Mandarin Oriental
- Nearest Transit:
L'Enfant Plaza (Green, Yellow, Orange, Blue)
- Price Range: $$$$
- Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
9 Reviews for Mandarin Oriental
How could you not love this beautiful osis in Washington, DC overlooking the Southwest Waterfront, Potomac and the Tidal Basin. It's absolutely stunning....
I love to come here for drinks. They have the BEST mojitos. The center seating as soon as you walk in is spacious enough for groups, but cozy enough for 2. The staff is very attentive. On Saturday nights they have a house band that played everything from Cole Porter to Earth Wind and Fire to Sinatra - fabulous.
My time at the Mandarin Oriental spa might have been one of the best experiences of my life (top 5 for sure!). I highly recommend it if you've got money, you've got someone to really impress, or both.
I got to enjoy the "heat experience" room before my "time ritual" (these crazy names!), both of which were perfection. Make sure you go early enough so you can spend some time relaxing in the hot tub, "amethyst" sauna and crazy shower they've got. I don't remember the name of my masseuse, but he was the gentlest, most professional, friendly and welcoming man you can imagine. He took the time to get to know me during the beginning parts of the massage, but really let me enjoy things in silence once things were underway.
The thing that was most impressive was that for such a high-end place, I was treated like I was a regular client. From my clothes and unfamiliarity with the whole massage process, I'm sure that all of the staff there knew that this is not a regular thing for me. But they still treated me like I was worth a million bucks. Thanks, Mandarin Oriental!
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Soon after the Mandarin Oriental opened, a friend and I made a dinner date to experience the restaurant. It was, overall, a very impressive experience.
First off, I don't know what it's like now, but when we went, that area of the District had previously been basically desolate. The hotel was a grand, beautiful addition.
We sat outside, at a big wooden table on a walkway ringing a beautiful lawn. We ate by candlelight as the sun set. It was really a very pleasant experience. The Kobe beef steak was delectable; it was the first time I'd had that brand.
After dinner we tried to get them to show us the Presidential Suite. Alas, they told us it was under construction.
As I'm writing this I'm sitting in the lounge of the Mandarin Oriental hotel, glass of red wine, nuts and olives at my hand.
This hotel has got luxury and customer service down, without seeming pretentious. Everyone seems genuinely friendly, the room I'm in has a spectacular view of the Potomac River as well as The Jefferson Memorial. Large bathroom with separate shower and deep tub (can't wait to take a bath!!) The food is excellent (although room service prices are a bit ridiculous, but that is usually the case with most hotels).
I only wish I could afford to stay here when work isn't footing the bill!! Ah, maybe one day...also conveniently located to the Mall, Washington Monument and Capitol Hill.
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Met some clients here for dinner. And for the prices, I have to say I expected to be absolutely wowed in both taste, and service. Alas, the food was just OK and although I repeated a special instruction twice to the garcon (simple: put the sauce on the side), my entree still came out drowning in sauce. It was good, by it really annoyed me that he ignored or forgot my instructions.
Anyhow, haven't tried the rooms or any other amenitites, but hope they are better at listening.
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I thought my spa experience here (heat treatment, deep tissue massage) would be way better than others that I've had, but... no. Don't get me wrong, it was an excellent spa trip and I left much more relaxed than when I had arrived. Also, the service was amazing. They were nice without being fake or kissing my butt. It's just that I guess I'm still looking for that one killer spa experience that tops all others... This wasn't it. With that being said, I'm still going to go back to this place. I think the Ritz in Georgetown has a better masage though...
There were some "interesting" things about the experience:
Color - The technician asked me what color I wanted to see in the treatment room. I thought wth? and said, what colors do you have?
She said green, orange, pink, red, dark blue, light blue. I chose dark blue. It looked like light blue. Plus, I was either face down or had my eyes covered, so I didn't really see the lights during the massage. Oh well.
Shoes - I think it is the strangest and a rather uncomfortable experience to strip off your shoes in the lobby. (I had boots on, so it took some time for me to yank them off.) No one was around when I did that, but it seemed odd. Maybe they are trying to make the place more "asian" by requiring shoes off before you enter the locker room? So weird.
Locker room - Why put a mirror right across from the locker room? It just seems odd that people are blow drying their hair and staring at you while you are dressing and undressing.
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luxurious as expected, impeccable service
just a comment on the location--a little bit far from the hub of restaurants and activity around Penn Quarter, and you would need transportation to get to Dupont Circle
but it is within walking distance for the Mall
check out City Zen
the banquet food was actually pretty good
The Mandarin is a relatively new hotel that sits on the Potomac in SW right near L'Enfant Plaza. It's beautifully constructed, the rooms are very nice, and the hotel has superb service.
They have a beautiful garden terrace past the lobby that you can perch out on and enjoy views of the Potomac from. The lounge area is also very inviting and the restaurant serves an excellent array of dishes that would best be described as Asian fusion.
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Of the numerous spas that I've been to, this is the one I've been most excited about. The folks here take "pampering" to a new plateau. From the time you check in, you're asked to sit as they usher in a trey with a cup of calming hot tea and a pair of spa sandals. The facilities are gorgeous. A medium- large warm whirlpool , including two ergonomically designed beds lined with jets that allow you to float while gently massaging your body. You'll also find a steam room scented with lavender aromatherapy, an "experience" shower that has different hot/cold options (warm tropical rain, cool mist, hot body jets, etc.). To cool down there is also a large bowl of crushed ice, which sounds harsh, but is surprisingly refreshing. As I lounged in the relaxation room, my therapist called me in. I've been twice and both my therapists so far have been great, The therapeutic staff all have to endure numerous interviews and a hands-on evaluation, so it's a safe bet that whoever you end up with will be equally stellar. After my treatments I settled in with a deeee-licious bento box meal. Keep in mind, the prices are steep to say the least. A day here will usually run from 400-600, but if you can find enough change from under your sofa, I strongly suggest this place.
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