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Attended a women's philanthropy circle summit here and the hotel was perfect blend of elegance and luxury, without being over the top. It struck just the right vibe for this gathering. The club level lounge on the 8th floor was nice, but scaled down from what you would find at the Ritz or Four Seasons. The bed linens were soft and the towels were top quality. We received a group rate (so I am not sure how that compares to the normal rate), but the price was less than half what I would have expected based on the luxurious quality of this hotel. It is also green as it is totally powered by wind energy.

I've stayed here over a half dozen times on various DC visits for business and pleasure, so these are general impressions gathered over time.The building design provides for some odd room layouts. Generally price maps well to room quality (duh). For instance, lower priced junior suites are smaller and some are located over the main entry. These tend to be smaller, gloomy and within earshot of regular freight trains. More expensive ones face the Potomac and are a bit more spacious (2d bathroom, etc) and quieter. Positives: Perhaps the best location in town for the Smithsonian mall. All major sites are within walking distance and there is a subway stop about 4 blocks away. Cityzen restaurant is excellent (pre-arrival reservations are a good idea).Negatives: Breakfast quality has fallen and the restaurant now offers a very conventional buffet with no daily variety. This is a conference hotel and can be overrun with groups at times. The spa is small and can only accommodate a few guests per day. Pre-arrival reservations are essential. The lobby lounge often fills with conventioneers and can be quite loud and overflowing. Staff are hit-or-miss. That applies to upgrade availability if you book on a credit card program that offers when-available upgrades (it may, or may not, be offered at the time of registration, even if the hotel isn't full).All things considered, I tend to prefer to stay here although it isn't quite as special as it was when the hotel first opened.

We have just passed a delightful Friday night at The Mandarin Oriental. Our request for an upper floor was immediately granted with an upgrade, and the room was perfectly appointed. The bed could not have been more comfortable, and the shower/bathroom was perfect. Our water view was to the east, away from The Jefferson Memorial, but interesting none-the-less. Tea and cocktails in the lobby bar were followed with a brief stroll along the Marina Walk, obtained through the hotel garden and across a footbridge within steps of the property. Upon our return, we dined in the Sou'wester: Susan and I both selected the She Crab Soup followed by Scallops. Our son chose the Miso Soup and Pork Bellies. Desserts were ample, and the atmosphere both casual and intimate. We found our way to The Martin Luther King Memorial after bidding our son farewell, and enjoyed a warm, Washington evening before settling in for the night. Although our complementary newspaper would not arrive before our departure, we were offered the Desk's personal New York Times, which was happily waiting for us upon our return to Long Island. I would gladly return to The Mandarin Oriental, Washington D.C., and intend on exploring some of their other properties, as well.

We were recently in DC for the Nike Women's Half Marathon. We opted to stay at the Mandarin as we have stayed here in the past and have got to know the area fairly well.I'll start with the Pro's since those far exceed the Con's.First is the service at this hotel is like nothing I have ever received elsewhere. We have stayed at a fair share of high end properties over the years and not one compares. The staff are attentive, inviting and truly make you feel at home. They have a certain way of carrying themselves and in my opinion, are highly trained at how to deal with their guests. On several occasions we were in the process of having some form of service whether it be in the Empress Lounge, front entrance with the Doormen (if that is even an appropriate term for them anymore) or at the front desk and we were rudely interrupted by fellow guests. Each time the staff person professionally dealt with the high maintenance guest and continued on with us. I thought that was very classy and one of the few times I have ever seen this type of service and how well they dealt with it. Second is the property itself is beautiful. It looks out over the tidal basin with spectacular views of the Washington Monument and the Jefferson Memorial on the back side of the property and the Capitol Building on the front side. The location is very convenient to the Smithsonian and National Mall areas as well. The pool was very nice. The Con's are few but they are there. Location is not terribly convenient to a Metro Station or other areas around DC. We spent a decent amount of time in cab's which is okay but can get costly pretty quick. Most of the cab drivers were pretty good about getting us where we needed to go without any chaos or getting lost. Cab fares were moderately reasonable but I can say this is the first time I have seen the cab fare rise while sitting in traffic. Most cities probably charge it and I just have never noticed. The other con are the rooms. They are nice but lack certain modern amenities such as charging stations for te myriad of gadgets that many of is travel and that you find in most Hilton and Marriott's these days, so I would suggest that management consider adding in some of these conveniences. Just an opinion. We looked at the Spa and went through the spa to get to the pool. Very nice space but spa services were way over priced and the staff I did not find to be overly gracious and inviting which was in stark contrast to the rest of the staff we dealt with.Lastly the real fun part was simply hanging in the Empress Lounge and never knowing which celebrity would hop off the the elevator. Our 8 year old found that to be wicked cool as did we.I would definitely stay here again and would recommend it to anyone who asked.

I have stayed at the Mandarin Oriental DC several times. The service is always outstanding and I had always had an amazing experience. It is well located, while not being in the middle of DC's downtown, which for some might be not convenient if you just want to walk. However, an easy 3 minute ride in a cab will put you anywhere within Downtown. If you are lucky to get a room with a view to the river it is fabolous!!