hotels

AS PART of a familiarization tour hosted by Macau Government Tourism last September, we went on a four-day hotel-hopping spree.

We hopped too much that all of the hotels started to look the same, the managers sound the same, and even the price sheets all came in a dizzy blur.

Then of course, there were some momentary jolts to fantasy when greeted by the hotel giants Wynn Macau, Star World, and Venetia. All in all, these hotels are all recommendable and up to par.

MGM MIRAGE becomes the latest gaming giant to try and lure the Chinese gambler on Tuesday, when the company opens its first casino resort outside the United States in the tiny enclave of Macau.

MGM Grand Macau is a $US1.25 billion ($1.45 billion) casino resort half-owned by MGM Mirage and half by Pansy Ho, daughter of the original Macau casino mogul Stanley Ho.

Its owners are desperate to tap the players flooding into the former Portuguese colony, in what is rapidly becoming the world's most lucrative betting centre.

To many, Macau is a paradise for lovers of gambling and a place where East meets the West in a fusion of different cultures. But the magic of the destination's various historic sites is also combined with the neon lights of gambling facilities, at the newest Las Vegas-style resorts, Spas and boutiques.

Five-star resorts like the Mandarin Oriental Hotel, MGM Grand Macau, Westin Resort Macau, etc., now offer the ultimate in personal service and luxury in a chic and stylish environment.

Sept. 27 (Bloomberg) -- Marriott International Inc., the world's biggest hotel operator, plans to quadruple the number of properties it has in China by 2013 to take advantage of surging demand for rooms in the world's fastest growing major economy.

The Bethesda, Maryland-based company plans to have 48 hotels in China, Hong Kong and Macau by 2010, up from the 28 it operates under seven brands including JW Marriott and Ritz- Carlton, Chief Executive J. Willard Marriott Jr. said today at a briefing in Shanghai. That number should surpass 100 hotels in five to six years, he said.

The number of hotels in Macau seems to grow on a weekly basis at this time. Still, with only a fraction of the rooms of its American counterpart, Las Vegas, you can bet the the growth in hotel rooms will continue well into the foreseeable future.

While there is an increasing number of accommodations at various price points, not all hotel rooms are an even bet -- not by a long shot.

To help even the odds of making the right pick, here's our list of the Top 5 Hotels in Macau:

1. Mandarin Oriental

2. Venetian Macao

3. Grand Lisboa

4. Wynn Macau

5. Pousada de São Tiago

Have an opinion this subject? Agree? Disagree? Other suggestions? Use the form below to post your comments!

Wynn Macau looks like its slightly-older sibling, Wynn Las Vegas, a gleaming wave-topped structure, dark chocolate-colored glass with horizontal stripes of milk-chocolate, and Wynn's distinctive signature across the top.