Travel: The Landmark Mandarin Oriental-New Suites & New Sweets in Hong Kong
Clearly, slicing through the veritable slew of choices for upscale hotels takes time. That's why Goldrush Magazine has done the hard work for you ahead of schedule and now we're serving up the pick of the world's top hotels, starting with Hong Kong's Landmark Mandarin Oriental Hotel. Greeted by gilded antiques (left) at the elevator entrance, you already know you're onto something special at the Landmark Mandarin Oriental Hong Kong. The softly piped music and lightly fragranced air-con are standard, however, the polished wooden surroundings and wall to wall collections of art will, within the short time it takes to reach your room, leave even the most jaded art-collector absolutely gob-smacked.
Living up to its name, The Landmark Mandarin Oriental is indeed a landmark of excellence in a city not short of fine accommodation. Having celebrated its tenth anniversary in 2015, The Landmark enters its second decade high on the list of Hong Kong's most impressive hotels. What sets The Landmark apart from the others? The location, for one. The Landmark is part of the Landmark shopping mall in Hong Kong's Central district. The hotel is within easy walking distance of the convenient Airport Express train service via a covered walkway that includes strolls through nice shopping malls along the way. Shopping is a way of life in this wealthy city, and the best brands in the world are found in the Landmark and the surrounding area. The Landmark is also very well situated for touring the sights of Hong Kong Island. (below: Dine in absolute style at Amber, in The Landmark Mandarin Oriental, Hong Kong).
Close by is the famous Man Mo Temple, and just beyond that is the unusual Hong Kong Museum of Medical Sciences, an under-visited but surprisingly enlightening place explaining the advent of medical research in Hong Kong, now a world leader in the field.
Also close to The Landmark is the Dr Sun Yat Sen Museum just up the road; to the east of the hotel is Hong Kong Park and its Flagstaff Museum Of Tea Ware, a beautiful collection of traditional and modern items associated with tea displayed in a splendid building of the British colonial era. Some of the best experiences in Hong Kong, however, are found inside The Landmark rather than out. (below: Luxuriate in The Landmark Mandarin Oriental hotel's sumptuous surroundings).
The Landmark offers the sophisticated traveller an ideal place to stay whether in town for a short stay or over an extended period. A recent renovation has lifted rooms and suites to a new level of contemporary luxury; the new one-bedroom suites are well designed to seem more like private apartments than hotel rooms. (below: The Landmark Mandarin Oriental's L600 Premier Room).
This being a Mandarin Oriental property, one of three in the city, culinary experiences are exceptional in their high quality
and not to be missed. Gourmet travellers will enjoy the refined options for lunch and dinner at Amber, where Chef de Cuisine Maxime Gilbert has created a stellar menu of options, with the degustation menu standing out as one of the best in the world, ending
with extraordinary desserts to finish the meal by giving new meaning to the term 'sweet surrender'. Demonstrating consideration for all guests, Amber offers a degustation menu for vegetarians that is in no way any less remarkable a dining experience. (below: One of many delectable courses within a feast at restaurant Amber, at The Landmark Mandarin Oriental, Hong Kong).
Similar thoughtfulness is experienced in Cathay Pacific's Business Class and First Class cabins on flights from twenty cities in China to Hong Kong SAR. As one of the most outstanding airlines in the world, Cathay Pacific sets a lofty benchmark of excellence in its services in the air and on the ground at Hong Kong International Airport, where no less than five lounges accommodate the needs of travellers on the move. (below: An ideal, centrally located meeting spot, Mo Bar is THE place to be seen in Hong Kong).
Hong Kong International Airport is one of the userfriendliest in the world; guests with a transfer
arranged to The Landmark pass through a special Limousine Lounge before getting into the car that takes them to one of Hong Kong's supreme hotel experiences.
mandarinoriental.com/landmark
lifewelltravelled.cathaypacific.com
cathaypacific.com
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