On the stretch of long years on Avenida di Almeida Ribeiro, known under the name San Malo, with its parallel alleys and old architecture, they may not be as remarkable today. But at the moment of its opening in 1920, this street immediately became a main one in the city. Hotel Central, known as the President Hotel, opened shortly after the street and became one of the most recognized buildings in the area, cherished by the local residents "The Great Lady of Macau".
Simon Siu was born in a secluded setting in the heart of Macau, the world’s Chinese center of entertainment and tourism. Already in his childhood, he lived across from Hotel Central, which was one of the most luxurious places in the city and which served as a meeting place for stylists and diplomats in the following decades. In his youth, Siu secretly frequented that place, owing to the fact that the hotel, one of the few in the Portuguese colony, had air-conditioning and spacious rooms.
"Hotel Central" underwent several phases of reconstruction and will reopen in 2024 after Siu became its new owner. His actions were not motivated by a desire for a location; Siu claims that he wanted to restore a piece of Macau's history and introduce into it something special.
In recent years, new luxury resorts and skyscrapers have appeared in Macau. The renovated hotel will also have a restaurant, a bakery, and a cafe on the roof with a panoramic view of Macau.
Siu hopes that Hotel Central will serve as a model for other developers in reviving historical sites in Macau and diversifying tourism activities in the city. Thanks to government investment and the efforts of companies to preserve Macau's historical heritage, the tourism sector may receive a new boost.