Cover David Beckham with members of the Tatler community at The Londoner Macao (Photo: Anna Koustas/Tatler Hong Kong)

The grand opening of The Londoner Macao from May 23 to 25 was a celebration for the books. Its brand ambassador David Beckham was in the city for the occasion, while guests from all over the Tatlersphere—including VIPs based in Taiwan, Malaysia, Singapore, mainland China and Hong Kong—mingled with the star and enjoy the incredible offerings at the new hotel

The 72-hour extravaganza kicked off at The Bar at The Residence—the exclusive club at The Londoner Hotel—which saw Hong Kong’s very own Eleanor Lam hobnobbing with fellow guests like Terri Kwan, Marion Caunter and Colin Seah, who flew in for the week. 

A welcome dinner at Huaiyang Garden followed. It featured dishes curated by master chef Zhou Xiaoyan, who is affectionately known to his followers as  “the Godfather of Huaiyang cuisine”. Seated in a tranquil space modelled after ancient Chinese gardens, the A-listers enjoyed authentic Huaiyang delicacies. 

The next day, after much-needed beauty sleep, members of the Tatler community were invited to lunch at Churchill’s Table. The restaurant is named after the late British prime minister and noted gourmand, with decor inspired by classic food halls inside London department stores. 

Then came the moment everyone was waiting for: a fireside chat and meet-and-greet with David Beckham, hosted exclusively for Tatler guests. The intimate affair took place at the hotel’s David Beckham Suite, which the superstar had curated in collaboration with the award-winning design house David Collins Studio. There were personal touches and homages to Beckham’s career at every turn: snaps of Victoria Beckham, taken by the Beckhams’ son Brooklyn, decorated the walls, while a football-inspired chandelier hangs in one of the sprawling bathrooms.

Jay Khan, who is behind Asia’s 50 Best Bars 2021 and 2022 winner Coa, was on hand to make cocktails for guests. The cocktail whiz impressed the VIPs, especially Beckham, who sipped on one of Khan’s signature mezcal creations.

That evening, it was time for the official grand opening of The Londoner Macao. The black-tie affair saw some 450 guests, including Allan and Charmaine Zeman, walk the red carpet—before heading inside the hotel’s arena, where performances by singer-songwriter G.E.M and Chinese pianist Lang Lang dazzled the crowd. 

Miriam Adelson, the widow  of Sheldon Adelson—the late American businessman and former chairman of the Las Vegas Sands Corporation, which owns The Londoner—delivered a touching tribute to her husband and the legacy he left behind. Officially marking the launch of the hotel, Beckham and top executives of the resort struck gongs on stage, while confetti bombs showered the audience, who cheered with excitement. 

Later, a gala dinner was held in the hotel’s ballroom, where Anglomania was in full force: dancers wowed the audience with a rendition of Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious of Mary Poppins; Jamie Cullum hit the stage with covers of hits like Amy Winehouse’s Valerie;  and the show closed with Beatles tribute band The Fab Four.

arrow left arrow left
arrow right arrow right
Photo 1 of 20 Stacey Liang, Marion Caunter, Gerrie Beh, Scha Alyahya and Awal Ashaari
Photo 2 of 20 Colin Seah
Photo 3 of 20 Jacqueline Tsang and David Beckham during Tatler's exclusive fireside chat
Photo 4 of 20 Michel Lamunière, David Beckham and Sean Fitzpatrick
Photo 5 of 20 David Beckham with members of the Tatler community including Nam Laks and Goh Soo Sing
Photo 6 of 20 Axel Ace Pabiton and Jay Khan
Photo 7 of 20 Mark Ngai and David Beckham
Photo 8 of 20 Beckham signed memorabilia for his fans
Photo 9 of 20 Nina Kaginda, Marion Caunter, Eleanor Lam and Scha Alyahya
Photo 10 of 20 Levy Li
Photo 11 of 20 Marion Caunter and Eleanor Lam
Photo 12 of 20 Terri Kwan
Photo 13 of 20 Deng Meng Xue aka Snow
Photo 14 of 20 Stacey Liang and Terri Kwan
Photo 15 of 20 Awal Ashaari and Scha Alyahya
Photo 16 of 20 Nina Kaginda
Photo 17 of 20 Terri Kwan
Photo 18 of 20 Allan and Charmaine Zeman
Photo 19 of 20 Veronica Lam and Stephen Loman
Photo 20 of 20 David Beckham

It was a remarkable occasion, filled with glamour and excitement. The performances had everyone on their feet and dancing until midnight. Afterwards, guests finally trickled into the hallways—some with their dancing shoes in hand.

The next morning, Tatler VIPs were given an exclusive first look at Supernature Macao, the latest showcase by the international art collective TeamLab. Taking up around 54,000 sq ft at The Venetian Macao, the three-dimensional interactive space boasts an interactive garden feature with 8,000 living orchids that float mid-air, as well as trampolines and a laser-light room. Magic is  the only word to describe the three-day affair, and that’s not all—stay tuned to Tatler for more.

Credits

Photography  

Anna Koustas

Topics