The Mandarin Oriental in Paris is a new hotel in an enviable location on Rue Saint-Honore and a couple of minutes’ walk away from the Louvre. It is an excellent base of operations for any city break, with everything within walking distance, or a short metro ride away.
The exterior of the building is white and glass and sits well with the modern and the old. It’s a well-designed building that hints at the quality within, without giving too much away. It’s only once you step inside that you get more of a feel as to what this hotel is up to.
The lobby is large with high ceilings, lots of glass and light. A glass wall at one end features a metal sculpture and a great view of the well-kept courtyard garden. It’s a taste of Asia in Paris. There is plenty of faux-suede seating and a relaxed ambience that makes you feel at home right away.
“The Mandarin Oriental in Paris is an excellent base of operations for any city break.”
We were greeted by a friendly receptionist and offered a glass of champagne right away, then quickly checked-in and shown to our room.
We had a Premier Suite, which was a large room with its own balcony overlooking the courtyard garden. It was a nice space with a king size bed, a seating area through double doors, a good sized bathroom and everything you would need for a high quality city break.
There was a small table that greeted us on arrival in our room that had some fresh fruit. Like the champagne as we arrived, a nice touch to make you feel welcome.
The décor is modern, with contemporary furniture. Everything is of a high quality, something that makes a real difference to the experience. The large curtains kept out a lot of light, but because we overlooked that courtyard garden, we only used them when we had to.
The bed was large, very comfortable and had quite a firm but supportive mattress. The pillows were of high quality and the bed covers were lovely and soft. Overall, we slept very well while we were there. The thick windows and insulation do a good job of keeping external influences out of the room, which, for a city hotel, is excellent.
The room also had a Bang and Olufsen TV in the bedroom, iPod docks, movies, Wi-Fi and everything that you would expect from such a hotel. We wanted for nothing while we were here.
The bathroom was of a good size and well-appointed too. It had twin sinks, a bath and a lovely shower. The quality of light was good and the mirror was large enough for both of us to get ready at once.
The rest of the hotel was of an equally high standard. The staff were friendly and approachable and immaculately turned out. The public areas were nice, with good lighting and high quality furniture.
There are two restaurants, the Sur Mesure and Camelia inside the hotel which are both nice places to dine. There is also Bar 8, a chic bar with a terrace and good drinks. There is also a cake shop, where you can taste the best of Parisian confectionery too.
The hotel also has a spa and gym, but not just any spa and gym. These are very high quality spaces. The spa has a long pool, steam rooms, vitality pool, treatments, couples treatment suites and a range of products. The gym is a large, fully-equipped gym with everything you would expect from a purpose-built leisure centre.
Our time at the Mandarin Oriental was a delight. The standards are high, you are looked after from the moment you arrive and everything has been built around you, the guest. We would happily stay here again.
The Bill: £2500 per night
