What if I told you the Jai Alai Hotel is more than just a place to stay? It is a quirky complex. It has a history as colorful as its past. We are standing before a building that wears its age like a badge of honor.
The Jai Alai Hotel isn’t really a hotel. It is a small mall. Private companies offer restaurant, shopping, and entertainment services. The hotel is a small part of it. It is not the main draw. The sauna or nightclub bring in the most business. This gives the complex a seedy feel. Posters advertise strip shows and sauna girls. Security guards keep order outside.
Originally, this building was built in 1972. It cost over 60 million Hong Kong dollars. It had five floors. It was built for the Spanish indoor ball game, Jai Alai. Jai Alai games were played here. This lasted from 1972 to the late 1980s or early 1990s. Wagering on the games was central to the sport.
The Jai Alai’s casino is very old. It might predate the Lisboa. The casino is the easternmost one on Macau island. It is near the ferry terminal. Oceanus is another SJM property beside it.
Two-thirds of the Jai Alai casino was closed. Now focus on the lower third that is open. Jai Alai is pleasantly old. Middle-aged dealers wear traditional red suits. They deal cards slowly. Players mind their own business. They game silently. There is no background music. The warm wooden walls surround you. The casino has simplicity and authenticity.
The Jai Alai needs more games. There are 12 Baccarat tables, 2 Sic Bo tables, and 2 Yee Hah Hi tables. Minimums are fairly low. Sic Bo and Yee Hah Hi are $50. Baccarat ranges from $50 to $200.
The ground floor has a slot hall. It features 62 slots at 5¢-$2 minimums. Electronic Sic Bo, Baccarat, and Roulette are available.
The Lisboa EC card is the only player card. It can’t be used at the Jai Alai. The Lisboa is on the other side of the Amizade strip.
The building has two entrances on the ground floor. The casino is in the middle. The hotel rooms and Jai Alai Show Palace are on the second floor.
The hotel rooms at Jai Alai are small and standard. They are like hostel rooms. All rooms have TVs and private bathrooms. Jai Alai’s rates are the lowest.
Jai Alai has two restaurants on the west side. Jai Alai Mei Shi Zhong Xin offers Guangdong dishes. The Relic Cantonese Restaurant also serves Guangdong fare.
Jai Alai has no gym. Jai Alai Tai Pan Beauty Spa is 100% legit. Darling Sauna is also here. It offers full 75-minute service.
The Jai Alai Show Palace is heavily advertised. It has male dancers. There are two shows: Table Dance and Sexy Moulin Rouge.
Attached to the Show Palace is UFO Disco. The China City Nightclub is currently closed for renovations. Dynasty Club KTV is on the third floor.
The Jai Alai complex is unique in Macau. It is part strip mall and part strip club. It is a stripped-down casino. It is full of sleaze and sex. The hotel and casino are not recommended. The hotel rates are the lowest. The Jai Alai is not really a hotel. It is a complex of carnal delight. It has hostel-type rooms. The casino is the most legitimate part of the building. If you like history and old things, check out Jai Alai. It might not be around much longer.