Guangzhou Staycation • Relaxing at Mandarin Oriental

Staycation at Mandarin Oriental Guangzhou I stayed here once for my birthday in 2021, when the days of 1k rates including double breakfast were long gone. As one of Tony Chi's signature "one city, one hotel" masterpieces (ignoring the newly renovated Mandarin Cake Shop, lol), the walnut-toned furniture, sofas, and multi-mirrored bathroom still hold up remarkably well even 12 years after opening. The maintenance is quite impressive, with only the bathroom marble showing noticeable signs of aging. I stayed in the 60-square-meter Oriental Club Deluxe King Room and had to wait two hours to get my key. The in-room amenities have been switched to an unfamiliar brand—Typology—not as nice as the previous Frédéric Malle's Eau de Magnolia. While waiting in the lounge, I found the Oriental Club truly elegant. Afternoon tea is served per person, and the portions felt a bit stingy. The happy hour offerings, however, were decent, though the serving area was quite cramped. Breakfast was served at Tianhe Hall, as Yueboli closed for renovations late last month (rumored to be converted into a Chinese restaurant and bar—not sure if true). The breakfast quality was shockingly subpar: the shrimp dumplings and siu mai were clearly pre-packaged, the kind you’d buy from a supermarket (yes, the siu mai with a single pea on top). I thought I was at a four-star hotel. The fried rice had a sour, stale taste, but after I raised the issue, the restaurant immediately relayed it to the kitchen, asked if I wanted a replacement, and took the original away. Service recovery was good overall. But for the city’s only luxury hotel with a two-Michelin-starred Chinese restaurant, this standard is unacceptable—it can’t even compete with Grand Hyatt Guangzhou, let alone Park Hyatt or Rosewood. Overall, the service here is excellent, and I love the interior design. I just hope the breakfast improves soon.