Mandarin Oriental, Boston — Hotel in Boston

I stayed here for 2 nights this week in business - it was an ok stay. I'm a Fan and MO and thought that meant I could choose free breakfast when booked through a travel agent (I know you don't glwhen booking through an OTA like Expedia). But booking through corporate travel agent usually gets credit when staying at a Hyatt or Marriott so I asked the corporate agent specifically to book me at MO over 4 Seasons so that I'd get free breakfast. ||Well, front desk said I don't get free breakfast. They did offer me a wooden postcard with the MO on it. I thought it was tacky and more like an ad for MO than a nice keepsake to remember MO and Boston. I hated the look so turned it down. ||The staff kindly offered to send me free bottles of sparkling water which was appreciated. ||Room is just ok. It's pathetic compared to MOs in Bangkok where I went in my honeymoon but that's par for the course for MO in America I guess. They have an odd, huge dresser put in the room in an area that doesn't fit but they put in order to have a Nespresso machine. ||I used soap and toothbrush that was provided but housekeeping didn't replenish either the next day. I guess its environmentally friendly but I prefer it to be replenished. ||Room itself was decent sized but nothing spectacular ||The big problem was the elevators. I don't know if they were broken or not (I saw people with Otis elevator clothes) but it took forever to get an elevator. So long that there were lineups and not everyone could fit in the area and guests complained to each other in the elevator when we finally got in ||Location near Copley/Newburry is good if you like that area which I do. But I actually like 4 Seasons better because of its closeness to Chinatown ||I posted a review of the 4 Seasons last year - I didn't like it and chose MO this year. I think I'll go back to 4 Seasons next because they have free coffee and lattes and snacks that are out of this world while the MO one is sad little counter ||Not a bad a hotel but manage expectations - this is...

PERFECT is the word that best describes The Mandarin Oriental's Hospitality and Service in Boston. Having just stayed there, my first choice would ALWAYS be to choose to stay at a Mandarin Oriental hotel anytime, anywhere.||From the minute I arrived at the hotel and was greeted with a genuine warm"Welcome" greeting from a doorman to my final departure when two bellmen kindly helped me my to taxi, I could not believe the degree of exceptional service and assistance in every way. What would normally be "very nice" amenities were absolutely exquisite : for example, the gorgeous, totally unexpected floral embossed Chinese bookmark with pretty red dangling tassel left at nightly turndown made me look twice because I was stunned by this extraordinary special detail only to be equally surprised the next morning with the tiny, just baked and delicious fruit filled mini Chinese muffins served at the complimentary coffee bar. Even two housekeepers went out of their way one morning with smiles and greetings of graciousness. ||Perhaps the reason for my admiration and surprise is the fact that I just retired as a former hotelier General Manager running a large New York seasonal (Hamptons) hotel. I realize it's not necessarily fair to compare a local hotel to a large internationally branded one, but I had to; it's second nature to me after all these years. Whomever is in charge of managing Mandarin Oriental's superb staffing and decision making regarding every aspect of their hospitality service, should consider writing a book (but not just ANY book), it should be a book entitled: HOW TO RUN THE PERFECT HOTEL anywhere Guide. Everyone could benefit. Thank you so very much for a wonderful experience staying at The Mandarin...

I gotta say … the best massage I ever received in my life came from the Mandarin Oriental in Boston. I did the full body salt scrub before the massage and — for those of us that put a soothing back scratch near the top of their list of favorite things in the entire world — this was simply divine. Let me preface by saying that my massage was pre-pandemic — so I cannot comment on any of the changes made in the COVID era. But what my wife and I experienced then were impeccable, clean, facilities — separate for men and women — with all the right touches and temperatures. I strongly recommend that the Mandarin does not eliminate the ability to enjoy these facilities ahead of any scheduled spa treatment as new COVID practices, as they are just as important as the massage itself and made the experience complete and fulfilling from head to toe. My only knock on the Mandarin is that they don’t appear to ever have any enticing specials to lure loyal customers back more often. Every time I ask - I get the same response … no specials, no discounts, no special perks for choosing them over the countless massage parlors that I have to pass on my hour one hour ride into the city. Perhaps they are all booked up and don’t need to do such things, even on the heels of a pandemic? Maybe. I would certainly use them more often and even introduce a few close friends to their spa with just a little incentive here and there. So their reluctance allows spa lovers like me to give other smaller parlors a chance to (try to) match their experience … I have one in particular to try out soon and will post a review in the coming weeks! But the Mandarin Oriental is a decadent, indulgent experience that you...