Mandarin Oriental Taipei treats its guests with opulent European design, a plethora of interesting artworks, and a luxurious experience.
In the tree-lined area of Dunhua North Road, Taipei’s main boulevard, there stands tall a European-style building that belongs to Mandarin Oriental Taipei. The location itself couldn’t be more strategic than this; Dunhua North Road is one of the most established business districts in Taipei. The nearest MRT station is Nanjing Fuxing Station which is a nine- minute walk from the hotel, It only takes 10 to 15 minutes by car from the Xinyi shopping and business, the famed Taipei 101 and other main tourist attractions.
The design of this five-star hotel is as opulent as it can get; the European-inspired facade that was designed by renowned architectural firm WATG (Wimberly, Allison,Tong & Goo) really stands out amongst buildings and housings in that area. The architecture is complemented by elegant and tasteful interiors inside. In the lobby entrance, a 1,400kg chandelier is truly a sight to behold. It features a combination of 50,000 pieces of crystal and light amber crystal drops. The lighting installation was the work of Czech designer Tafana Dvorakova who exclusively designed it for the hotel and it took nine months to make. London-based Studio Four IV was tasked with designing the public spaces and also provided the furniture. The luxurious fabrics and intricate detailing evoke a châteauesque look, meanwhile the fresh colour palette and clean finishings add a modern 21st-century touch to the overall design. Furthermore, there are more than 1,700 art pieces on display throughout the hotel including stunning antiques and sculptures designed by renowned award-winning artists, namely Jae-Hyo lee, Chan-Il Kim and Wei Zhu, who is a contemporary Chinese ink painter.
The hotel has 303 spacious rooms that include 47 suites and two presidential suites, each of which has been furnished and designed with classical inspirations and contemporary touches. Mandarin Oriental Taiwan prides itself with having the most spacious rooms and suites in the city, with the room sizes ranging from 55sqm to 70sqm, whilst the suites start from 86sqm to 133sqm. Chhada Siembieda & Associates Ltd from Hong Kong was appointed to design them. A guest room here features a separate powder room that has a wallpaper custom-designed by UK designer brand Elli Popp, beautiful leather wall panels depicting peony flowers— a symbol of good fortune to the Chinese people – which were hand-sculpted by English artist Helen Amy Murray. The room also features 480-thread-count satin bed linen, state-of-the-art technology, a marbled bathroom with a large bathtub and a separate walk-in rainforest shower.
The hotel not only attracts travellers looking for a place to stay while in town, but there are also plenty of locals seen enjoying its three main restaurants that were designed by Tony Chi and Associates. On the third floor, there’s the one Michelin-starred restaurant Ya Ge specialising in traditional Chinese dishes with a wide selection of dim sum during lunchtime. Café Un Deux Trois is a modern restaurant with an equally modern look with its mirrored panels and ceilings. The relaxed and modern-set cafe offers an array of international dishes in buffet style as well as a three meal restaurant concept and an afternoon tea time. The last one is Bencotto, an Italian restaurant adopting an open kitchen concept in a rustic, elegant setting. Elsewhere, there’s The Mandarin Cake Shop selling all kinds of pastries and sweets. The stylish M.O. Bar has an extensive range of cocktails and champagnes, and located adjacent to the lobby is The Jade Lounge where the hotel’s afternoon tea is served.