All things Mandarin Oriental...
Aug 19, 2022, 12:58 pm
#106
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 1999
Location: Seat 1A, Juice pretty much everywhere, Mucci des Coins Exotiques
Posts: 34,339
any love for the MO in Kuala Lumpur? I have three nights in KL as a sort of "add-on" to another trip and I like the look of the pool here. Given the short stay I'm not as concerned if the hotel feels a bit dated as long as it isn't dingy! Is this a good home base for a few days in KL?
Aug 25, 2022, 7:07 am
#107
Join Date: May 2017
Programs: Delta, Marriott
Posts: 187
Awesome thanks I got a club room (not suite) with a view of the towers for 3 nights next June! Booked through Amex FHR so might get lucky on a suite upgrade.
Aug 25, 2022, 8:22 pm
#108
Join Date: Mar 2010
Posts: 97
MO Emirates Palace Abu Dhabi updated rooms
Yesterday, I had a quick look at the renovated rooms at Mandarin Oriental Emirates Palace Abu Dhabi.
The rooms and suites have been renovated “properly” with an updated style, very similar to MO Dubai. Carpets, furniture, beds etc are new, but bathrooms are untouched.
I won’t bore you with a photo of the renovated palace suites (the ones around the dome in the middle of the building). These only received fresh carpet and all soft goods were upholstered, however the furniture and color scheme remained exactly the same - no changes. The bathrooms also remained untouched.
Amenities are now Diptyque.
They are renovating all the outlets at the moment, supposed to be ready by October for a rebranded opening in late November (to be ready for the UAE’s national day on December 2).
Overall, I really like the new rooms in the west and east wings, but the palace suites are a disappointment to me.
The Spa is currently still under renovation and a temporary (although very nice) area of the hotel is being used.
The rooms and suites have been renovated “properly” with an updated style, very similar to MO Dubai. Carpets, furniture, beds etc are new, but bathrooms are untouched.
I won’t bore you with a photo of the renovated palace suites (the ones around the dome in the middle of the building). These only received fresh carpet and all soft goods were upholstered, however the furniture and color scheme remained exactly the same - no changes. The bathrooms also remained untouched.
Amenities are now Diptyque.
They are renovating all the outlets at the moment, supposed to be ready by October for a rebranded opening in late November (to be ready for the UAE’s national day on December 2).
Overall, I really like the new rooms in the west and east wings, but the palace suites are a disappointment to me.
The Spa is currently still under renovation and a temporary (although very nice) area of the hotel is being used.
Sep 13, 2022, 10:08 pm
#109
Join Date: Nov 2007
Posts: 2,946
Sep 14, 2022, 3:15 am
#110
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Europe
Posts: 2,600
Goodness... another MO gone in the US!
After Vegas now DC... seems they are not too lucky in that part of the world. That leaves them with the ravaged NYC property (sold), their lacklustre Miami and Boston.
On a lighter note, their updated website seems rather good!
After Vegas now DC... seems they are not too lucky in that part of the world. That leaves them with the ravaged NYC property (sold), their lacklustre Miami and Boston.
On a lighter note, their updated website seems rather good!
Sep 14, 2022, 12:49 pm
#111
Join Date: Nov 2007
Posts: 2,946
They also had properties in San Francisco and Atlanta that they also lost.
Sep 14, 2022, 12:52 pm
#112
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 1999
Location: Seat 1A, Juice pretty much everywhere, Mucci des Coins Exotiques
Posts: 34,339
Not luck. It is simply not possible to replicate the Oriental Bangkok in the USA. There is no hotel, independent nor chain that comes close to that in America.
Sep 14, 2022, 3:05 pm
#113
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Europe
Posts: 2,600
Sep 14, 2022, 3:59 pm
#114
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: La Jolla, California
Programs: KrisFlyer Gold, SWA CP
Posts: 1,124
MO SF (now an FS) -- Refused an agreed-upon 1pm checkout, forcing me to rent a business suite for 1 hour. Good views, no lobby ...
MO Singapore -- Positively the ugliest hotel in the world. Just a disaster. A garish assault on the senses, both visual and aural. That, combined with a bizarre dress code makes this a poor choice in Singapore. But Singapore is well populated with bad, and worse options.
MO Geneva -- OK, but bland. Prefer the FS, although I dislike Geneva.
MO Munich -- Quite good. I enjoyed this one.
MO Barcelona -- Noisy rooms sized for small hamsters. Odd restaurant.
MO LV (now a WA) -- Hostile. Poor service. Bizarre and tiny rooms.
MO Boston -- OK, if a little bland. I prefer FS Boylston.
MO NYC -- Still pissed that the lobby waiter ran my wine bill up by upselling me at $40/glass. The bartender made the employees at Raffles Singapore look friendly. Refused BK service on Easter. More problems than I can remember on the bill. The bill was so out of whack the CC company had frozen my card.
I've never tried either of the MOs in HK, since the Upper House gets my business. The only other chain that compares with my MO problems is Montage. I've had bad luck at two locations. I have trouble remembering poor FS stays. The only one that comes to mind is FS Sydney. While friendly, the physical plant would embarrass an owner of a Motel 6. I remember thinking when I booked FS Sydney: "It's an FS. It can't be as bad as the reviews." It was. Even the elevators are scary. I remain surprised FS hasn't fixed Sydney. A meal I had at the restaurant was the 2nd worst meal in my life.
Last edited by mike_la_jolla; Sep 14, 2022 at 4:04 pm
Sep 15, 2022, 2:34 am
#115
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Parts Unknown
Posts: 10,053
I think the problem is deeper. My list of MO stays includes more than the average number of disasters and only a single good stay:
MO SF (now an FS) -- Refused an agreed-upon 1pm checkout, forcing me to rent a business suite for 1 hour. Good views, no lobby ...
MO Singapore -- Positively the ugliest hotel in the world. Just a disaster. A garish assault on the senses, both visual and aural. That, combined with a bizarre dress code makes this a poor choice in Singapore. But Singapore is well populated with bad, and worse options.
MO Geneva -- OK, but bland. Prefer the FS, although I dislike Geneva.
MO Munich -- Quite good. I enjoyed this one.
MO Barcelona -- Noisy rooms sized for small hamsters. Odd restaurant.
MO LV (now a WA) -- Hostile. Poor service. Bizarre and tiny rooms.
MO Boston -- OK, if a little bland. I prefer FS Boylston.
MO NYC -- Still pissed that the lobby waiter ran my wine bill up by upselling me at $40/glass. The bartender made the employees at Raffles Singapore look friendly. Refused BK service on Easter. More problems than I can remember on the bill. The bill was so out of whack the CC company had frozen my card.
I've never tried either of the MOs in HK, since the Upper House gets my business. The only other chain that compares with my MO problems is Montage. I've had bad luck at two locations. I have trouble remembering poor FS stays. The only one that comes to mind is FS Sydney. While friendly, the physical plant would embarrass an owner of a Motel 6. I remember thinking when I booked FS Sydney: "It's an FS. It can't be as bad as the reviews." It was. Even the elevators are scary. I remain surprised FS hasn't fixed Sydney. A meal I had at the restaurant was the 2nd worst meal in my life.
MO SF (now an FS) -- Refused an agreed-upon 1pm checkout, forcing me to rent a business suite for 1 hour. Good views, no lobby ...
MO Singapore -- Positively the ugliest hotel in the world. Just a disaster. A garish assault on the senses, both visual and aural. That, combined with a bizarre dress code makes this a poor choice in Singapore. But Singapore is well populated with bad, and worse options.
MO Geneva -- OK, but bland. Prefer the FS, although I dislike Geneva.
MO Munich -- Quite good. I enjoyed this one.
MO Barcelona -- Noisy rooms sized for small hamsters. Odd restaurant.
MO LV (now a WA) -- Hostile. Poor service. Bizarre and tiny rooms.
MO Boston -- OK, if a little bland. I prefer FS Boylston.
MO NYC -- Still pissed that the lobby waiter ran my wine bill up by upselling me at $40/glass. The bartender made the employees at Raffles Singapore look friendly. Refused BK service on Easter. More problems than I can remember on the bill. The bill was so out of whack the CC company had frozen my card.
I've never tried either of the MOs in HK, since the Upper House gets my business. The only other chain that compares with my MO problems is Montage. I've had bad luck at two locations. I have trouble remembering poor FS stays. The only one that comes to mind is FS Sydney. While friendly, the physical plant would embarrass an owner of a Motel 6. I remember thinking when I booked FS Sydney: "It's an FS. It can't be as bad as the reviews." It was. Even the elevators are scary. I remain surprised FS hasn't fixed Sydney. A meal I had at the restaurant was the 2nd worst meal in my life.
Sep 15, 2022, 6:58 am
#116
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 1999
Location: Seat 1A, Juice pretty much everywhere, Mucci des Coins Exotiques
Posts: 34,339
The two MO's in Hong Kong are fabulous. The flagship there has history that no other hotel can buy.
I love the MO Prague and had my best spa experience in Europe there.
As for Singapore, the design of the hotel interior is weird, but the club design is very good. The club experience is excellent and far better than the FS. And the pool is great. I actually prefer that people dress appropriately for the destination/environment.
KL has a great club too.
The MO Bangkok is simply the worlds greatest hotel. Others come and go, but this hotel manages to preserve its greatness like no other.
As for MO's in the USA, I never thought it was a good idea for the brand to open a hotel there. I am pretty sure that I posted that sentiment on Flyertalk back when the MO announced they were heading to America. And I have never even tried to stay at one.
I love the MO Prague and had my best spa experience in Europe there.
As for Singapore, the design of the hotel interior is weird, but the club design is very good. The club experience is excellent and far better than the FS. And the pool is great. I actually prefer that people dress appropriately for the destination/environment.
KL has a great club too.
The MO Bangkok is simply the worlds greatest hotel. Others come and go, but this hotel manages to preserve its greatness like no other.
As for MO's in the USA, I never thought it was a good idea for the brand to open a hotel there. I am pretty sure that I posted that sentiment on Flyertalk back when the MO announced they were heading to America. And I have never even tried to stay at one.
Sep 16, 2022, 2:38 am
#117
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Germany
Programs: Some
Posts: 11,522
Sep 16, 2022, 10:29 am
#118
Join Date: May 2020
Location: LHR
Programs: OWE, *G
Posts: 219
MO NYC -- Still pissed that the lobby waiter ran my wine bill up by upselling me at $40/glass. The bartender made the employees at Raffles Singapore look friendly. Refused BK service on Easter. More problems than I can remember on the bill. The bill was so out of whack the CC company had frozen my card.
Sep 16, 2022, 4:49 pm
#120
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: HIJ
Posts: 260