Back With a Bang: Mandarin Oriental London
Following a fire-induced closure, the London jewel is open and thriving…
This post may contain affiliate links. Learn more
The biggest revamp in its 117-year history may have been delayed by a fire, but the Mandarin Oriental London is back with a bang.
As timings go it couldn’t have been worse. Last June, just when the glorious Mandarin Oriental had undergone a huge multi-million-pound renovation, a fire broke out and forced it to close for several months. Now, however, like a phoenix from the ashes, the hotel has reopened fully and is now back to its status as one the city’s finest grand dame hotels.
Bar Boulud is as buzzy as ever serving whopping burgers and first-class steaks, Dinner by Heston Blumenthal still thrills with its original dishes, overseen by Chef Director Ashley Palmer-Watts and designer Joyce Wang’s rooms and suites blossom with calming palettes reflecting its location opposite Hyde Park, plus swish marble bathrooms, Art Deco elements and interesting art works. This softness continues throughout the corridors (some of the nicest of any hotel) and a contrast to the lively communal areas downstairs.
New to report is the fully extended and rebooted subterranean spa, designed by New Yorker Adam D Tihany. It’s a jewel in Knightsbridge’s crown and offers a vast range of therapies (traditional Chinese medicine featuring heavily in a nod to its Hong Kong Chinese origin), as well as a small pool, sauna and a Rasul water temple. This wonderful hotel has been brought back to glorious life like it’s never been away at all. Bravo.
Book it: Doubles from £630 per room per night. mandarinoriental.com/london
Find the perfect hotel for your next break in our Great British & Irish Hotels Guide
