Mandarin Oriental Las Vegas

From the moment I arrived, I felt totally at ease with the thought that I could escape the strip when I needed. Pool was freezing, but the only sound, besides the numerous helicopter tours, was the music being played in the background. MOzen was a great restaurant that was packed with simply delightful staff and management! Their waffle breakfast was completely unforgettable and a must for anyone staying there or just passing through! They have a Tea area next to the front desk, which I found a bit distracting because of the noise, but overall a decent experience doing it during their English afternoon tea session. The spa was excellent and Valma gave me a great foot massage. I felt like Peter Griffin wrapped up in a big old bear suit ready for hibernation the way my body was engulfed in warm pads! If it weren't for a man getting his fingernails trimmed and snoring in the area next to me, I would've fallen asleep!

Nowhere did we appreciate the low key luxury of this hotel more than at poolside. Unlike the complex overdecorated pool complexes at most hotels ( see image 4 ), the MO provides a simple rectangular pool and a lap pool ( I think there is an hottub off to the side ). The pool area is enclosed by the towers of the City Center and immune to the noise. Surrounded by surprisingly comfortable lounges and swaying palms and ringed by cabanas with hi-def TVs available at up to $150 a day rental, the pool is quiet and the crowd young and sophisticated as well as attractive. Bottled water is free, as are umbrellas and sunscreen. Uniformed servers offer tasty tidbits from trays as the day passes. And of course excellent drinks and a pool menu are available. Relaxation at its best.

There is nothing gaudy about the Adam D. Tihany designed standard room in which we luxuriated. Large, over 500 square feet, the rooms are subdued, in dark woods, with an overall Oriental flavor. The mattress was as comfortable as any in my memory, the high thread count Egyptian cotton sheets soft and enveloping. High technology dominates the room - a single device controls the entertainment center, the window treatments, temperature, and the lights. Sadly, after four days, we had not figured out how to use it. Even the high tech light switches were beyond our comprehension - we just punched buttons till the lights went on or off. The 42 in wall mounted LCD television required several steps just to turn on the standard channels. The bathroom mirror contains another 15 in TV. Closets were in a walled off hallway off the main entrance which also included a valet box so that newspapers, ordered room service, and whatever could be delivered from the hallway without having to knock on the door.

The structural highlight of the rooms are the translucent glass walled bathrooms with their Aromatherapy Associates bath products, separate enclosed shower and lav, and double pedestal sinks. The remarkably deep bathtubs, with a jug of fragrant bath salts adjacent, can fit two.
And the greatest highlight - the views of the strip both day and night from the large picture windows.

Night time turn down service surprisingly featured a glass bowl with two rocks and a rose petal, quite oriental in concept, but - no chocolates. Just another little quirk. Great room, perhaps with electronics a bit sophisticated for the average guest, and one of our alltime favorites.

Unique Quality: NB - like most hotels in Las Vegas, the Mandarin Oriental is not immune to the economic turmoil of our time. Among other offers, a recent three night for the price of two special allowed us to score a high floor strip view room for just over $150/night.

A worthy representative of the famed Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group, the Las Vegas representative is luxurious but quirky. A non-smoking non-gaming facility of 47 stories, 392 rooms, and 225 condominiium residences on the upper floors. It is a LEED Gold hotel and the only hotel in the City Center to front on The Strip with a very central location. The design essence of the Orient permeates every room and public space. The hotel room interiors were designed by Adam Tihany.

Most everything is available here - spa sauna and fitness center, internet access, outdoor and indoor pool, conference and banquet rooms, efficient and knowledgeable concerge staff, restaurants at the upper end of upscale with a spectacular bar. And best of all - in a quiet refined and most certainly un-Vegas atmosphere of serenity. The skill of the concierge staff is worth noting - on last minute notice they secured show tickets and dinner reservations for six when previous plans changed without skipping a beat.

The hotel is not without its oddities - the entrance is not easily found, hidden behind buildings with minimal signage at ground level outside, and actually one floor down from street level. The ground floor entrance is just that, with the check-in and lobby on the 23rd floor overlooking the strip. Strangely, the elevator from the ground level stops only at the restaurant and meeting level on floor 3 and the lobby on floor 23. To reach one's room, the pool, and the spa requires using a second bank of elevators every time with the elevator operating only with use of the electronic room key. While part of the City Center, it is connected to the Crystal Mall by an outdoor skywalk one level up from the hotel entrance lobby and not directly.

After visiting the chaos of the large resort-casino-hotel facilities and the insanely crowded shopping venues, the calm atmosphere of the Mandarin Oriental was endearing. This is a great hotel, loved it.