Mandarin Oriental The Landmark, Hong Kong

At $420, the Infinity Cake really wasn’t worth it. The portion was quite small, and the service was poor. They didn’t give me a candle, and the packaging was so low-class that the cake could easily fall out. In the end, you’d think you were buying maxim’s cake.

Although the hotel itself is closed for renovations, the restaurants and mall are still open. I took the chance to eat at Amber, one of the hotel's renowned restaurants, and it was amazing. Every dish was expertly made and presented, and the friendly, attentive staff made sure all our needs were met. I’d recommend Amber at Mandarin Oriental Landmark for a great meal in the area. I’m looking forward to seeing the hotel’s new look once renovations are finished.

There’s nothing I can fault about this hotel. Michael Groll, its hotel manager, has done a tremendous job and remains the standard bearer here. The MO HK was the original MO and the original benchmark for what good looks like. If you’re old enough to remember Whickers World, the idea was that the MO HK had anticipated, prepared, and delivered everything before you’d even thought of it. It has operated this way from day one, and that model still holds up today. Oscar Wilde said that when a man tires of London, he tires of life. I’d say that when that feeling comes, a short respite in the MO HK is the tonic, preferably with a perfectly poured gin. If you can, just go.

Our three nights went by so quickly, largely because the stay was so comfortable and enjoyable. Even the rainy weather didn’t dampen things. Every time we walked in, we were greeted by smiling faces. What we expected to be a straightforward business trip with my family became a memorable visit. We were sad to hear the hotel would be closed and gutted over the coming 1 year +. If we have the facts right, the existing hotel is around 18 years old, yet it was very well maintained, from the main areas and our rooms to the gym and swimming pool, which we enjoyed using. The staff made the biggest impression and went above and beyond. Thanks to Paula, Henry, and the other team members, to Cherry for making sure we were warmly welcomed and brilliantly sent off, and to John and Wayne, the first people we always saw. The gym and pool staff were superb at making us comfortable, though unfortunately I didn’t catch their names. Our son was sad to hear about the closure too, and we found it hard to say goodbye, especially knowing that when we planned to return closer to the end of this year or early next year, it would still be closed and we wouldn’t see these Mandarin Oriental team members. We’ll continue staying with Mandarin Oriental and hope the exceptional service at the Landmark Mandarin Oriental Hong Kong carries on.