One of the joys of returning to a hotel is seeing how it’s evolved. We first checked into Mandarin Oriental Mayfair just as it opened, but now, two years later, there was a noticeable confidence about the place. The rooftop bar has become a Mayfair hotspot, the restaurants are buzzing, and the whole hotel feels every bit the Mandarin Oriental you’d expect.
Wallpaper* checks into Mandarin Oriental Mayfair, London
What’s on your doorstep?
Right on Hanover Square, with Bond Street station and the Elizabeth line just a two-minute walk away, Mandarin Oriental Mayfair is one of the easiest luxury hotels in London to arrive at from Heathrow. Once you’ve dropped your bags, there’s little reason to get into a taxi, with New Bond Street, Savile Row, and the Royal Academy of Arts all within a few minutes’ walk. Soho, Covent Garden and the West End are also nearby, so whether you’re spending the day shopping, gallery hopping or lingering over lunch, it’s easy to dip in and out of the hotel throughout the day.
Who is behind the design?
Public spaces by Tokyo-based Curiosity are anchored by the now-signature spiral staircase, wrapped in emerald-green Ming marble, while Studio Indigo has taken a softer approach upstairs. Here, the rooms unfold over a calm palette of creams, pale greens and natural timbers, elevated by thoughtful details such as the hand-painted de Gournay silk wallpaper, which took more than 9,000 hours to create and features flowering magnolias inspired by the trees in Hanover Square.
The room to book
With just 50 rooms and suites, Mandarin Oriental Mayfair feels reassuringly intimate and residential. Each room is thoughtfully designed, but those looking for more space, the Hanover Suite is worth the upgrade. One of the hotel’s two Signature Suites, it’s the warm emerald green tones and the flow of the space that makes the biggest impression, with the entrance hall, sitting room, bathroom and bedroom all connecting seamlessly, with sliding doors in just the right places, to create the feel of a well-planned apartment. The walk-in dressing room is spacious and indulgent, while a generous kitchenette, dining room and living area make it tempting to spend the evening in. To boot, guests who book this suite also benefit from complimentary use of the hotel’s Rolls-Royce house car within a one-mile radius.
Staying for drinks and dinner?
You could happily spend an entire day eating and drinking here without ever leaving the hotel. Breakfast starts in Atrium, where daylight streams through the triple-height glass roof onto an impressive space overlooked by the marble spiral staircase. Occupying the street-facing corner of Hanover Square, Mazarine has fast become one of the area’s most interesting new openings. Here, chef Thierry Laborde sends out a menu of elevated French classics that focuses on seafood, with dishes like the toasted brioche topped with Aquitaine caviar, or the Dover sole meunière.
As the sun begins to set, Hanover Bar has become a local hotspot for its panoramic views across Mayfair towards the London Eye and Hampstead Heath. Cocktails here take their cues from the neighbourhood, with The Tailor’s Cut, a nod to Savile Row, or the Muse, inspired by the Royal Academy, which all pair perfectly with elevated bar food like the wagyu & caviar hotdog. From Thursday to Saturday, don’t miss out on a nightcap at Esmeralda’s, an intimate live music jazz lounge.
Where to switch off
Centred around the longest hotel swimming pool in Mayfair, the spa is far more substantial than you’d expect from a 50-room hotel. Designed by Tokyo-based Curiosity, it follows the same material palette as the rest of the hotel with Ming green marble, natural timber and bronze, while glass lights scattered around the pool create the impression of floating lanterns reflected across the water. There are also three vitality pools, a sauna and steam room as well as a treatment menu that stretches from classic massages and facials to more results-driven therapies using Swiss Perfection, Seed to Skin Tuscany and Clinique La Prairie products. Yoga, pilates personal training, physiotherapy and nutritional consultations completes an impressive wellness offering that goes far beyond the traditional hotel spa.
The verdict
Two years on, Mandarin Oriental Mayfair has grown into a hotel that has found its place. Smaller and more contemporary than its Hyde Park sibling, its location, thoughtful design, strong restaurants and one of the capital’s best wellness offerings, makes it difficult to find a reason to stay anywhere else.
Mandarin Oriental Mayfair is located at 22 Hanover Square, London W1S 1JP, United Kingdom