Raising the Bar: A Luxurious Stay at Raffles at Galaxy Macau

Soft opened in August, Raffles Macau is the Galaxy Group’s most luxurious hotel yet. That it’s grand goes without saying – and ultra-exclusive. Raffles Singapore, which opened in 1887, verges on the legendary. To bring that same magic and heritage to the Macau property was a tall order, but the result is stunning.

Imagined as the residence of a fictional 14th-century Italian merchant who brought home artefacts from around the world, every corner of the hotel has a magnificent story to tell. Although the ground level and the casino floors can be loud and brash, once through a discreet side entrance and up a glass lift you’ll be transported to a different world.

Step out into the private residence, where pristine black and white marble floors, Italian pillars and silver arches catch the eye, before your butler guides you to one of the property’s 450 luxury suites. Little touches await, like personalised small bites and a hot flask of nourishing soup. In a standard suite – if such a space can indeed be called standard-sized – the interiors are lush, in soft white and grey hues with accents of burgundy running through.

There’s a dining room, where a bar cart proudly displays a pre-made bottle of Raffles’ signature Singapore Sling, while in the living room, a modern fireplace gently crackles. In the gigantic bathroom, a luxurious bathtub awaits. You can ask your butler to draw up a bath for you and they’ll time it perfectly so at the end of the day, when you return to your suite, a bath will already be ready for you alongside a bottle of sparkling tea and all you have to do is step in. Some suites have private pools and gardens, and there are even lofts with two-storey windows.

Elsewhere on the property is a Mediterranean-inspired garden and an outdoor infinity edge pool, where little baskets of sunscreen, towels and water are offered to each guest on arrival, and though the spa isn’t yet open, your butler can arrange an appointment at the Banyan Tree, or at any of the surrounding hotels that are part of the Galaxy Group.

In the late afternoon, return to the Raffles Lounge & Terrace and settle down on the opulent couches and stare upwards at the bespoke chandelier, a masterwork made from half a million crystals and 23,000 crystal rods, which bathes the space in an enchanting glow. Tuck into an indulgent afternoon tea set – the savoury scones are delicious – and hear stories that add to the property’s charm, from the obsessive sourcing of the antique dessert trolleys, to the search for Macau’s own version of the Sling. The Long Bar, a modern adaptation by Joyce Wang of the historic Singapore original, has yet to open – but rest assured, we’ll make our way back for the grand opening.

(Header image: Raffles Macau Lounge and Terrace)