A Monumentally Memorable Stay at The Mandarin Oriental, Paris

What To Know

Located on the iconic rue Saint-Honore, the heart of the fashion district, the Mandarin Oriental Paris is a most vivacious city luxury hotel, with art deco inspired architecture and a lush urban oasis garden to boot!
Jean-Michel Wilmotte was the architect for this hotel which makes perfect sense because he was also the architect of The Lutetia in Paris, another personal favorite - no wonder I felt so at home here!
As far as room space goes, this hotel boasts amongst the most spacious rooms in Paris with the average room size starting at 430 square feet (40 square meter).
There are three restaurants under the direction of Thierry Marx, who specializes in molecular gastronomy. Did I mention there is also a smashing cake shop? ;)
The Mandarin Oriental Paris spa is truly one of a kind, equipped with magical Guerlain products and treatments.
The 138 Swarovski butterfly crystals suspended from the ceiling in the lobby is symbolic of the 138 rooms and suites. How beautiful!
All in all, the Mandarin Oriental Paris is what I like to call a love letter to haute couture fashion. If you want to experience a classic Parisian gem of a hotel, look no further.

Highlights

Our valet, Alexei, was extremely attentive, immediately relieving us of our luggage, making for a stress free arrival.
Alex at the front desk was over the top wonderful checking us in and made sure we were greeted with champagne upon arrival. He truly went above and beyond to make sure every second of our stay was seamless. The whole staff oozed world class hospitality.
Our complimentary upgrade to the deluxe suite was a lovely and a much appreciated gesture. After traveling on the Eurostar from London and arriving moderately late that evening, nothing beats luxuriating in a stunning suite.
The entire hotel is infused with Feng-Shui starting with the separate elevators placed on opposite ends of the building to harmonize the flow of Chi and The Mandarin Oriental Signature scent swirling in the air. Gotta love sensory marketing, always leaves you coming back for more. ;)
Classy welcome amenity. Gregory and I loved our welcome treat of strawberries, a chocolate Eiffel tower - which Gregory immediately took a bite of - and the nice bottle of Sancerre. I'm super detail oriented so I would like to applaud the guest reception staff for spelling out Gregory's full name as well as mine. It is rather annoying when people assume Gregory goes by Greg or when my name is spelled incorrectly.
Stéphane Diquelou, the marvelous Director of Sales and Marketing, was extremely sharp (in the mind and in fashion!) and provided an enjoyable tour of the hotel. I was wowed by the hotel's Royal Mandarin suite which I was able to view in the midst of preparation for the guests' arrival. It can take about a day or two to prepare an incomparable suite like this.

Check in / The Room

First impressions matter. What a classy welcome amenity.

Quintessentially Parisian chic and bespoke to a tee, you can thank interior designer, Sybille de Margerie, for the striking colors, the feminine touches (there's a hair straightener in the bathroom!) and the understated yet refined touches of opulence in every inch of the room - I'm talking silk curtains and cushions and 500 thread count linens. Their glorious pillow menu is nothing to sniff at either! Can I just have one of each?

I was most impressed by the large bathroom because it felt so intimate and open at the same time, as indicated by the misty sliding doors. The deep freestanding lavish tub sits on top of a beautiful, eye-catching white mosaic floor. I loved that the room was adorned in what the french call hortensia (hydrangea). And everyone enjoys a Japanese toilet now and then, right?

So flirty and feminine! The mosaic touches were aesthetically pleasing.

You cannot go wrong with high end luxury wellness products, Diptyque! Lush on the skin and hair.

I was thrilled to see our suite had a Japanese toilet; the last time we experienced it was at the Shangri-La at the Shard in London. It just makes a stay extra special when going to the loo becomes a luxurious experience.

Why Japanese toilets aren't conquering America yet remains a mystery to me. :)

Garden view from our sumptuous one bedroom suite's private balcony.

Gregory and I slept like a dream that night, we almost didn't wake up for breakfast! We descended to the serene inner courtyard and enjoyed a spot of breakfast, accompanied by the singing birds.

A la carte dining not your thing? Go for the indulgent continental breakfast buffet with all the pastries you can imagine to delight your palate. Not to mention the other five menus at your disposal.

Breakfast is served with l'eau furieuse (furious water) - a refreshing shot of ginger, lemon and lime juice, and sparkling water.

The smoked salmon eggs Benedict were a little soggy for my taste but still delicious. And don't get me started on the sausages. Scrumptious and some of the best I've had!

Mini room tour - thank you Mandarin Oriental Paris for overwhelming me with effortless elegance and opulence!

Amenities

High speed wifi
Laundry
Meeting and function rooms
Fitness center - beautifully located, overlooking the indoor pool
Magnificent indoor pool, a total oasis from the bustling Paris city life
Spa/Hammam/Sauna
24/7 room service
Top notch Diptyque bath amenities
Bar 8
Sur Mesure (English translation Tailored) by Thierry Marx - 2 Michelin Star restaurant that is interestingly designed as "the process of haute couture" as seen by the drapes of all white fabric. The space is uber intimate, like stepping into a cocoon. A little claustrophobic for my taste but I can appreciate the appeal all the same
Camélia - all day dining restaurant where more simple dishes can be enjoyed
L'Honoré - lobby and low key healthy munching in the private alcoves
The Cake Shop - do yourself a favor and just have that slice of cake!

Need more color? Just head into the restaurant's bathroom for a huge dose of a red color palette.

L'honoré light dining in the cozy lobby alcoves. Mmm poke bowl anyone?

Located by the inconspicuous entrance of the hotel's fine dining restaurant, Sur Mesure, Bar 8 is an elegant bar serving cool cocktails and a nice selection of tapas. The wooden walls are decorated with dainty Lalique crystals. Sexy and stunning!

The sun-filled lobby set an amazing tone for the rest of our experience. It was warm, inviting and tranquil.

Lowlights

The only downside to my stay was the scene at the bar a little after midnight. A group of loud, foul-mouthed, drunken Americans were carousing, shouting virtually every offensive expletive under the sun, with no attempt made to quieten them. Later on, a couple sitting directly opposite my husband and myself got into a fight, the woman throwing her drink on her partner, smashing the glass on the floor. Security arrived, but simply stood watching them, doing nothing to pick up the dangerous broken glass on the floor. 15 minutes later and the glass was still not cleaned up! This experience stuck out like a sore thumb for us and goes against everything what I believe the Mandarin Oriental brand represents. Below is the calm after the storm in the hotel's peaceful urban jungle courtyard.

Words of Thanks

I am enormously grateful to Andrew Rein, Director of travel industry Sales for MO London and Paris hotels, for arranging my complimentary stay at the Mandarin Oriental Paris. I cannot think of a more grand introduction to this impressive brand. Thank you for the opportunity to share this with my discerning world traveler clients, especially those who have an eye for design, are contemporary minded, and committed to experiencing the very best the city of light has to offer! The glamour of Paris resides here. This collaboration has been one of, if not the most fun as I got to experience a side of Paris I do not normally frequent, as I live on the left bank!

Thank you to Stéphane Diquelou for gifting us the Mandarin Oriental signature scent candle. I travel with it everywhere and will have to place another order soon - that's how much we love it! Your kindness during this trip has truly blown me away. I am grateful to know you and thrilled to send my clients to you.

From Nada to Prada tip: Even though all the rooms are gorgeous, spacious, and thoughtfully designed, I highly recommend booking their deluxe one bedroom suites with a private balcony overlooking the garden for a peaceful stay to avoid the noise coming from Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré. However, the rooms with a view of the Eiffel tower are naturally the best :)

Is this luxury hotel right up your alley? Book through me, your personal luxury travel designer, and I will secure exclusive perks and amenities including but not limited to:

Room upgrade upon arrival, subject to availability
Welcome amenity/card
$100 USD credit for food + beverage
Full breakfast daily for up to two guests
Complimentary one way transfer for suites with meet and greet service at the air bridge (2 night min)