Studio City: Inside the Glamour of Macau’s Movie-Themed Hotel – Review

Jianne Soriano
2 hours ago
6 min read

MACAU

I gasp as the exterior of Studio City in Macau comes into view. I’ve seen it many times, both online and in person, but it’s the first time seeing it up close. The hotel’s exterior is enough to turn heads and draw in curious eyes. I’m one of them. While its neighbour focuses on European-inspired designs, Studio City stands out with its striking and distinct presence. The integrated resort opened in 2015, but its latest tower, Epic Tower, is just three years old.

Images are courtesy of Jianne Soriano, Studio City, and iRad Hospital

The Location and The Arrival

Studio City is in the thick of Cotai, adjacent to the Lotus Bridge Immigration Point and connected to the LRT system. While the Cotai area has no shortage of luxury hotels, Studio City makes itself known, whether it’s because of the eye-catching exterior or simply the scale of it all.

There are shuttle buses available from main points such as the ferry terminals, HZMB port, and between sister hotel City of Dreams. I arrive via taxi at the main entrance next to Star and Celebrity Tower. As the car ascends, a dazzling roof of red and gold immediately welcomes me. From the get-go, I take in the cinematically themed resort with staff dressed to the nines. It's an immediate sensory overload of glitter, bright lights, dazzling colours, loud music, and an excited crowd.

The sprawling resort is massive, so walking to Epic Tower takes around 10 minutes. But the walk is entertaining, especially when you play “spot it” of all the movie-themed motifs. Celebrity and Star Tower are more noticeable with their film-inspired designs, but Epic Tower is slightly muted. Instead, it's draped in silver tones and marbled walls.

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The Design

Studio City takes its cue from the Golden Age of Hollywood with all of its hotel towers being movie-themed. Its exterior features an Art Deco design inspired by asteroids shooting through Gotham City, a fictional city in the DC Comics, most notably known as the home of Batman. Gotham and Hollywood-themed motifs can be found indoors, from the way the retail streets are designed, as well as the dining area. Cinephiles, like me, can find themselves in tune with film-related props such as lighting rigs and stage directions.

The Accommodation

In total, the three towers offer 1,936 rooms and suites. I stay at the spacious 67-square-metre Epic Suite, which offers a stunning view of Coloane. The room has exclusive amenities such as an interactive digital table system, LED Smart TV, and a personal phone to dial 24/7 in-room dining service or a personal butler.

The bath area is just as expansive with separate bath and rain showers, dual vanity counters, and even a powder space complete with a Dyson hairdryer. Plus, a generous amount of storage areas. The Toto automatic toilet is a lovely addition for comfort and ease. The layout allows for more privacy. Need to sleep in, but your companion wants to freshen up? Simply close the door connecting the room and bathroom, and you’re both completely in different worlds.

Other room highlights include the personal mini-bar with numerous complimentary snacks, a Nespresso coffee machine, and in-room dehumidifier. They’re also very generous with the number of pillows. There’s a sofa next to the dining table as well as a separate dressing alcove. I'm happy with the spacious side table, where I can just place all the things I need within reach, without them all scrambling for space. On the other side of the bed is the personal phone and digital table system. From there, I can control the light, curtain, and temperature even while in bed.

My favourite stretch of the day is when I settle in, switch on the TV, and relax in bed. The surrounding tall buildings take over as the de facto horizon, and the sunlight just seeps through the large window. The view is also magnificent at night. With the bathtub right next to the window, I'm able to catch a glimpse of the city as it tucks in for the night.

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The Dining

What do you expect from a gigantic resort? Plenty of dining options. The choices deserve their own paragraph, and the variety will leave one pausing. For lunch, I head over to one-Michelin-starred Pearl Dragon. This Cantonese-Chaozhou restaurant has maintained its Michelin star for almost a decade.

The dishes are rooted in Cantonese culinary traditions with hints of Chaozhou essence. Tea is part of the meal, with expert tea masters at the helm to elevate the feast with fragrant brews. I try the six-course lunch menu. Each dish is unique and nothing I’ve tried before. For instance, the Roasted Suckling Pig is stuffed with Matsutake, wild mushrooms, and multigrain rice. The crispiness of the suckling pig complements the slightly salty multigrain rice, all wrapped in a clever presentation.

The latest culinary establishment is Gála, which offers both Chinese and Western cuisine. Its interior is inspired by the aesthetics of Art Deco and the golden age of cinema, with geometric lines, soft lighting, and plush velvet seats. The open kitchen also showcases the culinary masters at work, a joy to watch, especially with the expansive menu they’ve curated. The drinks here are also plentiful, ranging from cocktails to wellness options.

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Breakfast is lively at the Lobby Cafe. They have the longest breakfast service, from 7 am to 12 pm. Local flavours and comfort food are available, along with healthy salads and wok-fried Chinese dishes. Some are even prepared a la minute, coming in hot and fresh.

Other than that, there are over 30 food and beverage outlets across Studio City as well as two food courts offering local Macanese, Cantonese, northern Chinese, Southeast Asian, Japanese, and Western delicacies.

The Facilities

When it comes to facilities and entertainment, Studio City is unrivalled among all the hotels in Macau. Guests can use the Fitness Centre and its premium fitness equipment. Personal trainers also provide tailor-made fitness programmes. Meanwhile, the indoor heated pool is perfect for any day, rain or shine, summer or winter. There’s a spa for those looking to try the steam bath, vitality pool, and infrared Himalayan salt sauna room. Over at Star Tower sits Zenasa Spa, a holistic retreat for relaxation, health, and well-being. The treatments here are based on the principles of restoring balance and harmony to the mind and body.

My facial treatment is at iRad Hospital over at West Tower. It's an all-in-one beauty and health facility that offers premium health screening, diagnostic imaging, medical consultation, laboratory services, medical aesthetics, and wellness treatments. What’s impressive is its state-of-the-art equipment, some of which is among the first to be used in Macau.

The treatment begins with a consultation and a recommended treatment. I have a simple HydraFacial deep clean to get rid of impurities and moisturize my skin. It lasts for a little over 90 minutes. The room is spacious with a comfortable bed, dim lights for relaxation, and soothing music. Other notable services they have are the Allergy Test, MRI, CT scan, and mammogram.

As you can expect from a cinematically-inspired resort, entertainment is at the heart of Studio City. They go all out with their offerings. There’s Studio City Water Park, its all-weather, all-year-round water park that stretches from outdoor to indoor—that’s 26,000 square metres of space, complete with 25 thrilling attractions.

studio city macau hotel
studio city macau hotel

Studio City is also home to the first Dolby Cinema in Macau and Hong Kong at Studio City Cinema. It has nine art theatres, five VIP screens, a Double House, a MX4D House, and a Regular House. There’s also the SK6e Park that welcomes riders of every discipline of extreme sports, whether it’s skateboarding, BMX, or inline skating. Don’t miss the Legend Heroes Park, a VR entertainment area that offers Virtual & Augmented Reality, 4D+ theatre, Cyber Cafe, and more.

The highlight of Studio City is the Golden Reel, the icon of the hotel, visible even from the outside. It’s the world’s highest figure-8 Ferris Wheel and rises about 130 metres high between the Art Deco-inspired twin hotel towers. The view from the top is nothing short of stunning.

Studio City in Macau: Final Verdict

A stay at Studio City is simply a cherry on top, because the resort itself is already a must on anyone’s Macau itinerary. The Studio City Water Park is perfect for families, while foodies are spoiled with the plethora of restaurants and eateries. Those looking for a relaxing getaway have spas to choose from. Plus, cinephiles are in for a treat. With its butler service, the stay is convenient, comforting, and personalized; top that off with the hotel’s one-of-a-kind decor. A solid choice for those who really want to plug in all the experiences under one roof, no matter the weather.

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Disclaimer: The writer was invited by Studio City, to experience the property. All observations, assessments, and opinions expressed are based on the writer’s independent experience and professional judgement.