LUXURY fashion company Versace’s hotel brand Palazzo’s entry into the Asia market has been officialised with an inauguration ceremony at the Grand Lisboa Palace Macau resort where the property is located.
The official unveiling of the Palazzo Versace by SJM Resorts, the owners of the Grand Lisboa properties in Macau, was attended by Donatella Versace, the Italian company’s chief creative officer, Daisy Ho, managing director of SJM Resorts, and celebrities including singer John Legend, Taiwan actor, singer and TV host Austin Lin, and K-pop star Ok Taec-yon.
Grand Lisboa Palace Macau, with its three hotel towers, is SJM’s debut integrated resort, and has a sister property on Macau peninsula, the Grand Lisboa. The Grand Palace Lisboa is also SJM’s first foray onto the island of Cotai where it joins properties operated by Sands China, MGM, Wynn, Galaxy and Melco.
The 271-guest room and suite Palazzo Versace is located in a 12-level tower alongside the Grand Lisboa Palace, with 1,350 rooms, and a third tower housing the 271-room Karl Lagerfeld Hotel, the first hotel from the late German fashion icon. The Palazzo had a soft opening about a year ago.
“I am delighted to celebrate the opening of this truly beautiful Palazzo Versace here in Macau with an amazing performance by the incredible John Legend,” Donatella Versace said.
The Grand Opening event was themed on the synergy between Versace’s luxury lifestyle and the culture, entertainment, and cuisine of Macau. A dragon installation atop the Romanesque columns of the hotel’s outdoor pool area greeted guests in a celebration of both the Year of the Dragon and the hotel’s signature dragon motif.
Guests passed through Jardim Secreto, the Grand Palace Lisboa’s landscaped outdoor events space, where harpist Yu Dan and a quintet from Macau Orchestra performed, before entering The Grand Pavilion for Versace Signatures, an exhibition of Atelier Versace and Versace ready-to-wear designs.
The evening concluded with a Chinese banquet accompanied by traditional entertainments including a drum performance by a group of young talents from Macau, followed by a surprise gig by John Legend.
“It is wonderful to bring together so many friends for such a special event to mark the opening. I know that Palazzo Versace will continue this warm welcome for every guest who comes to visit, for many years to come.”
Palazzo Versace is the second of the brand’s hotels worldwide following a property in Dubai. It formerly had a hotel in Gold Coast, Australia, which has since been rebranded.
The grand opening at the weekend was described in a statement by SJM as “an embrace of the hotel’s synergy between Versace’s luxury lifestyle and the culture, entertainment, and cuisine of Macau”.
SJM managing director, Daisy Ho, said: “I am profoundly gratified to see our vision for the Grand Lisboa Palace Resort Macau fully realised with the official grand opening of The Palazzo Versace Macau.
“Our resort features a modern east-meets-west flair, which is consistently woven throughout the property – a theme that Versace has interpreted with unparalleled finesse. The Grand Lisboa Palace now stands out as home to the only couture-focused designer hotels in Macau, positioning our city as one of the few destinations worldwide offering such ultraluxe branded hospitality experiences.
“I am thrilled that our efforts are contributing to a new dimension in Macau’s status as a World Centre of Tourism and Leisure, attracting a broader spectrum of discerning travellers from across the globe.”
