The Hong Kong Mandarin Oriental is undergoing renovations in June. As this hotel is the birthplace of Mandarin Oriental, my wife and I decided to stay for four nights. I had stayed here many years ago, and while the hotel's facilities are showing their age, the room itself was well-maintained. The housekeeping and service were also good. However, a rather unpleasant incident occurred on our second morning while waiting for breakfast at the Clipper Lounge. Despite there being available tables inside, the Chinese hostess seating guests placed us at the outermost table in the restaurant corridor. When we offered to wait for a better table, she became visibly impatient and told us to step aside and wait. This clear 'regional discrimination' goes against the Mandarin Oriental's philosophy of hospitality. The restaurant manager, Kennedy, intervened and sorted out our seating. Later, the Director of F&B, Ms. Patty, also came to apologize. This is not something we expect from our beloved Mandarin Oriental. Due to its limited space, the Clipper Lounge doesn't offer a wide variety of breakfast options and might not be ideal for Chinese diners. During our breakfasts there, a young Indonesian man named Malvin always served everyone with a genuine smile. I hope the Chinese hostess at the Clipper Lounge learns from him to treat every guest sincerely! This legendary hotel will be taking a temporary break, and I hope the Hong Kong Mandarin Oriental will be reborn after its renovation! I rarely write reviews, but I felt this experience needed to be documented!
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