Mandarin Oriental Mayfair Is The Luxury Wellness Retreat London Needed

London is usually the life of the party come summer – but with temperatures heating up past 30°C we’re craving a short break from the city. A trip abroad off the cards this summer? Don’t fret, you can find a world-shifting retreat just off Bond Street. Charlie Colville checks into the newly opened Mandarin Oriental Mayfair one heatwave-ridden weekend in June, and finds out you don’t have to leave London to feel well-travelled (and well-rested).

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Review: Mandarin Oriental Hotel Mayfair

STAY

Being the first new build in Mayfair in over a decade, it was guaranteed well before its opening that Mandarin Oriental’s second London outpost would be a popular point of conversation. Sitting on a corner of Hanover Square, the hotel sits on the intersection of London’s fashion, art and business scene – and so, naturally, plays host to a wide breadth of guests and visitors.

Having only opened its doors in June, Mandarin Oriental Mayfair still gleams with the light of a shiny new build. Constructed by internationally renowned architecture group RSHP, the hotel is comprised of a unique Vierendeel structured building (one of the first in the UK) with an elegant, red-brick townscape facade in-keeping with the surrounding buildings.

But if you thought the exterior was impressive, wait until you see what’s inside. A number of design studios, architects and artists came together to put the finishing touches on Mandarin Oriental Mayfair, including Tokyo design agency Curiosity, who took over the public spaces of the hotel, and British based Studio Indigo, who designed its 50 guest rooms and 77 private residences.

It’s one of these 50 guest rooms that we find ourselves in one Friday night in the middle of summer. A blissful escape from London’s concrete-enriched heat, our suite is the perfect balm for tube-weary travellers.

Uniting East and West, Studio Indigo took to designing the rooms by blending Mandarin Oriental’s Asian heritage with local inspirations. Imagined as a jewellery box, each room is comprised of a soothing palette of green, maroon and turquoise, with timber, marble, plush textiles (perfect for sinking into after a day running around London) set alongside finishes of brass, bronze and gold.

Cocooned in the cushions and pillows draped across the sofas, we have a first class view of the ornate wallpaper decorating the walls. Courtesy of House of de Gournay, the hand-painted design sits on silk wallpaper and features flowering magnolias (whose leaves, we’re told, have been meticulously Feng Shui-ed) inspired by the trees in Hanover Square, alongside a chinoiserie style in honour of the hotel.

The rest of our suite is similarly impressive. We take in a golden-let, marble-clad bathroom with a deep bath, hidden shower and, most importantly, an electric toilet (that comes with a heated seat and built-in bidet).

Sliding doors reveal a similarly ornate bedroom; hanging light fixtures, a prettily decorated dressing table and hidden wardrobes flank a massive bed, just waiting to be dived into. The room itself is set in a perfect, harmonious flow, inviting guests to settle in for the night and drift off peacefully amidst the pillows and cooling comforter. Sweet dreams, guaranteed.

EAT

Mandarin Oriental Mayfair’s culinary experience is spearheaded by world-renowned chef Akira Back, who makes his UK debut with his eponymous restaurant.

The chef, who currently operates 28 restaurants all over the world, has something of an international palate. Dishes at Akira Back, which take on Japanese fare with modern flair, are also influenced by childhood memories in Korea, combined with the chef’s love of travel and global cuisines. So, expect the unexpected.

While settled a floor below ground, the open plan setting and ginormous skylights successfully bring the outside in. The design, which Curiosity say was inspired by ‘a walk in the park’, takes its cues from the natural elements of wind, fire, water and salt. Diners enter from above, taking a stunning Ming marble set of stairs to the floor below, which offers the perfect aerial view of the restaurant. From here, diners can see the whole atrium in its grandeur: a wooden vortex structure suspended from above, a flush of light from the glass ceiling above and a sprawling sushi counter where you can chefs preparing dishes. These two are our  ‘air’ and ‘water’ – hidden from sight, meanwhile, is the yet-to-open dining experience Dosa, which embodies ‘salt’ with its floating sculptural ceiling, and ABar Lounge, which with its glowing lights and thriving atmosphere takes on ‘fire’.

Akira Back

But let’s get back to the food. As we mentioned, Akira Back is something of a melting pot of flavours, led by Japanese and Korean cuisine. The dinner menu is split into cold, hot, mains, signature rolls, sushi and sashimi, and fried rice and vegetables. For the best experience, it’s recommended you order a selection of dishes to share with the table.

Highlights you won’t want to miss include the tuna pizza, a thin bread base topped with slivers of tuna, umami aioli, shiso and black truffle (if fish isn’t your thing, the eringi pizza is just as delicious), wagyu bulgogi tacos with roasted tomato ponzu, the moreish miso aubergine and, quite honestly, anything sitting in the sushi counter (although, if we had to pick, it would be the obsiblue prawns).

We piled over servings of jidori chicken and wagyu short rib, served with a truffle-laden potato puree, for our main. This part of dinner felt most like Akira Back’s vision for an internationally-infused menu. Soft beef topped with braising juice and neatly cut vegetables offered up a more Western feel, while the crispy chicken drizzled in teriyaki relocated our tastebuds back to Asia. And the best part? All these flavours came together effortlessly, in rich harmony.

Dessert is a similarly happy blend, with the likes of mochi and black sesame matcha sitting side by side with servings of raspberry-topped chocolate sponge (both, we can assure, are delicious).

ABar Lounge

If pre- or post-drinks are more your speed, however, you won’t be disappointed by ABar Lounge. Where Akira Back is natural lights, organic forms and relaxed dining, ABar Lounge is a much richer multi-sensory experience. Tucked underneath the spiralling green marble staircase, the cocktail destination is a hidden treat. With its low, haloed lighting, bronze ceilings, jewel-toned armchairs and metallic furnishings, the bar is the ‘play’ to the restaurant’s ‘work’.

The cocktails, however, are just as flavoursome as any dish cooked up in the kitchen. ABar’s artistic cocktail programme takes a contemporary approach to the classics and avant-garde experimentation, with flavours once again inspired by an international palate. One of the more highly recommended drinks on the menu is the Javapolitan, a strong blend of Fair organic quinoa vodka, Cointreau, clarified cranberry, lime, Indian spices and butterfly pea tea. Those in the mood for something sweeter, however, will find a friend in Heart & Seoul, an almost creamy drink comprised of Havana rum, makgeolli, coconut, pineapple and honey.

But that’s not all guests can expect – those visiting Mandarin Oriental Mayfair later this year will also have access to ABar Rooftop, located above the hubbub of Hanover Square, and the aforementioned Dosa, Chef Akira’s Michelin-starred concept bringing together the flavours of France and Korea.

DO

Out & About

With central London quite literally on your doorstep, there’s plenty of opportunity to explore the city to it’s fullest. There’s no need to hop on the tube, either, with the buzz of London’s shopping districts less than a five minute walk away. The high street hubbub of Oxford Street, the upscale setting of Regent Street and the designer line of Bond Street should have everything you’re after.

And on days you do feel like venturing further afield – or, at least, a short underground journey away – the Mandarin Oriental Mayfair’s concierge team will be on hand to help organise any last-minute tickets and experiences.

Stay In

But what about those days when you crave a moment of peace? While a day curled up under fluffy sheets might sound tempting, a day the Mandarin Oriental Mayfair spa entails nothing short of utter relaxation.

A subterranean oasis buried beneath the activity of Bond Street, the spa is just as impressive as (if not more than) the rest of the hotel. This space too was designed by Curiosity, who centred the spa’s look and feel around ‘a hub of nature and art’, and continue to draw on the greenery of Hanover Square with the green Ming marble and natural textures (beautiful accents of wood, stone and warm bronze) around the reception desk.

Step past the desk and into the main space to be truly cocooned in the hotel’s wellness modcons: an indoor 25-metre heated swimming pool, sauna, vitality pools, experience showers and steam rooms and a state-of-the-art gym. All this is ensconced in rich black tiles and water-drop lighting, giving the illusion that you’ve stepped even further away from the city into a new world.

But what really sets the spa apart from the rest of the London wellness scene its approach. Taking its cues both from scientific innovation and the natural world, the carefully curated spa menu is built around bespoke treatments using three key brands: the results-driven Swiss Perfection, the organic-led Seed to Skin Tuscany, and the CBD-infused OTO.

All treatments begin with an in-depth consultation with a wellness therapist, who will run through any concerns or issues relating to your upcoming massage or facial (or, if you fancy, salt scrub, Tuscan candle massage or detox wrap). Having spent the previous day mostly on foot, I happily settled in for a two-hour full-body massage scented by the natural blends of Seed to Skin Tuscany. Based on the experience I had, expect an attentive treatment that will leave your muscles feeling pleasantly soothed and melty. Perfect prep for an afternoon spent hopping between loungers and steam rooms.

You can read more about the spa and its list of treatments here.

The Final Word

Pockets of relaxation are often hard to find in the city, but Mandarin Oriental Mayfair makes it look effortlessly easy. Come for the postcode, but stay for the food, the spa, the cocktails, the soft beds and… well, you get the idea. A stay here is guaranteed to leave you feeling well-rested, well-fed and well-ready to take on life outside its four walls.

BOOK IT: Mandarin Oriental Mayfair, 22 Hanover Square, Mayfair, W1S 1JP | mandarinoriental.com

Carbon footprint: Charlie Colville lives in London so travelled via tube to the hotel.

Images courtesy of Mandarin Oriental Mayfair