I’ve always wanted to visit MGM’s Casino Hotel in the heart of Macau, mainly for the art and the world-class casino, so when I got the chance this year, I jumped on it. I’m glad I wasn’t disappointed by my experience both at the hotel and game table. One of the features that distinguish MGM from other land-based casinos in Macau is the number of Western-style games.

MGM has a direct shuttle bus from the airport to the resort, which is what I used. The ride took a little longer since we had to stop over at the Macau Ferry Terminal to pick up more people, but it was a smooth ride with light traffic. To get to the front desk from the drop-off point, I passed through the mall, the Grand Praca with its magnificent sky-high aquarium, and the lobby to the warm, welcoming staff at the front desk, who set a pleasant start to my stay.

The MGM Casino Hotel sits on a prime waterfront strip, and it took just over 4 minutes to get there from the Macau International Airport. 

Hotel 

The MGM Hotel is a collection of 600 luxury rooms that includes 18 villas and over 90 exclusive suites on 35 floors. Lots of these rooms face the ocean, which makes for a breathtaking view. I opted for the Grand Studio, which came with a king-sized bed, a shower, and a bathtub.

The room had a very classic luxury feel to it, like the rest of MGM Macau, with a soothing dark Gold and White theme. There’s an entire sliding glass wall facing the waterfront for stunning morning and sunset views. Considering I only paid a little over $500 a night, I consider it a great deal.

Casino 

I found the MGM Casino on the ground floor among the many luxury shops in the resort’s shopping centre. A second storey was recently added to the casino, so massive is the word I'd use to describe MGM’s game rooms. With 284,353 square feet of casino space, it’s very spacious and houses lots of games.

I was surprised to learn that there are two MGMs in Macau. The other one called MGM Palace is situated on the Cotai strip. However, the difference is the architecture. The MGM Casino Hotel in Macau has a truly distinctive water wave facade out front. This iconic design features three different coloured, massive wave-shaped glass sheets mounted atop each other. Of course, you can’t miss MGM's majestic signature Golden Lion sculpture at the VIP entrance.

Staff and Dealers 

One thing that stood out for me from my time at MGM Macau was how professional, helpful, and warm the staff were at all times. A few staff members were walking around inside the casino, offering help to players and serving drinks. Lots of them, including the dealers, speak very little English, mostly Cantonese. The dealers were very knowledgeable about the games, but it helps if you speak a little Cantonese. If not, you can settle for a little English and sign language like I did. 

Smoking Areas

Smoking is prohibited on the casino floor, but there are smoking rooms in the building. I gave up on smoking years ago, but I saw other players and guests get directions to the smoking rooms from the ever-helpful staff.

Bars and Restaurants 

As long as you’re playing in the casino, you can get free drinks. I later discovered that MGM is one of the few casinos in Macau that offers free drinks. A great tip that worked for me was tipping the waiter after each glass. It had my drinks coming more promptly than most others at the table.

Outside the casino hall, MGM only has one bar, the ABA bar. However, it opens in the evenings. Here, you’ll find various spirits, beers, and wines. I think it’s quite affordable since some glasses go for as little as $50. There’s also a poolside bar, but since I visited in January when the pool was closed, I didn’t check it out.

Depending on your taste, you can make your pick from any of the seven restaurants in the casino hotel. Aux Beaux Arts for French cuisine, Rossio for a fine blend of Portuguese/Macanese cuisine, Imperial Court and North by Square Eight for Chinese cuisine, South by Square Eight for Cantonese/Chinese cuisine, and the Pastry Bar, which ended up serving more than just dessert.

I had wanted to try the famed Rossini buffet, but unfortunately, they no longer offer that. Nevertheless, my experience at the three restaurants I was able to dine at was superb. Not only was the food delicious, but the service was also top-notch.

Customer Service

I greatly commend the highly professional and timely support I got from the staff at MGM Macau. They’re helpful and go above and beyond to ensure your satisfaction. Moving around the hotel and town was easier thanks to the helpful tips I received from the staff.

ATM & Cashless Gaming 

Although there are no ATMs in the casino hall itself, you’ll find a couple of ATMs within MGM Macau, probably due to the many shops in the resort and the direct connection it has with the shopping mall. Cashless gaming isn’t available at the casino either. I had to change my dollars to Macanese Pataca (MOP) to gamble at the table.

Wheelchair Accessibility 

Wheelchair users will have no issues accessing the MGM lobby and main floors due to the building’s spacious and open plan. If you’re hoping to lodge, the hotel-casino has accessible rooms, but confirm first before booking.

MGM has the largest collection of Western-style games in Macau; no other casino comes close. So it goes without saying that most of the available games are table games and Poker, which are hard to find in Macau. I’ll share my gaming experience below.

Table Games 

There are over 400 table and Poker games available at MGM Macau. I lost count at some point because of how extensive the casino is. You’ll find the classics: Roulette, Baccarat, and Blackjack at the gaming halls. There are also Sic Bo, Crap, and tons of Poker games.

Although, from what I saw, Blackjack and Baccarat seem to take centre stage in MGM’s table games. There was only one crap table available, but I didn’t play there.

Slot Machines 

With the recent addition of live gaming consoles, MGM Macau now has over 900 slot games, including jackpot slots. Besides the rows of neatly installed slot machines, you can also get a handheld device to play online games with. I opted for this option since I was more interested in getting a feel of the casino.

Playing on the portable console allowed me to move around inside the casino while playing. Thanks to MGM Macau’s fast WiFi, the experience was very smooth and fast.

Popular Games 

The most recent and surprising addition to the MGM Macau casino, though, is the Poker Room, replete with Texas Hold’em and Three Card Poker—both rarities in Macau. I visited a couple of other casinos during my stay in Macau, and MGM was the only one where I found these particular titles. This casino is your best bet if you’re gunning for a Western experience in the Las Vegas of Asia.

Game Quality and Betting Limits

Besides the VIP lobby, where wagering starts at $1000/2000, you can wager with a minimum of $50 on Roulette. Craps and Sic Bo start at $300, while Blackjack and Baccarat start at $500. For slots, wagering starts at $0.5 for most games and is capped at $10.

The machines here at MGM are well-maintained and function very smoothly. Not once did I notice a glitch either at the table or the slot machines for the three nights I played at the casino. The games are of high quality, as you’d expect from a high-end casino like MGM Macau.

Finding the current promotions at MGM Macau was quite easy. All I did was walk to a membership counter and browse through the detailed brochures. However, they're written in Chinese so again, the staff came to my rescue.

They did a great job of explaining the player card system to me, and since I was a new player, they set up one for me. All I had to provide was my name, address, and birthday. When you gather enough points on your card, you can redeem gifts from selected shops at the resort. However, you have to play regularly to gather the required redemption points.

The card system starts with the Golden Lion Card, which qualifies you for 5% discounts in most places in MGM Macau. When you get to the Red Card level, it increases to a 10% discount. The third one is the Platinum Card, which qualifies you for free rooms and free food in addition to some exclusive benefits. Finally, the Black Card, which is the VIP card for high rollers.

Most of the promotions at MGM Macau are time-bound. If you decide to visit, just drop by the membership counter to see what’s available for the month.

VIP Programme 

To get into MGM Macau’s exclusive VIP programme, you need to spend a minimum of $200,000 and a maximum of $15,000,000. The key benefits for VIP members are cashback and comp allowances. I believe there are also other exclusive perks, but you have to become a VIP member to find out.

Atmosphere

When I visited MGM Macau, it wasn’t as crowded as the reviews made it sound, but because it's located in the heart of town and linked to the One Central Mall, the area around it is always busy with people coming and going. Inside the casino hotel itself, it’s rarely crowded.

Cleanliness 

I'll give MGM Macau top points for how clean the entire environment is, not just the restaurants and hotel rooms. I used the VIP bathroom in the casino once, and away from the luxurious Red and Gold décor, it was spotlessly clean. It’s the same everywhere else in the casino hotel.

Amenities

It's not all about gaming tables, great food and shopping at MGM Macau, you can also indulge in self-care and fitness. The casino hotel has a standard gym with all the equipment you'd need for a full workout.

I also highly recommend the Tria Spa. It's not free even if you're staying at MGM but it was worth the entire $790 I spent there. I got to use the sauna and flotation pool for free, though, because I spent more than $750 in the spa. It's better experienced than described, so try it whenever you're in MGM Macau.

Food and Drinks 

If you’re looking for where to get good food at an affordable price, I recommend the Square Eight restaurants both South and North. They only serve Chinese dishes, but South by Square Eight is open 24/7 and has a great all-day breakfast for $95. For finer dining, try Aux Beaux Arts or Rossio. They’re both a bit pricey, but the food is great.

I’ve heard that the poolside bar serves great cocktails, but since I wasn’t able to confirm that for myself, I can’t give an opinion. The ABA Bar, on the other hand, serves a small offering of delicious snacks alongside drinks for a great price.

Safety and Security 

While you won’t notice anything out of the ordinary by looking around, MGM Macau has great surveillance and security systems in place. The casino hosts some of the world’s most important people at different points during the year, so the security is pretty tight.

MGM Macau is a great place to visit if you’re looking for luxury at a decent rate or want to have a superb casino experience. One of the things I loved most was how conveniently situated it was. I had no problem getting around town when I needed to. Also, I can vouch for the great service and food here, so you'll be getting the best of everything at MGM Macau.

The MGM Casino Hotel is only a 4-minute drive from the Macau International Airport if you don’t have any stopovers. It’s located on Avenida Dr Sun Yat Sen in Se, the very heart of Macau, and is connected to a shopping centre, which is very convenient, especially if you’re lodging at the hotel. The casino hotel sits on a prime waterfront strip not very far from Wynn Macau, another notable casino resort.

The hotel is within walking distance of most historical places in the city, like St. Dominic’s Church. Its proximity to the waterside also makes for awesome evening walks, which I enjoyed a lot during my stay. 

Here's a handy link that will take you straight to the casino doors: //maps.app.goo.gl/Vzk5ApJHAfMZxYySA

Here are a few other land based casinos I visited while in Macao:

• Venetian Macao Casino
• Grand Lisboa Casino
• Galaxy Macau Casino
• City of Dreams Casino
• Sands Macau Casino