I thought I'd follow up on this thread after my stay at the MO. Having asked for your input, I thought I should offer my own thoughts.

I was on holiday, with a 3 year old in tow, and was looking to soak up all the great things about Hong Kong. Simply put, the MO was really superb for this.

We ended up in an Oriental Suite, with views over the harbour and statue square. It's not a bad feeling to walk into that room after a 21 hour flight. You really feel you're in Hong Kong. The style of the hotel and the view from the room give a really impressive sense of place.

And I can't imagine being better looked after: I was addressed by name wherever I went and indeed every staff member was unfailingly smiling and polite; we were let into our room at 8am and they'd already set up a second bed for our son; he came down with a worryingly high temperature on a Sunday and within half an hour the hotel had a doctor in the room and the boy was dosed up with the necessary antibiotics etc. I'd point out that I was not a returning customer - this was my first time at any Mandarin Oriental.

Just a few things that stood out:
- the bathroom is spectacular with its immense tub and walk-in double-headed shower and separate vanities (smelly stuff is Acqua di Palma);
- the breakfasts can't be faulted, I don't think - just for an example, the homemade yoghurt is genuinely excellent and it's a nice touch for them to provide Beatrix Potter crockery for children. The buffet at the clipper lounge might get a bit hectic when it's full but I was always there at a rather serene 7am;
- the pastry shop is a great thing to have in the building - thoroughly enjoyed loading up on scones and donuts for tea.
- I can't imagine a better location, especially for transport. No doubt most guests are going to be jumping in a taxi whenever they leave the hotel but I actually wanted to use the MTR, the trams and the buses as well and all 3 are right there, literally across the street. The star ferry is a v short walk too.
- complimentary bottles of water were always appreciated, placed in convenient spots all over the room and bathroom, and replenished twice daily;
- little additions like plates of fruit, chocolates, bath salts, anti-jetlag balms, soothing eye-patches don't interest me much but they we're put in our room each day.
- barber is just great. Nice bit of luxury for a man.
- the whole hotel feels nicely integrated into the city itself - they've struck the right balance between letting in the outside world while maintaining the sense that the hotel is a luxurious retreat. I guess that's what a good city hotel needs to get right.

The two things that I didn't take to were the overly complicated lighting system in the room and the slightly cloying smell of the place - it's not that offensive and I didn't mind it in the lobby but I really noticed it in the corridors. Curiously, the actual bedroom has no windows but I ended up rather liking that - the room felt secluded, and of course extremely dark with the lights off, and I slept as well as I ever have.