Mandarin Oriental Wangfujing Beijing Hotel

The hotel sits above a mall in a busy shopping district, so getting around is easy and there are plenty of places to eat nearby. Our room was lovely, with partial views of the Forbidden City and Tiananmen Square. Ms. Shao and her team did a great job decorating it. Everyone we dealt with, from the doorman and reception staff to the cleaners, was professional and welcoming. The service was excellent throughout, just what you’d expect from a hotel of this caliber.

We stayed with my family and were really impressed by how welcoming the service was, especially the range of welcome treats. They even made a chocolate Forbidden City, which was amazing. The room was modern and spacious. Being in Wangfujing also made the hotel very convenient, with easy access to different parts of Beijing.

The price felt too high for such inconsistent service. Our room had a bad smell, and after it came back they eventually moved us. They apologized with afternoon tea for two, even though there were three of us. Most of the staff were nice, but one person at the restaurant was quite difficult to deal with until the manager sorted things out. I was also surprised by how many staff members couldn’t speak English. That might be understandable for housekeeping, but we ran into the same communication problem at the spa, where the staff were kind but it was hard to explain what we wanted. The week we visited, MO’s world management team was at the hotel for a big meeting. Once they arrived, staff seemed to pay much less attention to guests. Maybe the managers and staff need reminding that this is a client business. We may simply have had bad luck with that particular week, but I wouldn’t try the hotel again.

The food was great, and the staff were very accommodating. Osgood, the Chief Concierge, was especially helpful with transport arrangements and general advice. The spa services were good too. The hotel is in an excellent spot, within walking distance of The Forbidden City and Tiananmen Square. I hope I can come back.