Do you dream of traveling to Venice and walk along alleys that are bursting with distinct European culture?  If your answer is yes then we have something in common.  Venice is part of my bucket list that seem to grow longer and longer each day with every travel article that I read and with every traveler I meet.

At this point when travelers would usually work within a certain budget, not everyone can afford to just buy plane tickets to romantic Italy.  It is for this reason why people, most especially Asian travelers, would try and have a taste of Venice closer to home.  In Asia, Venice is actually not that far to imagine most especially if you go to the highly famous and extravagant Venetian Macau Resort Hotel.

It is easy to get to The Venetian Macao Resort Hotel.  The most common and the fastest would be via the Macao International Airport.  Guests who will arrive at the airport can board any of the free Venetian shuttle buses that depart at an interval of about fifteen minutes from 11:00 am to 9:00 pm daily.  The hotel is only five minutes away from the airport.

Those who are arriving at the Hong Kong International Airport can take advantage of the Express Link system wherein for a minimal fee, they need not go through Hong Kong Immigration anymore.  They will be escorted to the ferry company of their choice like Turbo Jet or the New World First Ferry.  Visitors will enter Macau through the Macau Ferry Terminal and have the option of hailing a taxi cab or riding in the complimentary Venetian service buses.  Travel time from the Macau Ferry Terminal to the hotel will last from twenty to thirty minutes.  Another ferry is the CotaiJet which travels from Sheung Wan in Hong Kong to Macau’s Taipa Ferry Terminal.  From the Taipa Ferry Terminal, the hotel is only five minutes way onboard the free Venetian buses.

This luxurious hotel boasts of first class facilities and excellent service.  Rates are categorized as a lot more expensive than the other hotels that you will find in Macau.  The place is so huge that it is quite impossible to explore the entire area in one day. Guests who are staying in any of its elegant suites will surely be receiving service de luxe from the lovely bathroom to the living area that has two television sets.  Beds spell comfort and are dressed with the finest sheets.  Depending on the season, a room would cost around HK $ 1, 600 for a single night’s stay and this rate does not even include breakfast.  There are also room rates that are packed with show tickets to ZAiA™.

ZAiA™ is yet another reason why so many people head to The Venetian.  ZAiA™, a Greek word which means “life,” is a 90-minute grand production that is composed of about 75 highly talented performers from all over the world.  These artists star in this program that is about how a little girl pursues her dream and discovers herself in the process.  Along the way, she comes face to face with the realization of how wonderful humanity is and she decides to absorb all learnings to share with the people on earth.  Spectators are left in awe while watching stunning acrobatic and dance performances.  Tickets are sold for as much as MOP$ 788 for adults and MOP$ 394 for children.

Aside from this great show, visitors can also spend time scouring The Grand Canal Shoppes.  The hotel shops carry more than 300 international brand names that sell the hippest clothes, shoes, accessories, and even delicate jewelry.  There are also a wide variety of cuisines to try at the food court area.  Health buffs can enjoy the different body toning machines at the V Gym and can rejuvenate their senses at the V Spa.  But a crowd favorite would have to be the vibrant Streetmosphere™ performers who delight all hotel guests.

One of the highlights of your visit to The Venetian Macao Resort Hotel would be the Gondola Rides.  The indoor artificial sky that one would see on the way leading to the Grand Canal would surely take anyone’s breath away.  The Grand Canal is surprisingly located at the third floor.  From here, one will be warmly greeted by the handsome gondoliers’ melodic serenade which reverberates in the entire plaza.  The romantic tunes will seem magical to the passengers of the intricately designed gondolas as they drift along the Grand Canal.  Those who are interested to try this for themselves would just have to visit The Venetian Macau Resort Hotel from 10:00 am to 11:00 pm (Sundays to Thursdays) or from 10:00 am to 12:00 midnight (Fridays and Saturdays).  Tickets can be bought from the Emporio di Gondola or at the Boutique di Gondola at MOP 108 per ride for adults and a discounted rate of MOP 80 per ride for children.

This resort – hotel is also a favorite venue of local and international groups or solo performers.  Here’s a short list of the Calendar of Activities until April 2009:

20 March 2009    Journey
10 April 2009       John Legend in Concert
11 April 2009       Jenny Tseng Live in Macao 2009
12 April 2009       Tata Young in Concert

My personal experience of The Venetian Macao Resort Hotel is truly a memorable one.  Even if The Venetian Macao is also a casino, I was able to prove my point that we did not have to gamble to have a marvelous experience.  All you have to do is open your eyes to the endless possibilities of how you can have an immensely enjoyable time.

In case you are wondering if we tried the gondola ride at The Venetian Macau.  Well, we didn’t.  My partner and I are still saving our gondola experience when we embark on our own European adventure *fingers crossed*

Posted in Attractions, Macau

This entry was posted on Sunday, March 22nd, 2009 at 1:20 am and is filed under Attractions, Macau. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.