Living in a box.. in luxury
AMAZING HOTELS: LIFE BEYOND THE LOBBY BBC2, 8pm
IT’S endlessly fascinating to visit these jaw-dropping hotels around the globe, where money seems to be no object.
Giles Coren and Monica Galetti roll up their sleeves to work in some of these extraordinary places, getting a behind-the-scenes insight into what it takes to keep them running like clockwork. For tonight’s show they are in the self-governing Chinese city of Macau, the only place in China where you can gamble legally, and it’s become the Las Vegas of Asia.
“What a crazy, mad place,” says Giles, walking past hotels that seem to compete for height.
“You feel quite small, like you do around mountains!”
They are staying at the mega MGM Cotai, a £3.4billion hotel the size of a New York City block which is designed to look like a stack of Chinese jewellery boxes.
The penthouse rooms feature a carbon fibre hammock bath, upstairs bedroom, pool table, bar, techy toilet that greets you, and personalised handcrafted gifts.
“It’s the size of my home,” marvels Giles.
They will be joining the 6000 staff on their shifts but not before they’ve enjoyed a six-course meal and a visit to the hotel’s football pitch-sized “town square” which features a Lamborghini dealership, casino (of course) and living art garden.
Later on, Giles helps create the floral displays for Chinese New Year and flies through the air at the world’s most technologically advanced theatre.
And Monica gets special access to a secret VIP world of huge suites, where even money can’t buy a stay.