Syndicated from Shanghai Style File
Today I visited the sparkling new Mandarin Oriental hotel over on the quieter side of Lujiazui in a fast-developing business neighborhood that will soon be home to major domestic and international banks. Oozing luxury and modern oriental glamor, the MO is set to please every imaginable desire of the billionaire banker playboys that will soon be flocking to the area to do some serious business [and also less endowed residents like me who like indulge in staycations]. Immediately upon arrival you are surrounded by floor-to-ceiling, five-star swankity swank: marble, crystal, glass mosaics, sculptures, fine art, flowers, the whole shebang. But of course the real, lasting beauty is in the details and, most of all, service. The eye contact, smiles and attention of the MO staff felt genuine and confident. That could have been because I was accompanied by the hotel’s head of PR, but I have a hunch it’s just how they roll at MO. Enough gushing… onto the eye candy, shall we?
A stunning glass mosaic of a forest greets visitors in the lobby. This is just one showcase of the literally thousands of pieces of art in the 362-room hotel.
The hotel is filled with futuristic details like the backlit elevator buttons carved into cylindrical marble motifs.
The Club Lounge is grande yet intimate with interesting, well-thought spacing and inviting nooks where you can grab a glass of wine and one of the many, many books on travel, design, history and Chinese culture.
I haven’t eaten at the Chinese restaurant yet, but my professional foodie friends – including former colleague/food editor Monica Liau – says that the food is ‘absolutely amazing.’ If the food is as good as the decor, I think we’re in good hands.
Look at those silk hand-embroidered partitions and ‘the birdcage’ private dining area.
A hotel can’t entertain Chinese billionaires and powerful Party Members without exquisite private dining rooms with en suite show kitchens.
A taste of the all-day dining restaurant.
And the spa… oh, the spa.
How is this for lavish? The pool is equipped with special underwater speakers so that swimmers can listen to music while they splash about. Unfortunately even that won’t make swimming laps less boring for me.
With all of this swish and swag, I was kind of disappointed to see that the pool boy’s uniform wasn’t a speedo. Guess we can’t have our cake and it eat too, now can we?
It’s such a ridiculously fancy gym, I’d feel guilty sweating all over it. And the weights are made of solid gold, not iron.
You know that RMB1,500 under your mattress? That wad of cash in an envelope that says, “reserved for uber fancy five-star massage only”? Pull it out now babes.
And last but not least…. the hotel room. This oasis is a few rungs up from the standard MO room.
And there you have it… the reason why I’m saving up my money for my next staycation. Fortunately my dream isn’t so far away from my fingertips. The Mandarin Oriental is offering a special deal right now (second night free… details here). The offer extends until the end of the year, including a special National Holiday staycation package (here). So if you’re one of the unlucky/lazy people who isn’t planning to skip town, then this is damn fine plan B.
www.mandarinoriental.com/shanghai/
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