Joanne Uy

Review of Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group ...

Dreamy. Romantic. Indulgent. I couldn't have asked...

Dreamy. Romantic. Indulgent. I couldn't have asked for a more perfect celebratory getaway.

I love splurging for luxury travels and when it comes to hotels, I stay with the best. Mandarin Oriental is one of Asia's premium luxury hotel brands and I try to stay in one whenever possible, but most especially for birthdays and anniversary, which was exactly the reason for our celebratory getaway.

From the moment we walked in the lobby last Friday evening, Justin at the Front Desk was warm and welcoming. He checked us in and told us that we were given the best possible room and we were upgraded to the Club Floor, with Club Lounge access as well. Such an incredible start to our stay.

We got into our room and there was a welcome note/card wishing me a Happy Birthday and a Happy Anniversary for us. That and chocolate covered strawberries. Which went perfect with the champagne. Loved everything about our room, from the design, to the master light settings, to the incredible and heavenly King bed, and the very spacious bathroom. The bathroom amenity kit was by Atelier, an excellent French brand. Of course, I also loved the bathrobes, so soft and cozy.

We enjoyed our Club Lounge access where we could just drop in to get drinks or small bites during the Happy Hour. We also ended up befriending Addham, the Club Lounge bartender who was so sweet and friendly, we actually dropped by during our last night just to give him a hug and say bye. During mornings, we preferred having our breakfast at Amity & Commerce and the staff was always so attentive and very customer oriented. Every morning they would remember us and say, "Welcome back!" Always ready to bring me a fresh pot of coffee and pour fresh orange juice for me and my husband. Service at its finest. We opted for the food which were part of the buffet since it was quick and ready. We loved that we could have our eggs made and enjoyed the bacon which were perfectly cooked. I also tried to Apricot Danish & Chocolate Croissant and both were sinfully delicious.

As for the amenities, we loved the Spa and Fitness Center, and the beautiful indoor pool. My only wish was that we had more time to enjoy the amenities and reserved a spa treatment ahead of time. We vowed to prioritize that next time.

Location wise, I actually preferred its location. It felt tranquil and relaxing and a decent walk to like the Jefferson Memorial etc. Loved how it was the right balance of seeing the sights of DC and going back to enjoy our room, the club lounge, and the incredible amenities.

The Concierge Team was also fantastic. I did send an inquiry about restaurant recommendations ahead of time and literally upon getting to our room, Tracy from the Concierge Team sent me an excellent list of recommended restaurants and activities. Phillip also was able to get us a great table at Joe's Seafood, Prime Steak & Stone Crab on Sunday evening for our special dinner. Boy that was one of our best meals this lifetime and that deserves its own review shortly. Thanks again, Phillip!

Definitely one of our most favorite getaways. Thank you Mandarin Oriental DC Team for treating us like VIPs, and for being our home away from home. We honestly cannot wait to make another trip soon.

You set the bar pretty high and for that, #imafan.