Mandarin Oriental

This review is for the Brunch served on weekends at the Mandarin Oriental:
When it comes to brunches, I am a fan. Even though I always eat too much and come out feeling guilty and nauseous. I don’t know what it is that I am so fond of really. The food is seldom the best quality, buffets are not my thing (as other people tend to touch the food) and I don’t really appreciate the ‘all you can eat’ concept. I just like brunches, that’s it. And the sparkling brunch at the Mandarin Oriental was so good that none of the above negative comments had any ground. If there is one brunch in Barcelona (or the world) you should try, it is this one.
Lets start with the wines. The brunch includes a glass of Balma cava. This was a new acquaintance for me and a pleasant one. The cava was quite young and fresh with notes of stone fruit (like peach) and citrus. The bubbles were not aggressive and the mouth-​feel had some creaminess. I would say it was nothing exceptional, but a nice apéritif. The only negative point was that the waiter clearly poured very unevenly for the whole group (we were 11) and I ended up with a significantly smaller glass than my friends. I switched glasses with my date. For an extra cost, one could also choose to have champagne. The house champagne was Billecart Salmon, which is not that exciting that I would have felt like paying for it.
For starters there were two different buffets: one with cold cuts, salads and Asian dishes, like sushi and gyozas, and one with bread, yogurt and muesli. I especially enjoyed the small truffle sausages. Mains could be ordered from the menu. We had a perfectly cooked sirloin steak, egg and foie grass, surf and turf rice and eggs Benedict with salmon. The food was well made and the steak was perhaps one of the best pieces of meat on the whole trip. Sadly the service did not do justice to the great food. Some dishes were forgotten and when we ordered some more steaks (the first one was so good that we had to have more), they came out well done (MURDER). We had to send a steak back two times until we got one medium rare again. Luckily we were not in a hurry, otherwise I would have been quite annoyed. The great thing about the main dishes is that you can order as many as you want.
Moving on to desserts, the selection was quite astounding. A whole buffet of cakes and pastries, all very beautiful and inviting. We ended up tasting quite many, and of course feeling nauseous afterwards. Some of the cakes were not that exciting but others were excellent. Traditional in style I would say, with a lot of ingredients like chocolate, strawberries and vanilla, apple pie and cheesecake. So perhaps there could be some more innovation to make it even better. I was also missing some small nibbles like pralines or nougat, something small with coffee.
The brunch also included all the tea and coffee one could drink. The selection of teas was better than your average café, however the quality was quite mediocre. I will not even go into the coffee, as it was Italian dark roast. But this is what you can expect at a hotel.
All in all I think the brunch was great. One of the best I have ever had from a food point of view. The Mandarin Oriental is really beautiful and you feel very luxurious but relaxed. The service was, however, poor. Friendly, but the staff made way too many mistakes for what one expects at a five star hotel. It was clearly the B (or C) team serving that day. We had to send quite many dishes back as they came out wrong, some dishes we ordered never came at all and, well, I already mentioned the pouring of the cava. The brunch including cava costs 45 €, so I expect a much better performance from the personnel. Otherwise the staff were very nice and attentive.

This review is actually not for the hotel as such but rather for the brunch they serve on weekends. It being a high-​end hotel one would of course expect the food to be good but having stayed in numerous nice hotels and having awful food one can never be certain. I had however been recommended Mandarin Oriental from local friends with good taste so we reserved a soot for brunch. Service started if really nice, promptly showed our seats and had the brunch set-​up explained and they asked if we wanted drinks before the whole group had arrived.
The brunch is priced at € 45 which is not cheap (especially not in a city like Barcelona where it is possible to eat 3 – 4 people for that kind of sum) but in this case not at all bad value for money. It includes a welcome glass of cava (currently they serve Balma and that was pretty good) or a Vermut as well as coffee and/​or tea and the full brunch. The food one the brunch consists of a buffet with some mixed hot food, cold cuts, sushi and salada and then a seperate table of desserts as well as bread, yogurt etc. in addition there is an a la carte menu that one can order unlimited from. The food is truly excellent, the truffled sausages, beef sirloin, foie gras with egg and fries as well as the burger are all really good. Even the buffet is good. Selection of tea is impressive as well. Service is very friendly but a few mix ups but does not really disturb much. The environment is also very relaxing so a great place to go for a more high end brunch.

Not impressed. But to be fair we just came from Paris at Le Bristol so excellence there is hard to top or even match. But we stay at Fairmonts in The U.S. as well as The Four Seasons which are supposed to be comparable to the Mandarin Oriental. Honestly the MO Barcelona isn’t even in the same league. We stayed at the Mandarin Oriental on Oahu and the hotel was 100x more luxurious than The Barcelona MO. Upon our arrival here we entered a very small lobby (once you find the hotel behind an odd white storage unit) you’re hit with the strong smell of deodorant/​disinfectant of some sort. Whenever I go anywhere that wreaks of deodorizer I’m always leery as to why. We were escorted through a badly stained carpeted lobby (the entire floor needs to be re carpeted BADLY) and escorted to their rooftop terrace as we were told our room was not yet ready (even though we secured early checkin). The rooftop offers stunning views of Barcelona and they compliment your first drink during your wait. At first glance you’ll notice that the tables need refinishing and the couches are stained. Again this may sound like nit picking but this is touted as a FIVE star hotel. (Room rate was +825 Euros per night). Upon ordering lunch at the roof top terrace I specified medium well as pink hamburger disgusts me. It came virtually raw. I sent it back and it returned cooked but on the same blood soaked bun it initially arrived on. I did not eat it obviously. We were never notified that our room was ready (we were told an hour and it ended up being 2 hours). We finally walked down to the lobby again and they informed us our room was indeed ready and they apologized for any ‘misunderstanding’. We were taken to our room (a supposed ‘upgrade’). Again this room is listed at over 825 euros a night and it’s the size of a large closet. It also over looks apartment building balconies with laundry literally hanging out to dry as our ‘view’, it also seems to overlook some sort of school as even with the doors closed its very noisy as children are playing loudly. We’ve stayed all over and I’ve honestly never seen anything like this from a ‘five star hotel’. Spend a little more and stay at one of the top 5 hotels in Barcelona. I will be speaking to our travel agent upon our return. I would NOT stay here again, ever.

Everything is excellent here, the service is prompt, the food in the breakfast is delicious, but the verity is not «eye-​filling», everything I wanted is there, but it buffet size is small.
The SPA is very nice for a five star hotel.
The location is just perfect, right in the middle of the shopping center of the city. And all the good restaurants are five minutes walk from the hotel.
I am not giving them five stars because the size of the room compared to the price I paid is too small. It is too small for any standard hotel room. And the Hotel Art RC, is as good as this hotel with half the price, and it is located a bit further away, facing the sea.

Aquí solo hablaré del bar Terrat en el azoteo del hotel.
Había oido hablar tanto del Mandarin pero confeso que la terraza me ha decepcionado (por eso el 4 estrellas). No es como en las fotos. Es mucho más pequeña, incluso es pequeña. A parte de eso, el cocktail (15 €) sin alcohol estaba muy bueno. Los sillones estaban muy confortables también. Y la vista sobre el Passeig de Gracia buena por supuesto. Sin embargo, no es mi favorita de todas las terrazas de hoteles ubicados en Passeig de Gracia o justo fuera.

The hotel is very conveniently located and the service is just great — like you would expect at a Mandarin Oriental property. Make sure you check out the spa in the basement and visit the sun roof terace on the 9^th floor with a small pool overseeing the roofs of Barcelona. Lay down and get some sleep there in the sun ;)

Classy hotel, as all Mandarin Oriental hotels are. We grabbed lunch at Bistreau in which I had a perfect burger! Follow it up at the Banker Bar and have a cocktail and relax.

Idéalement situé, cet hôtel qui siège dans une ancienne banque est un délice pour les yeux. Avec Mandarin Oriental, tout est pensé pour que dès l’arrivée on aspire à se sentir serein.
La décoration est moderne, épurée mais surtout pas impersonnelle.
L’accueil au niveau du lobby est souriant et dès les premiers instants très attentionné.
Les chambres offrent une vue sur le passage de Graçia très agréable … A voir au coucher de soleil !
Les plus: un restaurant doublement étoilé, le Moments, un bar à cocktails à la déco atypique à partir des portes originelles des coffres de l’ancienne banque: le Bankers; le cocktail était divin ! Clins d’œil multiples à l’Asie !
Les concierges sont exceptionnelles !!! En quelques mots, ils ont su cibler nos attentes. Merci à Carlos, Simon, Thibault et Marta. Ils ont fait de nos trois jours en Catalogne un périple culinaire de très haut vol: un sans faute !!!

Sábado noche tenía ganas de repetir el mandarín .como siempre aunque sólo sea para tomarte un simple té…los modales de sus camareros /​as son inmejorables a eso le añades el entorno súper cálido, tranquilo, elegante, etcc. a mi me encanta este sitio.
luego subimos a su mini bar musical, es más que nada un mini local con música y unos cuantos sillones para tomar una copa…(Carillo eh… habrá que rascarse el bolsillo por dos gintonics) en fin que sólo me queda probar como se cena, cuando lo haga lo sabréis y opinaremos.

My stay at Mandarin Oriental in Barcelona was one of the best hotel experiences I’ve ever had. These guys raise the bar for excellence in so many ways I don’t know if I can articulate all of it.
Let’s start with location: right on Passeig de Gracia. You can’t have a more central nor fashionable location just a few blocks up from El Corte Ingles as well as several other designer stores. Tiffany is RIGHT in the building… a more luxurious address you will not find! You are right near the Passeig de Gracia metro station, or should you choose to walk (which I HIGHLY recommend whilst in Barcelona), you’ll find most everything a short stroll away.
In a city renowned for it’s architectural treasures, the hotel is itself a work of art and study of meticulous design by Patricia Urquiola. One walks up a ramp from Passeig de Gracia through an enclosed six-​story atrium into a warm, welcoming urban retreat.
A refreshing cup of tea is served while checking in at the small reception desk. From there you are taken to you room which is richly appointed in modern, yet classical décor and furnishings. All of the modern amenities are included with plenty of powerpoint and an iPod doc. The beds are ultra comfortable and the bathroom is AMAZING. Rainforest showers and an oversized tub, and of course Shanghai Tang Mandarin Tea product to keep you refreshed are all what await you.
I was regrettably not able to dine at the hotel (save for a late night call to room service after a long night bar-​hopping!) One does not simply walk into Michelin-​starred Moments on a whim, so I’ll have to plan more thoroughly next time! I did however enjoy some pleasant drinks at their very classy bar, Banker’s Bar.
The level of service is truly what sets the Mandarin Oriental brand apart from most other hotel brands. The staff all know your name, even staff members whom you don’t interact with. They are all eager to do whatever it takes to ensure that your stay is perfect and their service is warm, graceful and genuine.
I have to give a special shout out to Albert who works at the concierge desk. He made an OUTSTANDING restaurant recommendation and even called in the reservation for me. When I arrived at the restaurant they were expecting me and greeted me by name. This was such an amazing experience on my first day after arriving on a long flight.
For most people, a hotel stay is just about a bed, four walls, and a roof. Just the basics will do and there is no sense paying extra for a place where they’re just going to sleep-​there is nothing wrong with the. But for some, their accommodation is just as important a part of the travel as sightseeing or eating. For those who travel for business, their accommodation is a place where they can relax and be looked after by people who genuinely care about their comfort, happiness and well-​being. These people are willing to pay substantially more for that experience.
I work very hard, and I think that the experience I had is great value for money. I won’t soon forget the comfort, or the smiling faces of the staff or their genuine warmth and kindness. If you’re traveling to Barcelona and want a 5-​Star experience through and through, looking no further than Mandarin Oriental.

Great Service is a term bandied about casually by the hospitality industry. If you want to really experience this in Barcelona head to the Bankers Bar in the Manderin Oriental –classy without being stuffy the staff will make you comfortable in any language you speak and are quite possibly the finest cocktail shakers I have had the pleasure to experience. Quite possibly one of the best watering holes in Barcelona period.

The service at this top-​notch Barcelona hotel could not be beat. The staff was practically falling all over themselves to accommodate our every need (which were few!) The rooms are modern and very clean. They even supply a flat a flat iron in the room! The location can’t be beat. Even in super crazy, crowded Barcelona, they have spaces in front in which we could park our car. My only negative, which is so minuscule that it is almost not worth mentioning, is that there is not a light above the make-​up mirror in the bathroom, making it a little tough to see. Everything else here was over-​the-​top.

Top notch all the way. The rooms were incredibly clean and well appointed. The location is extremely convenient to cultural sights and the best shopping in Barcelona. The tv had a million channels, in every language (including BBC and ITV, yay!). The staff was incredibly eager to help, remembering my request for no down bedding and a low floor away from the elevator. The facilities, including bars and restaurants are super fancy. I had literally zero complaints with this hotel and would definitely stay there again. Special note is the trippy movie that plays on their hotel channel on a loop. Fully clothed businessman diving into pool gets me every time. .http://​www​.youtube​.com/​w​a​t​c​h​?​v​=​E​4​9​k​E​g​vTU_c

Hace poquísimo, con unos compañeros de profesión, organizamos una sesión formativa para un grupo de clientes. Buscamos dónde, buscamos y buscamos… y al final nos quedamos con una de las salas que tiene este hotel. En lo que sería el sótano, al ladito de un bar inmenso, ideal para acabar de «rematar» la faena, en caso de que se tercie. Bien no. Mejor. El personal súper atento y amable. Profesionales. Detallistas. Dispuestos a resolver todos los problemas que pudiéramos tener. Encantadores, vamos. Y el precio sorprendentemente bueno para ser un hotelazo de lujo y más. O sea, por el lado de los negocios fenomenal.
¿Y eso merece cinco estrellas? preguntareis. Si. Pero no se las doy por eso.
Se las doy por Manolo.
¿El conserje?
¿Un camarero avispado?
¿Un relaciones públicas de los de antes?
No, no. Manolo Blahnik. El de los Manolos. El que tiene una tienda ahí!!! Que yo sepa, la única de Barcelona. Tan discreta y escondida que no la vi hasta que, esperando a una de las encargadas del hotel para pulir detalles de la sala que os decía antes, me paseé por la planta y lo descubrí en un rinconcito. Ahí estaba, con escaparate pequeño, pero rutilante, que lucía una colección de zapatos salón, botas, botines y hasta merceditas… a cual más bonito y mejor acabado. Si os gustan los zapatos tanto como a mi, comprenderéis la emoción del momento. Y que le diera cinco estrellas al hotel que alberga uno de mis sueños.
Bueno dos.
Tiffany también está ahí
¿Se puede pedir más?
Si, claro: ¿cómo encontrarlos?. Fácil. La joyería se ve desde la calle. A la derecha de la puerta principal. Para llegar hasta Manolo, subes la rampita de entrada, cruzas la puerta de cristal, giras a la izquierda y lo tienes justo al lado de un mostrador de atención.
Si el suelo fuera de madera, veríais la huella de mis dientes marcando el parquet.

La semana pasada me trajeron al bar de este bonito y oriental hotel situado en la parte alta del Paseo de Gracia. Se llama Banker’s Bar y la verdad es que me gustó mucho.
Es uno de esos sitios «bienqueda», un lugar al que ir cuando quieres tomar algo en plan bien, hablar de negocios o tener una cita glamourosa. La decoración es moderna, y combina algunas paredes de piedra con otras llenas de cajas fuertes originales (¡el techo también está lleno!), haciendo referencia al banco que ocupaba años atrás el edificio. La iluminación es suave y la música agradable por lo que se está francamente bien.
Dispone de una extensa carta de cócteles y es muy popular por hacer increíbles gin-​tonics.
Al llegar nos sentamos en un par de butacas con respaldos enormes y nos vino un chico de uniforme jovencito. Le pedí consejo sobre qué cóctel pedir, ya que venía de una cena y estaba realmente llena, y prefería algo digestivo. El chico me recomendó un cóctel a base de cítricos y estaba espectacular. Nos explicó súper bien lo que llevaba cada cocotal y su forma de prepararlo (¡el chico era jovencillo pero un auténtico crack!).
Dispone de una pequeña terraza muy chula pero hacía demasiado frío para estar fuera.
Seguro que vuelvo.

Stunning hotel. Rockstar location. Five star service? Almost always.
Highly recommend to anyone traveling in the Barcelona area. Not only is the location absolutely one of the best — front and center on the Passeig de Gracia — but boasts tons of upscale extras that can you can only come to expect from a property like the Mandarin.
Think: world class spa, stunning lounging spots, rooftop pool, high tech gym, acclaimed restaurants, oh, and did I mention, there’s a Manolo Blahnik store conveniently located right in the lobby. Someone saw me coming a mile away.
A true splurge for anyone looking to have some escape and all encompassing luxury while in Spain. I can’t say enough good things about the accommodations, it’s really a glorious property with the guest rooms to match. Stayed in a Mandarin Terrace Suite which was really fabulous — sleek, contemporary, modern with sexy lighting, beautiful fixtures, peaceful courtyard views and a to-​die-​for wet room that puts every hotel bathroom I’ve ever seen to shame. Close the frosted glass door and find yourself immersed in rainheads, wall jets, handheld H20 gadgets and a full soaking tub just for fun. Perfection.
Mandarin’s concierge staff come in handy often, as did our private butler service. Insert catlike smile here. No complaints with either, really. The exemplary level of eager, timely, knowledgeable help was never in shortage and often produced extraordinary results (I’m looking at you, Sir Evening Concierge!).
So why the question on service? As a small aside, but one that should be mentioned, our suite was not ready as promised upon arrival. Nor was it ready when we returned over an hour later per Mandarin’s request. The mix up turned into a mini nightmare with us being shoddily attended to, switched to a ‘temp room’ and with the reception staff seemingly handing us off (annoyedly?) to one another. Did not like. The hotel manager quickly — and graciously — made up for the snafu with cava, chocolate, potato chips, slippers and a smile. Now, that’s better.

This was my first time in a Mandarin Hotel before and it definitely will NOT be my last! What a magnificent hotel. We sat at the bar for a drink around 8pm, and were the first ones in. The bartender, Roger, was amazing. He spent a lot of time talking to us, recommending various drinks, and putting in the same amount of time to make them! Great experience, definitely check it out and tell Roger that Dustyn from Miami says hi!

Barcelona is one of the most visually indulgent cities in the world.
Rich in art and culture, unique Gothic Gaudi inspired buildings make you feel like you are walking around in a waking dream. The Mandarin Oriental Hotel does a meticulous job of integrating the surreal dream like Gaudi architecture with modern opulence and five star service.
True to the Mandarin Oriental plush amenities, the suites here have patios with spectacular views of Barcelona, including the Gaudi Museum just down the street from the hotel. This truly is the way that you should see Barcelona. I stayed here on my first visit to BCN and have never forgotten every detail of this amazing hotel.
Sit by the rooftop pool that touches the skyline overlooking the city, relax and have drinks at the beautiful Bankers Bar, or have brunch in the beautiful Blanc space as the sun pours in throughout the skylights.
I can’t say enough about this hotel. It’s walking distance to shopping and a short cab ride to all the beautiful museums, Ramblas, parks.
I am in love with Barcelona. Hope you enjoy your stay here as well.
xoxo!

Cada vez está más de moda ir a comer, cenar o a tomar una copa en los hoteles. ¿Uno de ellos? ¡El Hotel Mandarín! Tuve la suerte de que me invitaran a cenar en su terraza y esto es de lo que quiero hablar porque, aunque a priori podría parecer que sólo ocupan sus asientos los miembros de la «hight society», la cosa no es tan así. No diré que está al abasto de todo el mundo pero la relación calidad/​precio es más que justa.
La terraza del Mandarín es amplia y agradable y está en medio de Paseo de Gracia. La llaman «la Mimosa» y es francamente preciosa (=¡Rima!). Tiene más de 600 m2 y tanto puedes degustar una comida sana y ligera como tomarte un buen buenísimo cóctel.
¿Que todo te suena un poco snob? Bueno… Igual sí… Pero si no andas mal de líquido liquidón y quieres gozar un montón… Ves a la terraza del Mandarín. ¡Seguro que te hará tilín!
Nota: la terraza está abierta desde mediados de abril hasta mediados de octubre.

Das Mandarin Hotel ist wirklich ein sehr schönes, neues Luxushotel in Barcelona.
Der Service ist sehr gut und umfangreich, das Essen hervorragend. Die Raumausstattung und das Design haben mich schlichtweg überwältig, was leider nicht nur positiv gemeint ist.
Für dieses Hotel kann man eigentlich nur 5 Sterne vergeben, wenn nicht doch ein entscheidendes Problem bestünde:
Design geht über Funktion und da ich nicht häufig in Hotels dieser Kategorie verkehre, war ich schlicht überfordert. Beispiele:
— Ich wollte nachmittags die schweren Vorhänge zuziehe, fand aber weder die Fernbedienung (gibt es in anderen Zimmern) noch eine Gardinenstange. Also bin ich hinter den ersten (transparenten) Vorhang geklettert und habe den dicken dunklen Vorhang per Hand zugezogen und habe mich dann beim Versuch, wieder aus dem transparenten Vorhang hervorzukletten fast überschlagen.
Zum Glück bereitet der Zimmerservice das Zimmer zur Nacht vor und übernimmt für den Gast das korrekte Schließen der Vorhänge.
— Mir hat sich bis zum Auschecken nicht ganz erschlossen, wie nun das Licht richtig bedient wird (nach 5 Versuchen hat es meist irgendwie geklappt, es (überall) auszumachen).
— Das Design des Bades und der Dusche ist wunderschön. In der Dusche gibt es eine Handbrause auf halber Höhe. Bedient wird sie über eine Dreharmatur, mit der ich auch schnell warmes Wasser einstellen konnte. Allerdings konnte ich die Brause nicht über dem Kopf anbringen und duschte umständlich mit der Brause stets in der Hand. Dass in der Decke neben der Lampe auch eine Brause (die Hauptbrause) angebracht war, entdeckte ich erst, als ich beim Abdrehen der Handbrause «versehentlich» zu weit drehte und nun etwas überraschend Wasser von ganz oben kam. Erkennen kann man das Prinzip bei eingeschaltetem Licht natürlich nicht, weil dann die Deckenlampe die Hauptbrause über“blendet”.
Man könnte die Liste noch etwas forführen. Kurzum, ältere Menschen wie ich mit Anfang 30 brauchen definitiv eine Einweisung in die Räume und Gerätschaften. Ansonsten ist das Hotel oberklasse und bietet für das nötige Kleingeld alles, was das Herz begehrt.