Mandarin Oriental Mayfair Review: London's Most Intimate Luxury Hotel
The Mandarin Oriental Mayfair opened in June 2024 and immediately changed the conversation about what a luxury hotel in London can be. Tucked into Hanover Square — Mayfair's oldest square, two minutes from Bond Street — it is not the grandest hotel in the city. That's the point. With just 50 rooms, it is London's most deliberate luxury property: smaller than a boutique hotel, quieter than a palace, and sharper than almost anything else in the city.
This is our complete Mandarin Oriental Mayfair review, covering rooms, the spa, dining, and who should book it.
At a Glance
| | | |---|---| | Location | Hanover Square, Mayfair, London W1 | | Category | Ultra-boutique five-star | | Rooms | 50 rooms and suites | | Opened | June 3, 2024 | | Rates from | ~£888 per night | | Best for | Couples, solo travellers, shopping trips, city romance |
Book at Mandarin Oriental Mayfair on CinqStay →
Why Mandarin Oriental Mayfair Is Different
Most luxury hotels in London compete on scale. The Ritz has 111 rooms. Claridge's has 197. The Savoy has 267. The Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park has 181 rooms. What makes the Mayfair property interesting — genuinely interesting, not in a marketing-copy way — is that the brand chose the exact opposite approach.
Fifty rooms. Seventy-seven private residences in the same building. A 25-metre underground pool that guests share with no one but themselves. Staff who already know your name by the time you check in on day two.
This is not a hotel that tries to be everything to everyone. It is a hotel for people who have stayed everywhere and want something different.
Location: The Best Postcode in London
Hanover Square sits in the heart of Mayfair, but it is not a street you stumble down accidentally. It is residential, relatively quiet, and surrounded by the city's highest-concentration of designer boutiques. Bond Street is a two-minute walk. Selfridges is five. The galleries of Cork Street are around the corner.
For guests who come to London to shop — and many of CinqStay's guests do — this location is unmatched. You can walk to Chanel, Hermès, Cartier, and Burberry without hailing a taxi. You can come back for lunch, drop your bags, and go out again.
For guests who want theatre or restaurants in the West End, Bond Street tube puts you anywhere in under fifteen minutes.
Rooms: 50 Rooms, No Compromises
Every room at the Mandarin Oriental Mayfair was designed to feel like a Mayfair apartment — not a hotel room dressed up to look like one. That distinction matters.
What's in the Rooms
- Hand-painted silk wallpaper throughout
- Marble bathrooms with deep soaking tubs
- Japanese Toto toilets
- Free minibar, stocked with local snacks and premium spirits
- Smart TVs with curated content
- Memory foam beds (a Mandarin Oriental signature)
- Hidden amenities that guests find over several nights — small details that make a stay feel like a gift
Room sizes start at 355 square feet for a Deluxe Room and scale up to the Mayfair Suite at 1,517 square feet. The difference between categories is primarily space — the finish level stays consistent throughout.
The Hanover Suite
If budget allows, the Hanover Suite is the property's signature recommendation for good reason. The suite takes its name from the square it overlooks, offers significant living space, and has the proportions of a well-appointed London flat. It is not the largest suite in London's luxury market, but it is one of the most coherent.
One Honest Note
Some rooms face a neighbouring construction site. This is worth flagging at the time of booking — ask for a room with unobstructed views. The hotel's own advisors are direct about this if asked.
The Spa: Mayfair's Longest Pool
The underground spa is the Mandarin Oriental Mayfair's most memorable feature, and not because it is the largest. It is memorable because it is almost entirely private.
The centrepiece is a 25-metre indoor pool — reported to be the longest hotel pool in the Mayfair area. The subterranean setting means no outside light, no noise from the street, and a near-complete absence of other guests. Unlike most hotel pools in London, where peak hours feel like a public lido, the spa at the Mayfair property operates with the guest numbers that justify the price.
Treatments follow Mandarin Oriental's signature wellness philosophy — rooted in Asian healing traditions, adapted for Western guests. The therapists are exceptional; the treatment rooms are finished to the same standard as the hotel rooms above.
For guests who travel for wellness as much as for exploration, the spa alone justifies the room rate.
Dining: Akira Back and the Rooftop Bar
Akira Back London
The hotel's main restaurant, Akira Back, was designed by the South Korean-born celebrity chef of the same name as his flagship European outpost. The concept is Asian-Western fusion: vegan nigiri, black cod with yuzu foam, ingredients sourced with the kind of care you'd expect from a tasting menu restaurant at this price point.
The dining room has an atrium feel — skylights, artistic installations (including paintings by the chef's mother), and a warmth that most Mayfair restaurants do not manage. Non-hotel guests book here specifically for the food, which is an indicator that the kitchen is doing something right.
Note on 2025 status: Recent reports indicate that Akira Back himself has departed as the leading name. The restaurant continues to operate, but the dining identity is in a period of transition. We recommend checking current programming before booking specifically for the Akira Back experience.
Dosa — The Chef's Table
Adjacent to the main restaurant sits Dosa, an intimate 14-seat chef's table experience. At approximately £185 per person, it offers a seasonal multi-course menu. Spaces are limited by design. If this kind of dining matters to you, book Dosa separately when you book your room.
The Rooftop Bar
The rooftop terrace offers skyline views over Mayfair and a focused sake and cocktail programme. London's skyline from a Mayfair rooftop is not dramatic in the way that Dubai or Singapore is dramatic — it is characteristically English, composed, and quietly impressive. The rooftop works best at sunset or in the early evening before the main dinner service begins.
Service: The 50-Room Advantage
In a 200-room hotel, the staff-to-guest ratio is a metric. In a 50-room hotel, it is an experience.
Guests consistently report that staff at the Mandarin Oriental Mayfair remember preferences without being prompted, anticipate needs ahead of requests, and maintain a warmth that feels natural rather than trained. This is the core promise of the property: not the most spectacular hotel in London, but the most attended-to.
The front desk team in particular receives praise for the quality of local recommendations — not generic suggestions, but specific places, timed to the season and the guest's stated interests.
How It Compares to Other London Luxury Hotels
The Mandarin Oriental Mayfair's closest competitor from CinqStay's portfolio is the Raffles London at The OWO — but the two properties are not really comparable. Raffles is a grand statement: a converted government building, twelve restaurants, a destination in itself. The Mayfair is the opposite. It is quiet. Residential. Personal.
The right question is not which is better. The question is what you are travelling for.
| | Mandarin Oriental Mayfair | Raffles London at The OWO | |---|---|---| | Rooms | 50 | 120 | | Vibe | Intimate, residential | Grand, iconic | | Location | Mayfair / Bond Street | Whitehall | | Best for | Shopping, couples, solo | Dining, groups, occasions | | Rate from | ~£888/night | ~£1,200/night |
Who Should Stay Here
The Mandarin Oriental Mayfair is the right choice for:
- Couples who want a genuinely romantic London hotel without the performance of a grand palace
- Solo travellers at the upper end of the market who value privacy and attentive service over spectacle
- Guests visiting for shopping — Bond Street proximity is unmatched in London's luxury hotel landscape
- Wellness-focused travellers for whom the spa and pool are a primary draw, not an afterthought
- Experienced luxury travellers who have already done the classic London hotel circuit and want something different
It is not the right choice for guests who want multiple restaurants on-site, a large pool scene, or a hotel that makes an impression in lobby photos.
Practical Details
Address: Hanover Square, Mayfair, London W1S 1JN Nearest Tube: Bond Street (2 minutes walk), Oxford Circus (5 minutes) Airport transfers: Heathrow: 45-60 minutes by Uber or black cab Check-in / Check-out: 3 pm / 12 noon (late checkout on request) Parking: Valet parking available on request Pet policy: Dogs welcome (enquire when booking) Dress code: Smart casual throughout
FAQ
When did Mandarin Oriental Mayfair open? The hotel opened on June 3, 2024, making it one of London's newest five-star properties.
How many rooms does the Mandarin Oriental Mayfair have? 50 rooms and suites, ranging from 355 sq ft Deluxe Rooms to the 1,517 sq ft Mayfair Suite.
Does the Mandarin Oriental Mayfair have a pool? Yes — a 25-metre indoor pool in the subterranean spa, reported to be the longest hotel pool in the Mayfair area.
What is the Mandarin Oriental Mayfair restaurant? The main restaurant is Akira Back, a fusion concept from celebrity chef Akira Back. A 14-seat chef's table called Dosa operates nearby, and there is a rooftop bar with skyline views.
Is the Mandarin Oriental Mayfair worth the price? For guests who prioritise personalised service, privacy, and location, yes. The 50-room format and Mayfair address justify the rate for the right traveller. For guests who want a larger dining and entertainment offering, the Raffles London may be a better fit.
Book Your Stay
The Mandarin Oriental Mayfair is available on CinqStay with best available rates and no booking fees.
View Rooms & Book at Mandarin Oriental Mayfair →
Review based on published guest feedback, press coverage, and hotel data current as of Q1 2026. Rates are indicative and subject to availability. CinqStay recommends checking current dining programming directly with the hotel.