Where to stay · Macau · China
Where to stay in Macau
6 neighbourhoods compared, with the trade-offs hotel listings don't tell you.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Brenden Brain, CC BY-SA 3.0
Quick answer
For a first visit, stay in Senado Square and the Historic Centre. Wave-patterned Portuguese paving, baroque churches and old shophouses. Best alternatives — families: Cotai Strip; nightlife: Cotai Strip.
Key facts
- First visit
- Senado Square and the Historic Centre
- Families
- Cotai Strip
- Budget
- Senado Square and the Historic Centre
- Nightlife
- Cotai Strip
Best area for each kind of trip
| Trip type | Area | Why |
|---|---|---|
| First-timers | Senado Square and the Historic Centre | Wave-patterned Portuguese paving, baroque churches and old shophouses |
| Families | Cotai Strip | Integrated resorts, casinos, malls and shows on reclaimed land |
| Couples | Senado Square and the Historic Centre | Wave-patterned Portuguese paving, baroque churches and old shophouses |
| Budget | Senado Square and the Historic Centre | Wave-patterned Portuguese paving, baroque churches and old shophouses |
| Luxury | Cotai Strip | Integrated resorts, casinos, malls and shows on reclaimed land |
| Nightlife | Cotai Strip | Integrated resorts, casinos, malls and shows on reclaimed land |
| Food lovers | Taipa Village | Pastel shophouses, snack streets and the Taipa Houses on the old waterfront |
| Shopping | Cotai Strip | Integrated resorts, casinos, malls and shows on reclaimed land |
| Quiet stays | Coloane Village | Quiet seaside village with a chapel, egg tarts and hillside trails |
| Beach | Coloane Village | Quiet seaside village with a chapel, egg tarts and hillside trails |
Macau neighbourhoods in detail
$$ · Best for first-timers, culture, budget and couples
Senado Square and the Historic Centre
The heart of the Macau Peninsula runs from Senado Square up Rua de São Paulo to the Ruins of St. Paul's, past St. Dominic's Church and the Leal Senado building. Guesthouses and mid-range hotels on Avenida de Almeida Ribeiro put the main heritage sights within a five-minute walk.
- Good
- Walk to almost every historic sight; Cheap local cafés and noodle shops; Lively street life
- Watch out
- Very crowded at weekends and holidays; Few large or new hotels
- Nearby
- Senado Square, Ruins of St. Paul's, Monte Fort, St. Dominic's Church
$$$$ · Best for luxury, families, nightlife and shopping
Cotai Strip
The reclaimed land between Taipa and Coloane holds the Venetian, the Parisian with its half-size Eiffel Tower, the Londoner, Galaxy, City of Dreams, Studio City, Wynn Palace and MGM Cotai. Most of Macau's large hotel rooms are here, with pools, restaurants and entertainment under one roof.
- Good
- Large modern rooms and big pools; Shows, malls and restaurants on site; Walk to Taipa Village
- Watch out
- Little local character; Weekend room rates rise sharply
- Nearby
- The Venetian Macao, Taipa Village, Hác Sá Beach
$$$ · Best for first-timers, nightlife and luxury
Nam Van and the peninsula casinos
Around the Grand Lisboa's lotus-shaped tower, Wynn Macau and MGM Macau, this part of the peninsula mixes casino hotels with the Nam Van and Sai Van lakes and their waterfront paths. It is a 10-minute walk to Senado Square and close to the Outer Harbour Ferry Terminal by bus.
- Good
- Walk to the Historic Centre; Free fountain shows at Wynn Macau; Plenty of restaurants
- Watch out
- Busy traffic; Older hotel stock in places
- Nearby
- Grand Lisboa, Senado Square, Macau Tower, Nam Van Lake
$$$ · Best for food lovers, couples and culture
Taipa Village
Taipa Village keeps narrow lanes, small temples and colonial buildings around Rua do Cunha, a pedestrian street of bakeries and snack shops. Along Avenida da Praia, five green Macanese villas form the Taipa Houses museum. Cotai's resorts are a 10-minute walk away.
- Good
- Good Portuguese and Macanese restaurants; Charming lanes; Close to the resorts and airport
- Watch out
- Rua do Cunha is packed at weekends; Limited hotels in the village itself
- Nearby
- Rua do Cunha, Taipa Houses, Our Lady of Carmel Church, Cotai Strip
$$$ · Best for quiet stays, couples, beach and families
Coloane Village
On the southern island, Coloane Village has a small square around the Chapel of St. Francis Xavier, stilt houses along the waterfront and the original Lord Stow's Bakery. Hác Sá and Cheoc Van beaches and the hiking trails of Coloane's hills are nearby; accommodation is limited to a few small hotels and a resort.
- Good
- Calm and green; Beaches and trails; Famous bakery on the doorstep
- Watch out
- Few places to stay; Long bus rides to the peninsula
- Nearby
- Chapel of St. Francis Xavier, Hác Sá Beach, Cheoc Van Beach, Giant Panda Pavilion
$$ · Best for culture, quiet stays and budget
Barra and the Inner Harbour
Barra centres on the A-Ma Temple and the Maritime Museum, with Lilau Square, the Mandarin's House and the Moorish Barracks a short walk uphill. Along the Inner Harbour, old warehouse streets and Rua da Felicidade's red-shuttered houses hold traditional restaurants. The Barra Light Rapid Transit station links to Taipa and Cotai.
- Good
- Heritage sights without the crowds; Light rail to Taipa and Cotai; Traditional eateries
- Watch out
- Few hotels; Quiet after dark
- Nearby
- A-Ma Temple, Mandarin's House, Lilau Square, Macau Maritime Museum
Areas compared
| Area | Price | Nearby |
|---|---|---|
| Senado Square and the Historic Centre | $$ | Senado Square, Ruins of St. Paul's, Monte Fort, St. Dominic's Church |
| Cotai Strip | $$$$ | The Venetian Macao, Taipa Village, Hác Sá Beach |
| Nam Van and the peninsula casinos | $$$ | Grand Lisboa, Senado Square, Macau Tower, Nam Van Lake |
| Taipa Village | $$$ | Rua do Cunha, Taipa Houses, Our Lady of Carmel Church, Cotai Strip |
| Coloane Village | $$$ | Chapel of St. Francis Xavier, Hác Sá Beach, Cheoc Van Beach, Giant Panda Pavilion |
| Barra and the Inner Harbour | $$ | A-Ma Temple, Mandarin's House, Lilau Square, Macau Maritime Museum |
Getting to your hotel
Macau International Airport on Taipa is about 10 minutes from Cotai by taxi and on the Light Rapid Transit line. Travellers flying into Hong Kong International Airport can take buses across the Hong Kong–Zhuhai–Macau Bridge, a journey of about an hour including border formalities.
Questions travellers ask
+What is the best area to stay in Macau for first-time visitors?
Senado Square and the Historic Centre. The heart of the Macau Peninsula runs from Senado Square up Rua de São Paulo to the Ruins of St.
+Where should families stay in Macau?
Cotai Strip: Large modern rooms and big pools.
+Which area of Macau is best for a budget stay?
Senado Square and the Historic Centre ($$): Wave-patterned Portuguese paving, baroque churches and old shophouses.