Grand Lisboa Palace Resort Macau — Hotel in Cotai Landfill Zone

Had an excellent stay despite the slightly awkward check in experience:

We embarked on a thrilling three-night adventure at the Grand Lisboa Palace (Nov 28-Dec 1), armed with high hopes and an Agoda reservation promising breakfast delights at the Grand Buffet. Eager to bask in the glory of one of Cotai strip's newest resorts, we envisioned the Lisboa Palace Hotel, the Palazzo Versace Macau, and the Karl Lagerfeld Hotel forming the backdrop to our extravagant stay, fueled by rave reviews across every social media platform.

As we stepped into the hotel, excitement in the air, the concierge swooped in to liberate us from our burdensome luggage, promising a hands-free tour of the lobby's architectural wonders. Two thumbs up for the pre-check-in pampering!

Now, let's dive into the check-in saga – a tale of weirdness and awkwardness, starring our protagonist, Benjamin (or so we think):

i) Picture this: handing over our passports, and Benjamin, with a puzzled expression, hits us with the classic, "How can I help?" Umm, excuse us, sir, but isn't it evident? We're here to check in, not audition for a game show. Weird greeting, Benjamin, weird.

ii) Then came the demand for our Agoda voucher, a first in our extensive Agoda-booking history. Show us the money, or in this case, the voucher. Unprofessional vibes started creeping in.

iii) The great name mix-up saga – Benjamin claimed Agoda played a little Scrabble with our names. Despite his valiant efforts, the TV in our room still thought we were someone else. Bravo, Benjamin, you truly are a name juggler.

iv) The credit card dance ensued. Benjamin asked if we'd be availing any hotel services, throwing us into confusion. Why, you ask? Because as benevolent payers of the full reservation, he kindly waived the deposit, except if we planned to use any hotel service – then, it's credit card or MOP cash, please. A twist we hadn't encountered before in our hotel check-in chronicles.

v) Our fellow travellers/friends, on a quest for a room close to ours, approached Benjamin with this request. Surprise, surprise – an upgrade was on the table, but Benjamin assumed we were content with our kingly choice. Note to Benjamin: It wouldn't hurt to ask. Cue mixed emotions – happy for our friends' upgrade but left wondering about our own unexplored upgrade potential.

Despite the slightly questionable check-in performance, our room, with its slightly obstructed view, became our haven for three nights. The housekeepers and the entire hotel staff, from spa receptionists to restaurant waitstaff, transformed our stay into a whimsical escapade. Shuttle services navigated us through Macau effortlessly, and the 30-minute walk to the Venetian became a highlight (kudos to the Lisboa Palace staff for the detailed walking guide). Minor check-in hiccup aside, we revelled in our experience and wholeheartedly recommend this gem to...

Macau Attractions Beyond Gaming/Gambling: ★★★☆☆

Macau offers more than just casinos and gambling. It has delicious Portuguese cuisine, fresh seafood, and a rich historical legacy with landmarks like A-Ma Temple and the Ruins of St. Paul's. Adventure activities include the world's tallest bungee jump, Airborne, Zipline City, etc.

The Grand Lisboa Palace Resort: ★★★☆☆

This new, technologically advanced hotel is situated on Taipa Island, near the airport. Rooms have secure digital key access, and many guests can see the airport from their windows. However, the hotel's isolated location means limited food options in the immediate vicinity. Guests must travel to old-town Macau for more dining choices, which can be inconvenient. The hotel also has centralised air conditioning and sealed windows, limiting fresh air access.

The Garden: ★★★★☆

The garden in the middle of the resort is a tranquil, lush green oasis with various flower beds, decorative elements, and photo-worthy spots, deserving a 4.5-star rating.

Breakfast Buffet: ★★★☆☆

The breakfast hall has a wide variety of items like pickles, breads, noodles, coffee and tea. However, the hotel does not offer halal-friendly breakfast options.

Overall, the Grand Lisboa Palace Hotel provides a modern, high-tech stay, but its remote location and lack of dining and halal-friendly options are drawbacks for some travellers to Macau.

Overall Rating:

Macau Attractions Beyond Gambling: ★★★☆☆

Macau offers more than just casinos and gambling. It has delicious Portuguese cuisine, fresh seafood, and a rich historical legacy with landmarks like A-Ma Temple and the Ruins of St. Paul's. There are also adventure activities like the world's tallest bungee jump.

The Grand Lisboa Palace Resort: ★★★☆☆

This new, technologically advanced hotel is situated on Taipa Island, near the airport. Rooms have secure digital key access, and many guests can see the airport from their windows. However, the hotel's isolated location means limited food options in the immediate vicinity. Guests must travel to old-town Macau for more dining choices, which can be inconvenient. The hotel also has centralised air conditioning and sealed windows, limiting fresh air access.

The Garden: ★★★★☆

The garden in the middle of the resort is a tranquil, lush green oasis with various flower beds, decorative elements, and photo-worthy spots, deserving a 4.5-star rating.

Breakfast Buffet: ★★★☆☆

The breakfast hall has a wide variety of items like pickles, breads, noodles, coffee and tea. However, the hotel does not offer halal-friendly breakfast options.

Overall, the Grand Lisboa Palace Hotel provides a modern, high-tech stay, but its remote location and lack of dining and halal-friendly options are drawbacks for some travellers to Macau.

Overall...

I am currently traveling with my family in Hong Kong and Macau to celebrate my birthday. I made the reservation through Booking.com, which I don’t frequently use, and discovered during check-in at the hotel in Hong Kong that my name was incorrectly translated due to it being in Korean on the website. However, in Hong Kong, they checked the reservation confirmation and allowed us to check in without any issues. I used to work at a hotel, and I know that even if there is a discrepancy between the passport name and the reservation name, check-in can proceed after verifying the reservation details.||Just to be sure, I sent my passport name to the hotel in advance through a message on Booking.com. Instead of simply advising me to change the name via Booking.com, the hotel should have added my passport name in the ACC or Trace fields to facilitate a smoother check-in.Staff knows ,It is hard to contact booking.com customer service. At check-in, I was informed that I could not check in because my passport name did not match the reservation name. The staff, unfamiliar with Korean, insisted they couldn’t confirm if “Cho HyunA” and “Jo HyeonA” referred to the same person, despite the identical pronunciation. I firmly asked them to verify my reservation number to confirm it was indeed my booking, as the name was the same. However, they cited hotel policy, refusing check-in and advising me once again to change the name through Booking.com.||Is this the hospitality standard at the Lisboa Palace Hotel? My experience in Macau got off to a disappointing start. While one room was available for early check-in at 1:30 PM, I was told that the other room wouldn’t be ready until 3:30 PM, so I had to return after going out and still wait another 15 minutes at the front desk. ||Actually I asked the concierge for my room number before going to front desk, but without even checking, she immediately directed me to the front desk. Simply verifying my key could have confirmed it right away. Even if there wasn’t a machine at the concierge desk, she could have checked from an available computer at the front desk. Seeing staff who don’t hesitate to make guests wait because it’s “not their responsibility” really reflects the level of hospitality at the hotel. ||Overly strict and unnecessary rules exhaust both staff and guests. No matter how excellent the hotel facilities may be, if the staff’s service prioritizes hotel policies over guest care, it turns the experience into one of the worst. I hope the hotel takes this into...