Mandarin Oriental Taipei

This was my first stay at a Mandarin Oriental hotel, and it was in Taipei. Even though the hotel has been open for many years, it's still one of Taipei's top-tier luxury hotels, and the price isn't even that high. The Capella across the street is almost twice the price, so the Mandarin Oriental definitely offers better value for money. Their breakfast also blows the Grand Hyatt's out of the water, even though the Grand Hyatt claims to have the best food. The ambiance here is also excellent, and while the service is good, it's not top-notch. I once said "sorry" after not quite catching something over the phone, and I got yelled at... Also, the hotel fan needs to be purchased at the gift shop, as does the teddy bear. They did send a bookmark to my room once, but it was to the wrong room, so they resent it. The lady in the white uniform at the front desk was exceptionally kind and beautiful. There was another lady in a black uniform who kept speaking English to me even after I started speaking Mandarin. I thought she didn't know Mandarin, but then she switched to Mandarin when I didn't understand her.

Is this a good hotel? Yes, but it's also lacking in many aspects. It leaves a bad impression on returning guests. My last stay was a very unpleasant experience, and I believe most guests wouldn't return a second time, but I'm a loyal customer and a member. Last time, the housekeeping supervisor sincerely apologized, followed up multiple times, and promised to earn my trust, asking for another chance. That's why I stayed here again. "Today's sword doesn't slay yesterday's man" – the room upgrade or suite promised by the previous supervisor, Ms. Chen, was naturally nonexistent (I later found out she had already left). Even the welcome fruit, welcome drink, and complimentary gift that were previously offered were all omitted. The treatment was worse than my first stay. Turndown service wasn't provided, making me wonder if I was at an economy hotel. At least I'm a senior member of this group, not the highest tier, but I feel misled. Even if the guest booked a standard room this time, the treatment shouldn't be so drastically different from the previous suite stay. This hotel seems dedicated to transforming itself into an economy hotel. For example, they don't provide toothbrushes, bath salts, or mouthwash. The room decorations are paper flowers. Their official app offered an option to request a toothbrush. I clicked it in the afternoon and received a system confirmation, but it was never delivered to my room, nor was I informed by phone that they couldn't provide it. After searching the entire room in the middle of the night and finding none, I finally learned they don't provide toothbrushes. One phrase stuck with me: "You won't find a single toothbrush in any hotel in Taipei right now." After checking out here, I went to Villa 32, and they provided one proactively without any excuses. When I called their on-duty staff to inquire, all I received were endless complaints about their mayor and policies. When I mentioned my vocal cords were damaged and I couldn't talk on the phone for long, he interrupted me and continued to ramble on. They seem to lack a complete management system and service process. I called in the afternoon to request two tea bags, but they weren't delivered that day. The next morning, I called again, and they said "shortly," but the service was never completed by check-out time. I mentioned this incident when I stored my luggage at the concierge, and they confidently told me they would give me the tea bags when I picked up my luggage. Predictably, their promise remained empty. They shouldn't have promised anything at all. There probably won't be a next time. Because this time was even worse than the last.

The Mandarin Oriental, at 2k [presumably price], is truly impeccable in terms of service. Upon check-in, we were warmly welcomed and given a room tour, among other things. Breakfast was decent, though a bit chaotic, possibly due to the crowd. The bartenders at MO Bar were all quite entertaining, haha. The guest rooms are absolutely beautiful. The area above the pool is also stunning, and the pool staff were exceptionally good.

It's a bit far from the subway, and the room design has too many doors. Other than that, everything else was pretty good. You also get a 10% discount when dining at the hotel restaurant.

Facilities: Quite new. Hygiene: Clean. Environment: Excellent location, almost 5 minutes from the city airport. Service: The team is quite professional, and the shuttle service is very thoughtful. The only downside is that their internal system isn't integrated, so I had to repeat information every time a different staff member assisted me.

Mandarin Oriental is as luxurious as ever. The rooms are clean, and the staff are friendly. The dining, including Ya Ge, M.O. Bar, Tajima, and even The Jade Lounge on the first floor, consistently exceeds expectations. It's always the best hotel for business trips or leisure in Taipei.