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When Hongkongers think of going up to mainland China, we tend to immediately envision huge malls that take hours to shop through, restaurants with prices at a fraction of Hong Kong’s menu listings, and cheap massages all day – in other words, all city-based activities. We don’t usually consider our neighbouring Chinese cities in the Greater Bay Area when it comes to quiet retreats, but in nearby Zhuhai, there is definitely one such urban oasis that’s perfect for unwinding in nature.
Nestled within Phoenix Hill and overlooking the Xiangshan Lake, the MGM Reserve Zhuhai is a luxurious, contemporary resort that sits right on the edge of Zhuhai’s city centre. It takes little to no effort to get there from Hong Kong; I hopped onto a 70-minute ferry ride from Shun Tak Centre in Sheung Wan then straight into a cab from the ferry terminal, which only takes about 25 minutes to reach the sprawling resort estate.
Inspired by the aesthetics of Cantonese gardens and Lingnan-style mansions, the architecture of MGM Reserve Zhuhai and its grounds draw urban living and an appreciation of nature into a contemporary sanctuary that remains firmly rooted in tradition. Lingnan mansions, engineered to handle the subtropical humidity of the Guangdong region, are all about courtyards – multiple entry points and bays are typically configured around a central open-air courtyard for optimal air circulation. Walking through the hotel entrance’s grey brick walls accented with oyster shells (another nod to traditional Lingnan construction materials) and their resident blue parakeet, and past the high-ceilinged lobby to the central courtyard of the MGM Reserve Zhuhai, featuring rain chains and a stone sculpture, will give you an idea of this traditional layout.
The hotel villas and rooms
The property offers 148 guest rooms and villas, all elegantly appointed in Chinese-style furnishings with modern amenities. I had the pleasure of spending a night in a one-bedroom pool villa, which came with a sun deck and a pool not quite large enough to swim in but certainly spacious enough for a couple of guests to float and relax. At the entrance of each standalone villa is a different sculpture – sometimes fruits, sometimes animals, with one Chinese-style lion spotted on a walk – which speaks to MGM Reserve Zhuhai’s love for traditional artistry.
Dark wood furnishings make the bespoke artworks in all the rooms pop nicely, while the closet-like mini bar is a thing of beauty in itself. The first round of drinks and snacks provided in the mini bar is complimentary, by the way. While the hotel does not offer a pillow menu, their existing pillows were fluffy enough for my tastes, and I also appreciated that the three-pronged Type G plug sockets and USB ports scattered around the room rendered my travel adapter unnecessary.
Perhaps the best part of the villa was the bathroom, a spacious black-and-white tiled affair with separate stalls for the toilet and the rainfall shower, a double vanity with octagonal bronze basins for sinks, and a big egg-like bathtub sitting in the middle of it all. The turn-down service left two hydrating face masks on the bathroom counter, which I thought was a nice touch and promptly used while soaking in the tub.
The MGM Reserve Zhuhai also offers pet-friendly villas which come with a small courtyard instead of a pool, that leads directly out to the central landscaped garden. There will soon be a dog park with play areas and pet facilities opening on the grounds as well, so if you’re considering bringing your furry companion on holiday, this hotel could be a good option.
The hotel amenities and grounds
The MGM Reserve Zhuhai grounds are large enough that the hotel has a fleet of golf buggies used to ferry guests around. You could definitely explore on foot, though waiting for cooler weather to do so might be a good idea since there isn’t much shade. The estate is arranged in a loop around its own lake with well-tended paths, pavilions dotted around, and small flocks of ducks and swans that make meandering around very pleasant.
The main hotel block houses an indoor swimming pool, a gym, and a children’s playroom with an outdoor play area. A short walk away lies the outdoor infinity pool, which seemingly extends into the lotus pond itself. There is also a ballroom and VIP rooms available to book out for events.
The crown jewel of the MGM Reserve Zhuhai is the Xiangshan Mansion, a three-storey building standing away from the rest of the hotel on the other side of the small lake. Designed to feel like a hotel within a hotel, this structure houses the presidential suite, seven regular guest rooms, function rooms, a gym, a karaoke lounge, a mahjong and games room, and its own indoor swimming pool that’s pretty much the same size as the hotel’s communal one in the main block.
Apparently, popular Chinese celebrity and competitive car racing driver Wang Yibo stayed for a week in the Xiangshan Mansion while he was in the area for a motorsports event. Guests can stay in the two-bedroom presidential suite, or choose to book out the entire mansion. It costs a fortune of course, but we couldn’t help imagining a massive rave event that comes with beautiful rooms for friends to crash in when the party’s eventually over…
The restaurants and food
This Chinese-style garden resort has three dining venues to choose from. Fangfei Lounge overlooks the lotus pond and is where the breakfast buffet is served, switching to offer Western and local delicacies later in the day. There is a private dining room available, but for an added taste of exclusivity, you can even opt for a private kitchen meal prepared by Hong Kong culinary figure Ruby Lau. Known for her unrivalled expertise in premium olive oils, Lau’s French-inflected menu includes dishes like chilled abalone with tapenade and truffle oil, barbecued sweet and sour pork ribs, and clam capellini in green pesto. I loved her olive oil chocolate ice cream, a smooth, creamy delight moulded into the shapes of Chinese-style buildings.
Meanwhile, Chinese cuisine is represented by the Royal Court Chinese Restaurant with regional classics and Cantonese techniques, and the Pinju Zhuhai with its open kitchen layout and signature dishes from dim sum to stir-fries.
The verdict
As the world’s first luxury property under the MGM Reserve brand, this Zhuhai hotel resort is well worth a visit if you want to feel like you’re away from it all, while actually still being a 15-minute walk from a mall and a quick Meituan delivery away from boba tea. Walking around the pagodas, ponds, and tea-filled slopes of the resort is like wandering onto the set of a historical TV series set in imperial China, and the fact that the hotel wasn’t packed with other punters made it easy to relax.
I would have enjoyed the presence of a spa, but the vibe here is more revelling in the nature around us and less having the tension kneaded out of our bodies. And let’s be real, a quick foray onto the streets outside the resort will probably turn up several massage parlours at dirt-cheap prices anyway.
For a well-designed short vacation in a spacious resort that’s barely a year old – and most importantly, barely an hour and a half’s journey from Hong Kong – the MGM Reserve Zhuhai is worth going on your list. I’d recommend splashing out on one of the villas though, because the little standalone mansions are exactly what sets this resort apart from other aesthetically pleasing hotels.
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