Hotel check out

Take a fascinating peek behind the scenes at one of the world’s most jaw-dropping luxury hotels, MGM Cotai

IT’S endlessly fascinating to visit these jaw-dropping hotels across 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 these places running like clockwork.

They are in the self-governing Chinese city of Macau, the only legal place to gamble in China and now the gambling capital of the world – 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 £3.4 billion hotel the size of a New York City block and designed to look like a stack of Chinese jewellery boxes.

The spectacular penthouse rooms feature a carbon fibre hammock bath, upstairs bedroom, pool table, bar, techy toilet that greets you and personalised handcrafted gifts.

They will be joining the 6,000 staff on their shifts, but not before they’ve enjoyed a six-course meal and visit to the hotel’s football pitch-sized ‘town square’ featuring its very own 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.