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Mandarin Oriental Hongkong, Hong Kong, China
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Mandarin Cake Shop
Our bedroom
Mandarin Cake Shop
Mandarin Cake Shop
room
shower
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Address: 5 Connaught Road , Central
Bedroom
Fancy Toiletries
Living Area
View from the Room
From the outside
Bathroom
Lobby
Bathroom
room
Mandarin Cake Shop
Our bedroom
Mandarin Cake Shop
Mandarin Cake Shop
room
shower
Lounge
Address: 5 Connaught Road , Central (52 votes)
Ranked #6 out of 221 in Hong Kong
Average price: $576
Reviews
The plane arrived at Hong Kong and right at the door of the 747 was a girl with our names on a board. Yes. After all the problems in the World in the last few months I decided to treat ourselves to 3 nights in the MANDARIN ORIENTAL and to have meet and greet service ( about £ 20- each. ) What a way to arrive after a long journey. We gave her our passports, she knew all the right people and we wafted past, all those queing for 30 minutes, and straight from the carousel to the Merc to be greeted with " Would you like a cool towell, a newspaper or drink and what music do you like while I drive you the 30 minutes to your hotel?.Of course there is a charge but deduct the normal taxi fare and it is not that bad. Everything in H.K. is expensive. At the hotel a tailcoated receptionist opened the door and escorted us- no card swiping- staight to our room where he explained all the special extras in their newly refurbished hotel. He glanced at our passports and offered an extra 3 hours after check-out time to make our next flight easier.One felt that one was really being treated as a normal human being. The hotel is magnificent- even to free mulled wine and mince pies in the lobby on a cold evening- a freeby enjoyed by many passers by! Eating out is a hassle with booking and return taxis and we found the hotel had everything from a Michelin restaurant on the top floor to a snack bar with also the choice of an ' eat as much as you like ' buffet with oysters, langoustine, and even a sirloin being carved by the chef, and 2 other restaurants. We could find absolutely nothing to complain about. It surely is one of the Worlds great hotels.. We visited 3 of the other top hotels- we could not find a second choice. A really special, spoily stay- just what we needed.
An open letter to the MO. Enjoy!
Dear Mr. French:
Thnx for your e-mail.
I just wanted to e-mail you to let you know how much I enjoyed my last trip at the Mandarin.
I was travelling on biz with my wife.
We just arrived from Singapore-- we were staying at the Four Seasons.
We had a terrible experience-- with my wife getting sick off of a milk shake and roaches underneath the hot tray when we ordered room service.
Not to mention that the elevator broke down the day we were checking out so we almost missed our flight + our baggage was not guaranteed to arrive with us due to our tardiness.
So when we boarded that Sing flight-- we were exhausted, sick and not looking forward to another experience like the one at the FS.
Luckily, we were blessed with an entirely opposite experience.
Upon our arrival to HK, we were exhausted and hired the MO limousine to take us to the hotel (we were originally going to take the airport express).
From the minute we got into the Benz (the airport people were excellent by the way, please tell them to keep up the good work-- a lot of the airport pick services no longer really take pride in what they do), we were whisked to a very relaxing atmosphere.
Check in was literally done when we opened the door at the MO.
The attendant was very nice and professional-- although it is not unusual by MO, please let her know how much we appreciated her attitude. I know that the attendant (I am very bad with names) must show tens of people to their rooms each day-- but after our ordeal, you don't know how much it means to someone to see a friendly face trying to help them in any way possible.
Also, I must say that the suite you provided to us was magnificent, and we really enjoyed it while it lasted. We had to move to a smaller room after our stay extended to about two weeks-- but it was great while it lasted. (The Acqua de Parma stuff is great.)
The service was generally impeccable-- other than the VERY MINOR quibbles of turndown service missing our room once everything was great.
Just between you and I, although I had no trouble with the service at the MO (it was excellent by any means), it seemed the people were more attentive when we were staying at the suite-- which is not a bad thing (although because we were spoiled from staying at the suite and moving to a superior room, it relatively seemed to feel that way).
However, what sticks out the most in terms of appreciation and the level of service is what the MO did NOT get right. Everything else was almost perfect over two weeks, and I know it sounds strange, but let me explain.
My wife has a craving for milkshakes (the cause of one our fiascos in Sing)-- she ordered one from room service when I was at a biz meeting. She didn't like it and called room service-- saying it tasted like instant coffee. The room attendant (an elderly man by the name of Elan (?)) came in and apologized profusely and said he would get another. Again, she didn't like it and called him again. At that point, most attendants would have given up or would have requested that the guest pick another item.
Instead, Elan (I hope I am getting his name right) told her that he would keep getting milkshakes until he got it right. That kind of attitude you don't find in hotels like these. I really think you should give a shout out to this guy and let him know that this is the attitude that really needs recognition. In the end, my wife was so impressed with his attitude that she just kept the milkshake. (You don't easily impress a woman like my wife-- as she follows me on all my biz trips and takes full advantage of the facilities at hotels.)
I think that this single episode epitomizes our stay at the MO. I have stayed at various hotels in HK and the world-- and I prefer the FS (in terms of hotel chains) and I guess I still do. Moreover, I was a guest at FS Place when it first opened up in HK for two years. However, my experience at the MO has changed my view-- especially in HK-- as i plan to stay at the MO exclusively, and this has loosened my prejudice for staying at the FS when visiting other cities.
Keep up the good work.
I really don't take the time to write a long e-mail like this-- I just fill out your surveys, so I hope you take the time to share this feedback with your employees.
You really cannot find fault in the location, the rooms or the service. Recommend the corner Oriental suites for the space, and harbour views from the bath. Don't bother staying anywhere else!
The Hotel is excellent. The rooms, service and location are high quality. The location in Central Station area make it convenient for business and shopping.
Having grown up, over decades, with the Mandarin's colossal reputation, it was a bit daunting to book to actually stay there for the first time. Would it live up to that reputation? And would the much-vaunted renovation live up to its hype?
We need not have worried. This stay was just superb. The hotel was pretty much everything that an ideal hotel should be. This included the email before arrival specifically to ask whether we needed a transfer from the airport on arrival; effortless compliance with a request that two separate rooms, booked separately and checked-into at opposite ends of the same day, should be on the same floor; and overnight pressing and shoeshine services that are collected from a valet service cupboard accessible from inside and outside your room so you don't have to open the room door to put stuff out, or wait for collection.
The room itself is beautifully fitted out. It would take pages to describe it. But just about everything has been carefully thought out, and was in good working order. Unlike many hotel rooms, there is ample lighting if you want it, but many subtle controls to vary it to how you would like. A room-to-room phone call tells the recipient, by name, who is calling. And the room even comes with things that I would never have dreamt of thinking about: the mirror in the bathroom, which inevitably steams up when you take a shower, has a large patch in the middle which doesn't really mist over because it's heated.
Service is also exemplary. The check-in process, for example, pauses only momentarily at the front counter - just long enough to take a credit card swipe. The rest is done after the staff member takes you up to your room. Phone queries and requests were dealt with quickly and accurately. And assistance was always on hand when needed.
It was almost a relief to discover some wrinkles. In the Clipper Lounge, there was the occasional dropping of a ball - having to ask a second time for the bill, for example, or having to wait for a specific brand of beer to be fetched from another bar. And in the room, housekeeping lined up the part-used bottles of shower gel etc without noticing that one of them was virtually empty. But I'm sure that if it had mattered, another one would have appeared within minutes of a phone call.
All this comes at a price, of course. It's definitely a splurge treat. But does the hotel deliver what it promises? Yes, it does.
I spent 5 days and 4 nights in the magnificent Mandarin Oriental Hotel in Hong Kong. Everything was perfect there : from my arrival at Hong Kong's airport until my departure to Paris 5 days later. Limousine service with new Mercedes car, large room with fantastic view , incredible service.
It was my first visit in Hong Kong and Macao.
I recommend this fantastic hotel .
Warm regards
Christian Chentrier
France
I have stayed at this hotel many times. It was great before the renovation completed in 2006 and is even better since.
Rarely do hotels completely live up to reputation. This one does and it holds its position in HK as the best of the best for good reason..............world class.
this was a post nite after our azamara southeast asia cruise; the only glitch was checking in and finding out that amex had denied the "fine resorts pkg" since i had booked it so far in advance; with the patience of the front desk, it was finally resolved ( i'm sure i could have gotten a cheaper rate if i didnt book it w amex). The room, the amenities and the staff were first rate. I used the services of the concierge , they were outstanding in obtaining restaurant reservations and confirmation of my return flt home. we used their car service to the airport and were greeted by staff members of the hotel at the airport to assist in unloading our luggage and guiding us to the check in counter, they did not leave until our boading passes were issued. Now........where in the world does one receive such personalized srvice?? I forgot to also mention that dining in the hotel and even shopping at one of their fine stores elicted the same consistent courteous service. although priced at the high end, i would conclude to say "it was worth every penny"..
We stayed at the MO over Christmas 2008 for the first leg of our honeymoon, and were blown away by the design, location and service in this hotel.
Our room overlooked the harbour and Kowloon, and we were particularly impressed with the bathroom and with the general oriental decor.
We also rather over-enjoyed the cocktails in the bar on the top floor! Service every where in the hotel was attentive but never intrusive, and everyone was happy to help - particularly the concierge, who gave us lots of recommendations for trips.
We knew once we left here it would be downhill on the hotel front!
I had a brief one night stay at the Mandarin Oriental some time back when the hotel just re-opened after a massive USD140 million renovation project that quite literally transformed this classic hotel from tip to toe. The Mandarin Oriental is perhaps the second oldest hotel in Hong Kong, after the Peninsula. Back then, the hotel recruited new staff after prolong closure and there were some teething problem, particularly in service. I choose to try the hotel again during a recent quick getaway vacation in Hong Kong.
Arriving
I booked the limousine airport transfer as I have lots of luggage. Unlike it’s peers, they do not provide meet and greet service. Not much of a problem since I’m very familiar with Hong Kong airport. An airport personnel from the hotel promptly greeted me when I exit the airport gate and escorted me to my limousine, a brand new S-Class Mercedes Benz. The drive was smooth and on arrival, I was escorted by one of the hotel staff to my room for in-room checkin. I do however notice this time the Front Desk Manager wasn’t available to escort me to my room this time. Not a big deal though but unfortunately, the hotel staff that did my in-room check in seems like a new staff. More on that later.
The Suite
I booked a Harbor View Suite and got upgraded to the Oriental Suite under my Weekend Getaway package. It’s a nice 70m2 suite that is neatly divided into a living area, a bedroom and a bathroom with walk-in closet. Unfortunately, I have mixed feelings about this suite. Let’s start with the Living Area first. Floor to Ceiling windows offers a great view of Charter Square and Kowloon Harbor. There’s a comfortable sofa seating area and a large 42” Aquos LCD Screen with Denon Sound system ( decent sound quality ). There’s a large working desk and both wired and wireless internet. The suite features mood lighting by CLIPSAL throughout the entire suite.
Next, to the best feature of the suite, the bathroom. It’s huge, and is a full ensuite with dual sinks, a make-up table, a humongous, extra-deep Kohler bathtub that easily fit two adults, a shower cubicle with twin shower jets and handheld shower and of course a separate toilet cubicle. Toiletries are top of the line Acqua Di Parma which are supplied and replenished generously by housekeeping during daily cleaning and turn-down. Soft fluffy bathrobes and towels of everysize are to be found and to round it up, a full set of bathroom amenities and most important, great water pressure. There’s also a LCD TV in the bathroom. Last but not least, the bathroom offers a full harbour view of Kowloon via a full wall of wall-to-ceiling windows which guests can enjoy while soaking in the tub. I spend lots of time during my stay to maximize the use of the bathroom. It’s a wonderful place to just enjoy and relax. This bathroom is even better than the L600 bathroom in the Mandarin Oriental’s sister hotel, the Landmark Mandarin and is the best I have seen so far, even beating out the bathroom in St Regis Singapore.
From the outstanding bathroom and comes finally to the depressing dark bedroom. It’s a small enclosed area with just the bed and two side-desk at each side, a LCD TV sits on top of a credensa. That’s it. It’s rather bare and worse, there are no windows at all so no natural lights and couple with the low ceiling, it’s dark, depressing and claustrophobic. The wall where the bed panel rest is decorated in deep crimson red silk panels that couple with the low level of light in the room, feels rather creepy. This is not a good place to rest and I try to avoid this part of the suite as much as I can. The bed is great though with high-tread count linens and comfy pillows.
So here you are, the suite seems to be designed by 3 separate interior designers and doesn’t feel coherent, ranging from the superb bathroom to the awful bedroom.
Service
Just like the suite, the service of the Mandarin Oriental is equally inconsistent, depending on which staff you are dealing with. First, the most impressive, which in my opinion are the Housekeeping staff. Throughout my stay, the suite was kept very clean and every request I made was immediately brought to me. The housekeeping staff even take note of my preference of pillows and stack up my clothing and items neatly in the closet. Due to a accident, I snap my fingers in the bedroom’s credensa and was bleeding slightly and a housekeeping staff when he saw my condition, literally ran off to get me the bandages and plaster. This show of customer care by a hotel staff is really impressive.
I had dinner at Pierre and breakfast at both Café Causette and Clipper’s Lounge. At Pierre, the service is top notched as the captain took great pains to ensure I was well taken care of and make good recommendations on the dish ( and no, he did not just try to just recommend the most expensive dish ). Breakfast at Café cause is fine too with breakfast items freshly made just like the breakfast in Amber at the Landmark Mandarin. The service was also very attentive. At the Clipper’s Lounge, it’s buffet breakfast and service was just cliché.
As I mentioned earlier, I was escorted by the Front Desk Manager and two other senior hotel staff when stayed at the Mandarin Oriental the previous time. At that time, I only booked a normal room. This time, I booked a suite but the person escorting me was just a single hotel staff. Not that it really matter but I couldn’t help but feel kind of “downgraded”. Worse, this hotel staff appears rather new and when I tried to reconfirm my room package benefits like breakfast, he wasn’t aware and has to run downstairs to check. It’s a small hiccup but for a hotel of this caliber, especially when you are doing the in-room checkin, this should not happened.
Next, to a rather annoying episode, the internet wasn’t working upon check-in and I was trying to send some urgent emails. After one of the IT staff came to my room to fiddle with my computer settings for a while, it was then realized that the hotel internet itself was down. It took them about an hour to get it back online which I was not pleased. Not exactly a major inconvenience but again, this still shouldn’t have happened. Moreover, I was puzzled by the hotel IT staff’s behavior while handling the problem, who kept smiling while telling me to wait and can only advise me “ASAP”. I’m not sure if he was trying just to be friendly or he was treating my complaint lightly.
The Mandarin Oriental Hong Kong has no Executive Club Level and it appears to enjoy good occupancy during my stay. Guests are basically rather “anonymous” staying at this hotel. I wasn’t greeted by name except during checkin and when enjoying my dinner at Pierre.
Food
I dinned at the Pierre French Fine Dinning Restaurant for Diner and had breakfast at both café Causette and the Clipper’s Lounge. I also tried the pastries at the famous Mandarin Cakeshop. The food at Pierre is excellent and it has a unique philosophy of presenting dishes in sets, presumably to offer a coherent taste experience. Variety and choices is a bit lacking though as I wish to see more choice. Food quality is better than Amber, the other French Fine Dining at Landmark Mandarin but a notch below Caprice at Four Seasons. Breakfast at Clipper’s Lounge which is serving buffet breakfast is disappointing, with the usual run-of-the mill breakfast items and nothing special Breakfast at café Causette is much better as the breakfast items are freshly prepared and cook on order.
Common Areas
Despite the massive renovation undertaken, the lobby seems to have remained largely unchanged. Perhaps this is done to preserve the “vintage” look but to me, the lobby was rather dark and need a uplift to make it more grand and cheerful. I walk around the other areas of the hotel and it’s generally quite nice though not particularly outstanding in anyway. The lift does not require the use of a keycard to access the floors during the day which I think pose a security rish as anyone can enter the guestfloors.
Location
Mandarin Oriental shares the same great location as its sister hotel, the Landmark Mandarin, both being in Central and is connected by airbridge to the Airport Express train station. However, there is no complimentary shuttle provided by the hotel to goto the Airport Express train station so you still need to take taxi if you have more than one piece of luggage. Right outside the hotel are a wide assortment of high-end shopping and luxury boutiques.
Conclusion
Overall, this is a good hotel and generally live up to the Mandarin Oriental chain’s high standard and in terms of service and room quality, it’s still fall slightly behind the more contemporary Landmark Mandarin but definitely miles better than the much over-hyped and over-rated Mandarin Oriental Tokyo. The service isn’t flawless as expected and the inconsistency is something that the management need to improve upon. Whether it is a good value will depend on the rate you are paying and the service experience during the stay. In my case, this particular stay was quite a good value because I was upgraded to a suite that would have normally cost almost twice my promotion rate. However, if not for the promotion rate and upgrade, then it’s probably not really a good value. So overall, in conclusion, this hotel is still not quite there yet to deserve my 5-star rating in tripadvisor.
5-star luxury hotel business in Hong Kong is a very competitive business and discerning travelers have no shortage of choice, made more so with the recent economic situation when everyone is tightening their wallets. Guests who pay such sums of money expected nothing less than perfection to ensure an enjoying holiday and/or a relaxing stay. While good to try something new once in a while, I think I will go back to my old favorite the Four Seasons after this where service there never fails and expectation is always met.
Great room. Great service. Great experience.
This Mandarin is well-located. The hotel has several great restaurants as well as a Cake shop where you can get tea, coffees and desserts. The room is wonderful, perfectly designed for a business traveler with an area with a desk and love seat sized chair that can be curtained off. Enormous flat screen tv with the usual number of options. Excellent room lighting choices that you can control from the side of your enormous bed. The bathroom is fantastic with a large soaking tub, television and the best hotel shower I've experienced and I have experience plenty.
Room service is pricey but very quick. The food is respectable and there are many options. The staff is willing to do whatever it can to make you happy.
The hotel is not opulent like the Four Seasons and it does not seem to have the Four Seasons breathtaking harbor view. If you stay there, make sure you ask to be on the 7th floor or higher if you are facing the harbor. You can pick up traffic noise if you are too low. The corner rooms are the most spacious.. so ask for one of those.
I love the Four Seasons for its view and its spectacular club floor, but I loved the layout of the Mandarin's rooms, the excellent bathroom (and shower) and the devoted service. It's smaller but that makes it easier to access.
Enjoy.
One of the nicest hotels we have stayed in. Service was excellent right from the time the doorman allowed us out of the limo. This hotel has a really good "Captains Bar" off the lobby in the hotel My husband particularly enjoyed his pint of Guinness in the silver tankard - there was a real buzz in the place with many local business men dropping in for a drink. Lots of very upper class Englishmen seem to favour this bar ! We got an upgrade to the 19th floor which overlooked the city and had views of the harbour - absolutely stunning and well worth the extra money. The bathroom was particularly nice and the bed was extremely comfy with nice bed linen. The hotel also boasts a wonderful spa with swimming pool - excellent. We dined in the Chinese restaurant on the top floor and had a cocktail or two in their very stylish "M" bar before dinner. You can access all the designer shops from the skywalk and need never have to go outside ! Great location right in the heart of everything. This hotel has been refurbished recently and is really worth a visit.
My husband, who is hard to please, thought this was possibly the best hotel he had ever stayed in.
The lobby is pretty typical posh hotel of the low, dark and shiny variety. And the suite (with great views) was perhaps what one would expect - though if it didn't immediately overwhelm, neither did it disappoint.
But from there, things just got better. The service was absolutely immaculate - and the quality was not only superb, but consistent.
Loved the black silk 'loungey' dressing gowns as well as the usual bathroom towelling ones. The design of everything - from the red slippers to the shoe horn was fantastic.
Everything worked perfectly and had clearly been thought through - computer set ups with every kind of (neatly labelled and bagged) lead provided, super comfy beds and linen with huge choice of pillows ... as many Hermes bathroom bits as you could possibly use, topped up every time we left the room,... decent range of satellite channels on huge flat screen tvs... shoe shine service that left even 'comfy shoes' gleaming only minutes after they were left out.
We looked at and decided against the obviously popular with the locals brunch area - but the cafe and adjoining chocolate/cake/savouries shop were fantastic. Porridge was brilliant as were tarts and quiches. The Cantonese restaurant on the top floor was high quality with a great wine list. And the Shangai pedicure speciality is not to be missed.
The concierge desk were brilliant - and the location is really central (and straight into the malls when it rains).
Had it been hotter we may have missed an outdoor swimming pool. But we were genuinely sad to move on after our 4 day stay. (Though we did purchase the silk dressing gowns!)
Many thanks for a hotel that consistently exceeded service expectation.
We had booked to stay for one week at the Mandarin as a special holiday, a treat for our Silver Wedding Anniversary. Having booked with Virgin Holidays we had tried to double check every detail, we arrived at HK airport and found no transfer vehicle, as allocated in Virgin's documents, available and no answer from Virgin's office or emergency contact numbers. Having emptied all my pay-as-you-go phone credit attempting to sort the situation out, we noticed that the Mandarin have a desk at the airport and they kindly arranged our transport free of charge. When we arrived at the Hotel to finally check in, we found Virgin had also not booked our 7 night stay! The Hotel responded wonderfully, booking us into a room and then taking copies of all documentation so they could contact Virgin direct. The next day we were advised that the situation had been resolved, we were upgraded to a Harbour View room, the hotel staff moved all our belongings ensuring everything went in exactly the right location. The room was amazing, every detail was catered for: incredibly flexible lighting and multi-media options, an amazing bathroom, room cleaned twice daily plus turn-back service, fresh fruit, newspaper (discreetly delivered into a special compartment to avoid disturbing us), comprehensive stationery and toiletries, even a box of leads to allow us to connect any appliance to the Denon amplifier and TV connections. The service we received was perfect, attentiive but not intimidating or ingratiating, no cues for tips, and a genuine warmth although I am certain we were far from the wealthiest or most influential guests present! Having had a far from auspicous start to our much longed for holiday the Mandarin did everything possible to make our stay enjoyable. Buffet Breakfast was wonderful, room service meals were good value and delivered and cleared away with efficiency, the room was serviced and cleaned to an exemplory standard. Our view across the lights of the harbour was breathtaking. We will never forget this exhilarating and vibrant city and culture, and we will certainly never forget the standard of service and comfort that the Mandarin provided.
WE went to the Mandarin as the first stop of our honeymoon. We were upgraded to a Harbour view room which was fantastic.
I have stayed in many 5 star hotels but this was just that extra special. All of the tiny details had been thought about, to the point of having 2 different robes in several sizes, not just a bog standard one size terry cloth robe.
Staff everywhere across the hotel were friendly polite and very welcoming and concierge were great.
Would recommend it to anyone, anyday!
Stayed for a few nights in a Harbour View Premier Room and it was definitely one of the best room I ever stayed in.
Room was immaculately clean, spacious and the view from the room was excellent. Each side of the bed has a remote to control the mood lighting systems.
The bathroom was amazing and the bath tub was huge. There is even a TV in bathroom! The hotel provides Hermes toiletries which was excellent. The hotel is also generous with the bottled water and have it placed everywhere.
I also like the fact that the room has a separate cabinet for them to insert the mails, newspapers and toiletries without disturbing you.
I am also pretty impressed by the stationary provided in the room. The hotel considers every detail to ensure that you have an excellent stay.
In the evening time, the chamber maid will also prepare the room by laying out the beautiful slippers and play nice music in the room. Additional CDs are also provided in the room if you prefer other musics.
If you hope to try out local food, just turn left after exiting the main lobby and walk straight. There is a famous Wan Tun noodle shop 10-15 mins away.
True to its Oriental tradition, Mandarin Oriental's service had been consistently exceptional. Not only did they ensure that my stay was pleasant, they took note of every detail making my Oriental experience a memorable one.
My preferred tunes had been programed to greet me every time I entered my room. Their staff made sure that the fruit basket contained all the tropical fruits I loved.
Restaurants at the penthouse provided an enchanting ambience for quiet dinners.
Spa services relaxed every single inch of stress from Hong Kong's hustle and bustle.
Best of all, they returned a personal item that I had left in my room during my previous stay in this property.
The Mandarin Oriental hotel (this is the original one and it recently in the last year completed a renovation - this is not the newer Landmark Center location two blocks away) was flawless. From the moment the uniformed agent met me outside customs and whisked me away to the hotel in a large, new Black Mercedes sedan to check in to the remainder of my stay, it was perfect in every way. Even though checking in at 3am (delayed flights due to weather in China), the hotel staff was ready for me. The room was a harbor view room complete with binoculars to look across the harbor from Central. Hermes toiletries abound. The bath area was incredible, complete with soaking tub and a FULL range of toiletries for all needs (nails, teeth, shaving and much more). Beds were very comfortable. VERY ample supply of free bottled water. State of the art flat screen TVs. Very large in room safe. Terry cloth and silk roabs as choice. Slippers that actually fit large feet like mine. The health club on the 24th floor was amazing too. Very large. Nice facilities overall. Breakfast was included in my rate at their buffet on the mezzanine level was first rate. Car service back to the airport was also flawless, except for a small wait for my pick up due to heavy traffic near the hotel. Once at the airport, a uniformed valet took me all through the process right up to security. Very nice. I cant wait to go back!
Just stayed at the hotel on a recent business trip and the hotel is one of the best city hotels I have stayed in. I had a harbour view room on the 19th floor which was fantastic. The rooms have everything you can ask for, attention to detail is outstanding. The staff are very attentive and friendly. Plenty of restaurants to choose from and a great location. I would recommend this hotel to anyone.
Stayed for a few nights in an Oriental suite; the MO has a big reputation to live up to.
First the good points; room was immaculately clean, spacious (doubt I could say the same about the standard rooms) plush without being OTT. Great entertainment (3 TVs and 2 DVD players) and (mood) lighting systems. Bathroom was amazing (although it took up half the room and didnt have a lock); shower one of the best. Top of the line toiletries and a big tub. Bathroom was kept absolutely spotless. The bed was exceptional. Fancy organic tea for the yuppies out there. Bottled water everywhere which is simple but greatly appeciated.
The location was great, arguably much better than the Kowloon side. Gym was open 24 hours which is handy for fitness freaks but heavily biased towards cardio machines with very limited free weights. Housekeeping was super efficient, press the "make up the room" button, pop outside for a walk and return 60 mins later to find the room cleaned, no matter what time of the day. Great stationary set (scissors, tape etc) and inbuilt adapter powerpoint for your appliances. Hotel looks stunning from the outside post reno and on the inside it is also quite nice.
A few minor gripes: For a hotel with an inhouse choc shop downstairs, its disappointing that the turndown service does not offer any chocs. MO is reknowned for its service; while the staff were polite there wasnt anything particularly special about the service. Hallways, lobby and room a bit dark and dingy, but some may like it. The hotel is relatively small, but very cosy. Views of the harbour are not sensational. More old world charm and "old money" clientele rather than glitzy (some would say trashy) "new money". Staff are not snooty though which is good. It is totally different to the Four Seasons, not better or worse, just more refined, understated and conservative. And a lot darker. The standard rate is ridiculously expensive for what you get, you will get better value anywhere else. At a reduced rate however, it can be good value.
One of the best hotels in the world, large, beautifully decorated rooms and a perfect service!
This fabulous hotel had a major refurbishment recently and it looks great. Our Harbour View room was compact but did have a great view, and was very well equipped. The legendary service was clearly still a very strong point in the hotel's favour. The Man Wah restaurant, plus the adjacent M Bar, were both excellent. There are trendier places to stay including the sister hotel the Landmark Oriental, but the original MO is still a very strong contender.
A grand dame with tremendous character. This hotels exudes old world charm from its preserved lobby (post upgrading) to its clubby rooms to its niche watering holes (Captains Bar, Chinnery, and M Bar) each with a strong and history of Hong Kong.
You will like this hotel if you value a modern interpretation of old world charm. It has some of the best service I have seen anywhere in the world. And its rooms post upgrading are plush plush plush.
It has been a while since any room in the Mandarin actually enjoyed a view as land reclamation and rebuilding in front of the hotel has taken much of this away. That said, if you are not obsessed with having a view (if you do stay at the Four Seasons or Island Shangri-La) then there are few hotels that have the charm, service, and weight of the Mandarin Oriental Hong Kong. Its in a class of its own.
My fiance and I have just spent a blissful weekend at the older MO in HK, not the Landmark I think people get a bit confused. It has just been done up and the service is absolutely impeccable although slightly bordering on over the top! You have a towel on you the minute you get out of the pool and a bellboy on you the minute you get out of the lift but if you can appreciate how prestigious these jobs are for the locals it is easier to swallow. We stayed in 922 a harbour view room; you definitely need to be on the 9th floor or above to get this. The beds are uber comfortable. Lovely touches like complimentary water everywhere and fresh fruit replaced daily and in the gym spell attention to detail. The prices in the spa are no worse than anywhere in Central. For a chunk of old colonial Hong Kong, spoil yourself and enjoy the Captain's Bar wasabi peas or a Negroni in the stunning top floor M Bar!
My fiance & I stayed here for 3 weeks in December, while renovations on our flat were being completed. We've lived in HK for 10 & 12 yrs, respectively, & are loyal fans of the Mandarin. We chose specifically to stay here instead of the Four Seasons because we love its character & old school charm; we're also frequenters of its F&B outlets. However, after our stay, we couldn't help but feel it's missing the exceptional service it had pre-renovations, which came from having staff who genuinely cared about service & the hotel's guests. While we still got this feeling from some staff, many other staff seemed to be clueless that they were representing the legendary "Mandarin service". In fact, I think the Mandarin London's service now beats that of the Mandarin HK.
I would still recommend this place, especially to anyone who is tired of the soulless marble & glass flash of hotels across Asia. The room renovations are thoughtful, with deep bathtubs, a good lighting system & closet space, HDTV, a nice mini-bar, & very useful computer cables & butler's door (a la the Oriental Bangkok). Our room was quite dark (some would say cozy), & we missed the old balconies, but the rooms are now larger. Dealing with some of the room service operators was painful, & the food was forgettable, but the room service waiters were impeccable, as were the housekeeping staff. Requests were dealt with quickly.
Two negatives need mentioning. First, in-room internet access cost $1000/week, which I thought was exorbitant given many hotels around the world now offer wifi for free. The hotel blocked outside signals so it was impossible to use my laptop in the room without using the hotel's service. Second, after waiting 15 minutes in the taxi queue on a busy Friday night, the doorman gave my taxi to a man (referred to as "sheik" so-and-so) who cut in front of the line, clearly expecting to not have to wait. At the indignant cries of everyone standing behind me, the doorman said, "But he is a VIP." And what were we, other paying guests - sub-VIPs?? You can imagine the response that got from those in line.... I was completely shocked & disappointed at this.
I would finish by saying that the mince pies & mulled wine, as well as the roast chestnut man, who appeared in the lobby & at the front door for a couple of weeks before Christmas (as they do every year) almost brought back the old Mandarin feeling. Not quite, but of course they're still a nice touch....
The Mandarin Oriental is in the unfortunate position of sitting opposite what might be the best hotel in the world - The Peninsula, but let's not ignore the fact that this is still a first rate hotel well worth a visit.
Other reviewers have commented on the mismatch between pictures of the room views and reality and I would definitely concur with this - if you want a great view of Hong Kong stay on the other side of the water, but this is a great spot for getting around.
Service is excellent, ever so slightly over-fussy, but still very, very good. I stayed two nights in a Harbour room - the view wasn't as good as I would have expected, but the room was just so incredibly comfortable and very spacious - I think I'm happy to pay for the larger room, the view didn't really matter that much.
One gripe is that they charge for wi-fi access - it really should be complimentary these days. Otherwise, the prices for extras didn't feel disproportionate for this class of hotel - I didn't feel I was being fleeced once I came in the door which can be the case with top notch hotels.
Music on demand; lots of space; exceptionally soft duvets - I will source those sheets for my own home once I get back; a control for the lighting that I could actually work; lovely toiletries and a bath you could dive into.
Breakfast was excellent, good service again. Neat, comfortable. The Captain's Bar, tucked just to the right of the lobby is again the very last word in comfort - I just loved this bar and you'll never see it in the guides because there's nothing trendy about it and the designer isn't famous, but it's a great wee bar.
I didn't make it to the spa, but the fact that it is such a feature of the hotel comes back to it's overall theme: comfort - this is a seriously comfortable hotel, it's actually quite hard to leave it! Like sinking into a wonderfully comfortable old armchair.
Fleeing smog in Thailand, we landed exhausted and disheveled in Hong Kong, only to be whisked to the single most beautiful hotel I have ever seen. When canvasing for hotel recommendations, many in my family went misty-eyed, and said that I would be stupid to stay anywhere else. And yet, even they could not prepare me for the Mandarin Oriental.
Recently the object of a multi-million dollar restoration, the hotel is proof of what can be done when money is no object, and true love is obviously expended in the work. Everything is perfect - from the beautiful and lustrous gold-and-black marble lobby and mezanine, to the small yet perfectly-designed rooms, and beautiful materials used in abundance. The final impression is one of decadent yet understated elegance, and simply could not be bettered.
By Hong Kong standards, the hotel is, and feels, truly tiny. It has a homely atmosphere, and all the amenities and staff are first-rate. When my girlfriend came down with severe Bronchitis, the hotel arranged for hospital visit, and whisked us there in a complimentary Mercedes S-Class.
The food and services, too, were wonderful - from the roof-top bar with the best Harbor views in Hong Kong, to Man Wah, probably the best Cantonese restaurant in the world, the hotel is simply impossible to fault.
We're heading back to Hong Kong next month. You can guess where we're staying...
I had previously stayed at the Ritz Carlton, but that was closed a couple weeks back. So I decided to try the Mandarin Oriental, it's about 2 blocks away from the Ritz.
The hotel is centrally located to the business district. I had many meetings over the course of two days and all were with 5 minutes of the hotel.
The hotel room was very high tech. Cisco IP Phones (for those that care), Wi-Fi access and even USB ports in the desk to charge things like iPhone's or iPod's.
The bathroom was done really well and felt cozy.
The view of the harbor is from the side of the building. Still a good view. The room had a view of a small park.
CAR FANS:
This room had an amazing view of 9 line of track that straddled the park. I enjoyed just drinking coffee and watch the amazing number of Roll's, Bentley's, Benz's, Beamer's, Porsche's, etc....that went by.
I had pretty high expectations for this Hotel, given the name, reputation, and price; unfortunately, I can’t say that they were quite met. The Hotel is very clean and the staff is very accommodating, but the standard room is pretty small with only one sink in the bathroom. The closets are non functional for clothing, so the whole stay the clothes had to stay in the suitcase. There is a TV in the bathroom, but it is hung in such an inconvenient location that it’s absolutely useless. TV channels are limited although there are a lot of foreign channels, there are no movie channels besides HBO. Movies on demand are available, but of course for a fee and so is the internet connection (about $15 USD/day). There is a business center on the 2nd floor that has a few computers with internet, but that of course is also for a fee (around $15 USD/hour). The gym is small and has bikes and treadmills as well as some weighs. Everything in the Hotel felt kind of small with not enough air and light especially the hallways and room due to the low ceiling. The hallways for example are very narrow and dark. The food in the Hotel was pretty good, but again pretty expensive (e.g. basic breakfast for two was a little over $400 HKD). Overall, I feel that the Hotel is very nice, but not as nice as it can be for the price paid.
A really special hotel that has been beautifully renovated with great style and taste. The breakfast is particularly fantastic and the staff are extremely attentive and very professional. The hotel has a great pool area including steam rooms and herbals baths. The Mandarin Barber is a destination in itself as is the day spa. The restaurants are excellent.
Our only caution is that the standard rooms (including harbour view) tend on the small size. Whilst beautifully decorated they are too small for something other than a couple of nights. We checked in and moved immediately to a suite which was twice the price of the room we had booked but it was 5 times the size. It was also VERY beautiful. Well worth the additional money if you can swing it.
The absence of an executive club is a great shame.
Will try the Four Seasons next time but no doubt will be back at the Mandarin after that. Its a really memorable hotel with that special inclusion called character.
We reserved a room at the Mandarin Oriental through American Express. We spent a lot of time planning this trip, and the Mandarin Oriental's website showed fabulous pictures of the amazing harbour views from the luxury room we reserved. My husband and I were greatly looking forward to our stay!
We had just spent 4 nights at the Mandarin Oriental in Tokyo and found it perfect bliss. We were hoping for more of the same in Hong Kong but, sadly we were very let down.
The hotel faces at least 6 lanes of traffic, and overlooks ugly buildings. It is not on the harbour, as we had anticipated from the hotel's photography.
We were disappointed when we entered the dated lobby which had a low ceiling. However, check in proceeded smoothly, and we were taken upstairs to our "harbour view" room. We noticed that the hallway leading to the room smelled like mildew, yuck! The room was modern, but looked directly into other buildings. If you walked to the study area and craned your neck you could see a sliver of the famous Hong Kong Harbour. This is not what we had paid for.
We asked to be shown to a room with a harbour view as we had reserved. The woman with us pretended that she was shocked that the room did not face the harbour, and then took us on a lift down to the 7th floor and led us along another musty smelling hall to a room that had obviously missed out on the hotel's updating, (including ugly tiles in the bathroom). While it faced the harbour, it mostly had a view of an old post office building and the buzzing traffic of the highway that runs past the front of the building. With pits in our stomach, and wanting only what we had reserved and no more, we pointed out that the room was clearly one or two levels below the one we had reserved. Having reserved through American Express, you are supposed to be upgraded if available, not downgraded. The woman rolled her eyes, called downstairs and we had many uncomfortable minutes waiting for approval to take us to a room on a yes, still lower floor. It had an even worse view, but was at least the layout we had reserved. It was still really disappointing, and much smaller than it had appeared in the Mandarin Oriental's pictures.
By this point my husband and I were uncomfortable. We do not enjoy complaining, and could not bear to stay in the hotel. My husband's office arranged for us to stay at the Four Seasons, which was gorgeous in every way, and a million times superior to the faded, ugly Mandarin Oriental.
The manager of the Mandarin Oriental apologized for the runaround we had received, and but just shrugged when we said the pictures are nothing like your website. He then proceeded to charge our credit card $550 for a late cancellation. Never mind that we never would have had to cancel if they had provided the room with the view that we had reserved!
Next time we'll spare ourselves the aggravation, and go directly to the Four Seasons.
Outstanding standards of service at this high-class hotel. Great location in Central - opposite the Star Ferry Terminal and within walking distance of shopping malls and the Peak Tram.
Staff trained to a very high standard - nothing was too much trouble. Concierge staff were exemplary. We were upgraded to a Harbour View Suite which was a delightful bonus. Whatever the type of room you stay in, it's the service that makes this such a great hotel.
Breakfast in Cafe Causette offered a huge range of delicious juices, pancakes , breads and cooked meals.
Make sure you have the afternoon tea in the Clipper Lounge though you'll need to make a reservation as it's extremely popular.
I just returned from staying at this property while on a business trip. While one becomes used to outstanding service at any of the premier hotels in Hong Kong, the Mandarin Oriental has impressed me as being the cream of the crop. I would normally stay at the Ritz Carlton, but with its imminent closing (as of Jan 31), I opted to stay at the refurbished Mandarin. The rooms and particularly the outstanding service and attention to detail/customer satisfaction was above reproach.
I will be returning to Hong Kong in two months on vacation, and have just canceled my reservation at the Four Seasons and re-booked instead at the Mandarin. It is a very impressive venue.
stayed here on business for a couple of weeks.
grand hotel, old world charm, opulence, pretty much sums it up, oh, and location.
simply marvelous.
food is v pricey and not worth it in my opinion.
rooms, service and all else fantastic.
def get some shopping in HK, v cheap designer brands etc ad some really nice centres. and the peak tram is a must.
Stayed at the Mandarin for a couple of nights in mid-December and then back again for the period over Christmas, with young family.
The hotel is one of those where I am always surprised by the quality of service, but then on reflection think that I shouldn't be because I already know how good it is. We found (and have found in the past) all staff to be excellent and prompt to sort any requests - from the front desk, through the waiting staff to housekeeping - and this was even during a very busy time over Christmas (when they did a great job, with carol singers around the hotel, dancers and presents for the children).
In terms of rooms, we used a variety on this trip - and would highlight that, unless on a very short business trip, better to avoid the smaller rooms facing the George's building and pay the extra for a proper city view, ideally over Chater Square (and even here the rooms are of different configurations, depending on floor I guess and how they sorted out the former balconies during the refurb).
I think refurb has been a great success, both in the rooms and in the restaurants (although still a shock to have windows in the Grill ...) - and rooms feel high quality (although not so sure about the 'podium' basins or glass-fronted WCs in some rooms). Only issue with the rooms (and I've heard this from somewhere else as well) is getting the lighting right - can be quite low-level unless you play with the system for a while. Elsewhere, now have to pay for i'net access in the business centre, which was free of charge when I was there in May.
Other points- (1) barber shop refurb a bit over the top, but the team remains intact, (2) the hotel remains a good spot to get taxis from in busy times and a good place to be dropped at, to avoid going round a busy Queens Road, if you are going somewhere in Central, even a few mins walk away from the hotel and, (3) for a non-business stay, you can avoid paying up for b'fast by going across the road into Princes Building 2/F and buying croissants etc at Olivers Deli.
I haven't stayed at the Four Seasons or the Landmark, so can't compare directly with those, but Mandarin remains my choice when in HK, not least for being in the middle of Central and so close to offices/shops etc..
Stayed on a business trip and cannot fault the hotel. Good business facilities, well staffed and someone with a smile at every corner you turned.
I have stayed at this hotel several times before, and was always impressed by its impeccable service.The location is first-rate , and its easy to walk to IFC , Prince's Building, Landmark. Many international offices are located here, which makes this hotel an excellent choice for business travellers. The spa and gym are also first-rate.
However, my entire stay ( I arrived on the 27th December, and stayed until the 31st -- which was New Year's Eve ) was completely marred by a terrible mistake by the hotel staff which ruined an otherwise pleasant stay and which made me very traumatised ,humiliated and shocked.
I had requested for a late check-out at 6pm on the 31st, as I was going to catch the 8pm flight back to Singapore. This was requested when I first checked in on the 27th. I agreed to pay the extra half -day rate for the 31st .On the 31st, I returned to the hotel at 2 pm and went out until 4 pm, thinking I could pack my bags and get ready to leave by 530-6pm. Imagine my utter shock and horror when I found my luggage all missing, even my shoes, underwear and shopping bags completely missing! I rushed down to reception, where I was told by the staff that there was a mistake as the system did not capture that I was staying an additional half a day.Even though my luggage and belongings were retreived immediately, I was very angry, as I had left some valuables in the hotel safe which I thought might have been tampered with .Luckily, this was not so , and the safe had not been tampered with. However, I was very angry and demanded to see the Manager on duty. Although the Manager and the Reception Staff on duty were deeply apologetic, and tried to make amends, waiving the half-day charge for the 31st, offering me free limousine ride to the airport, and giving me a souvenir as I left, I am still reeling from shock and anger at the high-handedness of the staff at the Hotel. I think that they should have double-checked before arbitarily removing my belongings without my permission.
And to think that this happened on New Year's Eve! This incident completely ruined my stay , and marred my hiterto high impression of the hotel . I have stayed in luxury hotels all over America,Europe and Asia and an episode like this has never happened to me, even at hotels of a much lower ranking and price as the Mandarin Oriental. It will be a very very long time ( if ever ) before I ever stay at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel again.
I had to go to HK for a Friday meeting so I took my wife along on Thursday evening, making it a long weekend from Shanghai. The last time we stayed together in HK it was at the Island Shangri La, above the Pacific Marina area but this time I booked the MO as it was located near the office at Exchange place. We arrived around 10pm and I had arranged for an airport pickup. From there, we arrived at the hotel and were met by a young lady who took us up and checked us into the hotel in our room. I had booked the cheapest room, not harbor view, but it was as requested. High floor, away from the lifts and extremely quiet. The downstairs bar has a live band and was lively as it was pre-Xmas time. The M bar at the top was also jumping so we elected to have a drink at the bar by the restaurant on the Mezz level. If I had one complaint about the hotel it was the bars were fairly small given the number of rooms in the hotel.
The room was good sized and the bathroom had an awesome two head shower. The amenities were top class and room fittings were also excellent. Bed was comfy, service and staff were excellent and the room was extremely quiet.
There are two restaurants for breakfast, one with the buffet and the other with ala carte ordering. We at the buffet each morning and the assortment of food was excellent. Both Western and Asian styles being represented. With so many fine restaurants nearby, we didn't eat either lunch or dinner at the hotel.
Location, if you want a perfect location in Central, this hotel is the one to book. We will be staying here again when visting HK.
I am still trying to work out why this hotel is as low as it is on Trip Advisor? Based on the reviews I had read I booked this hotel because it had been recently refurbished, we were not disappointed. I had booked a deluxe harbour view room but on arrival we were upgraded to a suite with a side harbour view. We could not believe our luck with the luxuary of the room. Three tv's, wonderful shower, his & hers wash areas, huge free standing bath, mood lighting & cozy lounge. We didn't bother eating in the hotel as there were many eating places just a short walk away.
Whilst in Hong Kong we went up the Victoria Peak, day trip to Macau, Kowloon & Disneyland enjoying every moment.
Visit Hong Kong & stay in the Mandarin Oriental you won't be let down
I stayed in a harbour view room for 2 nights in December. The view was not brilliant to be honest as I was only on the 4th floor, so its not really worth paying extra if you are going to be on one of the lower floors.
The room was very spacious, we had a single sofa, a desk with office chair, very big bed and the bath tub is a good size also. Very very clean also.
The day that I got there, I urgently need to go out for a scheduled dinner and had to iron my shirt. I ended up phoning the reception for an iron and ironing board about 6 times before finally getting it after 45 minutes. So things were not great the first night.
Anyway, the next morning I decided to use their pool. Excellent service around the pool area, you get handed a bottle of water and a towel upon arrival. The pool and pool area is heated which is obviously a good touch. When you leave you get offered some fruit as well.
The cleaners are brilliant, they fold all your clothes for you and tidy the whole room whilst you are out, as well as giving you new alot of new towels and shower gel,etc.
Although it didn't start off very well at the beginning, I thought that overall they provided a very good service and will definitely stay there again.
Stayed as part of a business trip.
Simply a fabulous hotel with wonderful rooms, which I understand have recently been refurbushed. Facilities in the room/suite were ideal and had all the mod-cons. Walk-in powerful shower. Separate washing/shaving area with separate TV/radio. Only slight downside was a very small bath - but the shower more than made up for it. Staff were attentive without fawning over you and room service was excellent.
Really don't have a bad word to say about the place.
I stayed at the sister property, The Exclesior in Hong Kong as we always do on business, but took my spa treatements at the Mandarian Oriental....what a treat! The new spa was beautiful and the attendants were very pleasant. It was worth the quick taxi ride for such an enjoyable escape from the urban press of humanity which has become Hong Kong. I highly recommend booking your spa treatments as soon as you confirm your travel arrangements at this wonderful hotel.
I stayed at MO during my 3 days business trip to Hong Kong. This was my first stay with MO HK and it was a pleasant stay. All my requests were met by the hotel, e.g. high floor, king sized bed, non-smoking room. The service was very personalized too -the reception staff brought me directly to my hotel room for check in when most other hotels did otherwise. The room was very well kept too - everything in the room including the bathroom design was modern, tidy & clean. Two things I didn't quite like though, (1) the pillow was too too soft, (2) the bed room light buttons were too complicated - there were about 9 buttons so i always ended up pressing the wrong buttons for the wrong lights. Nevertheless, all these issues were minor cos the service was excellent. Once, I forgot to leave my breakfast selection menu outside my door and I only realized it the next morning, I called up the service staff on my request and I received my breakfast in less than 30 minutes time! I wil definitely stay again!
The Mandarin Oriental in Hong Kong is an amazing hotel!
The service, accommodations and decor were all five star. Don't miss the spa. One of the best I have been to and very relaxing. If you like to work out the gym is open 24 hours and is very nice. Try to grab a drink at the Mbar to take in the view and enjoy a nice cigar in the captain's bar while listening to live music.
The location is great. Within walking distance to almost everything. Especially great for business travelers.
I have heard good things about the Four Seasons but you can't go wrong with the Mandarin. Just understand that luxury doesn't come cheap in Hong Kong.
Use your Amex to try and get the breakfast included the buffet is a good way to start of your day.
The only complaint I had was the high price for Internet.
Enjoy Hong Kong it is a great place.
Returning to HKG after 15 years, I didn't bother to check out other hotels, as I remember the MO to be best in the 90s. The Hotel Airport Limo service, where you get spectacular views en route, made the transit seemless. We had booked a suite at HKD 7000 per night, and although it was on the 22nd floor with fantastic views, it was smaller than we had expected. None-the-less, the hotel boasted a complete renovation, which was apparent from the state-of-the-art amenities (including one TV in the bathroom), DVD & CD player, Wi-Fi connection through to one of the most comfortable king beds we have slept in. But no fruit basket on our arrival!
The location is hard to beat, a short walk to shopping malls and some of the finest restaurants in the world. All-in-all, the MO is at the higher end of the luxury scale, where everything works or is sorted within minutes.
I stayed at the MO Hong Kong for 6 days this month. If it's a hassle free arrival and transfer you require after a long flight then I'd recommend the limo transfer. Pre-book with concierge as they get booked up quickly - a porter meets you in the arrivals hall, takes care of your luggage, ushers you directly to the limo and within 30-40 mins (traffic dependant) you're in your room, checked in. Upon arrival I was offered an upgrade to the Oriental Suite with panoramic views of Victoria harbour and Statue Square - a superb room. The level of service was impeccable, the food (both restaurants and room service) was very good (the best room service breakfast i've ever had), the bars lively, the spa did great massages and the gym, albeit on the small side, was equipped with the very latest cardio machines and free weights section. Ideally located in Central, 10 mins walk to SOHO and 5 mins walk to the star ferry terminal. An oasis of calm nestled in central HK. I'd recommend the MO Hong Kong to anyone!
I stayed here for a business trip for two days. Its a pretty nice hotel, the spa is great and the gym is also nice. Located in a convenient location.
Went to HK for business and stayed in the old wing of the Mandarin for one night.
The lobby is uninspiring for a hotel of this stature, but thats where the mediocrity ends. The check in was smooth and you are personally escorted to your room. I was given a room on the 18th floor overlooking the harbour which was a lovely view - binoculars were strategically placed on the table for you if you wanted to look across the harbour. The room itself was right at the top end of hotels that I have experienced: flat screen TV with many choices including digital TV, excellent double bed, the technology everywhere was cutting edge from the phone to the electronics. There was even a flat screen TV embedded in the bathroom mirror which enabled you to watch TV while in the bath, shaving etc. The bathroom was of excellent design, bath, roomy shower cubicle with a high end shower, Hermes toiletries, soft towels etc. The only catch is that it seems a bit odd to be staying in a top end hotel and have to pay for wireless internet. In this day and age - when public hot spots are being set up it is a bit of an aberration but then again the Mandarin is not alone. In the morning they deliver two newspapers to you including the IHT which was another special feature compared to other hotels.
Went to the gym in morning - it had a spa which I did not use, but the other sports equipment was very high quality and brand new. I am a gym fanatic so I know the difference. Very helpful attendant who makes sure you have everything you need.
Breakfast was part of my package, and this was served in the coffee shop (?). Sensible range of food varying from vegetarian, Western and Chinese breakfasts. I enjoyed it thoroughly.
Checkout was smooth as silk and the concierge was very helpful. He made sure he escorted me to the door and briefed the taxi on my destination.
Overall what impressed me is that the hotel understands their customers needs and their high quality service is predictable and consistent. This ranks among one of my best big city hotel experiences and my compliments to the hotel and the team!
I stayed at the HK Mandarin Oriental for a week in August 2007. Originally planned for 3 nights my travel plans changed to 7 so I ended up in two different rooms (both Premier rooms)
Airport: At the airport you will see a booth for the Manderin. They have transport to the hotel 790 HKD (approx $100USD) for limo or 140 HKD (approx $17USD) for the shuttle bus. I took the shuttle bus (I was the only one on it) and when I arrived they greeted me by name at the hotel as soon as I got off the bus.
Check In: Instead of going to a reception desk they took me right up to my room and checked me in there instead. Arrangements were made for my brother to join me one night and for them to give him a key to the room upon his arrival.
1st room - #628 - very spacious, the former balconies have been converted into room space during the 2006 rennovations. It had a chair and a half as well as a desk in that space. Two twin beds, nice bedding and sheets, large screen tv with cd /. dvd player in room. If you prefer instead of watching tv you can put on different "scenes" slidehow with music - astrology pics, nature, wildlie pics - nice feature.
Lots of storage, cupboard space. In room safe where you program your own code.
They leave a different fresh fruit for you every day.
Bathroom - very large, tub encased in marble, separate shower with 2 shower heads. TV in the bathroom if you want to keep up with the news while getting ready. Hermes toiletries. Bathrobes - 2 terry cloth, 2 silk, slippers also. Great large bath towels.
Security - very safe. Central area is very upscale - lots of designer shops. The Landmark Mall - just a couple of blocks away is nothing but designer shops (Gucci etc etc). Elevators also require you use your room key before you can punch in your floor.
Internet: Pay 450 HKD for 3 days (approx $20/day). You can pay for 1 day, 3 days or 1 week. They give you a code upon check in and then you can use wireless throughout the hotel. Also can use cable in your room if you prefer. Great connection - no problems.
Fitness: Large fitness area on 24th floor. Numerous treadmill, bicycles, elipticals. Free weights with bench. Also swimming pool, sauna, and spa on same floor. Fitness area is 6 am to 10 pm. There is an attendant who will set you up on the machine, give you earphones for the unit's tv set, water and towel.
Room Service - very prompt - both times they came before the promised time. Food was hot and very good. Portions were too large for me. They have a couple of vegetarian options as well.
They have a nightly turn down service as well.
My second room was a bit smaller #727 and more masculine in design with the color scheme, leather etc. Very nice though. All the same amenities.
Every request I had was dealt with promptly and efficiently. Staff was friendly but formal Service is top notch and although I had to change rooms when I extended my stay they moved everything for me while I was out at my meetings.
They do have a dress code in the common areas of the hotel - smart casual - no flip flops etc in lobby. Appears to be quite common in Asia.
Very near to the Airport Express and Central NRT (?) line. I'm just taking the shuttle bus though. Easy to catch taxis right in front of the hotel - the doorman will get one for you.
Of course I'd stay here again - come and enjoy yourself!
Following its multi million-dollar refurbishment the Mandarin Oriental is a true jewel in Hong Kong’s list of great hotels. Our room (a 'Premier Room' on their website) was totally gorgeous. Hotel staff were great and the facilities first class.
All good businesses aim to “surprise and delight” their customers and on that basis the hotel scored 10/10 when we were met from our limo transfer from the airport by staff who knew our name and escorted us straight to our room to complete check in formalities. Excellent.
FOOD
Breakfast in the Clipper Lounge overlooking the lobby was fantastic. There is also a buffet lunch and dinner there which looked wonderful. The other restaurants require an expense account to fully enjoy them.
BAR
Although the hotel has a formidable list of bars, they are mainly quite small, “intimate” would be a kinder word, and full of business folk smoking! For a USD2 cab fare you can have a lobby bar drink in the Conrad hotel or the JW Marriott, which were (broadly) smoke free and more relaxing.
OUTSIDE SPACE
Sadly none – I’m surprised they couldn’t have managed a roof garden in the refurbishment … but if that’s the biggest complaint … it’s not much.
RECOMMENDATION
Go and enjoy!