Well, for starters, anyone planning to visit a casino will find the hotel conveniently located within The Star complex (something to bear in mind, perhaps, should the security situation in Macau continue to deteriorate). An A$870 million (HK$7.1 billion) refurbishment of the casino complex has recently been completed, delivering 20 new restaurants, bars and cafes, upmarket retail stores and a nightclub. And, of course, there's a pool. The service deserves a mention: Darling staff go out of their way to accommodate requests.
The gleaming lobby certainly makes a statement. A sculpture of a gliding swallow carrying two diamond-shaped cherries in its beak hangs over the entrance.
Well, there's plenty of choice in The Star complex, including noodle bars and the small Din Tai Fung dumpling kitchen. Fine-dining restaurants include Melbourne chef Teage Ezard's Black by Ezard and David Chang's Momofuku Seiobo. Judging by the crowd at Sokyo, located on the ground floor of The Darling, Sydneysiders are in love with chef Chase Kojima's creative contemporary Japanese cuisine. Think sirloin and foie gras robata with fig, plum and wine soy.
The Marquee nightclub has twinkling views of the skyline. The main room has an LED DJ booth, two dance floors and a more intimate, quiet room.