Landmark Mandarin Oriental

Hong Kong 

A 'wall of wine' at Amber's bar

And happening it is, especially in the MO Bar right off the lobby. Here you have buffet breakfast, sitting in a banquette or standing at one of the high round tables. Buffet offerings are spread across what is actually the bar, but designer du jour Adam Tihany performed quite a creative act of disguise. A glass top forming the table in the morning props up at night to reveal bar bottles reflected in the mirrored glass lid. Colored lights enhance the nighttime image, at the bar and all around the room where career types in business suits meet and mingle. In Amber, the formal restaurant, Tihany hung long amber-colored glass cylinders from the ceiling to form an undulating wave. The bar's "wall of wine" is an eye-catcher.

The suite design is another tribute to this man’s talent, where the usual square space of every hotel room becomes a very cozy setting of foyer, living room, bedroom and bath, separated by a curved wall. Designers listened to Mandarin guests and made the bathroom as large as the living room. Everything is high tech and operates at the push of a button,  including the window shades and the bathroom TV.

The latest addition to superb service is a Chocolate Sommelier who guides guests on cocoa selection. Surprised? Even the hip and chic love chocolate, and each cup features Mandarin's signature fan logo floating on the whipped cream, Amber’s wine sommelier acquaints guests with various blends of chocolate from Africa, Dominican Republic and Madagascar. They’re mixed (if you wish) with a choice of exotic flavors: pink peppercorn and chili; ginger, bay leaf, star anise and cinnamon; coconut; or simply a dash of whipped cream. All this takes place on weekend lunches at Amber amid a trio of white, milk and dark chocolate fountains.

Landmark also has a two-floor spa that features a huge indoor pool, yoga and Pilates rooms, and a Turkish Hamam.

On my first visit to this legendary hotel, I was enchanted with the hominess it portrayed...not an easy task among 502 guestrooms and suites, ten bars and restaurants, and numerous shops. When I returned a year ago, just after its US$140 million renovation, it was with trepidation over how much things might have changed. The result was far from disappointing. The lobby, restaurants and rooms now have a much more contemporary look while maintaining that 'gentlemanly elegance' befitting the stature of this flagship establishment.

Walls are brighter. The darker patterns in drapes and upholstery have been replaced with lighter, cheerier designs. But the most startling change was the transformation of those tiny standing balconies (which I never used) into an extension of the room itself. I now had a small sitting room/work space with a view, a lounge, and a desk containing all the gadgets to keep me connected. The spa was another surprise. It grew from an afterthought accompanying a rarely used indoor pool to a two-floor masterpiece of saunas, steam rooms, fountains, hydro-pools and an Oriental tea lounge.

Two places that absolutely could not be changed are the Captain’s Bar and Chinnery’s Lounge. So many Hong Kongers zip through the lobby doors and take a right into the Captain’s Bar, there would be a traffic jam if that had changed. Chinnery’s has its own set of regulars who like that mahogany English Men’s Club look and the vast selection of over 200 rare malt whiskies.

My other favorite, Chocolate Tea Time, has been toned down a bit, but is still a wonderland of chocolate sculptures and surprises like cheese chocolates (very tasty, by the way). Mandarin’s famous Cake Shop has been brought inside the hotel, away from its former street entrance, and now has its own café.

Of course, the constant plus for this very first Mandarin Oriental Hotel is its convenient location. You couldn’t get any more central than this…a block from the harbor ferry connections, surrounded by banks, shops and malls, and easy transportation to all that is Hong Kong.

For rates and details on both hotels, visit www.mandarinoriental.com and click on Hong Kong.