Mandarin Oriental Hotel – Prague, Czech Republic: Opened in 2006, the Mandarin Oriental Hotel in Prague is housed in a renovated 14th century monastery situated in the scenic Mala Strana district in the middle of Prague’s historic center. From this five-star international luxury hotel chain, you can enjoy some of the most beautiful views in Prague—the Vlatva River, Prague Castle, the iconic Charles Bridge, cobbled stone piazzas, and a charming neighborhood filled with traditional structures and marvelous architecture.

First Impression/Lobby: As we pulled into the courtyard of the hotel, it was easy to imagine how the building could have been a Dominican monastery; I don’t think much of the exterior had changed over the years.

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We were met at the car by the neatly uniformed bellman and were promptly shown to the front desk. The lobby was sparse (especially compared to the Four Seasons, where we had just come from), making me wonder just how sparse the rooms would be.

Reception:To welcome us, we were offered with a small glass of tea at the lobby. The registration process was extremely quick that we barely had time to finish our drinks. Once we did, we were on our way to our suite. The staff was pleasant, efficient and thorough all throughout.

As if all of that was not enough for a warm welcome, shortly after breakfast on our first day, room service delivered to our room a bottle of champagne, a plate of chocolates and a bowl of fruit. Now, this is what a luxury hotel is all about!

The Suite: We booked a Mandarin Deluxe Suite, which was absolutely stunning. Not at all sparse as I thought it would be based from the hotel lobby’s interior. The traditional arched ceilings gave the room a lot of depth and character, the huge picture windows made the room appear larger than it already was, and the original parquet flooring was well-maintained and polished to perfection. The color palette of the room was soft and warm, balancing the elegance of the décor and interior. Oriental sensibilities were apparent in the handcrafted finishes and exquisite textiles.

The bathroom was equally beautiful, luxuriously covered in limestone. It was equipped with the latest bath technology, recreating a private spa complete with heated floors, as well as lavish aromatherapy and bath products.

Room Service: Room Service was superb each and every time. We ordered breakfast in our room, and they delivered right on the dot. The room service attendant set the table in the way that only a true luxury hotel would set it—perfectly laid out, everything in its place. The preparation was impeccable, the orders accurate.

The room service menu had something for everyone and the prices were reasonable, especially for a luxury hotel of this class.

Housekeeping: When it comes to housekeeping, the little things—such as replacing bottled water at both the daily service and at turndown—are what make a five star hotel a true luxury hotel. The lavender spray that eases you into your sleep that they left by the bed was also very thoughtful and a nice touch.

My only complaint with housekeeping was that rather than neatly folding or hanging the clothes we had left out (like the Four Seasons Prague did), they simply laid them on the chair.

Concierge: Unfortunately the concierge service at the Mandarin Oriental was young and inexperienced. We consulted them regarding the rates for a full-day tour and they gave us a list of tour schedules, information and prices. When we decided to book a tour, a different concierge told us the pricing we had was incorrect and wanted to charge almost 30% more. We tried to get him to honor the previous pricing but everything turned into such a fiasco that we simply decided to book it on our own.

Their restaurant recommendations were very good, however, some details were inaccurate and not up-to-date (we were told one restaurant had live music only to find out it had discontinued over two years ago). Overall, however, they had good restaurant suggestions.

Management: Normally, I don’t specifically comment on the hotel management per se, but with the total lack of follow through from the management at the Mandarin Oriental I feel obliged to comment on their performance.

After the mix-up we had with the concierge regarding the full-day tour rates as mentioned above, we were notified in writing that the Assistant Manager would follow up with us the next morning. By three o’clock the next afternoon, however, we did not hear anything from the management so we decided to make the arrangements ourselves. Only after we had booked the tour ourselves and only after notifying the concierge about having made our own arrangements and the manager never having followed up as promised, the manager finally contacted us wanting to know how he could rectify the situation. It was all too little too late for us. The delayed and halfhearted response from management left us feeling very dismayed.

Restaurant: Mandarin Prague’s signature restaurant, Essensia, serves Asian-European fusion cuisine. See our review of Essensia Restaurant at Mandarin Oriental.

Pool/Spa/Activities: Situated in a former renaissance church, the Spa at the Mandarin Oriental Prague consists of two floors with seven private rooms including “couples’ suites.” Aside from the latest spa therapies and treatments, they also offer full service beauty treatments for pampering guests.

Overall Impression Had it not been for the inexperienced concierge staff, the lackluster response from management and the hugely disappointing dinner at the hotel restaurant, Essensia, the Mandarin Oriental Prague would have easily received a rating of Fantastic Bombastic. However with the issues mentioned above, the rating comes in at a disappointing Bombastic.

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