Luxury Hotel Review: Mandarin Oriental, Las Vegas

I recently had the opportunity to stay at the Mandarin Oriental in Las Vegas.  Since my husband and I are not big gamblers, and were doing a quick getaway without our young children, we wanted somewhere that felt clean, calm, and relaxing.  We chose the perfect property!

The Mandarin Oriental is one of the few hotels in Las Vegas without a casino and all the noise and indoor smoking that go along with it.  Yet the location is right on the strip, so very convenient to all of the restaurants, shopping and shows that we were interested in.  It was a striking difference to leave the hustle and bustle of the strip and enter the serene Mandarin Oriental.  Their Sky Lobby is on an upper floor, and was not crowded at all when we arrived – quite a change from the larger casinos that usually have big lines to check-in.  The attendant checking us in offered hot towels and tea to further relax us during the check-in process.

Because we booked our stay through Andavo Travel, a Virtuoso member agency, and the Mandarin Oriental Las Vegas is a Virtuoso member hotel, we were able to enjoy the following complimentary amenities:

• Upgrade upon arrival, subject to availability (we paid for a Cityscape room, and were upgraded to a Stripview room)
• Continental breakfast daily, for up to two in-room guests (we enjoyed a delicious breakfast at the MOzen Bistro where my waffles served with caramel-pecan cream, fresh berries and Vermont maple syrup did not disappoint)
• $100 spa services credit (I loved my pedicure in the 27,000 sq ft spa.  The reclined chair was so comfortable, and it was fun to face a huge floor-to-ceiling window featuring a strip view during my treatment. I found the natural light refreshing, given most spas have the cozy/dim feel with no windows.)
• Early check-in / late check-out (regular check-in time is 3pm, but we were welcomed at about 1pm with no problem)

We were very happy with our room.  I felt like every aspect of the room provided an unexpected added-value item.  A few examples:

• As part of the closet, there was an additional “valet closet” so that if you ordered room service, wanted your shoes shined, etc. you could send out and receive items there – without ever having to open your door.  So it had an extra private feel, and also eliminated people putting their used room service trays of dirty dishes on the hallway floors outside their rooms.

• I disappeared into this soaker tub.

  The bathroom had a gigantic soaking tub, along with luxurious scented bath salts next to it.  Plus I loved the toiletry caddy with a broader array of products than I’m used to (loofah, vanity kit, shoe polish kitc, etc.).

• The flat-screen TV and accompanying remote allowed us to control the room’s lighting, temperature, curtains, music, alarm clock, and more – all while lounging on the bed.  Love that!
• The desk area included a technology kit with useful items like an international power adaptor, internet cable, iPod cable, audio cable and video cable.  That’s one less thing to worry about for a business traveler!

The only drawbacks I can think of for this hotel are the lack of an indoor pool (it was windy and cold during our visit, so the outdoor pool wasn’t an option for us), and the slight inconvenience of having to take two elevators to get in/out of the hotel.  One elevator from the ground floor to the lobby, and then walk to a separate elevator to access the room floors.

Both of those are minor objections, and I would stay at the Mandarin Oriental, Las Vegas again in a heartbeat.