GodAtum

Really, some online reviews say the food is excellent!

Hotel Review: Mandarin Oriental, Singapore (Club Marina Bay Room) ? The Shutterwhale

Kagehitokiri

one should get what one pays for, and discussing that with management has nothing to do with complaining

100% owned: HKG, TYO, LON, BOS, MUC, PAR, excelsior
may sell / redevelop excelsior

jakarta 96.9% owned
geneva 92.6% owned
washington 80% owned

bangkok clearly has good local owner

offerendum

Especially with food opinions are sometimes different.

BENLEE

Surprised to hear this as I thought the club lounge F&B was one of the few positives of the hotel. Maybe they have regressed. Haven't stayed there since 2016 and don't plan to go back.

Zephyrous

To make a long story short...booked the MOHK for two stays within a 3 week period (both Virtuoso). Once for our layover to Pulo from Aman SP and then for our return home from Pulo to London (over new year's where the intention was to ring in the new year from our room). Always wanted to experience New Year's in Hong Kong and while at first I thought about staying in the Pen for the second leg of the stay (for better views), my agent said that it would be easier if we stayed in the same hotel given that we would have excess luggage that we wouldn't be taking to Pulo with us and which could be dropped at the hotel. Just to note here that my other half wanted to stay island side and on the harbour, hence why the only real options were the MO or FS (otherwise the Upper House would have been a contender).

Upon booking, the first check-in and check-out I made it clear that I wanted a harbour view suite on floors 10+. Upon our original check out I was explicitly assured that this would not be a problem. Roll on to the second check in where we were given a suite on the fifth floor that would be more aptly described as the "parking lot view suite" or the "no view suite" as opposed to "harbour view suite". Any short of imaginable view was blocked - which essentially ruined my plans for ringing in the new year from our suite. Having lived in Britain a number of years I usually suffer in silence but this time I expressed both my disappointment as to the hotel completely misrepresenting the suite but also breaching their assurances to me. I asked to speak to a more senior member of management (i.e. the GM) which wasn't afforded to me (in fact when I later requested the GM's details so I can write to him, I had to pass a mini-interview in relation to why I wanted to get in touch with him).

They offered us 2-3 alternative options; a city view suite on the 8th floor and a couple of harbour view rooms on low level floors. Two hotel employees admitted that the harbour view room on the 6th floor would be the better option for us - which we took albeit the triple room downgrade (after trying to see whether the FS, UP or the Pen would have any rooms available that would be acceptable - they didn't) . Of course, this particular room was miles away from the suite that I had paid for and was promised (including "commanding picture-postcard views of Victoria Harbour" as per their website). External/street level noise was also an issue as I suspect the hotel is not soundproof (in fact we woke up on new year's day by a demonstration on the harbour).

Our comp was a bottle of champagne.

In retrospect, it is perhaps a bit petty of me to describe this whole ordeal as horrible but the reality is that I only book rooms that are fit for a particular purpose of a trip - sometimes these are entry level rooms, other times specific view suites and other times the top suite offered (I have refused upgrades for that matter before). So the whole experience was far removed from what I had imagined and further exacerbated by the attitude of the hotel staff/lack of service recovery and the whole stress of finding other rooms/waiting to see them/seeing independently if there is something else available in town.

bhrubin

Bolding mine. You aren't being petty at all IMO. I'd have been furious. Of course, I'd have gotten in writing in advance their guarantee of the suites I was expecting...or book somewhere else that would guarantee that in writing. But after being reminded of their failed assurances, the hotel should have taken pains to get you the best room and view possible--and your TA should have been on it, too, IMO. The fact that you had to endure such ridiculousness to get in touch with the GM makes me know for sure that this hotel is to be avoided at all costs.

I've always had very disappointing and lackluster service recovery at every MO at which I've stayed. It was like pulling teeth in every instance. So I no longer stay with MO. Your example reminds me yet again why I avoid the MO chain--lots of pomp without much circumstance.

scented

And there we go... spot on.

Granted I rarely stay at MO, but out of the 5 or 6 properties I have been, none of them were flawless -- clearly the opposite actually. And in every instance service recovery was painful and stingy. The only exception being MO BKK, but that was due to Amanda Hyndman and her excellence.

And just when I saw what seemed to be a hint of grace, they start making demands... yes I am looking at you, MO Munich.

Five Star Traveller

With MO (and similar to Peninsula), I generally find the Asian properties a lot better than those in the U.S. or Europe (though there are some mediocre ones as well like Singapore). Aside from Bangkok (which certainly has improved a lot in recent years), I've had excellent stays at MO Tokyo and MO Taipei. I agree that as a whole, the chain is not as consistent as other luxury brands like Four Seasons.

scented

It is not hard to run a decent hotel in Asia, so your statement regarding service standards is probably true for every hospitality group -- most of them struggle in the Americas, while Europe and especially Asia are easier. As you say, MO is inconsistent and even more so after the first two years post opening, when the usual 'honeymoon' period is over...

My favorite in Europe is still MO Barcelona, which just shines throughout and keeps getting better. Bodrum declined right on time after the first two years (plus heard some horror stories), Geneva is solid but can't live up to FS Bergues' excellence there, London will hopefully be better after the renovations but not in the top 3 of that market, I have high hopes for Madrid post renovations (especially since Madrid lacks a high end option), Marrakech is OK... (discussed extensively here), Milan and Paris are both successful although I am not particularly fond of them, Prague is declining and Munich is probably the best hotel in town, although a very proud hotel to say the least -- don't think I will be back there for a while.

FlyerEC

Annalisa12

Umm... no.

Aventine

Not petty at all. You booked the room you wanted and weren't given it. I would have been furious like bhrubin. My last experience at this hotel was similar to yours. A very special occasion but no opportunities for an upgrade. We were given exactly what we paid for and then less with service lapses with said special occasion. Our service recovery was the yellow label base Ruinart. Did you get the same?

Their hotel has a bad attitude to anyone who isn't in HK Tatler. The past GM didn't even have the courtesy to reply to my letter or email. I think of the big 3 or 4 HK hotels, I'd give my money to Marcel from TUH everytime. He's quite caring and actually listens to concerns.

MikeFromTokyo

chinmoylad

How late was the second incident? Upper House did have some very, very last minute availability albeit in the Upper Suite that was going for HKD 25,000++ for the night. It was subsequently sold out for NYE but it was available on the 30th.

I think proper service recovery from MO is in order.

MikeFromTokyo