Mandarin Oriental Downtown Hotel

The valet team made a warm, attentive, and professional first impression. The location is convenient too, close to City Walk, just behind Coca-Cola Arena, and accessible from Burj Khalifa/Dubai Mall Metro Station, whether you're driving or taking the metro. The new hotel feels fresh and well kept, with a lovely design, chandeliers, and elegant lighting that make it feel welcoming and luxurious.

My massage with Hanifa was the best I’ve ever had, honestly, an unforgettable experience. The whole Spa Area Was outstanding. We also loved the beautiful, relaxing pool area and the fantastic food and atmosphere in every restaurant we visited. From booking to the end of our stay, everything went smoothly and we felt welcomed and cared for. Dounia from the Reservation Department deserves a special thank you for looking after us and getting every detail right. All the staff were friendly, attentive, and professional. The hotel’s atmosphere was luxurious, warm, and sophisticated. We loved every moment and can’t wait to return.

The food was a real strength. The hotel has a good range of restaurants, including Noia, where we had the half board dinner set, and Yu&Mi. The entrances and lobby are stunningly designed, though our stay didn’t match that polished first impression. We were there over the long Eid weekend, when the hotel was full of families and children. The pool looked modern and beautiful, but it was loud and crowded with kids shouting, splashing, and jumping. The lifeguards seemed to be struggling to keep things safe around the pool’s sharp features. It felt like the design was meant for adults and couples, and over both days we couldn’t really enjoy the pool. Check-in was confusing and congested because the lobby lounge, where guests were having afternoon tea, sits right beside the desks. It was hard to tell who was waiting to check in and who was seated in the lounge. The layout also sends guests from the ground floor up to the 36th floor to check in, then back down to their rooms. And since the pool is on the 11th floor, guests have to walk through the elegant lobby wet and wrapped in towels. Those details interrupted the luxury feel. The hotel looks beautiful and offers good dining, but the operational and layout issues made the stay far from relaxing.

The hotel itself is still very nice, and I like it. The service was good across departments, I felt welcome, and the new property feels high quality. The spa and outdoor pool are nice. But the club lounge access I booked was extremely bad, unlike anything I’ve experienced. The lounge was closed, so there was no dedicated lounge food or special breakfast. They substituted afternoon tea and small evening bites at the pool, but served the same things each day. I had to keep asking for variety: one day they acknowledged it and changed the offerings, then the next day the restaurant manager refused. It was strange having to repeat the discussion. With the lounge closed there was nowhere to sit and work except the noisy lobby, and the evening liquor was low quality. The lounge at MO Jumeirah had much better drinks. For now, the lounge isn’t worth it, and the inconsistent quality means I’ll probably skip booking it next time. I’d still visit the Mandarin again.