Is this London hotel the ultimate in luxury?

The hotel

Mandarin Oriental Mayfair, London

The hotel is in the south-west corner of Hanover Square.

Check-in

The south-west corner of Hanover Square, one of London’s earliest Georgian squares, is where you’ll find the new-build hotel’s discreet entrance. With just 50 rooms and suites alongside private apartments, it feels a little like arriving at your glam city pied a terre from your English country estate (in a wishful parallel universe).

Concierge desk at the Mandarin Oriental Mayfair, London.

In keeping with the Mandarin Oriental’s service-oriented brand, the doormen and reception staff are exceptionally helpful and friendly; I’m quickly checked in and shown to the rooftop bar for a drink until my room is ready (I arrive just before official check-in time).

The look

The green-marble staircase that leads from the reception area to the all-day dining restaurant.

Tokyo-based design firm Curiosity has taken the hotel’s setting in Mayfair as their inspiration for the public spaces, with large expanses of green marble reflecting Hanover Square’s central garden, and grey flooring mimicking the city pavements. Elements of wind, water, fire and earth are incorporated via striking installations throughout the triple-height atrium and restaurants, while a partnership with nearby Opera Gallery brings innovative, show-stopping works by artists including Korea’s Seo Young Deok and Lee Gil Rae into the lobby areas.

The room

The Hanover Suite’s tranquil bedroom.

Hand-painted de Gournay silk wallpaper and rugs that you want to hang like an artwork are just two of the interior design elements incorporated by UK-based Studio Indigo. There’s a seamless blend of Mandarin Oriental’s Asian heritage with local elements: the magnolias in the wallpaper reflect Hanover Square’s trees, while the leaves are positioned according to feng shui principles. I’m staying in the Hanover Suite, which has its own kitchenette and lounge area, plus an enormous walk-in wardrobe that’s basically a whole other room – a true luxury when you’re travelling long-haul. As you would expect from this brand, materials are expensive – marble, timber, Murano glass – and furniture is handcrafted and bespoke. There are nice details: intuitive tech; a Dyson hairdryer; a yoga mat (with on-demand classes on the TV) and toiletries from Barcelona brand Natura Bisse. But most thoughtful was the extra teabags and fresh milk left when the room attendant noticed my devoted morning-tea habit.

Food + drink

Chef’s table dining at Somssi by Jihun Kim.

The original partnership with Korean chef Akira Back has dissolved, and the food offering is in transition during my visit. All-day dining at The Restaurant, with its dramatic atrium setting, has moved to a Mediterranean focus with Japanese and Korean techniques, which translates to an eclectic menu with dishes ranging from Catalan escalivada tostada to tempura zucchini flowers and gochujang-glazed cote de boeuf. Meanwhile the 14-seater Korean chef’s table, Somssi by [executive chef] Jihun Kim, is little changed from its previous incarnation as Michelin-starred Dosa, as Kim worked alongside Back for more than a decade.

Out + about

London’s unpredictable weather notwithstanding, this is such a walkable location in the heart of the West End. Shopping on Bond Street, Oxford Street and Regent Street couldn’t be closer; the same goes for Mayfair’s many art galleries, as well as the Royal Academy of Arts, and the National Gallery at Trafalgar Square. Green Park and Hyde Park are a pleasant stroll away, or try Soho for restaurants and bars, including my favourite, the diminutive Bar Termini on Old Compton Street. Just downstairs, and not to be missed rain or shine, is The Spa, the hotel’s dark and sexy subterranean space dedicated to all things wellness. This urban utopia (also open to non-guests) includes a 25-metre indoor pool, sauna and steam rooms, and some wonderfully indulgent, tailored treatments. Worth it for the chocolate-orange bliss balls alone.

The verdict

The Rooftop has panoramic views to the London Eye and as far north as Hampstead Heath.

This is the ultimate quiet-luxury stay that Mandarin Oriental is renowned for, including its signature swift and warm service. The doormen, in particular, were some of the friendliest and most obliging I’ve encountered.

Essentials

Mandarin Oriental Mayfair, 22 Hanover Square, London; deluxe rooms from £893 a night. See mandarinoriental.com

Emirates flies to London via Dubai. See emirates.com

Our score out of five

★★★★

Highlight

The exceptional staff, including an insider concierge network that netted us a tricky booking.

Lowlight

Despite its setting, the rooftop bar was rather quiet and soulless, even on a Friday night in summer.

The writer was a guest of Mandarin Oriental and Oceania Cruises.

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