Simon Sio faced the daunting challenge of renovating the nearly century-old building.
A man, who was expelled from one of Macao’s most prestigious hotels during his childhood, now owns the establishment. As a young boy, Simon Sio faced the humiliation of being asked to leave Hotel Central in Macao. At the time, he “swore I’d buy it someday,” he told CNN. Fast-forward to 2024, the childhood promise has come to fruition. Mr Sio, now 65, founded his own real estate development company, Lek Hang Group, in 1991, and is now the owner of the place he was once turned away from.
His motivation for acquiring the hotel — which opened its doors in 1928 — was not born out of spite but a desire to restore a significant piece of Macao’s history. Hotel Central, originally named the President Hotel, was a landmark that fell from grace by the 1960s.
“The giant watched me grow up like an elder. So I had a deep emotional attachment to it. At its peak, it was my idol. As I became older, its decay made my heart uncomfortable,” he told CNN.
After a seven-year acquisition process culminating in 2016, Mr Sio faced the daunting challenge of renovating the nearly century-old building, especially as it is a protected cultural heritage site.
His team developed innovative solutions, including a new piling method, to reinforce the structure without altering its historical essence. Despite facing hurdles, including delays from the COVID-19 pandemic, the renovation was completed, with a total investment of around 2.2 billion Macanese Pataca (around Rs 2,310 crore). The hotel now features 114 retro-styled rooms, a “Historical Cultural Corridor” exhibition, and plans for a shopping mall and rooftop bar, among other amenities.
Mr Sio justifies every penny he spent and emphasises the importance of historical preservation in tourism. He told CNN, “Looking back, projects like Hotel Central on the market are relatively far and few, especially one with such an extensive history. There’s a saying which I tell everyone around me: ‘Money can produce volume, but money cannot reproduce history.’”
He hopes the renovation of Hotel Central will inspire further efforts to improve Macao’s historical sites, diversifying the city’s appeal beyond its casino resorts. With the government’s commitment to restoring heritage buildings, Mr Sio remains optimistic about Macao’s tourism future, saying, “Macao is small. We can’t grow in size. Thirty-three square kilometres is all we have…But small things can be exquisite. So we need to move in the direction of exquisiteness, like a jewel.”
