Keep adults and kids entertained with an unforgettable family-friendly trip to Macau!
Pre-kids your trips to Macau were probably an entirely different affair. But don’t mourn for crazy getaways of the past, you can still thoroughly enjoy what the city has to offer – with the children in tow. We’ve highlighted the hotels and complexes which make for a super easy break, with multiple kid-friendly amenities, pools and room packages perfect for families. It’s time to start planning your next getaway.
Read more: Your Family-Friendly Guide To Taipa Village In Macau
Editor’s note: This post was originally written by Connie Cai on 20, June 2018 and updated by Jess Mizzi on 28, March 2019.
The Mandarin Oriental in Macau is an ideal family destination when you need to get away from it all. The hotel loves its younger guests or “fans” as it calls them. Cots and rollaway beds are provided at no extra cost. There are even special welcome packs and toiletries for kids (as well as sweet treats). Make sure you tell them in advance the ages of your little ones so they can prepare some extras in the rooms – including colouring books and DVDS if required.
The Mandarin Oriental’s restaurants also have special children’s menus on request, although we suggest taking advantage of the babysitting services on offer and having a date night at the impressive Vida Rica restaurant and after-dinner drinks at the Vida Rica bar. Just make sure you mamas find the time to book in a blissful spa treatment at some point too!
Mandarin Oriental, Macau, N.945, Avenida Dr. Sun Yat Sen, Macau, China, +853 8805 8888, [email protected], www.mandarinoriental.com/macau
The Sheraton Grand Macao (housed in Sands Cotai Central) goes the extra mile for its youngest VIPs. Be sure to book the family suite where you’ll find extra special touches, such as a children’s craft table and kid-sized bathrobes and slippers (we’re already imagining some adorable family photoshoots in matching robes!).
The Sheraton also offers babysitting services for ages 3 and above and is fully equipped for families, with cribs, strollers and baby chairs on hand. If you’re in town on a Saturday or Sunday evening, reserve a beanbag and chow down on popcorn at the poolside restaurant Sala, where movies suitable for the whole fam are screened.
Sheraton Grand Macao Hotel, Sands Cotai Central, Estrada do Istmo, Macau, +853 2800 2000, www.sheratongrandmacao.com
The JW Marriott Macau is part of the epic Galaxy Macau complex. The highlight here is definitely its Kids’ Club (the biggest JW Kids’ Club in the world)! With over 800 square metres to explore, your little ones will never get bored. There’s soft play, a ball pit, bouncy castle, swings, arts and crafts. With so many interactive games and activities, the kids will be educated as well as entertained. When it’s time to head back outdoors it also has a dedicated kids’ pool, as well as access to the Galaxy’s Grand Resort Deck.
JW Marriott Macau, Estrada de Baia da Nossa Senhora da Esperanca, Galaxy Macau, Cotai, Macau,+853 8886 6888, www.galaxymacau.com
At the very heart of Macau, The Parisian offers all the feeling and glamour of the City of Love, complete with its own (miniature) Eiffel Tower! This hotel encourages families to book its Famille Room, which comes complete with bunk beds and kid-sized furniture and is decked out in a unique French style. Of course, you have to make an obligatory stop to see the Eiffel Tower (free for hotel guests until 30 June, 2019), but there’s plenty more to keep the family busy.
Parents will love relaxing in the cabanas by the pool, while the children burn off energy exploring the pirate ship that takes centre stage at Aqua World. When you are ready to head indoors, your next stop should be Qube Kingdom, a 20,000 square foot adventure zone for kids of all ages!
The Parisian Macau, Cotai Strip, Estrada do Istmo, Macau, +853 2882 8833, www.parisianmacao.com
It’s all about location, location, location with the Grand Coloane Resort. Macau’s only beachfront resort is just 10 minutes away from the action on the Cotai Strip. Escape the hustle and bustle of Hong Kong, relax on the beach or by the pool and then stroll down to grab an authentic Portuguese meal at family favourite Fernando’s.
Craving some adults-only time? Send your little ones off to the hotel’s Kids Club! There are half and full-day programmes for those aged 4 to 12, featuring games, sports, treasure hunts, arts and crafts (plenty to keep them occupied). As an added bonus, free breakfast is included with the room rate for kids aged 0 to 18. For lunch and dinner, kids aged 0 to 5 eat for free and children aged 6 to 18 can enjoy a 50% dining discount!
Grand Coloane Resort, 1918 Estrada de Hac Sa, Coloane, Macau, +853 2887 1111, [email protected], www.grandcoloane.com
The sprawling Galaxy complex is made up of the Ritz-Carlton, Banyan Tree, JW Marriott (as previously mentioned), Hotel Okura, Galaxy Hotel and Broadway Hotel. It may seem overwhelmingly huge, but families should make a beeline for its Grand Resort Deck! Boasting a white sand beach, waterslides, the Skytop Wave Pool and the world’s longest Skytop Aquatic Adventure River Ride (at 575 metres long), it’s sure to be a hit with all ages.
Younger kids will love splashing around in the dedicated aquatic play zone. When you need to slow the pace, go for a stroll around the tranquil Skytop Garden. All the hotels in the Galaxy complex offer free entry to the Grand Resort Deck.
Galaxy Macau, Cotai, Macau, +853 2888 0888, www.galaxymacau.com
There are four hotels housed in the City of Dreams: Nüwa, The Countdown, Grand Hyatt Macau and the Morpheus (which opened in June 2018 and was designed by the late, great, Dame Zaha Hadid). But the real reason to stay in this complex with little ones is to take them to Kids’ City! For children aged 17 and under, the fun is spread out across four zones: Dream, Excite, Create and Explore. You can expect giant futuristic slides and epic climbing structures for the more adventurous.
Those who are a little less rambunctious will love trying out the DIY workshops and VR experiences. Parents will enjoy the natural light flowing in, and the fact that you can control arcade spending with a barcode bracelet! If you’re wanting to take in a show then be sure to check out the water-themed extravaganza that is The House of Dancing Water, an epic love story brought to life with breath-taking dancing and aquatic stunts.
City of Dreams Macau, Estrada do Istmo, Cotai, Macau, +853 8868 6688, www.cityofdreamsmacau.com
The Sands Cotai Central is huge and has great entertainment options for kids of all ages. To be close to all the action, stay at one of its four hotels: the Conrad, Holiday Inn, St Regis, or the previously mentioned family-favourite Sheraton Grand.
Thomas and The Little Big Club All Stars is sure to be a hit with toddlers and younger kids. Catch the All Stars parade at 1:30pm daily through the Shoppes at Cotai Central and follow it up with a visit to the Thomas Friendship Party in the afternoon. Expect games, themed activities and snacks from the All Stars team.
Need to give your little kids more freedom to explore? They will love Qube 2, an open plan interactive adventure. There is a role-play village, ball cannon challenge, climbing frames and even an exclusive toddler zone for tiny tots to explore safely. Travelling with teens? Check out Planet J, the world’s first live-action role-playing theme park. It combines video-games and virtual reality, so adventurers can participate in magical challenges and quests (mamas and papas might even like it too)!
Sands Cotai Central, Cotai Strip, Macau, +853 8118 3643, www.sandscotaicentral.com
Featured image courtesy of Getty, image 1 courtesy of Sheraton Grand Macao, image 2 courtesy of JW Marriott Macau, image 3 courtesy of The Parisian Macau, image 4 courtesy of Grand Coloane Resort, image 5 courtesy of Galaxy Macau, image 6 courtesy of City of Dreams, image 7 courtesy of Sands Cotai Central,
