Mandarin Oriental, Washington DC

This hotel was truly exceptional. From the moment we checked in until the time we checked out, it was an A+ hotel.
Service — Was wonderful. We were greeted by smiling faces and helpful tips at check in. We were given great rooms with great views, and the 5 kids were each given a complimentary stuffed panda animal. The spa and fitness center staff was a joy to see every morning, and never once failed to say hello.
Rooms — Were a good size and very well appointed. The rooms and entire hotel smelled like an upscale spa. The beds were very comfortable, with really great pillows (which are important to me). Everything was very modern, and the water pressure in the shower was amazing.
Amenities, Ambience, Etc — The high speed internet access was complimentary, and one of the fastest I’ve experienced at a hotel. Streaming Netflix or Slingbox was no problem. The fitness center was smallish, but used the space well. The proximity to the National Mall was a big selling point. We could walk to the Smithsonian, and even the Washington Monument (but that was a pretty long walk). Another nice surprise was the CVS, which was right across circular driveway. It was a great place to get sodas, water and snacks, as the hotel mini bar got very expensive. Finally, Muze Restaurant was excellent. There was a nice variety of food, although it was a bit on the pricier side, but not by much compared to other restaurants in the immediate vicinity.
All in all, I would definitely stay here again, as we had a fabulous experience. Kudos to the management and staff at the Mandarin Oriental.

We had a fairly good experience here. I wanted something a little «upscale» and away from all the hustle and bustle of the city — but also something that was in close proximity to the metro.
We rode in from DCA to L’enfant Station on day 1. It was a little trek from L’enfant to the hotel due to the exit out of the station we took, but we weren’t in a hurry so it was cool.
The hotel’s website says check in is at 3pm. We arrived a little after 12pm and they allowed us to check in and go to our room without any additional charges! Thank you! :) I wasn’t really a fan of the perfumey scents they had going on continuously in the lobby — I feel like it could really screw with someone’s allergies, imo it wasn’t mild and pleasant it was strong and overwhelming… we never had to wait too long to check in or out so it was doable for me.
We never really seemed to get the swing of their room service schedule (they seemed to come at all hours of the morning/​afternoon and then again in the evening for turn-​down service).
We were able to get to the Smithsonian Natural History Museum, the National Mall, the Holocaust Museum, and the Tidal Basin on foot (no more than a 15 to 20 min walk). We road the Smithsonian Metro to Metro Center downtown to visit the White House and that was super easy too.
The accommodations were great, the room was clean, bed was warm and comfy, thermostat was easily adjustable, and the bathroom was beautiful (the scale was a plus for me — I liked to see how much I gained from eating each day lol). Room service was pricey and for the most part they got our order correct and were polite and quick to fix any mistakes.
I’d recommend this hotel and may stay here again when I return to DC.
We took L’enfant back to DCA on our way out and arrived at the airport within 25 mins (including walk to station, wait for train, and stops in between).

This particular hotel does not live up to the Mandarin Oriental brand. Mandarin is considered a luxury hotel and this one definitely does not have that feel. The rooms are old, small and they did not do an amazing job cleaning and prepping the rooms. I have stayed at Hampton Inns much nicer than this Mandarin Hotel… which is really such a shame, considering the price!

The husband and I had a great Easter breakfast experience. Our table was perfectly situated to watch all the kids search the courtyard for eggs under a canopy of peak bloom cherry blossom trees.
Here is how I’d rate each aspect.
Food Quality: 5
Food Selection: 3
Service: 5
Ambiance: 4
The food was the highest quality from the Edamame Pot-​stickers to the Pastries! The only item I didn’t like (or go back for seconds) was the French Toast. The food selection was ok, I think I had my heartbroken as I saw another table with a Belgium waffle which I never could locate (I believe it was a pre-​French Toast option). As for the bagels and pastries it was «hit and miss» as it was a «full house» and keeping items stocked seemed challenging (plates were out at one point). Our server Ricardo was first rate! He was a true gentleman and scholar and often checked in to ensure we had everything we needed and asked to bring more hot water for my tea. In fact, Ricardo was so good, I never really saw my empty plate be moved from the table. Despite loving our window seat, it was really noisy (lots of families) and even across the table, my husband and I had to give a shout.
I would love to return when they are less busy! Same table, same buffet style and seriously crush it!

Wow! Is really all that needs to be said, I travel semi-​frequently and try to stay at some of the top hotels wherever I go. This one is head and shoulders above the rest, no kidding. They really focus on their customers, and most importantly, the attention to detail is second to none! Trust me, you will be treated well at this hotel. I purchased a spa package in Miami at the Mandarin for my girlfriend because of this treatment. Looking forward to hearing her great reviews as well.

I have stayed once and loved it. But last night I went also for an event and the staff treated me just as if I was just a regular hotel guest. They were very attentive and the waiters were very nice. The simple concerns and questions I had were addressed until they were able to fix a reservation issue that I had. I had fun and love this brand of hotels. Hope to visit this one again as I do the one in New York. A quick summery of the inside. It’s like an orient touch of serenity with the red and pink and hanging round lanterns. When you come in the bar is straight ahead, ballroom to the left and check in to the right. Just in case you don’t want to be surprised. (Lol)

Stayed here recently for a work conference right after snow storm Jonas! Great hotel with very professional staff. Their service was on point and maybe a little bit too serious for me. My room on the 6^th floor was recently renovated which was a plus. Located 2.5 blocks from a metro station and walking distance to the museums. They have a nice heated pool, fully equipped gym with cold towels, water and fruits ready for you. Their spa is amazing as and I wish we had discovered it on the first night. There’s a jacuzzi, steam room and a cool shower with different spray options. One downside was the loud drilling, hammering and sawing noises that woke me up at 9am, the morning I actually got to sleep in. That lasted two hours… I wish they did their Reno at some other time not so early in the morning.

I really wanted to be able to give this hotel a higher rating.
The room was beautiful. We had a Washington Monument view, and we didn’t even notice the train when it went by. But when the window curtains were open, the room chilled down instantly, even when the heater said it was 74* inside, there’s no way it was anywhere near that.
And then there was the construction that was going on. Apparently there’s a complete renovation going on, limiting the amount of rooms they have available. We were on the 5^th floor, the construction was going on directly above our room. The construction wasn’t supposed to start until 8am, but both mornings it was 7:30 am. I made comment to the receptionist and she said she’d let the manager know. And yes, the construction went on — all– day. It’s not relaxing when you’re the one who’s not at work, and you actually get to lounge in the room. All this noise going on surrounding you.
And to make matters worse? The pool was down too, so we didn’t even have access to that either.
The biggest Pro in this hotel? The bathtubs are amazing!

Excellent staff and amazing rooms. Room service is A+ as are the pool and spa. Best location in Dc

I have stayed at the Mandarin at least 15 times. We live somewhat close so every time we have an event in the city the Mandarin Oriental is my go to hotel. I love the service from the min you park the car at the valet, to the front desk and room service. Everyone is super friendly and more than willing to help you with anything you ask for.
Once they rewarded us with an upgrade to the presidential suite. That was amazing. It’s huge! You can look out of the window and see all of DC. The room is a 3 bedroom suite on the 9^th floor. The hotel is truly a gem and we love to visit but it’s also nice to feel appreciated for being a loyal client. I know they didn’t have to give us an upgrade like that so we were very appreciative.
This last stay we stayed in Executive water view suite. I wasn’t as impressed with that particular room as I have been with other suites. That being said its still a gorgeous room with a good view of the water.
We ordered room service which came with in 30 min. I ordered spare ribs with jasmine rice. My boyfriend ordered pizza. The food was a bit pricey by it was good and came hot.
This is the first time I brought my dog with us to a hotel because I couldn’t find alternate care for him. They charge a $ 100 non refundable pet fee and $ 50 per day stay fee. The bell man brought up a large dog bed and 2 ceramic bowls. I thought that was a nice touch.

I can’t say enough about this hotel. It’s fantastic. We booked our room through the AMEX Fine Hotels & Resorts program, which set us up for an automatic room upgrade, $ 100 to spend at the hotel on food and drink, and free breakfast for two (up to $ 86 per day). On check-​in, after having only booked a normal city-​view room, they upgraded us to a full king suite, which was fantastic. They also had champagne and chocolate covered strawberries waiting in the room for us. The entire staff was friendly and impeccable, as Mandarins ought to be. Great room, great experience.

This hotel is wonderful. I stayed in the Tai Pan Water view deluxe room with featured a view of the Washington Monument and the Jefferson Memorial. The room was clean and nicely decorated. The Tain Pan rooms has access to the Tai Pan Lounge which includes free breakfast, a free happy hour, and snacks throughout the day. The location is walking distance to the National Mall, which is good for tourists.

This hotel is beautiful. I had lunch and drinks here and really enjoyed it. It was the perfect way to spend a lazy afternoon. The drink was awesome. I had a cucumber drink of some sort that was totally on point. The tomato burrata wrap I had, however, was only so-​so and it wasn’t disclosed that there was some sort of friend thing in it, which I would have preferred to do without. Also, it was served with potato chips which I also didn’t expect. It would have been nice to have been able to have substituted some mixed greens.
Anyways though besides the wrap being only so-​so, everything else was great. The courtyard is very nice and peaceful, although sometimes the train can go by and that can be a little noisy. The courtyard and gardens are beautiful as is the lounge area. It has lots of lighting that makes it really pleasant.

I’ve been meaning to write this review immediately after our trip in April but as life goes… GAH! It’s already August! How did that happen?!
First and foremost, before anything else — MAJOR, MASSIVE, GINORMOUS kow tow and endless thank yous to Lynn Jason from Concierge! She is absolutely spectacular in service and such a joy to work with. If you want to know what «being taken care of» looks and feels like, meet Lynn. I love you Lynn. I really do. Thank you for being so wonderful.
Ok, now onto the hotel. I absolutely loved the location. A lot of reviews have said that it’s in kind of an awkward place and a bit far from everything. However, I did not feel this at all. If anything, I enjoyed its private little corner of the DC universe. The lobby is gorgeous! And welcoming (very important to me).
Rooms: I took my entire family and between all of us, we got two Executive Water suites and one Deluxe City View room. All the rooms were beautifully decorated, but a bit dated. Although we booked two of the same suites, we got two different room layouts. My sons’ suite was perfectly laid out and had a nice flow. However, ours was a bit awkward and didn’t make too much sense to us. Bathrooms are gorgeously done.
Restaurant: The hotel restaurant is very nice and served delicious food. We enjoyed breakfast there three times and had dinner once. LOVED the breakfast (you can do buffet or a la carte) and thoroughly enjoyed dinner. Beautiful views from some of the seats.
Service: Top notch. And again, you don’t have a Lynn Jason on property if you didn’t believe service was a priority. They did a slam dunk with this category and for the service alone, I would return again and again and again x infinity!

My husband and I spent the weekend here and we couldn’t say enough good things about the hotel and the staff. Our room was clean, beautiful and had wonderful views of the marina. Their complimentary car service was also a nice touch. We also ate in their restaurant, Muze, and it was amazing. The food was beautifully plated and delicious… definitely will be coming back!

Outstanding!!!
I will never stay anywhere but here when in DC. The service is perfect, the rooms modern, clean and large. We had a view of the Washington Monument and Jefferson Memorial. The bathroom was huge and the towels smelled wonderful (not like bleach). I slept so well in the bed and enjoyed every minute!

3 weeks ago my fiancé took me here after he proposed. It was such a memorable experienced from the momment we enter to the hotel until the moment we left. Our hotel room was beautifully decorated and cleaned. The champaign and strawberries covered in chocolate was a great touch to our night. Waking up to the spectacular view of the Thomas Jefferson memorial with breakfast served in bed was pretty awesome. I enjoyed our stay, thank you for making my engagement night so memorable.

I love this hotel I have been there 4 times already and the last time was my wife’s birthday and they gave us the suite for the same price and it was amazing the room was incredible, and the staff great, I love the food in the restaurant and room service, the guys up front even remembered me which felt good considering the amount of people they see everyday. I did not go to the spa myself but my wife frequents it and speaks highly of it, in conclusion I would recommend this hotel a great experience.
Mike.

I have a dilemma,
I absolutely LOVE this city but detest the crowds, and the fly by night fads
A staunch foodie, I crave superb service, elegant atmosphere and sophisticated attention to detail.
This is why I LOVE The Mandarin Oriental
To be clear, I’m not talking about the guest rooms.
I am an unabashed regular of their fabulous lounge.
While I’ve eaten many times at their acclaimed restaurants (City Zen (closed) and Sou Western) The star for me is the lounge.
While it would be impossible to extricate from the experience the sheer architectural beauty and interior appointments of the place. The lounge has become for me the absolute best bar/​refuge in the DMV. Dare I say a hidden gem
Firstly, The service is top notch. The waitstaff led by matriarch Elizabeth along with Taylor (as well a singular gentleman who’s name escapes me), and the rest of the girls are fantastic.
The wine and specialty cocktail selection is excellent. Go for the Swinging Empress cocktail (a winner!) The bar offers a constantly evolving menu, currently emphasizing an assortment of excellent tapas and will also allow ordering from the adjoining restaurant menu. You honestly can’t go wrong with anything.
The only downside is limited self parking options.
Go for valet service, well worth the money!

Absolutely love this hotel! Great if you are staying overnight or just stopping in at the lounge. The staff is tops and super welcoming. They even gave my daughter a Panda Bear stuffed animal out of the blue when we were having dinner. Too sweet.
The suites are incredibly spacious and the bathrooms have a spa-​like feel, which you come to expect from a place of this caliber, but don’t always get. I wish that it were just a bit more conveniently located to other attractions and places to dine, but you are just a short cab or long walk away, so not too shabby.

I went here for a pedicure at the spa because Vogue rated it the best pedicure in DC a couple of months earlier. I mentioned that to the nail technician, but she didn’t know anything about it. The review had said, «From customized pedicures (based on your personal Chinese zodiac animal) to fittingly self-​proclaimed „aromatic journeys,“ the Mandarin Oriental’s nail services are legendary, drawing a steady crowd of hotel guests and D.C. locals alike.»
I have no idea what they were talking about. No one mentioned any of that while I was there, and the pedicure I got was pretty average. It was definitely not the best pedicure I’ve gotten — which I thought perhaps it should have been, since it was the most expensive.
When I went to pay, the spa added an automatic (involuntary) 20% gratuity to my bill. They had not previously indicated that they do this, so buyer beware.
Overall, the experience was just alright; for my next pedicure, I plan to try some place else. Bum steer, Vogue.