Mandarin Oriental, Bangkok

I've travelled nearly 3 million miles in my life and have been coming to this MO for over 20 years. This is the first time back in nearly a decade and the first time we've come here with our kids. Despite only being here for 48 hours, this once-great hotel caused two significant blunders - one of which could've maimed my six year old when he fished a piece of glass the size of an American nickel out of his pancakes this morning. The hotel's response? They're covering the cost of our airport drop-off. That was just this morning. Two days ago, my wife went for a treatment at what the Mandarin has been promoting as their own "exclusive" "Mandarin Spa Salon." They've been advertising the salon across all their channels as something they are very proud of as part of their exceptional spa...but the problem? The salon is not at all associated with the Mandarin Oriental at all. I won't get into the excruciating detail of the injurious results of this ghetto-ass salon. The hotel's response? They refunded the $50 and said they're not sure why they are still promoting the "Mandarin Spa Salon" when it is not part of the Mandarin, or the spa. Shameful. Absolutely shameful. Make no mistake: This is not the MO that is being advertised. This is not the fabled Mandarin of yesterday. This is a dangerous, indifferent, and shameful hotel, ironically filled with incredibly kind, smiling, and attentive staff. But this is NOT a hotel that you can trust. This is NOT a hotel anyone with a brain and sense of security should come to. There is nothing good to say, because even the seemingly good things are so deeply marred by the, and I keep repeating this word, SHAMEFUL management, quality control, and the most basic of hospitality services: Safe food. We will never, ever, come here again and encourage anyone and everyone who considers coming to the MO BKK to think deeply about whether they want to roll the dice and book spa services that may/may not be associated with the Mandarin and eat their breakfasts that may/may not have pieces of glass in it. To be sure, this could have been a whole lot worse - but that is not something that justifies or assuages any of the rage and insult this horrible place has created for our family holiday. We can't wait to be leaving MO and based on how the hotel has responded to both of these incidents: They can't wait to get rid of us. That says more about them than anything I wrote above. Do not come to the Mandarin Oriental Bangkok. You've been warned.

Historical but needs refurbishment, Pool is underwhelming

For years, staying at the MO Bangkok was one of those bucket list travel items on my to do list. Earlier this month, this finally came to fruition. Based on reputation, my expectations were high, and the MO Bangkok exceeded all! The aesthetics of the property are widely documented in reviews, and the pics can speak for themselves. I don't need to elaborate more on how stunning the lobby and public areas are. Prior to my stay, I was introduced to Tanguy Fourchon by a friend from the MO Tokyo. He was fabulous when it came to communication, and helped me set up my transfers/VIP meet and greet, as well as booked me for a private "Evening for the Senses" tour. There's really no such thing as perfect, but my stay at the MO Bangkok was probably close to as perfect as a stay could be. I booked a Mandarin room through my travel consultant. When I arrived, I learned that I was upgraded to the State room. The State room was absolutely gorgeous. I loved the hardwood floor and wood panels with the traditional Thai furnishings and touches. I especially enjoyed having a Chao Phraya facing balcony. The only minor issue I had was that I couldn't get the room as cold as I would've liked, however the temp was probably the lowest it could go in the building. To note, I'm one of those weird people who love a freezing cold room. That being said, I slept very comfortably in the room. Breakfast each day was served at The Verandah. If you've never experienced a breakfast buffet in Southeast Asia, you're in the for a treat. A huge buffet (Asian and Western items) was offered, and each guest was allowed to order separte items off of a menu. The buffet had my favorite items that I had no need to order from the menu. I pretty much stuck with the Asian offerings, such as the Thai salads, dim sum and noodle soup. All were absolutely delicious! The fruit selection was amazing, and I never ate so much mango in my life! I spend around two months of the year on the road (budget to luxe). The thing that separates the MO Bangkok from all others is their service and absolute attention to detail. I don't ask for a ton when traveling. As long as the property knows my GF dietary restrictions and that my beverage of choice is water and lots of it, I'm usually good! I do try to give my business to MOs whenever traveling, and it was evident that the MO Bangkok really took my travel preferences from previous stays into consideration. They made my stay effortless, which rarely happens these days. That's something I really appreciate and value highly as a hotel guest. A big thanks to my driver, Ter, who got me safely to and from BKK. Mr Cheng was my butler, and was just a really super guy. And again, thank you to Tanguy and Chalticia for making my gourmet tour happen! Also be sure to schedule a session or two or three at the Oriental Spa. The facilities are gorgeous and they offer some awesome treatment options. I ended up having a sleepfulness session. I'm usually not a huge fan of spa massage treatments, but this one was definitely the real deal. It really did wonders to calm my mind down.

Can't fault this wonderful Hotel. Visited many times over 4 decades and never been disappointed.

Top Service, rooms are beautifully arranged. Gym also high end. Pool team incredible friendly. Overall attention to details wow. Breakfast sensational. Convenient location across Iconsiam with boat shuttle any time of the day. Only disappointment was the Chinese restaurant (food and comfort due to A/C going crazy.