Mandarin Oriental, Singapore

There are hotels you visit, enjoy and remember fondly. And then there are those rare places that become something rather more personal, somewhere you genuinely look forward to returning to, almost as much as the destination itself. For us, Mandarin Oriental, Singapore has long been one of those special places. This was our third stay, and with so many wonderful memories of our previous visits, we were particularly excited to return following the extensive refurbishment. We arrived with high expectations, but also a little curiosity. When a hotel you already love undergoes such a significant transformation, you inevitably wonder whether the qualities that made it special in the first place will survive. I'm delighted to say that they have. In fact, in so many respects, the hotel is better than ever. And, perhaps most importantly, it still feels like coming home. A Wonderful Welcome Back From the moment we arrived, the warmth of the welcome was extraordinary. There is something genuinely touching about being remembered personally, rather than simply recognised as returning guests. It felt rather like seeing old friends again. What particularly impressed us was how naturally colleagues remembered our preferences and interests. Nothing felt rehearsed or formulaic. Instead, there was a succession of thoughtful gestures and personal interactions that reminded us why we have such affection for Mandarin Oriental. One particularly lovely moment was when Jeff came to see us after noticing that we had checked in. We had first met him three years earlier, when he was working in the Oriental Club. The fact that he remembered us and made the effort to come and say hello was genuinely touching. Poon also took the time to introduce himself one evening as we were leaving the property, another small but lovely example of the warmth that seems to run throughout the hotel. These gestures may sound simple, but they are anything but insignificant. They make you feel that you are returning somewhere you belong, rather than merely checking into another luxury hotel. A Beautiful Transformation That Respects the Building's Character The refurbishment has been very tastefully executed. The interiors are elegant, sophisticated and thoughtfully considered, without feeling ostentatious. And, of course, there is that magnificent atrium. The hotel's famous atrium has always been one of its defining architectural features, and it remains absolutely beautiful. There is something wonderfully distinctive about it, a sense of drama and character that sets the property apart from many newer luxury hotels. I'm delighted that the refurbishment has preserved and complemented such an important part of the hotel's identity. There are, however, some practical limitations inherent in the original building. Modern, purpose-built luxury hotels often benefit from more efficient floor plates, more generous room footprints and layouts conceived around contemporary expectations. Mandarin Oriental, Singapore is inevitably working within the constraints of its existing structure, and there is only so much that even the most ambitious refurbishment can change. That isn't a criticism of the renovation, which I think has been executed beautifully. It is simply an acknowledgement that the underlying architecture cannot be entirely reinvented. And frankly, I wouldn't want it to be. The very building that imposes those limitations also gives us that glorious atrium and much of the hotel's unmistakable character. Our bedroom was elegant, understated and extremely comfortable, with a pleasant view. Housekeeping was flawless throughout, discreet, efficient and beautifully timed. The laundry service was also excellent. So, is this the finest Mandarin Oriental in terms of its rooms and overall physical accommodation? For me, no. But that is a rather different question from whether it is the finest Mandarin Oriental to stay in. And there, my answer changes completely. The Little Things Reveal the True Standards We experienced a minor issue with an electrical socket in our room that wasn't working properly. Normally, this would hardly be worth mentioning, but the way it was handled deserves particular recognition. The maintenance team took the matter extremely seriously, resolved the fault and made a point of speaking with me directly to understand exactly what had happened and get to the bottom of it. I was genuinely impressed by their thoroughness and sense of responsibility. They weren't simply interested in making the inconvenience disappear; they wanted to understand the problem. Things can occasionally go wrong, even in the finest hotels. What matters is how people respond when they do. In this instance, their professionalism and genuine concern only increased my admiration for the property. Another detail that deserves enormous praise is the hotel's responsiveness through its digital messaging service. This is something I feel rather strongly about. One of my greatest frustrations with luxury hotels is when they enthusiastically promote digital communication through their app, only for messages to go unanswered or receive a response hours later. Not here! Replies came in seconds, not minutes, let alone hours. It was quite remarkable and made communicating requests wonderfully effortless. It is an excellent example of technology actually enhancing personal service rather than becoming a barrier to it. HAUS 65 — Or, as I Still Prefer to Call It, the Oriental Club! One of the absolute highlights of our stay was HAUS 65. Although I must confess, I still have a soft spot for its former name, the Oriental Club. Perhaps I'm simply being an old traditionalist, but I rather liked it! I suppose one can hardly blame a former General Manager for wanting to leave a little legacy. A beautiful refurbishment is all very well, but having the opportunity to rename the lounge must have been rather tempting! I'll try to forgive this small act of reinvention, although I suspect I'll still be calling it the Oriental Club for years to come. Whatever the name, the important thing is that its wonderful spirit has survived. It was particularly lovely to see Jaya, a real stalwart of the lounge and one of those familiar faces who make returning such a pleasure. There is something enormously reassuring about seeing colleagues who have been part of a hotel's story for so long. They provide that wonderful sense of continuity which no refurbishment could ever replace. The new surroundings are lovely: peaceful, intimate and effortlessly luxurious. But what sets HAUS 65 apart from an ordinary hotel club lounge is not the décor, the food or the champagne. It is the exceptional team of people who make it feel more like being welcomed into someone's home. We spent a considerable amount of time there, and some of our happiest memories of this visit came from the wonderful conversations, laughter and interactions with the colleagues. Sara, in particular, genuinely made us laugh so much. There is something rather special about colleagues who can combine impeccable hospitality with a wonderful sense of humour. Those moments of spontaneous laughter are amongst the things we will remember most fondly. And then there was Alya, who was absolutely adorable. She looked after us so wonderfully throughout our time at HAUS 65, with such genuine warmth and affection. Her kindness and lovely manner made every visit a pleasure. She has that rare ability to make guests feel immediately comfortable and genuinely cared for. Marie, even whilst occupied with other butler duties, was always friendly and welcoming, while Umi was particularly helpful with our requests. And I mustn't forget Brittany, our lovely Taiwanese colleague, who was consistently so warm and welcoming. Her friendliness was another delightful example of the genuine hospitality that makes the HAUS 65 team so special. What impressed me about the whole team was how natural everything felt. There was no sense of scripted hospitality or excessive formality. They were professional, attentive and intuitive, certainly, but above all, they were human. They seemed genuinely happy to see us, happy to chat and happy to make our time there enjoyable. That is a very difficult quality to manufacture, and it is absolutely priceless. The Food and Drink The food and beverage offering was another pleasure. We enjoyed a thoughtful, varied and consistently delicious selection, beautifully presented and served with obvious care. The dim sum and Asian specialities were particular favourites. Breakfast was also very good, while the champagne and drinks service was wonderfully generous and attentive. Once again, however, it was the combination of excellent food and lovely people that elevated the experience. We also enjoyed some of the hotel's other facilities, although these weren't the defining highlights of our visit. For us, the greatest pleasure was simply spending time in such welcoming surroundings, being looked after by such wonderful colleagues. Why Singapore Is Now My Number One Mandarin Oriental Having stayed at a number of Mandarin Oriental properties around the world, I feel I have a reasonably good appreciation of what makes the brand special. And that brings me to something I feel quite strongly about. If I were ranking Mandarin Oriental hotels purely on their rooms, facilities, floor space and physical grandeur, Singapore would not necessarily come first. Some of the newer properties have advantages that simply cannot be replicated within an existing building. But Singapore has something equally important: a magnificent architectural identity, wonderfully preserved through its refurbishment, and a team whose hospitality more than compensates for any physical limitations. If I were ranking Mandarin Oriental hotels on service, warmth, personal recognition and the genuine happiness of their people, Singapore would take first place. For me, Mandarin Oriental Jumeira, Dubai would come a very close second. That is an enormous compliment, and one I don't make lightly. Ultimately, the reason I am such a devoted Fan of M.O. isn't simply the beautiful properties or the luxury associated with the brand. It is the deeply personal style of hospitality that Mandarin Oriental does at its best. The feeling of being remembered. Of colleagues taking a genuine interest in you. Of conversations that turn into laughter. Of people going out of their way to help, not because they have been instructed to, but because they genuinely care. Singapore embodies all of those qualities quite beautifully. Until We Come Home Again… To everyone at Mandarin Oriental, Singapore, thank you, sincerely, for such a wonderful third visit. To Jeff, Poon, Jaya, Sara, Alya, Marie, Umi, Brittany and all the other wonderful people who looked after us, please know how much we appreciated your kindness, warmth and generosity of spirit. The refurbishment has undoubtedly made the hotel more elegant and refined, while preserving the wonderful architectural character that makes it so distinctive. But the thing that makes Mandarin Oriental, Singapore truly exceptional is something that cannot be designed, refurbished or purchased. It is the people. And it is those people who have taken a hotel we already loved and made us love it even more. We arrived excited to see what had changed, but left feeling most grateful for what hadn't. Thank you for making us feel so wonderfully at home. We genuinely cannot wait for our fourth visit.

I'm very happy in this hotel.Room cleaning was perfect and associate Saw is very nice very polite and his cleaning was perfect.Thank you very much for my staying

Service was exceptional at this hotel! From the time we arrived until we left the whole team without and exceptional were amazing! The room is super, the facilities are amazing, the gym was super! The breakfast was out of this world one of the best I’ve had! Highly recommended without even second thoughts

The amazing experience at the Mandarin Oriental was dining at the buffet restaurant and served by the sushi chef, Izam!! He was amazing, friendly, and helpful! I would highly recommend dining with Izam!!

We chose Mandarin Oriental, Singapore for our post-cruise stay to celebrate our disembarkation from the Disney Cruise and our son's upcoming 4th birthday. Our only regret upon walking into the room was returning to the hotel so late because of our sightseeing itinerary—we really should have cleared our schedule just to indulge in the hotel experience itself!!! A heartfelt thank you to Mandarin Oriental, Singapore for creating such a magical birthday experience for my little boy. He was absolute beside himself with excitement when he saw the thoughtful room setup and jump-worthy beds! The kids' menu from room service was exceptionally refined and delicious as well. This stay gave our family such joyful memories of Singapore. We will without a doubt choose to stay here again on our next visit!