Introduction

• Dates of hotel stay: 1 night – September 28-29, 2019
• Where: Washington D.C.
• Paid stay / points: Paid

I’ve stayed at the Mandarin Oriental Washington D.C. on two previous occasions, but this was the first time I had the opportunity to review it. I was in town for a gala event and while I had several options I chose this property for it’s luxurious accommodations with Asian influences.

Location

The Mandarin Oriental is located in Washington D.C.’s Southwest Waterfront area. It’s a short 12-minute drive from the Ronald Reagan National Airport (DCA). The cost of my Uber was only $12.

The location is great if you’re looking to do tourist activities. The hotel is just a few minutes walk to the Jefferson Memorial, Washington Monument, and Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial. Anything else in the city is a short Uber ride away.

Lobby / Check-in

The lobby is gorgeous with marble floors and lovely floral arrangements. Check-in was a breeze with several front desk attendants waiting to assist. After completing the check-in formalities I was offered a welcome drink of either tea or water. The check-in agent then walked out from behind the desk to hand me my room key, which I thought was a nice touch.

You’ll see the hotel’s Asian influence in the lobby including this interesting piece featuring monkey friends near the Capitol Building.

Room Details

I booked a Deluxe Water View Room (starting at $295/night). The room is a respectable 398 square feet, which is more than enough space for a giraffe or two. The king sized bed was seriously one of the most comfortable beds I’ve ever slept in. I prefer my pillows on the firm side and the pillows here did not disappoint.

If you need to get some work done you’ll find plenty of power ports next to the round mahogany table in the corner of the room. Setup your laptop, sit in one of the padded side chairs and stare out at the Washington Marina as you attempt to answer work e-mails.

The room features a large 4K LED TV. The TV has Apple AirPlay so you can stream all of your devices directly to the screen. Throughout the room there’s artwork depicting cherry blossoms in the Washington D.C. area.

Just out my window I had fabulous views of the Washington Marina and Jefferson Memorial. 

There’s ample space to hang and store your clothes. Each room has an iron and ironing board in the closet. Complementary shoe shine service is available, which I utilized on this trip and I must say they did a fantastic job.

The minibar is well stocked. There are mini bottles of Hendricks Gin and Fever Tree tonic water so if you fancy a proper gin and tonic you don’t even have to leave your room. A variety of other alcoholic and non-alcoholic options are available including premium options like Duckhorn Chardonnay and Veuve Clicquot champagne.

Bathroom

The marble bathroom features a deep soaking bath with Asian inspired artwork. Plush bathrobes, towels and amenities from Aromatherapy Associates round out the experience.

The bathroom has a separate walk-in glass enclosed shower. It’s not a rain shower and the water pressure could have been better, but it was perfectly functional.

Fitness Center / Pool

The Mandarin Oriental has a solid fitness offering. The hotel has a 50-foot indoor heated lap pool surrounded by several lounge chairs.

The 1,400 square foot fitness center is equipped with TechnoGym weight machines.

It’s also equipped with a variety of TechnoGym cardio equipment including treadmills, ellipticals and stationary bikes.

The view from the cardio equipment isn’t the best unless you like train tracks. Some giraffes do enjoy train tracks, but not this giraffe.

If you’re looking to get your pump on free weights up to 50lbs are available along with kettle bells and weighted medicine balls.

Overall Verdict

First Class Giraffe Approved

The Mandarin Oriental is a great place to stay if you’re in the Washington D.C. area. It has comfortable beds, well appointed rooms with nice views, a solid fitness center and friendly staff. Be aware that guests at this hotel tend to be older and the lobby bar scene isn’t exactly lively. That may be a positive for some folks while others may see it as a negative so take it as you will.