“I love to bring together cultures and traditions from all over the world,” Donatella says of her latest venture, which sits within SJM Resorts’ Grand Lisboa Palace complex. “For me, this collaboration is what makes something truly beautiful. Here at Palazzo Versace Macau we had the same idea – to bring together signature elements of Versace such as the Medusa, with symbols rooted in local Chinese custom such as the dragon and the chrysanthemum. They are all different symbols of strength, grace and beauty – qualities that are also at the heart of Versace.”
Only the second Palazzo Versace in the world (the other is in Dubai), Palazzo Versace Macau might just be the most convincing vote of confidence in the city’s future yet. Daisy Ho, chairwoman and executive director of SJM Holdings, says timing was everything when it came to planning the hotel’s grand opening, after the pandemic dampened celebrations for Grand Lisboa Palace Resort Macau’s opening in 2021.
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At 40, hotel heiress Nicky Hilton Rothschild is living her very best life
“If we had done it last year, let’s say six months after The Karl Lagerfeld [another hotel also in the Grand Lisboa Palace complex], it would be a completely different story because it would become just another hotel opening,” says Ho. “It’s not just a hotel. It’s all about the experience.”
That experience, as you notice from the moment you enter the hotel, is something only Versace could offer. “Even the mosaic at the lobby entrance is actually [from] the garden of their headquarters in Milan,” says Ho, who commends the Versace team’s attention to detail as one of the hotel’s key selling points. “Something as simple as the mosaic – they came for inspection and then they said there was some discolouring there, and they would need this whole thing [to change]. And we said, ‘Are you kidding me?’ But now I’ve come to realise, [Donatella’s] creativity really has brought not just SJM, but Macau, to new heights.”
As Ho notes, European influences are everywhere in Macau: from the Parisian vibes of The Karl Lagerfeld next door to – as its name might suggest – The Londoner’s very literal reinterpretations of the English capital’s architecture. Beyond that, however, Palazzo Versace brands itself as a cultural destination to explore, not just a place to stay. Decades of designs from the Versace ateliers – including gowns once worn by 90s supermodels Claudia Schiffer, Cindy Crawford and Helena Christensen – were on display on opening night, while sketches and archival prints from the maison adorn the corridors of the hotel, bringing an authentic slice of Milan to Macau.
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Each of the hotel’s 271 rooms and suites were designed by the Versace team, to ensure all guests get an experience which feels both deeply personal and curated. “In the same way that we tailor a dress using the techniques from our atelier in Milan, we build our home environment with the best craftsmanship and finest detail,” Donatella says. “I want our guests to know they are in a Versace ‘home’ and to feel as welcome as if they were coming into my home.”
To deliver a true Italian experience, however, Palazzo Versace Macau leans into what Macau does best: top-notch hospitality not available anywhere else. “What we also want to uphold is our customers’ expectations when they come inside,” says Ho. “What will you see? How will you feel within the palace? This is also how we brief our staff, how we train them, and how we look for events or programmes.”
Counting on its immediate surroundings for inspiration, Ho says Palazzo Versace Macau embodies everything the city has to offer. “Macau is not like its neighbouring Asian cities. It’s got a lot of offerings. It has that rich cultural heritage – Chinese, Portuguese. At the same time, Macau understands the need for tourism growth. We’re all very receptive here – accepting new things, getting out of our comfort zone, welcoming new ideas. That’s why Macau is a good location for Versace.”
The true cultural value of Palazzo Versace Macau comes down to what each customer brings to the hotel when they visit from their respective countries around the world.
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“Hong Kong tried to do it in their big way, bringing in this and that,” Ho says, their neighbour’s recent Art Basel fair in March in mind. “But for us in Macau, because it is first and foremost a small space, the government is giving us room to bring out our own creativity. That is something that definitely will put Macau on a different level, with attractions that are very different from a large-scale thing … In our property, in just one location, [customers] can experience the real French way, the real Italian way. Everybody is willing to pay for the experience. And I think this is what we’re giving them.”
“Even Donatella was telling me, ‘My god, I was so touched when I went into my suite, it was much nicer than the one in Dubai,’” Ho laughs, beaming with pride. “I said, ‘But that’s your creation, Donatella!’ She said, ‘Yeah, those are my ideas, but it’s your team’s execution.’
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“So I met with the Versace CEO [Emmanuel Gintzburger]. We’re already talking about what’s next. Both of us, both companies, share the same mission. How do we collaborate to bring out that experience for our customers, that will make them pick Macau and pick Palazzo Versace Macau? Something that is unique, that no other hotel can replicate.”
It’s surely a welcome addition to a city which has often been viewed as an adjunct to its significantly larger neighbour. But all things considered, Palazzo Versace Macau’s value as a cultural asset going forward means the city may not be playing second fiddle to Hong Kong much longer.
