Mandarin Oriental, Taipei

Opened in 2014, Mandarin Oriental, Taipei is housed in a French Renaissance-style building featuring lavish, contemporary Asian interiors with French and European accents. The high-ceilinged, light-filled lobby showcases a visually stunning chandelier constructed from thousands of crystal beads. Wood, marble, and other high-grade materials are abundant throughout, and over 1,000 works of art fill the property. The 20-meter outdoor pool is open all year long, and guests gather here to relax in a quiet “tucked away from the busy city” setting. The hotel draws business travelers to its conference rooms, while well-heeled couples come for the site spa, large and luxurious rooms, and sterling Mandarin Oriental service standards. Though there aren't a lot of kids here, families do appreciate the Little Fans program with kids' menus and cribs. 

The Mandarin Oriental is on Dunhua North Road, a business and commercial district, and a five-minute drive from Taipei Songshan Airport, the city's secondary airport handling mostly domestic flights. There are numerous restaurants, a mall is next door, and there's an IKEA and some other retail stores in the vicinity, but the area's not nearly as good for shopping, sightseeing, or nightlife as other parts of Taipei. The hotel is about a 10-minute walk from both Nanjing Fuxing Station and Taipei Arena Station. Taipei 101 tower is about 15 minutes by car or MRT. The National Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial Hall is a little over a five-minute drive or about 25 minutes by MRT. Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport is about a 40-minute drive from the Mandarin Oriental.  

The 303 sumptuous guest rooms and suites have a “wow” factor, albeit a subdued and refined one.The elegant Asian aesthetic is a mix of classic and contemporary, with finely upholstered furniture, dark woods, and floral and nature-themed art filling the spaces. The color palette is a tasteful beige, tan, and brown; many rooms feature olive green or light blue walls and colors of subtle gold in the decorative throws. Beds come with pillow menus and thick mattresses dressed in down duvets and 480-thread-count cotton linens. Rooms are absolutely huge, ranging from 592 (55 square meters) to 4046 square feet (376 square meters) in size, and some rooms feature views of the surrounding area and Taipei 101 tower. 

The amenities package is excellent: all units feature 46-inch flat-screen TVs, stereos with iPod docks, gourmet minibars, espresso machines, and electric kettles for tea. Wi-Fi is available, but the hotel charges a fee (except Club Rooms and specific bookings). Rooms also feature bedside panels for lighting and curtain control, and suites have sitting areas. Club Rooms are particularly special: they come with access to a members-only lounge, plus freebies of breakfast,  afternoon tea, daily refreshments, evening cocktails and appetizers, shoeshine service, and pressing for up to three garments per stay. The spacious, marble-clad bathrooms come with luxury bath products, bathrobes and slippers, magnifying mirrors, and separate rainfall showers and deep soaking tubs. Some bathrooms feature TVs and/or steam showers. Nightly turndown service is a luxurious touch. 

The Mandarin offers guests an outstanding array of amenities, highlighted by a 20-meter, mosaic-tiled outdoor pool. The pool is temperature controlled for year-round use and situated in a pretty courtyard with a deck (with pool attendant), sun loungers, and a lushly landscaped section with gazebo. The excellent fitness center features a wide range of top-notch cardio and weight equipment, plus a yoga studio and activity room. The hotel's superb luxury spa is housed on two floors, and features crystal steam showers, a sauna, vitality pool, and large and varied menu of Asian-style massages and therapies (for a fee). 

The main restaurant features an open kitchen and serves innovative trattoria Italian cuisine, while a second restaurant offers traditional Chinese fare with seasonal ingredients, and features dim sum and fine teas. The all-day cafe serves international fare, coffee, and pastries, and also has a perfumery and library of luxury-themed books and magazines. The hotel provides an excellent Western and Asian breakfast buffet (for a fee), and offers a cake shop/patisserie, a Champagne and oyster bar with afternoon tea, and a stylish cocktail lounge in an Art Deco-inspired space. Twenty-four hour room service is available.

A business center, conference facilities with catering, wedding services, a concierge desk, and valet parking (for a fee) are also on site. The Grand Salon is a particularly beautiful place for weddings. Wi-Fi is available throughout the property, but the hotel assesses a fee (except Club Rooms and specific bookings).