Two Way Hard Three | Las Vegas Casino & Design Blog

Really looking forward to this one on so many levels having never experienced a stay at a Mandarin. I'm curious if it turns out that many of these rooms will be requested by MGM high rollers over a suite at Aria? I assume they have a butler services dept. at Mandarin as well.

Hunter, heading out tomorrow for Aria any tip you throw by me?Great updates thanks,also did you get a chance to eat at Sirrio's?

OMG, that looks SO LUXE! I can't wait to read your review, you lucky devil! :-D

Posted by mike_ch

The bedroom, I'm not so hot on. If I squinted, I'd just think someone pimped out a room at the Mirage.

The bathroom though, whoa. I'd wish I still had that when I get home.

Maybe you have to be there to appreciate MO. The room looks quite small and doesn't appear to have a comfortable chair, just the small couch in the corner. I'm interested in your opinion of half the bath being visible from the bedroom and almost a part of it.

Thanks so much for the bigger pictures - they make all the difference.

In a funny way this room strikes me as the opposite of something like a Palazzo Siena suite. Smallish but meticulously thought-out and detailed, as opposed to huge and sparsely furnished.

Yeah, the small couch looks a little like the new Mandalay Bay rooms and they're about the same size.

mwdelta-

Yeah, it will be interesting to see if this is the start of a "Manhattanization" trend for Vegas hotels. At the very least, this reminds me of something Dave McKee recently said:

"In many respects, CC is the anti-Steve Wynn. Regardless of how much or little Murren has seen of Encore or Bellagio, nearly everything in CC is designed as though in reaction against Wynn’s style."

At second glance, that's what I'm noticing with the MO room. Encore suites are large and airy, but this room looks more intimate and cozy. My Encore suite felt like a sophisticated New York apartment with some added Paris style and true Vegas flair, while this hotel room looks more like a nicely appointed New York apartment with some Hong Kong accents that's been transported and placed in Vegas.

Maybe Jim Murren has never visited Wynn or Encore, but someone on the design team must have. There are some similarities, but overall from what I've seen so far Aria & MO certainly look like "The Anti-Wynn/Encore".

Posted by Hunter

Yes, I did eat at Sirio. I thought the food was not bad but also not exciting. My caesar salad was a bit tasteless.

Better Italian food at Nove (Palms), Bartolotta (Wynn) and others.

Posted by Hunter

Butler services, yes. Actually, I'm told that every employee goes through some of the butler training.

Posted by Hunter

The Mandarin room was supremely comfortable. Size wise, a little bit bigger than ARIA's standard room with an incredible bathroom (powerful shower! yay!)

The bathroom wall has a slider thing - the glass can either be exposed to the room or not. That said though, I don't think the rooms are really built to share with another person that's not a significant other.

I'm sure Hunter is right, he sure spent more time in them than I did, but I felt like the sleeping area itself, felt smaller at MO, than it did at Aria.

Also just did some rate checks at both Aria and Vdara, and they look as if they are holding up quiet well. I realize a lot can change, and they can run promo's and all, but they rates look like they are doing ok.

Adam Tihany discusses Mandarin Oriental:
http://www.lvbusinesspress.com/articles/2009/12/21/news/iq_33165922.txt

Is the other half of that sofa in another room? LOL!

Great pics - place looks fantastic inside (which it clearly needs to to justify the room rates...)

Any pics of the pool area at MO? - am deciding between MO and Wynn Tower Suites for the summer, and the pool is a clear decision factor.

Posted by SwanShine

Hunter, it's my great pleasure to meet you, your beautiful wife and Chuckmonster on Dec 17th. I am so excited to see all of you in person. So Cool.....

I will start posting here and learning a lot from all of you. I stayed at Paris for 3 nights and Aria for 1 complimentary night. Although I didn't stay at Mandarin Oriental, I enjoyed dining at MOzen Bistro, having a drink at the tea lounge, watching the sunset, and touring Twist (accompanied by MO's guest service).

I would love to read Hunter's critique and comment on MO. Is it worth staying at MO? Many thanks!

Posted by Hunter

Pool area is still under construction at MO. Small but exclusive, it's up on the seventh floor I believe.

Posted by Hunter

Swan,

Such a pleasure to meet you too! I hope your trip was a lucky one.

I'll be doing a longer write-up on MO soon. Your question is the one I keep getting so I'll do my best to answer it, or at least give my perspective.

Professor Yaffle,
rooms to pool >
- tower/villas @ wynn/encore ~ 920 (encore tower has access)
- mandarin oriental - 619 (227 condo residences)
- palms place - 599

re hotel itself, encore tower is much smaller of course. so that is a separate advantage.

re MO service (best in vegas?)
http://twitter.com/ratevegas/status/6806173468
http://twitter.com/Mike_E/status/6916329227

wonder if MikeE is comparing to skylofts peak or recently.

also, most MO menus are up. $160 for 6 course at twist seems really cheap for vegas, as evidenced by almost all other prices at MO... although spa prices arent THAT high when comparing to other luxury hotels.

are the majority of the pics blurry? or is flickr doing something weird?

Posted by Hunter

Majority? I just looked and only saw a couple that were blurry.

so, re alcohol at MO, what is there?

(short) bar menu has mixed drinks and wine by glass/bottle, but then for liquor it is lounge/club table service...

and no alcohol on any of the other menus...

Posted by Hunter

Normal bar setup - they seemed to have everything you'd normally want. Does that answer your question?