Four Seasons Hotel – Macau, Cotai Strip

Issue 22 – January / February 2009

The first internationally branded hotel to open on the Cotai Strip is a modestly-sized oasis from the frenzied casinos, with architecture by Steelman Partners and interior design by hospitality consultants HBA / Hirsch Bedner Associates.

Almost a year to the day after The Venetian Macau, a 3000-suite casino-hotel opened its doors, Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts present its latest offering. The 360-guestroom property is a mere fraction of the many mega-resorts planned for the Cotai Strip, however its design ensures it won’t be dwarfed by these giants.

Four Seasons has entered the market in Macau as a relatively small hotel in comparison to the vast integrated casino-hotels set to become rife should the halted construction work resume. Four Seasons seldom manage huge hotels, instead opting for projects in which they can maximise the skills of the designer and give guests their utmost attention. 

Architects Steelman Partners, fronted by Paul Steelman, have created a lifestyle and entertainment haven replete with a twenty-storey hotel and The Shoppes at Four Seasons, a luxury shopping mall, seamlessly interconnected to The Grand Canal Shoppes of The Venetian Macau. The hotel itself features a range of F&B outlets, a generous fitness centre and yoga studio, spa, and five outdoor pools, one of which is surrounded by private cabanas decked out with luxury lounge beds and LCD TVs.

The interior design of Four Seasons, the handiwork of HBA / Hirsch Bedner Associates, is a fusion of Portuguese and Chinese influences capturing the ancient Macanese culture. From the moment guests arrive in the courtyard, the hotel exudes the charm of colonial Macau through its nostalgic architecture. European and Chinese design motifs are combined as classical-meets-contemporary through the elegant finishes. Chinoiserie, hand painted silks, carved wood and stone, and handmade tiles feature from the entrance through to the main lobbies and lounges.

“No other hotel encapsulates the Macanese culture like the Four Seasons,” say Paulo Dias and Tracie Co, lead designers from HBA / Hirsch Bedner Associates’ Hong Kong office. “This design and style is being done for the first time to show off the rich culture and history of Macau.”

Contemporary design mixes with Oriental accents, vibrant colours, lush brocades and jewel tones, reminiscent of the days when the city was a major trading centre for Chinese silks and ceramics between China, Japan, India and Europe.

The designers have taken a residential approach in the interiors, influenced by an old Colonial Portuguese house with columns and draped windows. The lobby is designed to function like the living room complete with a fireplace, lanterns, ceiling fans and bamboo floor. The Chinese lacquer screens date back to the 18th century and demonstrate China’s influence on trade and design. The team spent considerable time researching the Macanese culture and architectural influences as well combing through local markets and antique shops. One of their finds was a Bamboo Chinese 19th Century console, which features prominently in the public space corridor.

As a colourful and visual contrast to the neutral palette and white limestone walls in the lobby, decorative art pieces include a framed 17th Century Portuguese textile with original embroidery, and several Coromandel screens designed in China for the European market. The back wall of the reception desk is framed by a replica of 18th century tiles, traditionally blue and white, complete with motifs that date back to the trends of that period.

A Portuguese-inspired carpet serves as a focal point in the large rotunda, which is framed by two grand staircases that meet in the centre of the lobby and lead to the second level ballroom and MICE space covering over 2,500m².

The hotel features a variety of dining options from cocktails in the Windows Restaurant to fine cigars, wines and spirits in the Bar Azul with its lacquered blue walls, blue velvet drapes and iridescent abalone shell cladding. Glass columns with custom Chinese cloud patterns and black and gold chinoiserie wallcoverings create a dramatic look in Zi Yat Heen, the fine dining Chinese and Dim Sum restaurant.

The 360 guestrooms comprise eight classes, of which 84 are suites. Starting from 46m², all rooms are generously proportioned and feature large marble bathrooms with separate rain shower and deep soaking tub. The guestrooms reflect a neo-classical elegance incorporating Oriental accents and are intended to be a retreat from the bustling action going on at the nearby casinos and convention centre. Located on the 18th and 19th floors is the three-bedroom Presidential Suite boasting 314m² of space. The suite features a grand foyer, expansive living room, lounge area, formal dining room, and pantry.

The mix of historic furniture, art, Chinese decorative textiles, and European grandeur throughout the property evokes a subtle but classic sense of place. General Manager Antoine Chahwan, now in his 18th year with Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts explains that all hotels in the portfolio have the same high standard of construction and adds: “Each one has its own character and its own feel. In this hotel it is very much a combination of both the Portuguese and European architecture, beautifully married with Asian furnishings and accents. The two come together very well giving a sense of place, and that’s what Macau is, a true melting pot of nationalities.”

The threat of competition, if and when the 20,000 rooms on the Cotai Strip are complete, doesn’t concern Chahwan. Speaking in October, he said: “All the hotels on the Cotai Strip will be interconnected and will complement one another. They’re all very different and Cotai on its own will become a destination with a variety of restaurants, shows and other attractions. We’re very excited to be part of it.”

Here’s hoping that Las Vegas Sands Corporation, the gaming and resort development company behind the Cotai Strip, finds the funding it needs to fulfil this vision.

WORDS: Catherine Martin

PHOTOGRAPHY: Courtesy of Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts

FOUR SEASONS HOTEL
Estrada da Baía de N. Senhora da Esperança, S/N, Taipa, Macau SAR
Tel: +853 28818888
www.fourseasons.com/macau

Restaurant: 360 guestrooms inc. 84 suites
Food: Windows Restaurant, Zi Yat Heen, and Belcanção
Drinks: Bar Azul
Leisure: Four Seasons Spa, fitness centre, yoga studio, five outdoor pools
Facilities: 2,555m2 of MICE space