Sheraton Grand Macao Hotel, Cotai Central
EDIT 22.12.16: Congratulations Elizabeth De Cruz! You have won your family a night's stay at Sheraton Grand Macao Hotel!
Media Invite
[Downloads: May's Suggested Itinerary for Macau]
[Read Meyer's TripAdvisor Review]
[Follow our Macau for Kids post]
Media Invite
[Downloads: May's Suggested Itinerary for Macau]
[Read Meyer's TripAdvisor Review]
[Follow our Macau for Kids post]
I call it the DreamWorks Hotel! Staying in Sheraton Grand Macao is a family adventure in itself with a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to dine with the characters from blockbuster animations Kung Fu Panda, Madagascar, Shrek and How to Train a Dragon over breakfast, a fully-themed Kung Fu Panda Academy for a Kids Club, free DreamWorks Characters Meet-And-Greet sessions [every single day] and DreamWorks kids bedrooms to further wow their little guests.
They've got everything covered under one roof to delight weary parents with all the entertainment there is to offer for their children! Whether or not the weather is too cold on the outside, we got to enjoy packs of fun in the comfort of our hotel.
And hear this! Sheraton Grand Macao is connected indoors to:
- Holiday Inn Hotel
- Conrad Hotel
- St Regis Hotel
- Shoppes at Sands Cotai Cental
- Parisian Macao
- Four Seasons Hotel
- The Venetian
Seriously, the weather outside bears no effect if you are residing in any of these hotels. You may ask, "So... what's the point to being connected to hotels? A holiday isn't about hotel-hopping right?" But what you do not know yet is that these hotels own their own shopping arcade, entertainment centres, casinos and Kids Clubs! Follow Macau for Kids on the Top 15 Things To Do in Macau for Families.
As a mom who travels to bring home memorable experiences on the kids level, I dare say Sheraton Grand Macao has the best provision for families in terms of activities and bedrooms. It isn't exactly the ultimate destination in Macau because well, there are many luxury hotels along Cotai Strip and if it was a couple retreat, I would have chosen a ritzy kind of accommodation with zero kids entertainment within.
ROOM
We were invited to experience the hotel's Family Suite featuring a master bedroom for the parents and a separate DreamWorks-themed children's room fitted out with a bright and colourful bunk bed, pint-sized dresser and craft table and [a big AND] XBOX One where we played family games on lazy days! I especially appreciated the bathroom amenities provision of kiddy-sized bathrobes and slippers, toothbrushes, step stool for the sink, toddler toilet seat and stroller. None of the kids wanted to sleep with us in our bedroom! Score!
It spans across 83 square meters with a door to separate parents and children for when privacy is needed. The floor area is a gift. The design of Sheraton Grand's rooms is modern with a touch of Art Deco glamour in its bathrooms.
When I asked Ewan what was his favourite segment from our holiday, he thought long and hard with a reply that astonished me, "My hotel room." It was such a fun area that even Faye was wailing really hard when we reached home in Singapore, "I don't want to go home! I want hotel!" No Kidding!
TIP: Request for Sky Tower Family Suites with odd-numbered rooms [there are two towers in the hotel] if you want a view like ours. We got to indulge in all the glitz projected from Parisian Macao and Studio City. The kids' room in Family Suite 1919 where we stayed is larger than the one in 1915 *winks*
HANDY PHONE
What's a handy? Well, it seems like a very common gadget in Hong Kong and I was so glad it spilled over to Macau.
It is a mobile phone device which you can take along on your holiday within Macau, loaded with unlimited data you can hotspot on. To top that up, voice minutes are complimentary as well when you make calls within Macau, China and Hong Kong!
There is absolutely no need to purchase data for your mobile phone because as you walk from one integerated resort to the next, you are fully connected from their free wifi. When you are out to Macau City, that's when Sheraton Grand's handy mobile comes to good use. The wifi hotspot was strong and it helped a lot as a city guide to where we can head into during the trip as well.
LOBBY
We were greeted by Po striking a Kung Fu pose as soon as we walked into the Lobby on the day or arrival. Everyone knows just how much Ewan is into Kung Fu and the first thing the grandparents exclaimed was, "Look! Ewan! Kung Fu Panda!" All eyes lit up and our son ran to Po with pride, mimicking his stance with whatever skills he had acquired from Wu Shu class.
There are two entrances to Sheraton Grand Macao with three check-in reception areas. It may sound confusing but thankfully, checking in was a breeze with a ground staff at the main reception being very attentive at her job. I was holding a Starwood Preferred Guest [SPG] member card together with my passports and made my way into the main reception. She immediately whisked us over to a private SPG lobby where we were assisted to with our reservations.
While we sorted out the four rooms we've booked, I found my son sitting in front of a Kung Fu Panda Check-In Counter admiring the pictures. Even though we were staying in a massive casino hotel like Sheraton Grand Macao, there was still a personable touch to the service that were rendered to us. That is quite hard to achieve and only made possible with passionate well-trained staff.
TRANSFER
I read that there is free shuttle service from the airport to Sheraton Grand Macao Hotel. Why not? It is a mere 10 minutes ride as stated in their website and I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw the prominent "S" for Sheraton logo from my window as the plane touched down on the runway! Cotai Strip is so close to the airport! What convenience!
So was it really convenient this complimentary airport transfer? I think it would be better if the bus station was just a quick turn from the exit. We did not have to walk very far but it was not exactly a pleasant walk on the road with traffic barricades pathing our "walkway".
Upon arrival at the shuttle bus bay, there were no clear signs to which bus we should take to arrive safely at the hotel. Every single hotel in Macau has a shuttle bus service! I went to enquire bus by bus but the boorish mannerism of the drivers were not welcomed. I was appalled by the quality of service standards these drivers projected. After all, they do represent the hotels right?
So. To make sure you do not board the wrong bus which we sort of did, here is a picture! It is lime green with the name COTAI CENTRAL printed on it.
We took the taxi back to the airport on our final day just for the convenience of stopping at the doorstep of the airport as opposed to taking that walk from the bus bay.
DREAMWORKS EXPERIENCE
[Read More at Macau for Kids]
KIDS SALON
Located in the hotel, Shine Spa provides hair services for children! It is a DreamWorks hotel like I mentioned so how can it not be themed with DreamWorks?
On weekdays, hair cuts are priced at MOP180 [SGD33] and MOP190 [SGD35] on weekends.
DINING
As a SPG member, there is now a SPG® Kids Pass program where children can enjoy free dining int he hotel. For a daily flat rate of MOP/HKD 200, children aged 6-12 can enjoy FREE access to XIN lunch and dinner buffet [Chinese Menu] and FEAST breakfast, lunch and dinner buffet [International Menu] plus BENE kids menu too [Italian Menu]!
Children aged 0-5 are entitled to Xin, Feast and Bene for FREE! Each child must be accompanied by 1 full fare adult to Xin, Feast or Bene and is only available to in-house guests of Sheraton Grand Macao Hotel, Cotai Central.
With 4001 guest rooms, you cannot imagine how packed Feast restaurant is for breakfast. We arrived early for breakfast at 0800 hours on the first morning and was treated to a very comfortable crowd. On the last morning of our stay, we slept in late and went down at about 1000 hours. The queue was so long to get a seat, we ended up having MacDonald's instead! [The hotel is connected in a shopping mall so food is readily available anytime. There's even a Kou Fu food court in our premise!]
A FAREWELL GIFT
It was a big family trip involving the children's maternal and paternal grandparents. Upon arrival, we were invited to take a family photo in the lobby which later came in a beautiful frame from the hotel. This photograph meant a lot to our sentimental son, Ewan, who insisted on hand-carrying it all the way back to Singapore. His words, "It has all my favourite people in it. I like it a lot."
Thank you Sheraton Grand Macao! It now sits in his room at home in Singapore.
ROOM PROMOTIONS
Click Package to Book.
They've got everything covered under one roof to delight weary parents with all the entertainment there is to offer for their children! Whether or not the weather is too cold on the outside, we got to enjoy packs of fun in the comfort of our hotel.
And hear this! Sheraton Grand Macao is connected indoors to:
- Holiday Inn Hotel
- Conrad Hotel
- St Regis Hotel
- Shoppes at Sands Cotai Cental
- Parisian Macao
- Four Seasons Hotel
- The Venetian
Seriously, the weather outside bears no effect if you are residing in any of these hotels. You may ask, "So... what's the point to being connected to hotels? A holiday isn't about hotel-hopping right?" But what you do not know yet is that these hotels own their own shopping arcade, entertainment centres, casinos and Kids Clubs! Follow Macau for Kids on the Top 15 Things To Do in Macau for Families.
As a mom who travels to bring home memorable experiences on the kids level, I dare say Sheraton Grand Macao has the best provision for families in terms of activities and bedrooms. It isn't exactly the ultimate destination in Macau because well, there are many luxury hotels along Cotai Strip and if it was a couple retreat, I would have chosen a ritzy kind of accommodation with zero kids entertainment within.
ROOM
We were invited to experience the hotel's Family Suite featuring a master bedroom for the parents and a separate DreamWorks-themed children's room fitted out with a bright and colourful bunk bed, pint-sized dresser and craft table and [a big AND] XBOX One where we played family games on lazy days! I especially appreciated the bathroom amenities provision of kiddy-sized bathrobes and slippers, toothbrushes, step stool for the sink, toddler toilet seat and stroller. None of the kids wanted to sleep with us in our bedroom! Score!
It spans across 83 square meters with a door to separate parents and children for when privacy is needed. The floor area is a gift. The design of Sheraton Grand's rooms is modern with a touch of Art Deco glamour in its bathrooms.
When I asked Ewan what was his favourite segment from our holiday, he thought long and hard with a reply that astonished me, "My hotel room." It was such a fun area that even Faye was wailing really hard when we reached home in Singapore, "I don't want to go home! I want hotel!" No Kidding!
TIP: Request for Sky Tower Family Suites with odd-numbered rooms [there are two towers in the hotel] if you want a view like ours. We got to indulge in all the glitz projected from Parisian Macao and Studio City. The kids' room in Family Suite 1919 where we stayed is larger than the one in 1915 *winks*
HANDY PHONE
What's a handy? Well, it seems like a very common gadget in Hong Kong and I was so glad it spilled over to Macau.
It is a mobile phone device which you can take along on your holiday within Macau, loaded with unlimited data you can hotspot on. To top that up, voice minutes are complimentary as well when you make calls within Macau, China and Hong Kong!
There is absolutely no need to purchase data for your mobile phone because as you walk from one integerated resort to the next, you are fully connected from their free wifi. When you are out to Macau City, that's when Sheraton Grand's handy mobile comes to good use. The wifi hotspot was strong and it helped a lot as a city guide to where we can head into during the trip as well.
LOBBY
We were greeted by Po striking a Kung Fu pose as soon as we walked into the Lobby on the day or arrival. Everyone knows just how much Ewan is into Kung Fu and the first thing the grandparents exclaimed was, "Look! Ewan! Kung Fu Panda!" All eyes lit up and our son ran to Po with pride, mimicking his stance with whatever skills he had acquired from Wu Shu class.
There are two entrances to Sheraton Grand Macao with three check-in reception areas. It may sound confusing but thankfully, checking in was a breeze with a ground staff at the main reception being very attentive at her job. I was holding a Starwood Preferred Guest [SPG] member card together with my passports and made my way into the main reception. She immediately whisked us over to a private SPG lobby where we were assisted to with our reservations.
While we sorted out the four rooms we've booked, I found my son sitting in front of a Kung Fu Panda Check-In Counter admiring the pictures. Even though we were staying in a massive casino hotel like Sheraton Grand Macao, there was still a personable touch to the service that were rendered to us. That is quite hard to achieve and only made possible with passionate well-trained staff.
I read that there is free shuttle service from the airport to Sheraton Grand Macao Hotel. Why not? It is a mere 10 minutes ride as stated in their website and I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw the prominent "S" for Sheraton logo from my window as the plane touched down on the runway! Cotai Strip is so close to the airport! What convenience!
So was it really convenient this complimentary airport transfer? I think it would be better if the bus station was just a quick turn from the exit. We did not have to walk very far but it was not exactly a pleasant walk on the road with traffic barricades pathing our "walkway".
Upon arrival at the shuttle bus bay, there were no clear signs to which bus we should take to arrive safely at the hotel. Every single hotel in Macau has a shuttle bus service! I went to enquire bus by bus but the boorish mannerism of the drivers were not welcomed. I was appalled by the quality of service standards these drivers projected. After all, they do represent the hotels right?
So. To make sure you do not board the wrong bus which we sort of did, here is a picture! It is lime green with the name COTAI CENTRAL printed on it.
We took the taxi back to the airport on our final day just for the convenience of stopping at the doorstep of the airport as opposed to taking that walk from the bus bay.
DREAMWORKS EXPERIENCE
[Read More at Macau for Kids]
ONE: DREAMWORKS CHARACTER MEET AND GREET
Cost: Free
Time: Daily, 1200 to 1500 hours
Locate: Paradise Gardens, Level 1, Sands Cotai Central
[on the ground level of Sheraton Grand Macao where we stayed]
Oh the Paradise Gardens is such a beautiful place! It sits indoors, away from the heat and cold, with a center court filled with a beautiful flowers and a feature fountain to admire. In the four corners of this brightly-lit space, sit four colourful backdrops for photography opportunities with DreamWorks characters from Shrek, Madagascar, Kung Fu Panda and How to Train Your Dragon. Read More at Macau for Kids.
TWO: DREAMWORKS EXPERIENCE ALL STARS PARADE
Cost: Free
Time: Daily, 1600 to 1620 hours
Locate: Level 2, Shoppes at Sands Cotai Central
[on the second level of Sheraton Grand Macao where we stayed]
I heard so much about this parade and I had to make this happen for the children. Unfortunately, 1600 hours is still nap time! So I managed their naps by pushing it to 1630 hours. While they took only five minutes to fall asleep, waking up was very difficult. They refused their dinners and were so cranky the rest of the night. Point taken: they need their rest. Read More at Macau for Kids.
THREE: PO’S KUNG FU FEAST
Cost: MOP238 Adult | MOP138 Child | MOP688 Family Package [3 family members plus 1 child]
Time: 1000 to 1130 hours [Saturday - Monday] | 0900 to 1030 hours [Tuesday - Friday]
Locate: Level 4, Urumqi Ballroom, Sands Cotai Central
[on the fourth level of Sheraton Grand Macao where we stayed]
We were all very excited about this special breakfast with Po from Kung Fu Panda! Who wouldn't when your favourite cartoon character dines with you as you indulge in his famous home-made noodles? Not only was Po there, he brought along his friends from DreamWorks All-Stars! The array of food was truly a feast as its title suggested. There were themed dishes and desserts that took after Panda and Shrek which obviously was a hit amongst the kids. Read More at Macau for Kids.
FOUR: KUNG FU PANDA ACADEMY
Cost: MOP200 per Child [includes one accompanying adult] | MOP100 per additional adult
Time: 1130 to 1300 hours or 1400 to 1530 hours [Saturdays and Sundays Only]
Date: 5 September 2016 to 5 February 2017
Locate: Level 4, Tian Shan Ballroom, Sands Cotai Central
[on the fourth level of Sheraton Grand Macao where we stayed]
To Reserve: www.sheratongrandmacao.com/kfpa
This is a drop-off kids programme recommended for children aged 4 to 12 years old but knowing our four year old, that's not going to happen. Besides, we have Faye too and she definitely cannot be left alone. Nevertheless, it was fun for parents too! Since adults enter for free with one accompanying child, we joined them for 90 minutes of fun as well. To be honest, it wouldn't be as exciting for the children if daddy and mommy weren't there. Read More at Macau for Kids.
KIDS SALON
Located in the hotel, Shine Spa provides hair services for children! It is a DreamWorks hotel like I mentioned so how can it not be themed with DreamWorks?
On weekdays, hair cuts are priced at MOP180 [SGD33] and MOP190 [SGD35] on weekends.
DINING
As a SPG member, there is now a SPG® Kids Pass program where children can enjoy free dining int he hotel. For a daily flat rate of MOP/HKD 200, children aged 6-12 can enjoy FREE access to XIN lunch and dinner buffet [Chinese Menu] and FEAST breakfast, lunch and dinner buffet [International Menu] plus BENE kids menu too [Italian Menu]!
Children aged 0-5 are entitled to Xin, Feast and Bene for FREE! Each child must be accompanied by 1 full fare adult to Xin, Feast or Bene and is only available to in-house guests of Sheraton Grand Macao Hotel, Cotai Central.
With 4001 guest rooms, you cannot imagine how packed Feast restaurant is for breakfast. We arrived early for breakfast at 0800 hours on the first morning and was treated to a very comfortable crowd. On the last morning of our stay, we slept in late and went down at about 1000 hours. The queue was so long to get a seat, we ended up having MacDonald's instead! [The hotel is connected in a shopping mall so food is readily available anytime. There's even a Kou Fu food court in our premise!]
A FAREWELL GIFT
It was a big family trip involving the children's maternal and paternal grandparents. Upon arrival, we were invited to take a family photo in the lobby which later came in a beautiful frame from the hotel. This photograph meant a lot to our sentimental son, Ewan, who insisted on hand-carrying it all the way back to Singapore. His words, "It has all my favourite people in it. I like it a lot."
Thank you Sheraton Grand Macao! It now sits in his room at home in Singapore.
ROOM PROMOTIONS
Click Package to Book.
Our little Travel companions
December 2016 - Ewan at 4 years old and Faye at 2 years old
Click on our Travel tab to read all about our travel tips and tricks and Macau For Kids post.
... ... ...
For the giveaway, one lucky family will walk away with a One Night Stay at Sheraton Grand Macao Hotel in their Family Suite!
(valid for travels from January to June 2017, black-out dates inclusive)
- OPEN TO INTERNATIONAL READERS -
Steps to win the giveaway:
1) like A Million Little Echoes Facebook page
2) like Sheraton Grand Macao Hotel Facebook page
3) tag three friends on this Facebook post whom you think might love a trip to Macau
4) leave a blog comment on the Macau For Kids review and share which DreamWorks activities in Sheraton Grand Macao Hotel you'd like to bring your children to [please include your Facebook name and Instagram handle with the comment for tracking purposes]
To increase your chances, follow @mmlittlee and @sheratongrandmacao on Instagram!
Giveaway ends on 21 December 2016, 2359 hours and results will be announced the next day at A Million Little Echoes Facebook page.
A stay at home mum, blogging to widen her social life.
We want to echo the sound of love through our lives to inspire other mothers alike. |
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