Macau’s financially troubled THE 13 has obtained a new hotel license for next 12 months, but the hotel’s two restaurants are not open to the public while they are undergoing repairs or maintenance work.
The controversial property first obtained a hotel license in 2018 after a long and arduous development process but was closed in mid-February 2020 until officially reopening last year with a license valid until 31 December 2024.
In response to IAG’s queries, the Macao Government Tourism Office (MGTO) said THE 13 has been granted a renewed five-star deluxe hotel license, valid until 31 December 2025. However, it also stated that the two restaurants in the hotel are under repair or maintenance works and are not open to the public.
IAG was also unsuccessful when attempting to book a hotel room through the online platform, which showed no vacancy.
Even though 13 Hotel has obtained the latest year’s license, when we tried to book hotel rooms through the online platform, the platform showed “no vacancy”; and when we tried to book the room in advance for June, it also showed “no vacancy”. IAG similarly attempted to make a booking last year after the hotel reopened but was unsuccessful, with hotel staff stating at the time that only telephone or on-site bookings were accepted. Calls made to book a room this week did not connect through.
The MGTO told IAG that the current law does not regulate the way hotel rooms are booked.
THE 13’s troubled history appeared to culminate in February 2023 when the Macau Court of First Instance published a notice that The 13 Hotel Management Company Limited was in bankruptcy, with the property eventually put up for sale in March of 2024 year at an asking price of HK$2.4 billion, overseen by Jones Lang LaSalle (JLL). It was reported that some 24 companies had expressed interest although the real estate agency has not responded to queries about the sale.
THE 13 was the brainchild of long-departed Chairman Stephen Hung and had been envisioned as an uber-luxury hotel with space for 66 VIP gaming tables aimed at capitalizing on Macau’s booming VIP segment of the early 2010s. Instead, a series of funding and construction delays saw the property open in September 2018 with no gaming and with a number of rooms unfinished – all at a cost of US$1.6 billion.
Former parent company South Shore Holdings revealed in October 2021 that it had ceased all operations and was insolvent following a statutory demand issued by one lender demanding payment of HK$3.28 billion (US$423 million) in outstanding loans and interest or face a winding up petition against the company.
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