The Venetian Macao has become synonymous with innovative, thinking, exceptional service and unparalleled amenities. The 3,000-suite integrated resort features stunning replicas of the famous canals and architectural icons of Venice, Italy. It is also a re-creation of the famous Venetian Resort-Hotel-Casino in Las Vegas.
The Venetian Macao features Shoppes at Venetian, international restaurants, the Cotai Arena, the luxury Venetian Theatre, upscale gaming facilities that offer a unique Asian gaming experience, and one of the largest convention, meeting and exhibition centres in Asia.
The Venetian Macaooffers more than one million square feet (120,000 square metres) of convention and meeting facilities to cater for Meetings, Incentives, Conventions and Exhibitions (MICE). The 15,000-seat Cotai Arena is designed for product launches, world-class sporting events, live concerts and more.
Throughout The Venetian Macao, guests can dine at more than 30 world-renowned restaurants, relax at TAIVEXMALO Day Hospital & Spa and explore more than 350 stores at Shoppes at Venetian.
Gondola Rides
Guests can experience an entertaining voyage through the indoor canals on an Italian/gondola. Singing gondoliers serenade guests as they wind their way through the canals of Shoppes at Venetian. Streetmosphere performers entertain guests as they wander through Shoppes at Venetian. Much like the streets of Venice, visitors can enjoy the colourful antics of jugglers, living statues, magicians, musicians and more.
Cotai Arena
The 15,000-seat Cotai Arena hosts world-class sporting events, concerts, awards shows and more. A star-studded cast of major international celebrities from around the world and Asia have graced the Cotai Arena stage including The Rolling Stones, Rihanna, Lady Gaga, Justin Bieber, the Police, Beyoncé, Jacky Cheung, Aaron Kwok, Joey Yung, Eason Chan, A-Mei, S.H.E, Girls' Generation, Super Junior and more.
The multi-purpose arena comes fully equipped with world-class event presentation facilities including four indoor video screens, TV broadcast lighting, full wireless and fibre optic capability, a centrally-hung LED scoreboard and advanced sound and lighting equipment. Prestigious award ceremonies held at the Cotai Arena have included the China Music Awards, the Asia-Pacific Film Festival and the IIFA Awards. The venue has a floor surface area which can host major sporting events such as basketball, tennis, boxing, ice skating, extreme sports or dirt-bike racing. Sporting events have included Fists of Gold, Fists of Gold II, the Harlem Globetrotters, Nitro Circus, PACQUIAO vs. RIOS: The Clash in Cotaiand Ring of Gold. The Cotai Arena is currently ranked as one of the top 100 arenas in the world by the live music industry publication Pollstar, and is the top entertainment destination in southern China.
The Venetian Macao continues to build important partnerships that will bring more sports and entertainment to Macao, in an effort to firmly establish the territor y as Asia's leading entertainment destination.
Venetian Theatre
The 1,800-seat Venetian Theatre is one of the most luxurious entertainment venues in greater China, hosting the best of Chinese and international entertainment. Featuring ushers in black-tie, champagne service, gourmet food and beverage items and other unique, premium amenities, the Venetian Theatre offers an intimate, luxurious and exclusive venue experience like no other in the region.
Gaming Centre
The most anywhere in the world! Over 600 gaming tables are available, featuring Baccarat, Sands Stud Poker, Blackjack, Sic Bo, and Roulette, plus approximately 2,000 slot machines and electronic table games specifically designed for the Asian market. The luxurious Paiza gaming centre features an exclusive and private gaming environment for Paiza Club members. The Ultimate MICE Destination. The Venetian Macao is specifically designed to meet the needs of meeting planners and event organizers and its award-winning service team makes anything possible for corporate events.
CotaiExpo at The Venetian Macao offers more than 800,000 square feet (75,000 square metres) of exhibition space, and is one of the largest exhibition centres in Asia. It is complemented by 70,000 square feet (6,500 square metres) of pillar-free ballroom space and 108 meeting rooms with more than 200,000 square feet (18,500 square metres) of flexible meeting space. The Cotai Arena, with seating for up to 15,000 people, is an ideal venue for major corporate events and product launches.
Q&A with Ms Janet Lim, Vice President of Operations, The Venetian Macao The Venetian Macao is the place to stay, tell us something about the property that is unique?
Opened in 2007, The Venetian® Macao-Resort-Hotel is the largest integrated resort of its kind in Asia. The integrated resort features stunning replicas of the famous canals and architectural icons of Venice originated from its famous sister property The Venetian® Las Vegas except being twice the size of it.
As a guest of the hotel, what does the Venetian Macao offer?
The Venetian Macao features Shoppes at Venetian offering more than 350 shops for guests to enjoy the ultimate shopping experience like no others. For entertainment, Cotai Arena and the luxury VenetianTheatre had hosted some of the world's greatest shows performed by international super stars including Rolling Stones, Rihanna, Katy Perry,Justin Bieber and Alicia Keys, etc. ; in addition, large-scale sports events like UFC and a World Championship boxing event featuring Manny Pacquiao and China's double Gold Medal Olympic Champion, Zou Shiming have also been held at Cotai Arena.
The multientertainment atmosphere goes even further as we have the largest convention, meeting and exhibition centres in Asia to offer exciting expos and events throughout the year. At The Venetian Macao, guests can dine at more than 30 world-renowned restaurants. Families can also enjoy gondola rides, Streetmosphere entertainment, Qube adventure zone, swimming pools and a miniature golf course. It is all about the little things that make a customer happy?
What makes you different and special?
We have a platform named “Sands China Academy” to nurture and develop our team members and Macao's local talent. In addition, our team members participate in an orientation program when first joining the company but that is just the first of many more opportunities for training that is available to them and for their personal and professional development. Everyone on board operates within the framework of “Because We Care” – our company's service culture comprising a set of shared values – which helps us put an attitude of service into practical application for our guests, and for each other.
In this way, we're confident that we'll be able to offer our visitors and guests a truly award-winning resort experience like nowhere else in the region.
Enjoy the Suite Life at the Venetian Macao? Tell us more about this?
The suites at The Venetian Macao are luxurious and spacious. Each spans at least 750 square feet (70 square metres) featuring a sunken living room, private bedroom and a lavish bathroom. All suites come complete with a fax/copier/printer and high-speed Internet access. It is almost impossible not to enjoy suites that spacious, luxurious and well-equipped.
As a Suite Guest what can your guest expect from the Venetian Macao?
Our suite guests will be able to immerse themselves in a world of luxury and relaxation at The Venetian Macao. From the moment they step into the property, we are providing the guests an unforgettably pleasant experience. We have a diversified range of elements to offer to the guests, including shopping, dining, entertainment, leisure and family-oriented facilities etc., all under the same roof which give the guests the greatest pleasure and a hassle-free vacation at The Venetian Macao.
Hotels are ensuring everything is bespoke and tailor made to suit the guest, what is the Venetian Macao doing regarding the same?
The Venetian Macao has a strategy to provide diversified services to our guests in different aspects. For entertainment: Arange of diversified entertainment events from around the world has been held at Cotai Arena at The Venetian Macao.The events vary from superstars to superb exhibitions, and from music to sports, and much more in between. For shopping: Located at The Venetian Macao, we have Shoppes at Venetian which is is a luxurious one-millionsquare-foot indoor mall with more than 350 stores featuring world-renowned brands and the best boutiques from New York, Paris, London and Milan.
As part of Sands Shoppes, Macao's ultimate luxury dutyfree shopping experience, it connects with Shoppes at Four Seasons and Shoppes at Cotai Central to offer a staggering 650 stores to choose from – the most in any one single location in all of Macao!
For dining: we have over 120 dining options, including Michelin-starred restaurants; from Cantonese cuisine to international cuisine etc. under the roof of The Venetian Macao. As we understand we have tourists with different needs and from different parts of the world visiting our property every day, we therefore have been making our best efforts to suit their different needs.
The Venetian Macao is a world class property hosting some of the big celebrities and delegates, any unique demand or request?
So far, with all the big celebrities and delegates coming to visit our property, each and every individual celebrity has different characteristics and requirements, not to mention they are stars, plus managers, plus assistants, plus family members (sometimes), one star you have 5 – 10 different people giving us different thoughts. Our role is to balance priority, relationship and getting it done, often making decision is an extremely tough call. An acute focus on details has to be imprinted in our mind to ensure our operations colleagues are fully briefed. Having said that, we have not encountered big difficulties in hosting celebrities so far as we have a very dedicated team to provide the excellent personal service for them; And we are also able to respond to their requests efficiently since we have dining, retail or leisure enjoyment all under one roof.
How supportive has the local government been when it comes to supporting tourism in the destination?
Macao is currently positioning itself as the World Centre of Tourism and Leisure and therefore it has been spending a big effort on this area. Macau Government Tourist Office (MGTO) has been doing a great job on this aspect. The Office works hard to strengthen its connections with overseas travel trade as well as regional and international tourism organizations to achieve Macau tourism development.
Locally, MGTO plays an important role in fostering the improvement and diversification of tourism products as well as promoting, coordinating or facilitating a variety of tourism projects and mega events.
What is the best season to visit your property andwhy?
It is always a good time to visit The Venetian Macao because as mentioned before, it has all of its facilities including shopping mall, restaurants, theatre, indoor grand canals all under one roof and visitors will be able to experience a great time at the property without bothering to step out of the property.
Hotels are known for its services and restaurants?Tell us something about the services and restaurants at the Venetian Macao?
Visitors to Macao come to our integrated resorts for unforgettable experiences, and our dining offering is a prime example of how we deliver on that expectation. We are very pleased that Michelin has recognised the Golden Peacock, our signature Indian restaurant at The Venetian Macao for the second year in a row with a star rating (MichelinOne-Star). Our many guests from India and around the world know that authentic Indian food of outstanding quality awaits at the Golden Peacock, Our restaurants strive to offer the best dining experience to our valued guests, and we take pride in our award-winning dining. We will continue to maintain the highest standards of quality and excellence for our guests, as part of the many spectacular experiences to be enjoyed at our integrated resorts.
What developments does The Venetian Macao have planned to ensure it remains a world leader?
Maintaining focus on excellent service and experiences is essential to the success of the integrated resort model. With our never settle attitude, we are always striving to do better, and we want to exceed our guests' expectations every time they visit.
What is next for the Venetian Macao?
Following the great success of The Venetian Macao, our mother company (Sands China Ltd.) have decided to move forward to open up another property which is believed to be as iconic as The Venetian Macao- The Parisian. It will follow the French theme of Paris with a half-scale replica of the Eiffel Tower standing in front of the building. We believe it will become a new landmark on the Cotai skyline.
Q & A for Chef Justin Paul, Chef of The Golden Peacock, The Venetian Macao Tell us something about yourself?
I was born in Kerala, a food lover's paradise in southwestern India. Other than my current position as Head Chef in the Michelin Starred Indian restaurant—Golden Peacock at The Venetian Macao, I have hold positions at the Hyatt Regency, Hong Kong; Jashan Fine Dining Restaurant, Hong Kong; Goa Marriott, India and the Goa Leela Palace, India, where I was awarded the Best Employee of 2002.
Why did you choose to become a Chef?
When I was small. I needed to help my father in kitchen, starting with very basic instruction at an early age of 10.Today, I still believe my father is the best cook I have had the privilege of working with. My Father's ability of balancing ingredients and flavours is something which I am lucky enough to have inherited from him. I never thought that a career in the culinary world was what I would end up having. However, due to my father passing away, I thought it is right to respect his passion for cooking by following in his footsteps.
You are the Chef of the only Michelin starred Indian cuisine in Asia, how does it feel?
Obviously, I feel very proud to be a part of this award-winning restaurant and the professional team. My passion for my work could be sensed and tasted in all the dishes that we provide in the restaurant. I am very fortunate to work with some brilliant chefs from all over India who share in my passion for exceptional cuisine.
Being native of Kerala, tell us something about your home food and memories as childhood?
I belong to a middle class working family and I have been the right-hand man of my father in kitchen since childhood. I still believe that my father is the best cook I relished the most. As mentioned before, my memories of childhood and food are dominated by time spent with my father in the family kitchen. My Father had a specialty of Meen curry (fish Curry) which I have cooked myself many times. Now I have my own interpretation of the dish, but still haven't managed to replicate his.
As a kid where you inclined towards cooking or kitchen work?
As mentioned, being in a two-parent working family, it was more than a necessity and requirement to help father with basic preparation, and with the passing away of him, I endeavor to follow in the footsteps of his passion for cooking.
At what age did you learn that you wanted to be a chef or work in the hospitality industry?
Up to the age of 17 I had tried multiple career options. Then decided to go to college and learn Hotel Management. This then led me to turning my attention to the culinary world.
What do you do to insure the quality of the food going out to customers?
Careful preparation, standardized cooking procedure, and uncompromising approach towards quality. This comes through time and experience to know the producers and suppliers. Every time I am back in Kerala, I would try to find out suppliers and producers of products that I would like to use in my dishes at the Golden Peacock.
When developing a menu how do you enforce the standards that you have set in place?
Non-stop and countless training and practice.
Who in the food world do you most admire?
Chef Wolfgang Eberle, the person I worked with at the very beginning of my career. But also I really respect the passion and business acumen of Gordon Ramsey. I believe he has revolutionized the culinary landscape of nowadays.
What do you like to eat when you're at home?
At home, I love to eat whatever my wife cooks for me.
What do you think is the most challenging ingredient to work with?
In Indian cuisine there is no ingredients as such which are challenging to work if we know the right purpose and handle with care. If we don't do it right, even simple rice in biryani can turn out to be challenging.
Funniest kitchen incident?
While I was working for a big event with 1500 guests, my phone went missing. I checked every place and corner I could think of but still found nothing. The funniest part is I could hear its ringing tone when I tried to reach it. Finally while my staff was throwing the left over rice batter, my phone turned up.