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The MGM Grand Macau is located on a prime waterfront spot in Macau at Avenida Dr. Sun Yat Sen. Macau, once a Portuguese territory about 37 miles west of Hong Kong, has become China’s answer to Las Vegas — hosting casinos, themed hotels, fine dining and even Cirque du Soleil. So naturally, MGM Resorts has joined the action with the MGM Macau, a 35-story, 593-room, $1.25 billion Four-Star hotel. Stunning from the outside, the hotel is also a vision in the inside, particularly in its fantastical lobby. Dubbed the Grand Praca, the lobby features European-style facades and multiple terraces meant to evoke Portugal, all underneath a skylight dome. The lobby is also the site of a Vegas-style light show every night after sunset.

The average price of a room at the MGM Grand Macau varies, depending on the type of room you book. Grand Rooms include a separate bathtub and shower and city views; during the off-season, they generally range between $HK1,688 and $HK1,988 a night ($US217 to $US256). For $HK1,888 to $HK2,288 ($US256 to $US294), you can the same-sized room and amenities, but with an ocean view. Studios are bigger, with ocean or city views, and go for $HK2,088 to $HK2,488 ($US268 to $US320). Suites are more than twice the size of the studios, and even have their own lobby, elevators and kitchenette for $HK3,588 to $HK3,988 ($US461 to $US513). The deluxe versions are larger, with two bedrooms, for $HK4,888 to $HK,188 ($US628 to $US667).

If you cancel your reservation at the MGM Grand Macau by 6 p.m. two days prior to the date of your scheduled arrival, you will not have to pay a penalty fee. Cancel after that time, or fail to show up, and you will be charged the price of one night’s stay at the room type you have reserved, plus tax and service fees. However, if you scrap your plans to stay at the Four-Star hotel, you’ll miss out on some luxe perks like the Six Senses Spa, which houses Macau’s only flotation salt pool. The MGM Grand Macau is also connected to the One Central Mall, a 200,000-square-foot complex that hosts luxury retailers like Burberry, Dior and Louis Vuitton.

You’ll find an array of restaurants at the MGM Grand Macau — serving up everything from fine French cuisine to authentic Cantonese dishes. Aux Beaux Arts evokes a 1930s French brasserie under the hand of chef Elie Khalife, who cooked fine cuisine in Parisian kitchens for a decade and trained under famed chef Alain Ducasse. Rossio is structured around an open kitchen, and offers Korean, Malaysian and Italian dishes for its breakfast, lunch and dinner buffets. It also hosts daily tea sessions and Sunday brunch. Imperial Court offers modern takes on Cantonese dishes daily for lunch and dinner. The Grand Imperial Court is another Cantonese restaurant offered exclusively for VIP guests, with an adjacent noodle house that’s open 24 hours a day. Square 8 is also open 24 hours a day, serving Thai, Japanese, Chinese and Indonesian cuisine; it also features a buffet for Golden Lion’s Club members, accessible daily from 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. The MGM Patisserie will tempt you with pastries and sweets, in addition to light lunches and afternoon tea.

There are a few bars at the MGM Grand Macau to whet your whistle. The Russian Room serves vodkas and fine caviars in a classic and luxurious setting. You’ll find a rowdier crowd at the Lion’s Bar, where you can sip on a cocktail while you listen to live music. This hotspot features a house band that specializes in everything from top 40 covers to funk and R&B, and on some nights, you can watch the bar’s DJ spin some tunes. Go to Aba Bar for a small selection of tapas and a vast selection of wines and champagnes. And the outdoor Pool Bar — open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. every day except in the winter — offers tropical drinks, cocktails and splendid views of the South China Sea.