Oxford Street may be the busiest shopping street in Europe, but it is a place that London locals rarely frequent. Marking the northern border of Mayfair, it has a frenetic energy that only the most committed of shoppers can absorb. It’s hard to believe that Mandarin Oriental Mayfair sits a mere two-minute walk from the chaos, such is the sense of calm it offers through its discreet doors.
Sitting on the corner of Hanover Square at the end of Brook Street, Mandarin Oriental Mayfair has that rarest of combinations: privacy in a prime location. The historic square sits at the intersection of Oxford Street and Regent’s Street yet has a fraction of the footfall.
The hotel is also, like the rest of Mayfair, tightly packed. Mandarin Oriental’s second London property (after Hyde Park) squeezes into a small footprint and offers just 50 rooms and suites. It’s the area’s first new-build hotel in over 10 years, which underlines not only the scarcity of space in Mayfair but the complexity and cost to build within it.
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Customers will bear the brunt of those costs, with room rates starting at a hefty £1,000 (approx. $1,300) per night. Those prices are certainly not out of place in modern-day London though. In fact, it has almost become par for the course, with recent openings of The Peninsula, Raffles at The OWO and The Emory all joining the same four-figure club.
Developers appear to have spared no expense in blending the building into its surroundings (the futuristic red brick façade stands out in all the right ways), and with good reason: The hotel is up against some of the city’s Grande Dames, including the inimitable Claridge’s, which is just a short walk down Brook Street. So, what does Mandarin Oriental Mayfair offer that’s new? We checked in to find out.
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The luxury lowdown
Rates from: $1,300 per night
Stay here for: Prime shopping location away from the crowds
We loved: The subterranean pool, the biggest in Mayfair
Don’t miss: Akira Back, the celebrity chef’s debut London restaurant
Still to come: Dosa, an intimate chef’s table, and a rooftop bar
Suite to book: Hanover Suite
Stay
Mandarin Oriental Mayfair is unusual in the sense that it has just 50 guestrooms and suites, yet 77 private residences. As a result, the common areas feel much more like an upscale apartment block than a hotel.
The hotel’s Akira Back restaurant is attracting a wealth of outside clientele, but during the day the lobby is a naturally private space. The check-in desk is separated from the rest of the lobby by a bridge. Once you cross over, you’ll only see fellow guests or staff.
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Despite the small room count, Mandarin Oriental has designated eight categories, starting with a 355-sq-ft deluxe room and peaking with the 1,517-sq-ft Mayfair Suite. Scale, however, is one of the few separating factors as all rooms benefit from largely the same amenities and high-end finishing, including hand-painted wallpaper, marble bathrooms, locally sourced snacks and a free minibar.
Interiors have a distinctly Eastern influence, but there are subtle nods to the local fauna. The magnolias painted on every wall, for instance, are inspired by the same flowers that appear in Hanover Square each spring.
We stayed in the Hanover Suite, which counts itself as one of two signature suites in the hotel. This one-bedroom accommodation has ample living space for couples and space to entertain one or two friends in the open-plan living room/kitchenette.
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The suite uses its space cleverly and feels much bigger than its stated 1,023 sq-ft. Sliding doors can be pulled out of almost every wall, transforming rooms from open plan to intimate in one effortless motion.
Mandarin Oriental Mayfair wanted to give all guests a similar experience in terms of amenities, but one separating factor here is the New & Lingwood silk jacquard dressing gowns, which are exclusive to the Mayfair and Hanover Suites.
Bathrooms are clad in marble and come with the all-important Toto robot toilets. The Hanover and Mayfair Suite also benefit from a guest toilet (also robotic), so you can keep the ensuite bathroom to yourselves even when entertaining.
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Dine
When you run out of space, start digging down. That’s what they’ve done here, with Akira Back sitting one floor below ground level. You wouldn’t know it though, as the double-height ceilings and glass roof flood the restaurant with natural light. It gives the restaurant a cavernous feel in what is actually a very narrow space.
The restaurant is run by its namesake, a Korean-born, Colorado-raised chef boasting outposts all over the world. This is his first in London, though, and the restaurant was suitably buzzy on a Saturday evening, as locals descended the green Ming marble staircase flanked by oversized designer shopping bags.
They come for the signature ‘AB Tuna Pizza’, a signature of Akira Back that is remarkably like Wolfgang Puck’s smoked salmon pizza. We’ll let the historians decide who came first.
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Although there is nothing particularly new or inventive about Akira Back’s menu (Asian influences, Western execution), the food is very good, and the service is excellent. We were particularly impressed with the vegan nigiri, including an out-of-this-world pickled rhubarb, and the black cod with yuzu foam. In September, it’ll be joined by Dosa, an intimate chef’s table concept that held a Michelin star in Seoul before ultimately closing.
On the same floor, the ABar lounge is a surprisingly hedonistic night spot, offering a refined cocktail menu, small bites and live DJs late into the night. The hotel is also set to open a rooftop lounge in early fall, with beautiful views over the charming Mayfair rooftops.
Relax
There was never going to be a substantial wellness offering at Mandarin Oriental Mayfair, such are the limits imposed on digging down in this part of London. Designers (read: miracle workers) have somehow installed Mayfair’s biggest hotel swimming pool.
The 25-meter pool looks skinny but is large enough to accommodate three considerate adults doing laps (spare us your butterfly). The water is warm and the lighting is peaceful. There are comfortable day beds, a sauna and a whirlpool. Add a coldwater plunge pool, and I’d still be there to this day, refusing to leave.
Next door, a gym (like the pool, surprisingly big) filled with Technogym equipment caters to regulars and beginners. Mainly aimed at residents and locals, the hotel has partnered with Bodyspace, which offers access to world-class personal trainers for the gym and pool.
There are just two treatment rooms, which sounds limited for a London hotel. Then again, there are only 50 rooms in the hotel, and anyone buying a residence here will likely have many other houses to frequent. Regardless, book ahead to avoid disappointment.
Sensing the mood in this part of town, signature treatments focus on destressing from the sounds of the city. The Tranquility of Mayfair treatment uses a mix of massage and soundwaves to detoxify the stresses of city life in two-hours flat.
Hanover Suite from £7,000 ($8,900) per night. Contact 22 Hanover Square, London W1S 1JP; momay-info@mohg.com; +44 20 7889 8888; mandarinoriental.com
