Macau's The 13 Palace to soft open after year-long revamp
Macau’s The 13 Palace will begin trial operations on 27 June, marking the latest step in the revival of one of the city’s most ambitious luxury hotel projects a year after it was sold to new owners following years of financial and operational setbacks.
Formerly known as The 13 Hotel, the property in Seac Pai Van, Coloane, has undergone a full renovation and rebranding aimed at repositioning it as a destination focused on privacy, wellness and high-end leisure travel. Lui Ka Hei, executive director of Macau The 13 Palace, told Macao Daily News that the hotel is carrying out final equipment testing, staff training and other preparations ahead of the soft opening.
He said the team hopes to “turn around past stereotypes” through upgraded facilities and improved service standards while offering a new option for Macau’s high-end leisure tourism market.
Lui added that although the renovation represented a significant investment, the value of the project should not be measured solely in financial terms. He said the hotel had long attracted public attention and that the trial operation is intended to rebuild the property’s brand image and encourage guests to experience its full butler service.
Phased reopening targets full operations by July
The reopening will take place in phases, with between 50 and 60 rooms initially available as part of a first rollout of around 100 rooms during the trial period.
Management plans to release more than 10 additional rooms each week, with the aim of reaching full operations by the end of July.
According to Lui, bookings have been encouraging ahead of the summer holiday season, driven primarily by travellers from mainland China.
The hotel is targeting affluent visitors from Hong Kong, Macau, mainland China and international markets. Lui said the property’s appeal goes beyond luxury interiors, with an emphasis on privacy and a peaceful environment.
Facilities include wellness amenities such as a hot spring pool and oxygen chambers alongside European palace-style architecture and marble interiors.
Located in Seac Pai Van, Coloane, the hotel is positioned away from Macau’s main casino districts and close to non-gaming attractions including a golf course and the Macao Giant Panda Pavilion. Management also plans to promote the property internationally through social media to attract visitors from Southeast Asia, South Korea and Japan.
Rebrand brings new identity and expanded amenities
The rebranding has extended across the hotel’s official website, social media channels and major booking platforms, where the property now appears as The 13 Palace.
One of the most noticeable changes is the building itself. The hotel’s distinctive red exterior has been repainted gold following the renovation.
The Macao Government Tourism Office continues to list the property as a five-star deluxe hotel. According to the hotel’s official website, The 13 Palace offers 199 independent villa-style suites ranging from 2,000 to 10,000 square feet. Each suite is equipped with a private elevator and dedicated butler service.
The hotel describes itself as combining modern architecture with European Baroque palatial aesthetics. Beyond accommodation, it is expanding its convention and exhibition facilities and multi-purpose event space as part of plans to position itself as a broader destination for accommodation, dining, entertainment and events.
Alongside limousine services and a spa, the renovated property has introduced a refreshed food and beverage offering. These include Jin Yue Xuan Seafood Restaurant, a Chinese restaurant brand operated by the Jin Yue Xuan Group, which has more than 30 restaurants across Macau, Hong Kong and mainland China, including outlets at The Londoner Macao, City of Dreams Macau and Galaxy Macau.
The hotel also features Italian and Japanese restaurants, a café, a bar and a swimming pool. According to the hotel, its indoor vertical green wall has received Guinness World Record recognition.
Although influencers and selected media have previewed the renovated property, room reservations were not available through the hotel’s official website or major online booking platforms during the lead-up to the trial opening. The hotel did not publicly confirm details of the trial operation before local media reports emerged.
Sale paved the way for redevelopment
The reopening follows the property’s sale in June 2025 to Chang Fu Investment Ltd, a company linked to family members of Macau businessman Loi Keong Kuong.
Property consultancy Jones Lang LaSalle said the hotel was sold for HK$600 million (US$76.53 million), representing a substantial reduction from the previous HK$2.4 billion asking price after an earlier sale process failed in 2024.
The acquisition followed years of uncertainty after multiple attempts to sell the property attracted interest from more than 20 parties but failed to secure a buyer.
Following the transaction, the new owners announced plans for a comprehensive redevelopment, including the introduction of internationally recognised restaurants and upgrades designed to reposition the hotel as a tourism destination.
At the time, Macao Government Tourism Office Director Maria Helena de Senna Fernandes said the new operator was handling the transition process and planned to introduce new partners and restaurants while licensing authorities reviewed operational changes.
Mark Wong, Director of Value and Risk Advisory Services at Jones Lang LaSalle Macau, said the sale reflected confidence in Macau’s tourism recovery and the city’s long-term prospects.
From VIP casino vision to luxury hotel revival
The 13 was conceived by Hong Kong businessman Stephen Hung during Macau’s VIP gaming boom as an ultra-luxury development intended to feature 66 gaming tables under a satellite casino model.
However, the project never obtained a casino licence. Construction delays and funding difficulties meant the hotel eventually opened in 2018 without gaming facilities and with parts of the property unfinished.
Reports have estimated the original investment at around HK$12.5 billion (US$1.6 billion). Financial problems intensified after opening. Parent company South Shore Holdings entered insolvency proceedings in 2021 with debts exceeding HK$3.2 billion (US$408 million), while the hotel’s management company filed for bankruptcy in 2023.
Ownership was subsequently transferred to Bank of Communications Macau Branch, the property’s principal creditor, before the hotel was sold to its new owners.
The hotel suspended operations in 2020 before resuming limited services in mid-2024 after receiving a renewed five-star deluxe licence from the Macao Government Tourism Office. During that period only part of the accommodation inventory was available while restaurants remained closed as renovation work continued.
The transformation into The 13 Palace marks the latest chapter in the property’s long-running redevelopment as its new owners seek to establish the hotel as a luxury leisure destination beyond Macau’s traditional gaming market.
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