics, drums. They march, re-form, freeze. The performance lasts 15 minutes.
In the evenings, living statues walk through the galleries. Charlie Chaplin, Sherlock Holmes, Mary Poppins. They don`t speak, but they allow photos. Sometimes the "queen" appears, accompanied by two corgis. The corgis are real.
For children — a VR zone where you can fly over London, land on the roof of St. Paul`s Cathedral, and ride a double-decker bus.
Shopping: Bond Street in Macau
The shopping gallery is called Londoner Shoppes. Before, it was just a mall attached to the hotel; now it`s Bond Street, Mayfair, Covent Garden. Instead of store numbers — names of London streets. Shop windows are styled after old department stores. There`s even an entrance to the Apple Store, styled after a Tube entrance.
Here they sell British classics: Burberry, Dunhill, Barbour. There`s a store with Wedgwood porcelain and a souvenir shop where you can buy a red telephone booth the size of a toaster.
Eighty percent of guests come here not for gambling. They come for a photo in front of Big Ben, for tea from a silver trolley, for that very feeling that you`re in London — but in an hour you`ll be in Paris (it`s across the street), and in another hour — in Venice (it`s around the corner). This is Britain, assembled from a construction set and placed under air conditioning. Here it never rains, and the queen smiles at everyone.
