The rooms appear to be getting slightly older, especially compared to some of swanky ones at the Venetian or Wynn, but nonetheless are up to the high standards of the Mandarin Oriental chain. What sets this hotel apart from the other hotels, including the swanky one sabove, is the service. Simply put, bravo. I was upgraded to club level, asked for quick delivery of room service as my daughter was hungry - which was answered, and on checking out at 5 am, a gentleman at the front desk could not be more helpful - long story, but because of him, I was able to get to my plane on time. I'm a fan.

Gorgeous Hotel, walking distance from the ferry terminal. Great Rooms very classy. The hotel has an air of elegance if you want to shop in the lobby Louis Vitton, Armani, Cartier to name a few. Nice little casino, next door the Sands which is huge. The fishermans wharf is very close. Only down side Staff speak limited English, Overall spectacular Hotel

Living in Hong kong, I get to visit Macau quite alot and with the big push on casinos over there there is huge range to choose from.

The Mandarin Oriental rooms when compared to say the venetian are dated and small, but the service I found to be second to none. They were always very polite and helpful, and this really made up for what the hotel lacked in comfort.

If your looking for a casino experience then i wouldnt stay here ,I'd leave that to the MGM or Venetian but if you want something a little more personal, not be another face in the crowd and a good beauty treatment /massage,then give this a try

Our first time staying at the Mandarin Oriental and were pleasantly surprised. The hotel was very upscale. Marble and art work every where. Our room was large with lots of closet space. Great amenities and bathroom. Hotel had several restaurants. We tried the Thai one and Mezaluna (Italian). We returned to Mezaluna several times because the chef Igor made us custom order delicious dinner every time. He also came to our table to chat with us. We not only felt special and important but we also had best pizza in years.

Hotel is located right behind Sands Casino. It's 2 min walk to the Wharf and 15 min to downtown. Bellmen got us taxi many times and translated instructions into Cantonese for the drivers. We took cab to Taipa, Macao tower, etc. If you want to be on Cotai strip and gamble, stay at the Venetian. If you want to be closer to downtown and sightsee, Mandarin is suitable option too. What we liked most about it was service. Everybody was extremely courteous and accommodating. Front desk staff, managers on duty, people in the shops, servers... they all went out of their way to make us feel special. However, thanks to Igor, we will never forget this Mandarin Oriental.

The Mandarin Macau is an older property and shows it's age. Unfortunately, it also has paper thin walls, so one is constantly "entertained" by bathroom noises and other noises from adjacent rooms as well as those above and below... to the point that one is fairly disgusted with the volume and frequency of such noises.

Check in was swift... staff was friendly.

Room was small with a poor layout. Work desk was tiny and chair was like a dining chair with no padding. Bed was reasonably comfortable and bathroom was typical old-style Holiday Inn bathroom with tub/shower combo.

The Gym is nice and opened early upon request. Gym staff were very friendly. 5 Precor treadmills, 1 Precor Elliptical, 3 Life Fitness Ellipticals (one broken) and 3-4 life fitness exercise bikes. Full set of cybex weight machines and ample dumbbells.

Food at the Thai restaurant was good. Breakfast in the club lounge was OK, but oddly layed out so that it was difficult to find things... and for some reason the butter was hidden and required a 5 minute wait when it was requested. Staff did not offer coffee/tea.

Given the good service and nice gym, once this older property rennovates and improves the soundproofing, it'll quickly become a 5 Star, but as it is, it gets a very low rating. There are definitely better places in Macau - try the Sheraton... it's definitely better.

Stayed here for a birthday celebration and booked the Summer fun package which gave $1500 in spa credit and $500 in F&B credit. The spa was excellent but there were a few things which fell short of our expectations.

Valet parking should be offered a place that calls itself 5 star. Even worse, when we arrived, the doormen / bellboys did not open the door for us nor helped with the bags, they just stood there. There were no other customers around at the time.

Check-in process was complicated - we checked in at reception then we were escorted into the room to check in again? The expressionless lady who took us up to the room merely got us to sign the booking authorization in the room and did not tell us anything about the room, the restaurants, Macau, nothing. We were also not given our breakfast vouchers (which caused confusion at the restaurant in the morning) nor asked what newspaper we wanted.

When we checked out, the $500 in dining credit as part of our summer package were not credited from our receipt. When reminded the reception staff said that the $500 had to be used in one meal and therefore offered to take the higher of the two F&B bills off (which was less than $500). This was not stated on the booking information anywhere as it says "Spa credit and dining voucher should consumed during the stay and have no cash value", no where does it say it has to be on the one bill.

Rooms are dated and needs updating badly.

I just think that it is not 5 stars and not worthy of the Mandarin Oriental brandname. Is the macau labour shortage so bad that there are no good hospitality people left outside of the big casinos?

I have emailed hotel management but still have not received a response one week later.

I don't know if I have ever been treated better at a hotel. My Husband and I were in Macau for just one night after a vacation in Hong Kong. we decided to stay at the Mandarin because it had a good review. We could not be happier with our pick. The Mandarin does have a small casino, but definitaly not the place to be to gamble, though if that is your goal there are so many places near by that you could easily stay in this wonderful hotel and take advantage of the free shuttles all over the island. Our room was beautiful, the breakfast was amazing and the pool looked great (spent too much time gambling to take advantage of that). I would come back here in a minute.

Macau is very commercial and business like. The mandarine oriental is new and has a nice style that suits the location. Unfortunately the efficiently and speed of service do not always go hand in hand with the rest of the standards. Overall though is an excellent hotel.

Many hotels here and on Taipa island have severe Black Mold problems. Don't think you can escape this by dishing out a reasonable $100+ USD per night. Even those hotels are poorly maintained, musty, and a potential health hazard. Until this town gets completely rebuilt, the Mandarin is necessary if you want to enjoy your stay in Macau, and avoid the Mold.

Great place to stay. The resort and spa are really really nice, huge, and add a ton of value to the price tag of the room. All guests get free run of the resort and services. There is a huge, beautiful pool with waterfall, waterslide, sunchairs, and constant waiters for beverage and bar service. There is comfortable seating with ceiling fans surrounding the pool area, and NAAM thai restaurant as well. There is a large playground for children, and a huge climbing wall for those of you who like to rock climb. The weight room has about 12 modern treadmills each with their own flat panel televisions and the dumbbells are sufficient, maxing out at 50lbs. In the photos you can see the various weight machines also available. The resort makes the stay here twice as enjoyable. Please see my photos.

Getting to the hotel from Hong Kong airport takes some time, but is fairly straight forward. Ask (repeatedly) for directions to the Bus Terminal. Its quite a walk. I believe your bus is A11 (make sure to ask) to the Macau Ferry. The ride is a good 45 minutes but costs an amazing 45 cents USD (yes, 45 cents). A taxi can be hired as well for 55 HKG (7.50 USD). Make sure you are waiting by the door of the bus as you approach the city. They do not announce stops. There is only a marquee, and its hard to tell if you're at a stoplight or an actual bus stop. Recommend sitting upstairs for a great view, but get downstairs as you near the city. At the ferry terminal, look for the "Turbo Jet" signs and buy a ticket to Macau for 25 HKG (4 USD). When you arrive in Macau, ignore the taxi drivers who approach you. Head out the door and far to the right and you will see the metered taxi line. They have no signs directing you there. Just go right. Metered taxi to Mandarin Oriental is about 55HKG (7.50). That will get you right to the front door. Hope this helps!

This hotel starts at $220-$250 on average (USDollars from here forward). Booking in advance, through a travel agent and on weekdays is cheaper. You are really risking it to book somewhere less expensive due to the mold problems this city has. There are two islands in Macau - Taipa and Macau. This hotel is located on Macau Island and is in the perfect location. Literally next door to the largest casino in the world (Sands), and within a couple blocks of all the other major casinos (MGM, Wynn, Lisboa, etc). The new monstrous Venetian is on the other island just over the bridge.

This hotel is basically attached to the Sands. You can walk out the back private courtyard area and directly into the Sands Hotel Casino (and vice versa). Very exclusive and convenient. The Thai restaurant "NAAM" which surrounds the pool area is very good. Open from 12:00-2:30pm and 6:30-10:30pm only. Expect to pay about $45 per person here, but they take pride in their authentic Thai cuisine, and they treat you like royalty.

Other reviews complain that the rooms look old-ish. I found them not to be old, but to have a Colonial styling with cherry-wood which looks very rich, as opposed to other Mandarin's which go the "ultra modern" route. Despite being on a busy street, the room was extremely quiet. The bed is one of the best I've slept in with comfortable mattress, and four huge pillows. Two robes provided, slippers, in room safe, wetbar, and desk with LAN internet. Wifi internet is strong in the rooms so you can use your laptop without having to sit at the desk. Internet options run you $19 a day, or you can buy a week package which lowers it to $10 a day.

There is of course a business center with complete business services for professionals, the "Oriental Casino", a beautiful lobby, a series of boutiques with high end brands like Hugo Boss, Versacci, and others, lining the lobby area and on the way to the spa. There is much more, but I won't partake, and will probably never know about it.

My stay was honestly really great. I got sick as soon as I arrived, and spent the week in my room. The staff was just absolutely amazing to me. They realized I was not well, and made many attempts to make me comfortable. The Housekeeping staff repeatedly brought fresh oranges to my room (Vitamin C!!!) and loaded me up with tons of bottles of free water and bananas and apples every day. They offered me Tea and even to retrieve some cold medicine for me if I needed it. Truly wonderful service.

Room service is insanely prompt, delivering full meals within 15 minutes consistently. They sell an electrical adaptor in the wetbar, but you can call housekeeping, and they'll send one to your room for free. I requested two and got them without question.

My only minor criticism echos one I read in another review here. For some reason the daytime Room Service chef isn't as good as the night time one. Its noticeable. Burnt toast, overcooked french fries, runny eggs (literally), and bacon that for some reason smelled like bad fish. Early mornings and night time chef are amazing. Whoever does lunch is of a different caliber.

Staying here isn't cheap, but don't make the mistake of thinking that $110 a night in Macau will get you something nice. Until this city has really begun to grow, there are a lot of hotels from the "dirty days" still fully in operation, and the health hazard black mould problem everywhere will shock you. I spent two nights in a cheaper hotel first, and I believe this is exactly why I got sick. Spend the money and enjoy your stay in Macau.

the best casino in Macau....(you better be used to asian rules..the high better can hijack your hand ) (others can bet on your hand) always worried about shills for the house hijacking your hand and busting you. Dispite this I came home a winner of over $1,200 US...:o) lifetime winner at Macau & Hong Kong race tracks...take the hydroplane from H.K. its a wonderful view of the Pearl River......Ms. Traci PS- used to think it was the casino at the end of the world till I went to Laos.

The hotel is definately an above average hotel. I found the service to be OK, but not quite as good as other Mandarins. When I stay at other Mandarins, I find that the staff seems to anticipate what I would want next. The staff at the Mandarin in Maccau seems content on waiting until you ask for something before they act on anything.

Overall, the hotel property is nice. The pool is a bit small. The fitness center was well kept, had a few modern features (like tvs on every treadmill), and tennis courts. The lobby is very nice as well.

The rooms while nice, we're again below standard as far as other Mandarins were concerned. They were spacious enough, but I thought that they were not as well decorated as other Mandarins.

This is a good, solid, no-risk choice for Macau.. and, thankfully, for Macau, more hotel than casino.. I had a perfectly pleasant stay there recently, never getting within sight of the casino.. the room was a good size and the facilities were all as you would expect.. Think "Sheraton" in the US.. The decor is maybe a little tired looking, and there was some wear and tear, but that's not being too harsh.. The user pictures in this listing are pretty good at showing the rooms.. The Thai restaurant in the adjacent hotel-owned leisure complex is very good.. The cafe in the main hotel is good value and has a solid, varied menu.. Breakfast was pretty good, with a varied buffet.. The Bar is a little expensive and you need to wander past the ubiquitous ladies of the night on the way in.. They are more expensive, I gather..!! The shopping plaza is a little OTT, mainly luxury goods (such as Valentino, armani etc).. It would have been nicer to have a small convenience store/shop as the news stand/stall in the hotel lobby was no more than a token effort and didn't even sell drinks.. Service is very OTT and if you're the sort who prefers to look after his or herself, then be prepared to have to fend off the helpers.. Broadband internet not cheap and can be a little slow.. A solid performance despite the very minor niggles..

As always the MO in Macau offers excellent service. the rooms are spacious and clean. The hotel always provides everything you expect from a 5*. (We have stayed here quite a few times!)

The pool is great and the water slide and waterfall keep even the most easily bored adults entertained for hours!

Be sure to ask for the extended menu if you fancy a poolside snack. It will not be offered unless you ask. I have fed this back to the hotel and they said they passed the message on to the poolside staff.

If you do not like the casino vibe at all, I think this is one of the best choices you can make. Has none of the busy-ness of other hotel lobbies in Macau that have casinos. (I thought even the Wynn was a bit too busy- but nice).

WEll, design wise, I have to agree with other reviewer below that its a bit dated. And i just really have to mention the brown tiles again, probably since I am a bathroom person, and the look just made my experience not quite a hundred percent.

This is probably the only negative thing for me during my stay here. Then again, having brown tiles really isnt that negative, so i can give this place really high marks.

The really good points of this hotel are:

-their high level of service from check in to bringing up of luggage to the room service.

-the ambience- elegant lobby and one of the best breakfast rooms ive ever been to- supposedly traditional Portugese design(all white, with ceiling fan, big windows plants, really nice look) , but anyway its a very pleasant place to start your day in.

-attention to detail- personal note from manager, almond cookies with turndown service, a lot of good reading material in the room.

-Good pool area

All in all, its a very comfortable stay but just lacks a bit of a design upgrade. If you are the type of traveller that values service over design, then you wont go wrong here at the Mandarin.

This is a world-class hotel. The rooms were beautiful, food good and pool/spa area was incredible. It is like a tropical paradise in the middle of the craziness of Macau. Pool was big, had waterfall and water slide. Great for kids AND adults. Behind the pool is a climbing wall. Tons of chairs and trees -- so you can either bake in the sun or enjoy the shade by the pool. Spa was beautiful. Spa facilities were state of the art.

The hotel is not cheap, but here you get what you pay for: a beautiful hotel (almost felt like a resort) in the middle of Macau. Location is very convenient -- next to Sands if you want to gamble. And, a short taxi to the ferry terminal. You could even walk there since taxis are in such short supply in Macau.

This Mandarin Oriental is no where near the standard of the recently renovated or new ones like in Hong Kong or Singapore. It really needs to be renovated soon (rooms are looking quite dated).

As a old customer of this hotel, I must say that service and food are probably the best in Macau.

But unfortunatly, they closed the Embassy (one of the best bar in town and the soul of this hotel) to make another shop.

Sorry to say but Mandarin Hotel in Macau looks like a shopping mall for luxury brands. No entertainment, it is certainly not the idea I have of a 5 stars hotel. On my side, I moved out....

Booked hotel thru Expedia. Hotel is located a short distance from the Ferry Terminal.

Obtained what appeared to be a 'regular' room, with a view of the main road for about $180USD. A little noisy. Room size was adequate, maybe 30-35 sq meters. Furnishings were excellent and the room was clean. Bathroom was much like any stateside hotel/motel. Not impressive. Small bathtub/shower combo. Bathrobes, safe available in room. You can watch FOX and CNN. There's coffee service in room along with a mini bar that can be opened by requesting assistance from housekeeping. There is nothing open in the lobby until around 7am (sorry no Starbucks) and there is little available along the main road as far as coffee or breakfast fare. You are pretty much stuck with the hotel offerings. There is no wireless internet available; as is becoming the case in nicer Hong Kong hotels.

The cafe restaurant has a nice buffet breakfast for a cost of about $20-25USD. Excellent staff and service.

Hotel has a good reputation. If you like to shop for fine French fashions the lobby is full of high fashion outlets...Dior etc; but not much else. The hotel is located next to the Sands Casino and other chinese casino operations. Be aware that in Macau, the casino games are mostly Bacaret (sp). Some Black Jack, Caribean Poker and Slots. The chinese clientel comprise over 98% of all gamblers. Noticed that the minimums at card tables at the Sands and Wynn Casino were about 200MOP, which is about $25USD.

If you are expecting a 'Las Vegas' experience, you will be disappointed. The Chinese come here to do some serious gambing and the amenities associated with Las Vegas/Reno are lacking. There are several other large US casino operations under construction; so maybe this will change as competition increases.

Old Macau (city center) is about a 20 minute taxi ride. You can see some of the Portegese influence in the architecture; but it is mostly disappearing in favor of rapid commercial development; so characteristic in Asia these days. There are a couple of nice 'Macaunese' style restaurants within a short taxi ride of the Oriental. The hotel staff can direct you.

Macau is pretty much the place to gamble for Asians. A short visit is appropriate. Air polution is bad; as is most of China these days. Even with a sea breeze, you're never away from the dense smog.

Jet Ferries, Inc offers fast ferry service between Hong Kong and Macau. Book Deluxe Class for a small upcharge. ..located on the 'upper' section of the boat...good views and food service. Its about a one hour trip. If you are leaving Macau for Hong Kong and are needing to get right to the airport, they offer a special ferry direct to the airport. Good alternative as they will check your bags, and take you by bus to the boarding areas, without the hassel of normal customs and immigration. You still have access to all the duty free shopping and food court, the Hong Kong airport is noted for.

Happy travels.

We wanted to pick the best hotel because we left Macau over 50 years ago

as refugees. Our family lived in a camp for 5 years, coming back with my mother

and having the special attention from the staff was well worth the extra money.

We were greated at the Ferry terminal with a sign welcoming us, we were greated

by everyone, there was always someone to open the doors, my mother was in a wheelchair,

you never had to wait long for help, or service. USA hotels can learn alot from this hotel.

When we left, my mother was taken by the hotel's private car, a Mercedes from

hotel to ferry terminal, unlike the last time we left Macau. This is the memory we will

all have. Great, service, great hotel, great food, great location, highly recommend it.

thanks, Sharon, Jennifer, Sienna and all the staff for making it such a great trip.

Carol Carlson-Ives.

Just came back from a 3D2N vacation at Macau. I read throu' most of the reviews at Tripadvisor, and decided to stay at this hotel. It was excellent.

We were so fascinated by the Chinese New Year candies they served in the room, that we asked the housekeeping if they could sell us some of it. They could not sell it, but they gave us a whole bunch of it for our stay!

The swimming pool was good, too. All the staffs were helpful, checking out was speedy.

There is only one drawback with this hotel, it is near the Sands casino (if you like casino), it is near the ferry station (if you arrived by ferry from HK), but it is some distance from St.Pauls' Ruin and the city center. It took about 40 minutes' walk to St. Paul's Ruin, and it took about the same time waiting in line for taxi at the hotel front door! There is never enough taxis in Macau, so you have to leave early for the airport.

Except for the shortcoming of having to walk, I would think Mandarin Oriental is better than Holiday Inn nad/or Lisboa hotel, which are both located at the city center, thus very very noisy for most of the days (and nights?)

Macau is a small town with relatively low cost in almost everything, yet with fabulous Chinese food and the cleaniness of any western cities. It is so designed that you can walk to almost all the scenic places.

It is a great place to visit, and the hotel is a good choice for anyone travelling with kids, they will love the pools!