After extensive revamp, Melco opens REM hotel

Melco Resorts & Entertainment opened its REM hotel at City of Dreams Macau yesterday. The grand opening followed an invitation-only preview that brought celebrities from mainland China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Thailand, and beyond to a red-carpet celebration.

The renewed property has 149 suites, compared with its predecessor’s 330 rooms, representing a reduction of about 55%.

Speaking at the red-carpet opening ceremony, Melco Chairman and CEO Lawrence Ho said the project took shape during the pandemic.

“It’s been a long time in the making […] we really started planning it [REM] during Covid, and from that, to have something completely different for Macau, and probably for the entire Asia region,” Ho said, adding, “we’re very excited”.

The redevelopment marks a repositioning of a hotel that closed for renovation in 2021. Rather than restoring the previous room inventory, Melco has focused on more spacious accommodations, enhanced privacy, and personalized service.

REM joins Morpheus, Nüwa, and Grand Hyatt Macau in the City of Dreams hotel portfolio. Its name refers to rapid eye movement, the sleep stage associated with vivid dreams. Ho explained the connection at the opening: “REM stands for a part of your sleep […] when you have your most vivid dreams during the night.”

Lawrence Ho

“Since we’re at the City of Dreams, everything is about dreams,” Ho added.

That concept informs the interiors, which blend red tones, metallic finishes, and contrasting lighting. Facilities include an outdoor swimming pool, a fitness center, and Reverie Café, located beside the third-floor pool. Seven accommodation categories range from the Premier Room to suites named Twilight, Luminous, Euphoria, and Hypnotic, as well as The Haven and The Lair.

Melco presents the property as a contemporary alternative to Morpheus’s futuristic architecture and to Nüwa’s Chinese-inspired elegance. Its emphasis is on design-led stays and individualized experiences rather than on additional room capacity.

The launch also coincided with a broader branding campaign for City of Dreams. In March, actor Jing Boran was named the global brand ambassador for the integrated resorts, and ballet artist Tan Yuanyuan was named a “Friend of the Brand”.

The appointments accompanied the “Be a Dreamer” campaign, which Melco described as a “significant evolution of City of Dreams’ brand promise … through a profound fusion of art, culture and imagination”.

Jing told attendees at Tuesday’s red carpet that he was excited to return to Macau for the occasion. “I am glad to be back in Macau, and once again with our big family […] I’m so happy to be able to meet all our fans today,” he said.

Other guests included Miriam Yeung, Anson Lo, Tyson Yoshi, Marf Yau, Zhu Zhu, Cai Wenjing, Wan Baobao, Mika, Suzi de Givenchy, and Mile Phakphum. DJ Afrojack performed at the after-party.

Melco announced on March 17 that REM would begin a soft opening in the second half of 2026.

The hotel subsequently welcomed invited guests ahead of the October celebration.