Fresh Wind: 1893 – 1919

In 1893, Siam was a buffer state among two strong enemy countries – British Burma and French Indochina. Siam was surprisingly strong enough to maintain ‘independence’. Even Siam’s first railway was opened without any help from France or Britain. In the same year difficulties between France and Siam reached their climax. It started with the ‘Paknam Incident’.

Three French ships were fired by Siamese and as a result, France blockaded Bangkok. French warships anchored directly in front of the French Embassy and the Oriental Hotel. The King of Siam diplomatically solved this situation, but the price was high. There was a huge payment and the cession of a certain territory. Three years later after the Anglo-French Declaration of London was signed, King Chulalongkorn did a European diplomatic tour. His nine-month tour was successful and Siam was well accepted among leading countries of that time.  

Collapse and Women Empower

For quite some time the hotel was working fine and it was known as a high social hub. However, in 1899, Hurst decided to sell his interests in the Oriental Hotel to a syndicate of a Mr. W Downie. During the following three years the Oriental underwent further expansions and improvements. These times were also very turbulent for the hotel.

In 1903, the hotel was taken over by F S Robertson, but not for long. Just a few months later he had to leave town in a hurry, due to his debts. The hotel was closed down temporarily for two years when it was established back by Mr. Carl G Edwards, an American. Management was proposed to Mme M O Bujault. She engaged Viennese orchestra, revived the tradition of musical dinners, and employed a new French chef – Monsieur Brier. From this time on the cuisine in Oriental Hotel was at exquisite level.

Maria Marie

Successful years of Madame M O Bujault lasted only till 1910. She was the first women manager of The Oriental, but certainly not last. Her successor was Maria Marie, who became a legend in her own right. The hotel was in its ‘golden era’, with its patron – Peter Carl Fabergé. He is a well-known jeweler known for the precious Fabergé egg. At Oriental Hotel he did a few successful exhibitions where he caught the eye of the new King Vajiravudh – Rama VI, who became his valued customer.

The Oriental Hotel became a famous center not only for travelers but also for diplomats and businessmen. It even became the seat of a diplomatic mission. In 1913, the Imperial & Royal Austro-Hungarian Legation in the Kingdom of Siam established a chancery at the hotel. Good relationships lasted only one year. World War I started and even here far away from action one could still feel it. Naturally, the effects weren’t so disastrous but the egos of Austrian diplomats were hurt when they weren’t invited to a French garden party. Nevertheless, The Great War left a huge crisis all over the world. Luxury travels were out of business and a hotel like The Oriental was affected. 

You Might Also Like

Mandarin Oriental Bangkok Review

E&O Hotel History

Majestic Hotel Kuala Lumpur History

Majestic Melaka Hotel History

1920 – 1940

The hotel was badly affected by the global economic crisis. In 1920, M Henri Cucherousset, correspondent of the Hanoi journal L ‘Evil Economique de l’Indochie came to Bangkok. He did an article about the Oriental Hotel, which wasn’t in its best form. He deplored its lack of ‘a drawing-room for ladies’ and a ‘proper bathing accommodations’. Worst of all he critiqued its generally rundown appearance. Henri Cucherousset had dared to attack a national institution. The response of the public can be described as frantic. The answer to this was a new firm raised capital of 60,000 Baht. The idea was Maria Marie’s, who became one of the shareholders and was appointed a managing director.

Renovations went amazingly well, and the Oriental Hotel was once again admired and praised. In the city, new hotels opened and started to compete with the Oriental Hotel. Even so, guests mostly stayed in the Oriental Hotel, they recognized it as much more than only luxury accommodation. After all, this was the oldest hotel in Bangkok with a rich historical background and Royal appearance. After the renovation, Daniel C Sweeney, a seasoned illustrator, arrived. He drew posters for leading Asian hotels. Among them are also the Grand Hotel Metropole in Hanoi and the Continental Palace in Saigon. His work for the Oriental Hotel is considered one of his finest pieces of art.

The Connections

Siam offered four aerodromes, in 1924. However, plains in that time were rare and mostly used by the military. Later in the 1930s, it was more common to travel by plane. At that time the travel from London to Bangkok lasted nine days and it wasn’t considered as safe travel. After all, first air hostesses were trained nurses. The first group of aerial travelers landed at Don Muang airport in 1931. Among them were also Oriental’s first air-borne guests.

The train connections became much more expanded as well. You could easily visit most of the Siam’s parts. Wealthy citizens of Bangkok traveled to Huan Hin, where it was the legendary Railway Hotel and only 5 minutes away, the brand new Royal Golf Club. This Club is the first golf course of international standards in Siam. It had been completed in 1924 and carved on over 240 acres of natural terrain. The course was designed by Arthur O Robins, who was a Scottish railroad engineer.

A keen golfer at that time was also Oriental’s manager Maria Marie. She was the Siamese woman champion for a few years in a row. In 1928 she got divorced and married Arthur O Robins in London in 1932. After 22 years of managing the hotel, Maria decided to retire. Her son was planned as her predecessor, but after his wife’s death, the plans changed. After her son couldn’t take over, so she put a couple, Lt Col and Mrs. Sylow, in charge.

Political Instability

On 24 June 1932, occurred the most important political change of that period. The country’s educated ruling class, calling themselves as the People’s Party, staged a bloodless coup which finally brought to an end Siam’s days as an absolute monarchy. King Prajadhipok signed the nation’s first constitution in December that same year. Nationalism in the Kingdom was growing, the same as a friendship with Japan. In 1939, Siam’s name was officially changed to Thailand.

At the beginning of World War 2, the Marie-Robins’ family received news that the manager of the Oriental Hotel had been killed in a car accident. Maria and Arthur went to Bangkok and were lucky to be able to formally transfer the hotel’s lease and sell all equipment and stocks. As British subjects, after the Thai declaration of war against Britain, they were taken to a camp in the Jungle. Later they managed to escape that camp and return to Britain.

After WW2

The second Great War was at the doors. Japanese troops began to blockade French Indochina. Thailand signed a treaty of friendship with the Empire of the Rising Sun and officially joined the axis side. Japanese armed forces requisitioned the Oriental Hotel. The average occupancy was 25 guests per night. In February 1942, the Japanese International Tourism Bureau requested that the Imperial, the most prestigious hotel in Tokyo, take over the management at Oriental Hotel. American forces regained their power in the Pacific and it became clear that American forces were heading for Okinawa and eventually for the Japanese mainland. On 14 December 1944, American aircraft bombed Rama VI Bridge across the Chao Phraya River in Bangkok. After the war, the hotel was requisitioned by the American armed forces. Unsurprisingly the interior was already in a bad shape at that time.

Correspondents and journalists used to sit on the terrace, sipping cold drinks and swapping the stories. Among them was also famous Colonel Jim Thompson.

Jim Thompson and Oriental Hotel

Jim Thompson was a close friend of Germaine Krull, a famous photographer. She reported the return of King Ananda Mahidol from his studies in Switzerland, took portraits of Jean Cocteau, Andre Malraux, and Einstein, she took photographs of de Gaulle and Churchill during the liberation of Paris. Jim one day proposed to Germaine a partnership and idea of taking over the Oriental Hotel.

Krull decided to team up with the Thompson for the sake of the hotel’s revival. Their partners were General Chai Prateepasen, HRH Prince Bhanu, Mr. Pote Sarasin, and Mr. John Wester. On 9 May 1947, the Bangkok newspaper Liberty reported about Madam Germaine Krull as a manager of the Oriental Hotel. Madam Krull was busy restoring life to this remarkable institution. There was a lot of work needed to revive this “Old Lady”. Just a few weeks after she had taken over, Madam Krull opened a Bamboo Bar. Bamboo Bar became Bangkok’s most fashionable hangout. The menu in the Bamboo Bar was quite simple, but for that time very “advanced”. American sandwiches, hot dogs, hamburgers, and fried chickens were filling the guests, while live music established a nice atmosphere.

Thai Silk

Krull and Thompson didn’t agree over various things, one of them was architectural change and the reconstruction of a new wing. Thompson bailed out and sold his shares. Later he established his own silk company, which made Thai silk famous and brought him fame and wealth. To be honest, the Tower wing (the new wing, today is known as a Garden wing) is designed well. As we know Jim Thompson had a great taste for design and décor!

Conclusion

I hope you enjoyed our Oriental Bangkok History part 2 article. As you can see today Mandarin Oriental Bangkok Hotel is full of heritage. After all, it is one of the oldest hotels in the world. And not only that, one of the best as well. Next time we will check the modern history of this heritage hotel.

Main Source for Oriental Bangkok History is Andreas Augustin – The Most Famous Hotels in The World – The Oriental

[1] Andreas Augustin – The Most Famous Hotels in The World – The Oriental, page 35.

[2] Andreas Augustin – The Most Famous Hotels in The World – The Oriental, page 77.

[3] Andreas Augustin – The Most Famous Hotels in The World – The Oriental, page 57.

[4] Andreas Augustin – The Most Famous Hotels in The World – The Oriental, page 78.

[5] Andreas Augustin – The Most Famous Hotels in The World – The Oriental, page 58.

[6] Andreas Augustin – The Most Famous Hotels in The World – The Oriental, page 67.

[7] Andreas Augustin – The Most Famous Hotels in The World – The Oriental, page 64.

[8] Andreas Augustin – The Most Famous Hotels in The World – The Oriental, page 78.

[9] Andreas Augustin – The Most Famous Hotels in The World – The Oriental, page 78.

[10] Andreas Augustin – The Most Famous Hotels in The World – The Oriental, page 100.

[11] Andreas Augustin – The Most Famous Hotels in The World – The Oriental, page 78.

[12] Andreas Augustin – The Most Famous Hotels in The World – The Oriental, page 78.

[13] Andreas Augustin – The Most Famous Hotels in The World – The Oriental, page 88.

The post Mandarin Oriental Bangkok History Part 2 appeared first on Wild 'n' Free Diary.

Early Days: 1862-1893

The land where this hotel stands used to be royal land and the royal family has an important role in this hotel. Where is now lobby stands it used to be a royal palace of Rama III, Prince Rajasihavikrom in 1850. Next to this palace, in 1860, Captain James White opened a boarding house. It stood on the grounds of today’s East Asiatic Company (Oriental’s neighbor to the South). Captain died in 1863 and his boarding house was taken over by two Americans – Atkins Dyer and William West. They turned it into the first hotel in Bangkok – Oriental Hotel. A year later, the hotel’s partnership was changed to Atkins Dyer and Barnes, another American. Sadly on 11 July 1865, Oriental Hotel burned down together with 69 nearby buildings.

German and Then Danish Ownership

A German, C. Falck took over the remainings of this unlucky hotel and restored it for new guests. Flack’s Hotel was opened in 1866 and had a novelty – a bowling alley. At the same time, gas street lighting was installed in Bangkok, which was a great deal for that era. In the 1870s German ownership ended, and his successor C Salje, a Danish seaman did some great improvements. He moved this former guesthouse one step higher, closer to what may be considered a western hotel. He offered family accommodations, bathrooms, billiards room, and American Bar. 

Salje and his fellow Dane, H Jarck owned not only a hotel but also mineral water filling station. In 1881 they retired and sold their business to another Dane, Hans Niels Anderson. Andersen and his partners, P Andersen and F Kinch established Messrs Andersen & Co. They became owners of the Oriental Hotel, the Oriental store and ship chandlery, the Oriental factory, the Oriental bakery, the aerated water filling station, and the Koh-Si-Chang Hotel & Store.

Here Comes the Fame

It didn’t take long for the Oriental Hotel to be in the news. On the west, it was advertised as the only place in Bangkok where one could go. The hotel was known as luxury accommodation and their business reached beyond the hotel’s walls. At some point when the French ambassador stayed next door, they used catering service for their receptions prepared in Oriental Hotel. When business took off the Prince Rajasihavikrom’s successor, Prince Prisdang suggested building a new Oriental Hotel on his father’s land.

That was an important addition to a new hotel on New Road, called Bangkok Hotel. This Hotel was offering all amenities, from ‘First Class Family Residence’ to ‘Ladies Drawing Room’ and ‘Dining Room’. Andersen commissioned a team of local Italian architects, S Cardu & Rosi, to design a completely new building. The Italian architects created an astonishing structure, which still stands at the heart of the hotel and is now known as the Authors’ Wing. That is how the hotel became a shiny star in Indochina.

HIH Crown Prince Nicholas of Russia as a Guest

Oriental Hotel became the venue to hold important parties. In fact, there was almost no bigger banquet, where Oriental Hotel wouldn’t be present. In December 1890, His Majesty King Chulalongkorn paid a private visit to The Oriental. The King was so impressed that he decided to accommodate in Oriental a Crown Prince Nicholas of Russia, who became Tsar in 1894. Crown Prince Nicholas was at The Oriental in April 1891 and this was the beginning of a long-lasting relationship between Oriental Hotel and the Royal family.

Novelties

Every drop of liquor was consumed during the Russian delegation’s stay. That was a clear sign of well-being in that hotel. At the same time, the hotel got a new modern electric light, which was a great improvement for that time. Important to realize, there were only two more places with electric lights; Siam Electric Light Co’s works and the Royal Palace.

You Might Also Like

Famous Author’s Lounge Afternoon Tea

Mandarin Oriental Bangkok Hotel Review

Le Normandie Review

In 1893 H N Andersen sold the hotel business to Franklin Bill Hurst for $22,000. Andersen was still the owner of the neighboring Oriental Store, which continued to supply the hotel with different imports. Those goods were the most expensive wines in the world, like Château Mouton and Château Lafite Rothschild. Andersen returned to Denmark and founded the East Asiatic Company, along with the first director of the Landmans-Banken. Nowadays, it is the largest company in Denmark with worldwide branches.

It is not clear why the hotel was sold, but it is possible that there was a problem with the ‘chit method’ payment. A credit form, that was often never paid. The same ‘problem’ was in the Eastern&Oriental with Sarkies. However Hurst hired American W.J. Palmer to manage the property, and he abrogated that paying system.

Paknam Incident

England and France were in their “Colonization Race” and pressures from French authorities were high. The climax was reached in 1893 in the so-called ‘Paknam Incident’. While sailing off Paknam through Siam’s Chao Phraya River to Bangkok, three French ships were fired on by the Siamese. As a result, Franch blockaded Bangkok and fired guns on the Royal Palace. French warships anchored directly in front of the French Embassy and the Oriental Hotel. The King of Siam avoided bloodshed but the price was high. It was included payment of a war indemnity of three million French francs and the cession of a certain territory, including a portion of the State of Luang Prabang, to France.

Writers Dwelling

Joseph Conrad

Oriental Hotel was hosting many famous people, and surprisingly a lot of well-known writers. Imagine this Chao Phraya River bank in the shine of the full moon and small orchestra playing tender tones at the back… What better brain stimulation can you ask for? Yeah, yeah that small amounts of opium from China… Anyway, in 1888, the hotel was hosting the not yet famous Joseph Conrad. At that time he was a new captain of the ship Otago, where he got a lot of experience and material for his writing. One of the well-known works is also ‘Lord Jim’. As a matter of fact, that name we can find in today’s hotel seafood restaurant.

Maxwell Sommerville

He was a guest in this legendary hotel in 1897. At that time he was the first and only Professor of Glyptology, the study of engraved gems and collecting artifacts of Buddhist worships. Maxwell was an inspired travel writer, travel blogger of that era ;). He arrived at Oriental Hotel with his wife and they were simply astonished by this place and left a rich writing history about the hotel at that time. Oriental Hotel was described as one of the noblest here on the East. For example, they were surprised by two sheets on the bed; that was a luxury they were often denied in India and Burma. He described also a fruit selection in this hotel. At dinner, they were serving mangosteens, bread-fruit, oranges, custard-apples, papaya, pineapples, mangoes, bananas, and even durian despite its intense odor.

William Somerset Maugham

With 850 million books sold, he became the most read author of the 20^th century. In ‘The Gentleman in the Parlour’ he described also his first visit to Oriental Bangkok. ‘The hotel faced the river. My room was dark, one of a long line, with a verandah on each side of it, the breeze blew through, but it was stifling. The dining room was large and dim, and for coolness’ sake, the windows were shuttered. One was waited on by silent Chinese boys. I did not know why the insipid Eastern food sickened me. The wats oppress me by their garish magnificence, making my headache. I took my temperature. I was startled topo see that it was a hundred and five. I could not believe it, so I took it again; it was still a hundred and five’.

Malaria

Maugham had contracted malaria while traveling. It was a bad attack. One morning he overheard a conversation between the hotel manager, Maria Marie, and the doctor. ‘I can’t have him die here, you know. You must take him to the hospital.’ The doctor decided to wait a day or two. Luckily Maugham recovered a few days later. Because he had nothing to do except look at the river and enjoy the weakness left by disease, he invented a fairy story. He was in the Oriental Hotel two times more. Once in 1925, when he stayed there for two weeks and the second time in 1960 to celebrate his 85^th birthday. This time he dined with legendary Jim Thompson. He reminisced: ‘I was almost evicted from the Oriental Hotel because the manager did not want me to ruin her business by dying in one of her rooms.’

Collapse and Women Empower

The hotel was working fine and it was known as a high social hub. However, in 1899, Hurst decided to sell his interests in the Oriental Hotel to a syndicate of a Mr. W Downie. During the following three years the Oriental underwent further expansions and improvements. These times were very turbulent for the hotel.

In 1903, the hotel was taken over by F S Robertson, but not for long. A few months later he had to leave town in a hurry, due to his debts. The hotel was closed down temporarily till 1905 and was established back by Mr. Carl G Edwards, an American. Management was proposed to Mme M O Bujault. She engaged Viennese orchestra, revived the tradition of musical dinners, and employed a new French chef – Monsieur Brier. From this time on the cuisine in Oriental Hotel was at an exquisite level.

Maria Marie

Anyway successful years of Madame M O Bujault lasted only till 1910. She was the first women manager of The Oriental, but certainly not last. Her successor was Maria Marie. She became a legend in her own right. The hotel was in its ‘golden era’, with its patron – Peter Carl Fabergé. He is a well-known jeweler known by the famed Fabergé egg. At Oriental Hotel he did a few successful exhibitions. In addition to that the new King Vajiravudh – Rama VI became his valued customer.

The Oriental Hotel became a famous center not only for travelers but also for diplomats and businessmen. It even became the seat of a diplomatic mission. In 1913, the Imperial & Royal Austro-Hungarian Legation in the Kingdom of Siam established a chancery at the hotel. Good relationships lasted only one year. World War I started and even here, far away from violent events one could still feel it. For example, Austrian diplomats weren’t invited to a French garden party. However, The Great War left a huge crisis all over the world. Luxury travels were out of business and a hotel like The Oriental was affected as well. 

You Might Also Like

Mandarin Oriental Bangkok Review

E&O Hotel History

Majestic Hotel Kuala Lumpur History

Majestic Melaka Hotel History

1920 – 1940

The hotel was badly affected by the global economic crisis. In 1920, M Henri Cucherousset, correspondent of the Hanoi journal L ‘Evil Economique de l’Indochie came to Bangkok. He did an article about the Oriental Hotel, which wasn’t in its best form. He deplored its lack of ‘a drawing-room for ladies’ and a ‘proper bathing accommodations’. Worst of all he critiqued its generally rundown appearance. Henri Cucherousset had dared to attack a national institution. The response of the public can be described as frantic. The answer to this was raised capital of 60,000 Baht. The idea was Maria Marie’s, who became one of the shareholders and was appointed a managing director.

Renovations went amazingly well, and the Oriental Hotel was back in good shape. In the city, new hotels opened their doors and started to compete with the Oriental Hotel. Guests mostly stayed in the Oriental Hotel, simply because they recognized it as much more than just luxury accommodation. After all, this was the oldest hotel in Bangkok with a rich historical background and Royal connections. After the renovation, Daniel C Sweeney, a seasoned illustrator, arrived. He drew posters for leading Asian hotels. Among them are also the Grand Hotel Metropole in Hanoi and the Continental Palace in Saigon. His work for the Oriental Hotel is considered one of his finest pieces of art.

The Connections

Siam offered four aerodromes, in 1924. However, plains in that time were rare and mostly used by the military. Later in the 1930s, it was more common to travel by plane. At that time the travel from London to Bangkok lasted nine days and it wasn’t considered as safe travel. It is worth mentioning that the first air hostesses were trained nurses. The first group of aerial travelers landed at Don Muang airport in 1931. Among them were also Oriental’s first air-borne guests.

The train connections became much more expanded as well. You could easily visit most of Siam’s parts. Wealthy citizens of Bangkok traveled to Huan Hin, where it was the legendary Railway Hotel and only 5 minutes away, the brand new Royal Golf Club. This Club is the first golf course of international standards in Siam. It had been completed in 1924 and carved on over 240 acres of natural terrain. The course was designed by Arthur O Robins, who was a Scottish railroad engineer.

Maria Marie Retirement

A keen golfer at that time was also Oriental’s manager Maria Marie. She was the Siamese woman champion for a few years in a row. It looks like she wasn’t there only for golf. In 1928 she got divorced and married Arthur O Robins in London in 1932. Then after 22 years of managing the hotel, Maria decided to retire. Her son was planned as her predecessor, but after the death of his wife plans changed. After her son couldn’t take over, she put a couple, Lt Col and Mrs. Sylow, in charge.

Political Instability

On 24 June 1932, occurred the most important political change of that period. The country’s educated ruling class, calling themselves the People’s Party, staged a bloodless coup which finally brought to an end Siam’s days as an absolute monarchy. King Prajadhipok signed the nation’s first constitution in December that same year. Nationalism in the Kingdom was growing, the same as a friendship with Japan. In 1939, Siam’s name was officially changed to Thailand.

At the beginning of World War 2, the Marie-Robins’ family received news that the manager of the Oriental Hotel had been killed in a car accident. Maria and Arthur went to Bangkok and were lucky to be able to formally transfer the hotel’s lease and sell all equipment and stocks. As British subjects, and after the Thai declaration of war against Britain, they were taken to a camp in the Jungle. Later they managed to escape that place and return to Britain.

After WW2

The second Great War was at the doors. Japanese troops began to blockade French Indochina. Thailand signed a treaty of friendship with the Empire of the Rising Sun and officially joined the axis side. Japanese armed forces requisitioned the Oriental Hotel. The average occupancy was 25 guests per night. In February 1942, the Japanese International Tourism Bureau requested that Imperial, the most prestigious hotel in Tokyo, take over the management at Oriental Hotel. American forces regained their power in the Pacific and it became clear that American forces were heading for Okinawa and eventually for the Japanese mainland. On 14 December 1944, American aircraft bombed Rama VI Bridge across the Chao Phraya River in Bangkok. After the war, the hotel was requisitioned by the American armed forces. Interior was already in a bad shape at that time.

Correspondents and journalists used to sit on the terrace, drinking cold drinks and swapping the stories. Among them was also famous Colonel Jim Thompson.

Jim Thompson and Oriental Hotel

Jim Thompson was a close friend of Germaine Krull, a famous photographer. She reported the return of King Ananda Mahidol from his studies in Switzerland, took portraits of Jean Cocteau, Andre Malraux, and Einstein, she took photographs of de Gaulle and Churchill during the liberation of Paris. Jim one day proposed to Germaine a partnership and idea of taking over the Oriental Hotel.

Krull decided to team up with the Thompson to revive the hotel. Their partners were General Chai Prateepasen, HRH Prince Bhanu, Mr. Pote Sarasin, and Mr. John Wester. On 9 May 1947, the Bangkok newspaper Liberty reported about Madam Germaine Krull as a manager of the Oriental Hotel. Madam Krull was busy restoring life to this remarkable institution. There was a lot of work needed to revive this “Old Lady”. Just a few weeks after she had taken over, she opened a Bamboo Bar. Bamboo Bar became Bangkok’s most fashionable hangout. The menu in the Bamboo Bar was quite simple, but for that time very “advanced”. American sandwiches, hot dogs, hamburgers, and fried chickens were filling the guests, while live music established a nice atmosphere.

Thai Silk

Krull and Thompson didn’t agree over various things, one of them was architectural change and the reconstruction of a new wing. Because of that Thompson bailed out and sold his shares. Later he established his own silk company, which made Thai silk famous and brought him fame and wealth. To be honest, the Tower wing (the new wing, today is known as a Garden wing) is designed well. As we know Jim Thompson had a great taste for design and décor!

PART 2

I hope you enjoyed our article about Mandarin Oriental Bangkok History. Here is a link to Mandarin Oriental Bangkok Hotel History Part 2, where we checked about modern times.

Main Source is Andreas Augustin – The Most Famous Hotels in The World – The Oriental

[1] Placide de Sainte-Helene: Engraved by Claude Roussel, Published by Mille. Du Val, niesse de’l auteur 1686, Paris. In the Andreas Augustin – The Most Famous Hotels in The World – The Oriental, page 12.

[2] Andreas Augustin – The Most Famous Hotels in The World – The Oriental, page 22.

[3] Andreas Augustin – The Most Famous Hotels in The World – The Oriental, page 25.

[4] Andreas Augustin – The Most Famous Hotels in The World – The Oriental, page 33.

[5] Andreas Augustin – The Most Famous Hotels in The World – The Oriental, page 35.

[6] Andreas Augustin – The Most Famous Hotels in The World – The Oriental, page 45.

[7] Andreas Augustin – The Most Famous Hotels in The World – The Oriental, page 38.

[8] Andreas Augustin – The Most Famous Hotels in The World – The Oriental, page 49.

[9] Andreas Augustin – The Most Famous Hotels in The World – The Oriental, page 49.

[10]Andreas Augustin – The Most Famous Hotels in The World – The Oriental, page 43.

[11] https://archive.org/stream/appletonsmagazin04newy#page/58/mode/2up

[12] Andreas Augustin – The Most Famous Hotels in The World – The Oriental, page 43.

[13] Andreas Augustin – The Most Famous Hotels in The World – The Oriental, page 49.

[14] Andreas Augustin – The Most Famous Hotels in The World – The Oriental, page 78.

[15] Andreas Augustin – The Most Famous Hotels in The World – The Oriental, page 58.

[16] Andreas Augustin – The Most Famous Hotels in The World – The Oriental, page 67.

[17] Andreas Augustin – The Most Famous Hotels in The World – The Oriental, page 64.

[18] Andreas Augustin – The Most Famous Hotels in The World – The Oriental, page 78.

[19] Andreas Augustin – The Most Famous Hotels in The World – The Oriental, page 78.

[20] Andreas Augustin – The Most Famous Hotels in The World – The Oriental, page 100.

[21] Andreas Augustin – The Most Famous Hotels in The World – The Oriental, page 78.

[22] Andreas Augustin – The Most Famous Hotels in The World – The Oriental, page 78.

[23] Andreas Augustin – The Most Famous Hotels in The World – The Oriental, page 88.

The post Mandarin Oriental Bangkok History appeared first on Wild 'n' Free Diary.

Extraordinary desserts at the buffet kept an open question if the afternoon tea can relate to that. Here around KLCC, the high tea competition is intense. Especially with afternoon tea catered at nearby Four Seasons KL and High on Sugar afternoon tea buffet at neighboring Hyatt. Ou, and not to mention the unforgettable Japanese Nobu afternoon tea… So let’s check if Mandarin Oriental KL high tea can keep the pace with them in our extended review.

Mandarin Oriental KL Lounge on the Park Ambiance

Inside the Lounge on the Park is weak lighting for alluring feel, with classy Chinese furnishing. At the end of the lounge, you can see the jungle view which combines the best from the natural and urban worlds. In general, this makes it a perfect place for one of the best high tea in KL. Of course, one can stop just for a cuppa, and relax on the outside terrace where sadly food is not served.

TWG Loose Tea Selection

The tea enthusiasts will be delighted to know that at Mandarin Oriental KL high tea, there are 60 premium TWG teas on the tea menu. Apart from a comprehensive selection of invigorating teas I was happy to see Rooibos and a few other caffeine-free tea blends. I put my finger down for the Jasmine Pearls tea. It seems like I can’t get enough of this fragrant pair of Chinese green tea and jasmine blossoms. Especially I love its floral tenderness with green tea tartness and nice grassy finish.

High Tea Set

High tea treats are exhibited on a three-tier red-brown massive stand. By aside, I got a delicious scones condiments and here they are generous with them.

Scones

Both plain and raisin scones came to the table pleasantly heated with plenty of colorful spreads. First, I tried the lemon curd and loved its richness in texture and flavor as well. Then, another citrusy delicacy tempted me, this time in mandarin orange. The mandarin marmalade proved to be a right zesty switch and went well with the clotted cream.

Yet, I enjoyed the combination of strawberry jam and clotted cream even more. Just like jams were top notch so were the tasty scones with a firm crust.

High Tea Savories

The Mandarin Oriental KL high tea menu looked promising including all four sandwiches with a splash of extravagance. Even with delightful filling, I can’t go past the bland bread slices. In a word, the gravlax salmon suddenly loses the grandeur and sour lemon cream can’t fulfill the lifeless bread.

In general, the savory English tea time snacks at Mandarin Oriental KL high tea would be way better with fresh bread. Among all four I liked the grilled chicken with Cheddar cheese the most. Its dense filling connected the meaty flavors with mild cheese, allowing me to forget about the bread.

Sweets at Mandarin Oriental KL High Tea

Just as expected after our feast at the Mandarin Oriental Mosaic buffet, the desserts are the real star of this afternoon tea menu. To my excitement, the tea time cakes looked not only splendid but also tasted delicious. Leaning towards the traditional English tea cakes all the pieces were juicy with a sophisticated twist.

My Favorite

I started with a cherry cheesecake with delicious Amarena cherry on top. The decoration itself is a flavorful and tasty trend that continues with the moist cheesecake. The next treat I loved was the light carrot sponge cake with cheese frosting on top. I liked the firm texture of the cake and how well it worked with the topping.

Among the top grade sweets was also the delightful chocolate orange delice. To point out, this combination of light chocolate and orange juiciness truly got the better side of both ingredients.

You Might Also Like

Nobu Afternoon Tea Review

Hyatt Kuala Lumpur High Tea Buffet

Majestic KL, Orchids High Tea

Ritz Carlton KL Afternon Tea

Four Seasons KL Afternoon Tea Review

With a Magic Touch

Also, the remaining three pieces were more than adequate. The first one was a tart with strawberries from Cameron Highlands. Here, I must say something about the Cameron Highlands, the location itself is not to brag and strawberries from there are far cry from good ones. Even so, the chef brought the strawberries back to life with his experiences and infused it with absent essence.

As a result, the fresh strawberries tasted better than the ones from my grandmother’s garden. Speaking about childhood memories, the apple crumble cake also belongs to the revived zone. The only thing I would change is the sugar amount, that is; reduce it noticeably.

Conclusion

Ups and downs of the Mandarin Oriental KL high tea set left me with mixed feelings in the end. It started with an impressive visual image of the Lounge on the Park, including the sandwich stand. I also shouldn’t overlook the kind service and talented pianist making afternoon tea even more special. Regarding the afternoon tea sandwiches, I believe there is some room for improvement. Evidently, it starts with the bread, but also some amuse bouche wouldn’t hurt. If you need more inspiration for your next afternoon tea, check our Best High Tea in Kuala Lumpur (KL) article.

Mandarin Oriental KL High Tea Review Card

• 9.1/10
  ATMOSPHERE – 9.1/10
• 9.5/10
  SERVICE – 9.5/10
• 10/10
  TEA SELECTION – 10/10
• 9.5/10
  PRESENTATION – 9.5/10
• 8.7/10
  BITES – 8.7/10
• 7/10
  VALUE – 7/10

Price and Location

Afternoon tea set for one person is settled at 36 USD, which makes it one of the priciest here in Kuala Lumpur. Anyway, if you add 12 USD to that you will get also a glass of champagne and indulge these treats with style. Here is a link to the location in a case you don’t know, where Mandarin Oriental Kuala Lumpur is.

The post Mandarin Oriental KL High Tea Review appeared first on Wild 'n' Free Diary.

It’s always exciting to see hotel renovations. After all, this is the only way to keep business flourishing and offer patrons only the best. On the same token, this is also a great indicator of how’s the business going. Proper maintenance is always a good sign! I only hope there will also be a renovation or more likely construction of the breakfast area. As you know, we criticized the current breakfast area in our review. Well, if you ask me, a tent doesn’t have a place when it comes to a 5-star luxury hotel. And when it comes to a heritage hotel like Mandarin Oriental Bangkok Hotel… nope.

Anyway, I’m a dreamer, and this renovation of the Mandarin Oriental Bangkok Hotel gave me some ideas. I was thinking about it, I was thinking about what should I change at this beautiful heritage hotel, to please my demanding taste. So here is my “fantasy plan” for Mandarin Oriental Bangkok Hotel Renovation 2019.

My Utopian Plan

The big advantage of the Mandarin Oriental Bangkok Hotel is a location. From one side you always have a busy Chao Phraya river and on the other, the peacefulness of the dead-end street. What’s great with that is that you don’t have a feeling of being in a chaotic city, such as Bangkok. The pace at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel is slowed down and it will overtake you easily. The only downside is the lack of some park benches and a bit more green area near the river. Their restaurant terraces take a lot of space and a valuable place for relaxation is lost. At least I think so.

Victorian Glasshouse

So, I made smaller terraces of the Veranda restaurant area and added some plants. This area is now much greener and by the river, you can sit and enjoy your retreat. All the terraces are greener, lusher and connected with the centerpiece – Victorian glasshouse. My vision is something similar to New Yorks’ Enid A. Haupt Conservatory, which is located on the grounds of the New York Botanical Garden. I can imagine white construction with huge transparent photovoltaic glass panels. Important to realize is that this glass is providing 50 percent of all electricity for the Mandarin Oriental Bangkok Hotel.

Everyone who is floating down the river witness this majestic view. Through the windows, you can see huge trees and a lot of greenery between nice table settings. As a result, the hideous Peninsula Hotel on the other side is looking even more jealous now than ever before, hehe. Patrons of the Mandarin Oriental Hotel have their buffet inside a Victorian glasshouse in the center of the botanical garden. This is truly one unique hotel experience. In detail, this Victorian-style glasshouse is composed of two parts – the main dome and the longhouse.

The centerpiece of the main dome is a green pillar in the middle and a nice round concrete bar around it. This bar is serving as a live station for breakfasts and also as a buffet area. All around the dome, there are nice table settings surrounded by luscious greenery. Guests here start the day in the modern jungle with top quality breakfast.

A lot Of Plants

A network of green plants indicates modern times with contemporary interior design. There are concrete floors, white iron tables, and impeccable Mandarin Oriental service. Can you imagine it? Add to the image the vines and tropical flowers here and there hanging from the ceiling. Pleasant sunlight is coming from the dome sky and hidden speakers are playing nature sounds with chill-out music in the background. The temperature here is about 22°C throughout the year. The Oriental Hotel is using for the central cooling system, the Chao Phraya River. With this system, it is possible to save tons of energy and cooling air is more efficient.

However, all this greenery doesn’t serve only as a decoration. Inside the dome, there is also a lot of pots with herbs. It’s not a rare sight to see a chef chopping off some of them to prepare your favorite dish. Simply amazing, right?

The second part of this first Bangkok’s Victorian glasshouse is a longhouse with a beautiful promenade and table setting near the windows. The jungle stretches all the way to the side windows. Guests might be tempting to open them, but the air in the dome is way better inside thanks to the air-purifying plants. This longhouse can be easily rearranged into a bigger dining room for about 120 people, which is perfect for weddings. As a result, it’s hard to decide where to have a wedding, Author’s Lounge or this fairytale glasshouse. I’m sure the Mandarin Oriental Bangkok Hotel is capable of pleasing two brides at the same time.

Just like that, we have another landmark in Bangkok – Mandarin Oriental Bangkok Victorian Glasshouse. With this novelty, this hotel is undoubtedly the best hotel in the world with the most spectacular breakfast experience. You are dining in the middle of the rainforest when one of the best rooms is waiting for you – priceless. From now on, Le Normandie is not their only Michelin star restaurant. The GlassHouse with their Note by Note cuisine is inspiring with their 30-course degustation menu as well. Yes, I dare to dream big!

Now, don’t roll your eyes and complain about how I dare to have personal plans for this legendary hotel and dream with me. It’s much more fun when we dream together.

The post Mandarin Oriental Bangkok Hotel Renovation Plan appeared first on Wild 'n' Free Diary.

And yes, we were lucky enough for a glimpse of the beloved Thai princess. Now, we consider ourselves a part of this hotel’s history as well. Joke aside, here is our Mandarin Oriental Bangkok review.

Atmosphere

Can there be more Thai-inspired hotel arrival than by a long tail boat? I don’t think so, and as soon as we arrived we felt relieved. Mandarin Oriental Bangkok Hotel stands on lavish location along the Chao Phraya River. Due to the waterfront, our ears soon recovered from the loud street sounds while our site continued to be blessed by this historical building. For heritage hotel lovers like us, what can be better?

First Impression

O my God, this must be the most glorious lobby we have ever seen! Decoration made of countless small flowers, several bottle gardens, a fountain and plenty of daylight coming through the immaculate glass wall. Not to mention the live performance of house classical trio playing the soft tunes. Let’s just say that at Mandarin Oriental Bangkok you can expect some cinematic arrival.

Check-in here is very brief. After we showed our reservation at the concierge, we were promptly taken to the room. All the rest was done there and that was it. No need for stepping around the concierge table!

Huge Minus

Mandarin Oriental Bangkok review has also some flaws. However, there were two things off the course. The first one is the enormous white hideous tent, underneath which is the buffet breakfast. A tent has no room at a luxury heritage hotel like this one! The second one concerns the expansion dating years back. In my humble opinion, the design of the Garden Wing or the River Wing is not compatible with old heritage wing or as they call it now “Authors’ Wing.”

I totally understand Jim Thompson, who resigned from Oriental Hotel concerning exactly this expansion. Keeping up with a stylish appearance while developing can be challenging, but it can be done with more grace. When I say this, I think of the extension of the E&O or the Majestic Kuala Lumpur for example. Although in March 2019, Mandarin Oriental Bangkok will renovate River Wing and I hope they will solve the tent situation for good. We did our utopian design for the Mandarin Oriental Hotel’s park area near the river.

We Stayed at the Garden Wing

Of course, we did. It is the closest to the original building, despite the renovation. Overhaul in 2015 took care of all the needs the modern guests might have. Also, they reconstructed the Authors’ Wing with its famous Authors’ Lounge as well. No surprise why this lounge is one of the most photographed places here in Bangkok. It is picture perfect! Naturally, we took advantage of that while we had our famous Authors’ Lounge afternoon tea there.

Here, we should also compliment sophisticated gift shops, which are placed in an area before the River Wing’s elevator. Shops are neat with excellent window displays and exquisite offers. We also found some cool artworks on the sale and our beloved Jim Thompson clothing shop.

Our Room

We stayed at the elegant Garden Room, which is a stylish fusion of colonial design with chic contemporary touches. The Garden Room has a split-level layout with plenty of daylight and a personal butler. The layout gives you rather a feeling of a suite than a room. Clever!

All interior is breath-taking and radiates classy homely feel, with a smartly placed electronics installations. In the same fashion, the room also has a small kitchenette, where you can prepare a cocktail by yourself or make some coffee or tea.

Neat as a Pin

Vivi’s sharp eye inspected the cleanliness and confirmed 10/10. After all, the Mandarin Oriental Bangkok review can’t be done without this. Joke aside, the room indeed is spotless and so cozy that we didn’t want to leave it. Windows are super cleaned and floors don’t have any stains. With all this in mind, we even had an urge to order breakfast in the room, which is more pleasing than the tent.

On the negative side, the Garden room doesn’t have a bath though. There is a spacious walk-in shower, which works like a charm. In detail, glamorous marble and clean look make this bathroom naturally neat and classy.

Facilities and Amenities

It is easy to see why Mandarin Oriental Bangkok is one of the best hotels in the world. All room appliances are high-end and TV system here is excellent. To clarify, Harman Kardon sound system with widescreen and their media hub is the best multimedia offer we have seen in luxury hotels so far. This hub is full of blockbusters and up to date movies of all kinds. Maybe we should be ashamed to watch TV in a hotel like this, but we did. It was the Murder on the Orient Express and we regret nothing.

In the bathroom, we got extensive toiletries by their exclusive line of eco-friendly hair and body care line. They are scented with lemongrass essential oil, which soothes and invigorates at the same time. Besides that, the lemongrass is also deeply connected to the Thai people and their cuisine.

Facilities on the Both Sides

This five-star hotel also reaches to the opposite side of the Chao Phraya River. There you can find an outstanding gym with state of the art appliances and kickboxing area. The gym also has Jacuzzi, steam room and sauna where Vivi chilled after yoga. On this side of the river, both of us relaxed under the hands of the professional masseuse as well. In short, all I can say is that this massage changed my life. Here, you can read our Mandarin Oriental Bangkok Spa Review, to see what I mean.

On the same side as The Mandarin Oriental Spa is also the Sala Rim Naam, a Thai restaurant. Here they serve the traditional Thai cuisine along with the live performances of traditional Thai dancing. If you’d rather learn to cook delicious Thai dishes than look no further. On this side, you will also find the cooking class, where you might learn how to cook some of the Thai classics. All in all, the most overwhelming part is crossing a river in the petite teakwood shuttle boat. The skillful captain is very friendly and after a few rides, you’ll have a new local friend.

Of course, the hotel also offers two swimming pools. One is on the ground floor near the garden, while the other is part of the River Tower. We like the complimentary fruit and refreshment at the pool for a quick energy boost after an afternoon swim.

Activities

When it comes to activities, the Mandarin Oriental Bangkok Hotel surely knows how to please its patrons. Why do I say this? Because this is the best activities offered in hotels, we have come across so far. You can join yoga asanas & meditation, flow yoga, meditative yoga, the spirit of breath & meditation, Zumba dance, Pilates, Tabata training, core training, and even Thai boxing. To point out, this diverse offer is complimentary for all Mandarin Oriental Bangkok Hotel guests.

After recreation, you might visit their award-winning Mandarin Oriental Bangkok spa for an unforgettable treatment. Then again, if you are a foodie like us check their renowned Oriental Thai cooking school and learn how to prepare some of the Thai classics. Talking about food, at the Mandarin Oriental Bangkok hotel, the food is ambrosial.

Food

Mandarin Oriental Bangkok is known for its excellent kitchen skills, no matter where you eat. To this day we still have the Mandarin Oriental Mosaic buffet from Kuala Lumpur in our minds. Luckily there is still a lot of room in our minds, hearts, and bellies for future experiences. The Mandarin Oriental Hotel Bangkok pleased our taste buds every time. Uh, where should I start?

The Breakfast

Ok, let’s start with their breakfast by the river. The location is very nice, but the ambient is in desperate need for improvement. Like I said before, a tent has no room in a luxury five-star hotel! However, the service and quality of the food aren’t deprived at all. The breakfast at the Mandarin Oriental Bangkok is neatly presented with high-quality food.

There is a rich offer for a healthy and satisfying breakfast with house yogurt and chia almond milk pudding. Anyway, we are suckers for bread, and when we saw the sourdough, multigrain and soda loaf among other bread types, we knew we’d have a few slices next to some eggs. By the way, the a la carte egg menu has few signatures besides the selection of the classic eggs. Have I mentioned the free flow of sparkling wine? It goes perfectly with the cheese and cold cuts and so much more. Overall, breakfast is excellent here at Mandarin Oriental Bangkok.

Author’s Lounge

Then there is their proud and joy the Authors’ Lounge in the middle of the original part of this heritage hotel. Like all the restaurants at the Mandarin Oriental Bangkok also the Authors’ Lounge is open for everyone. There you can enjoy one of the best afternoon teas in Bangkok. This place is also a well-known wedding place with the ambient gracefully complimenting the bride.

Le Normandie Bangkok – French Cuisine

Garden wing has a beautiful view over the garden and eternally active river. On the top floor is situated the legendary two-Michelin stars awarded – Le Normandie Bangkok restaurant. Actually, it is one of the finest dining options in Bangkok following the contemporary French cuisine.

There is no way you can skip a lunch here at Le Normandie Bangkok when your room is only a few stories below. Well, not only that, since you are sleeping under the same roof you can enjoy a glass of wine more. By a glass, I mean a bottle.

The Verandah

As a matter of fact, we had a quick lunch at their Verandah restaurant as well. In this eatery, you can choose from a wide variety of Asian and Western dishes. My choice was all times Thai classic – Tom Yum while Vivi had the Pad Thai. We can say we have become experts for these two dishes and our expectations here are hard to please.

Notably, Tom Yum was adjusted for sensitive foreign guests, but it was still delicious. It is an excellent choice for people who want to try the renowned Thai intense flavors but can’t handle the heat. Because I’m already used to the Thai spiciness, I missed more of that punchy kaffir lime and a bit more chili thrill.

On the other hand, Pad Thai was perfect, sweet and spicy with tasty noodles. Also, the condiments were all there, and the presentation was excellent as well. Service was impeccable and the overall feeling was delightful. A nice everyday restaurant, which every hotel should have.

Bamboo Bar

The Mandarin Oriental Bangkok Hotel also offers Contemporary Italian cuisine in their Ciao Terrazza, contemporary Cantonese food at The China House, Seafood at Lord Jim’s, Riverside terrace and mentioned before, Thai cuisine at Sala Rim Naam. We haven’t tried these options, but we made it to the famous Bamboo Bar a few times. Artisanal cocktails here will please every cocktail lover while live jazz performance makes a great atmosphere.

Service at Mandarin Oriental Bangkok

Mandarin Oriental Bangkok Hotel has one of the highest staff to guestroom ratios in the hotel industry – every guestroom has three staff members. Our experience regarding the house staff is nothing but perfect. The room was spotless at all times, and the same applies to the common area. You will never sit without anyone noticing you and it is not rare someone will call you by your name. Yes, you read it right. If you share a name with a staff member, he/she will remember it and friendly greet you next time you see each other.

There are so many factors that contributed to our exceptional feel during our stay in this luxury hotel. Special recognition goes to all waiter staff, a concierge desk, creative florist and hearty director of public relations – Ms. Karn Puntuhong. She knew we will be in their hotel and took her time to show us around and explain how their hotel works. We were fortunate to see also new exclusive suits in the Author’s wing.

Ambassador Suite and Royal Suite

These two enormous suites are decorated in elegant colonial-inspired style and provide the highest standards in hospitality. Grand Royal Suite has 600 square meters with six bedrooms, a private gym, a private dining room, a private elevator and so much more. Even a special surveillance room for guards. Celebrities are frequent guests here at Mandarin Oriental Bangkok Hotel, and it looks like it will stay this way.

Critique

As I already mentioned, the modern Garden and River wing outside look don’t go well with the Grand Le Dame. Architecture leaning more towards a colonial look would be a better pair. But this is only a matter of taste. More concerned we are about the tent by the river, where you have your breakfast or one of the buffets. It looks like a fast temporary solution and I hope they might do something about it in the near future. After all, in the 5-star hotel, we didn’t expect this, for sure.

Common Area

A disadvantage in Mandarin Oriental Bangkok Hotel is the lack of open common area. OK, there is the swimming pool area and lounge area. If there would be some benches for us – romantic getaway lovers that would be awesome. One day we will write an article about hotel parks and their importance in modern cities where it is impossible to walk carefree, let alone sit in peace. Then you will understand better what I am talking about.

Conclusion

Mandarin Oriental Bangkok Review will be forever in our hearts. It was an experience we will never forget. For the first time, we experienced a flawless service and we are happy to see an ongoing success story concerning the legendary hotel like Mandarin Oriental Bangkok Hotel. This for sure is a hotel you need to visit before the world ends. Anyway, our experience is absolutely subjective, that is why we encourage you to see it for yourself.

Mandarin Oriental Bangkok Review Card

• 9.2/10
  ATMOSPHERE – 9.2/10
• 10/10
  CLEANLINESS – 10/10
• 9.3/10
  ROOM – 9.3/10
• 9.3/10
  FACILITIES AND AMENITIES – 9.3/10
• 9.7/10
  FOOD AND BEVERAGE – 9.7/10
• 10/10
  SERVICE – 10/10
• 8.2/10
  VALUE – 8.2/10

Price and Location

Mandarin Oriental Bangkok address is 48 Oriental Ave, Khwaeng Bang Rak, Khet Bang Rak, Krung Thep Maha Nakhon 10500, Thailand and here is a link to the location for easy navigation. Price of the room the same as ours with breakfast for two is about 1100 USD per night.

But What About the Dress Code?

Mandarin Oriental Bangkok hotel has a strict dress code policy. Yes, also in the common area. “It’s tropics, it’s hot, I want to be relaxed…” In our opinion, the dress code for the guests is a way to pay respect to the heritage. Or in other words who doesn’t like an excuse to dress up and look stunning?

Disclaimer: Mandarin Oriental Bangkok Hotel Review is written on our experience in the Mandarin Oriental Bangkok Hotel and it wasn’t sponsored or paid in any way.

The post Mandarin Oriental Bangkok – Review of Hotel appeared first on Wild 'n' Free Diary.

We’ve seen quite a fair deal of it and frankly, we were tired. Walking in the heat all day with backpacks on had taken a  toll on us, so we were very excited about our upcoming massage therapy. Here is our review of the Mandarin Oriental Bangkok Spa based on our experience there.

Arrival to Mandarin Oriental Bangkok Spa

After a smooth landing by the Rim Naam terrace, we walked past the talking bird. This Myna bird greeted me and she scored the Thai greeting “Sawadee kha” (“kha” is for ladies, while “krub” is for men) so impressive! Worth stopping for was also the restored century-old teakwood house. In it, the privacy is guaranteed with more than a dozen private suites, all part of the Mandarin Oriental Bangkok Spa.

The first thing we did after stepping into the Mandarin Oriental Bangkok Spa was exchanging our shoes for comfortable slippers. After that, we were seated for a quick refreshment. First, we chilled down with iced eucalyptus-scented towels. From there, we went through their questionnaire while sipping on to roselle tea.

On this form, we wrote down our wishes including a few health-related issues and marked the desired pressure intensity. On top of Ian’s wish list was the painful shoulder which intensified recently. The backpack is most definitely not helping, I tell you that.

The Ambiance of Mandarin Oriental Spa

The Mandarin Oriental Bangkok Spa is situated inside the restored teak wood house which is furnished in a modest Thai style. As an illustration, everything there is in dominance by a warm honey brown color and simplicity. The meaningful decor is silently encouraging visitors to focus on themselves. In the spirit of being efficient with our time, we were guided to the massage room soon after the consultation.

There we had enough time to get ready for our couple’s therapy at the best luxury spa in Bangkok. That is a hard-earned title that does justice to the kind and professional staff.

Offer at Mandarin Oriental Bangkok Spa

The practice of the Mandarin Oriental Bangkok Spa is based on traditional Thai medicine for gaining and maintaining good health. Its indigenous practice is centuries old and consists of knowledge based on herbs, massage and meditation. To put it another way, the health benefits of the old school wisdom helped numerous people and, in my opinion, those are very pleasant practices.

Here at Mandarin Oriental Bangkok Spa, they think of everything that visitors might need and they are up to date with the time ritual for stressed individuals. The offer of therapies is diverse, from a detoxifying journey and body treatments to body wraps, massages, Ayurvedic practices, and water-based procedures. To reach perfect harmony, one can also add extras to the already chosen treatment.

For less time-consuming treatments, facials using QMS Mediocosmetics, mani-pedis by Bastien Gonzales and waxing are available at the spa studio in the Garden Wing of the Mandarin Oriental Bangkok hotel.

Our Treatment

If you’re on a romantic getaway, like us, then the offer of massages for couples at the Mandarin Oriental will amaze you. The fact that our individual needs were met by different treatments made our experience even more enjoyable. Ian got a bit more of a sporty massage – the Muay Thai Massage, whereas I tried their signature Oriental Massage.

Both massages were performed on a traditional floor mattress with the use of essential oils. Before we started, we quickly used the spacious shower in the room, which is also a steam room big enough for both of us. The massage room is intimate with a laid-back atmosphere and a warm wooden interior.

Muay Thai Massage

Ian went for the Muay Thai massage which is a strong and intense massage. It includes the use of elbows and knees, even some punching, to provide deep muscle stimulation. Ian’s ticklish nature made this type of massage an excellent choice for him. The massage therapist was highly skilled and once he started focusing on Ian’s shoulder, something magical happened.

Surprisingly, something changed in the shoulder joint and his tension was immediately relieved. Before finishing, the therapist showed Ian a few stretches to practice a few times a day, especially in the following week. He also explained to Ian why the pain would grow stronger in the next few days, but after a week it should go away.

I’m writing this spa review after three months and still no sign of any pain. That, my dear friends, is the difference between a  passionate professional who knows what he is doing and the people who offer massages just for the sake of income.

Oriental Signature Treatment

I went for the Oriental Signature Treatment as a part of our Mandarin Oriental Spa package. The signature massage is a combination of Thai massage and European sliding strokes. I must say that the acupressure movements and stretches were very soothing. My dry skin was also happy that the therapist dosed the concentrated blend of essential oils just right.

The way she controlled each move and sensed which areas needed really made me trust her. That is important, especially with Thai stretches. My blissful experience ended with in house made herbal compress full of fresh Thai herbs. After our 90-minute couple’s massage, we were ready to go to sleep – good thing they have a nice relaxation room, where you can prolong your zen moment for a little while longer.

Relaxation Lounge

The Mandarin Oriental Bangkok Spa has a relaxation lounge, which is a special place where guests can rest after their treatment.  A relaxation lounge is a quiet place, where we quenched our thirst with roselle, ginger and lemongrass tea. Besides tea and water, there were also healthy snacks – yogurt with fresh fruit. All that healthy treats energized us quickly but we were still very well relaxed.

Conclusion

The treatment we had was certainly more than just an ordinary massage. It was more like therapy for our sore muscles that desperately needed some attention. I loved how my massage therapist occasionally lifted a muscle tissue and gave it extra attention. There was definitely no sign of a tired practitioner with the steady pressure she applied all the way to the end of the massage.

Before we left, we got a list of exercises and roselle tea as a goodbye gift –  that I think is a nice way to encourage someone to take better care of themselves.

A massage paradise-like Bangkok has numerous spa options within a vast price range. Yes, Mandarin Oriental Bangkok Spa is in the luxury class, however, with their amazing professional service, the price is justified, and righteously so! The massage therapist has a deep knowledge and through practice, he gave Ian the greatest gift that he will appreciate forever. You can’t put a price on that! Or can you? 🙂

Mandarin Oriental Bangkok Spa Review Card

• 9.2/10
  ATMOSPHERE – 9.2/10
• 10/10
  OFFER – 10/10
• 10/10
  MASSAGE – 10/10
• 9.2/10
  RELAXATION ROOM – 9.2/10
• 9.0/10
  VALUE – 9.0/10

Price of Massage at Mandarin Oriental Bangkok Spa and Location

Our massages here at Oriental wellness were 360 USD. 120 USD for 90 minutes Muay Thai massage and 140 USD for 90 minutes of the Oriental Signature Treatment. Here is a link to a location in case you don’t know where to find Mandarin Oriental Hotel Bangkok.

The post Mandarin Oriental Bangkok Spa – Luxury Retreat appeared first on Wild 'n' Free Diary.

One of the Best Bars in Bangkok

The Bamboo Bar is legendary here in Bangkok. Not only that, it’s famous in all of South East Asia actually. After all, it is ranked the number 9 bar in Asia by the Asia’s Best Bars 2018 list. It not only has great drinks, impeccable service and a great ambiance, but this place has one more great detail: it is a daily base for great jazz performers. The Bamboo Bar is special and that is no coincidence. To understand why, here is our review of The Bamboo Bar, based on our experience.

The Ambience

The well-executed renovation of The Bamboo Bar in 2015 brought to life some features of the original Oriental Hotel dating back from the 50s. The whole place is made of shiny dark wood paired with marble, rattan, and leather. The mirrors on the ceiling provide additional depth and the dimmed lights create intimacy. When you add to this a cold artisan cocktail and jazz beats in the background, it makes for an amazing experience.

The Bamboo Bar Menu

Patrons can find on the menu an extended list of drinks, from all over the world, including a list of single malt whiskeys, wines and classic cocktails. The offer gets much more exciting on the next page where gin lovers can get creative by choosing their gin, favorite tonic and garnish of choice. Our attention was caught on a list of special cocktails and when the bartender saw our interest, he offered us the house specialties. We truly like the idea of the special cocktails menu.

This so-called The Bamboo Bar Compass instantly handed over the image of Thailand, representing the five regions of the country with their own uniqueness. The signature drinks are divided by region and through them, mixologists celebrate all aspects of each region. Every region has special ingredients and its own character.

The Cocktails @ The Bamboo Bar

After an unforgettable dinner at Le Normandie is the best option to head to the ground floor for an exclusive cocktail. The choice of drinks here is extended though.  However, for me, the choice was easy: without a second glimpse, I went for the Street Artist. The street art from Penang is still fresh, so why not have a proper toast on this topic! The inspiration for my cocktail came from Chon Bury, eastern Thailand and it’s is made of Mekhong, Thai tea, coconut, and cardamom.

Mekhong is Thailand’s first domestically produced branded golden spirit also known as “The Spirit of Thailand”. It can be categorized as a rum made of 95% sugar cane molasses and 5% rice. This distilled spirit is later blended with indigenous herbs and spices to produce its aroma and taste.

Artisan Cocktails

The description of the Street Artist cocktail sounds simple, but there is more to it. The Thai tea liquor is special on its own, yet along with the fermented coconut, which is an in-house creation, it still stands out. For an artistic touch, the barista used balsamic vinegar paint, which left a nice mark and dissolved in time. By mixing all the flavors, this summer cocktail surpassed my expectations. The kick of the alcohol was subtle, the acidity went great with the coconut and the Thai tea gave sweetness and dash of freshness to this drink.

Mocktail for Vivi

Vivi like always had trouble with deciding. The bartender noticed her desperate running from one side of the menu to another and offered to help. He gave her a taste of a special ingredient from the Plantation mocktail – banana juice. They make this juice themselves by cooking and centrifuging bananas. After this tasting, there was no doubt, the sweet banana showed her the way to the Plantation.

This mocktail is inspired by outstanding Thai fruits and agriculture. Besides banana juice, it’s made of mango soda, lime juice, cinnamon, and coconut flower nectar. The intense sweet but fruity taste with the warmth of cinnamon kept evolving while the ice melted. She loved the difference between the first the last sip. The banana leaf that was wrapped around the glass kept the mocktail in the style of the plantation.

Round Two

Staying at the Mandarin Oriental Bangkok Hotel so close to The Bamboo Bar makes it impossible not to visit it – not to mention the live jazz performance, which goes on every day after 9 pm. The Bamboo Bar Bangkok live music is so uplifting that you won’t want to leave the bar. To take care of our health and to try not to promote too much alcohol here on our page, we decided to try out two more mocktails. After all, mocktails are trendy and when it comes to creations like these here at The Bamboo Bar, you’re not missing out on anything.

To see the change in the character I stayed on the East with Talad Nam, from Bangkhla. Made from dragon fruit, papaya and passion fruit, it wasn’t as fruity as I would have expected. This was mainly because of the basil used in the drink’s confection,  which created refreshing flavors that I couldn’t get enough of. A tropical sensation with a well-balanced spiciness.

The home run for both of us was the Five-Spice mocktail from the Central region, inspired by Bangkok’s Chinatown. Served in a small teapot, it is a master blend of Earl Grey tea, apple juice, tamarind paste and five-spice syrup, which we remembered from our cocktail back in Singapore. The familiar taste of the tea was present at the back, but the intensity of flavors surprised at every sip. Absolutely delicious!

Conclusion

We have a hunch that The Bamboo Bar is the best jazz bar in Bangkok. Jazz music with dimmed ambiance and extremely nice service are only the tip of the iceberg. Here we got to travel around the country without leaving our seats. It was a liquid journey for sure, and there was no need for getting tipsy to embrace the sensations of each region. Mocktails are treated seriously and so are the cocktails. Besides the drinks, we also loved the tribute to nature in the form of beautiful paper straws and all-natural ingredients.

We must also compliment The Bamboo Bar for their dress code. It truly is nice to see well-dressed guests in a great bar like this. It’s responsible drinking at the highest level: to put it differently, alcohol is only optional, but pleasure is guaranteed. As shown above Mandarin Oriental Bangkok high tea can be completed with one cocktail in this outstanding bar. If you are a jazz bar lover, we reviewed another great bar here in Bangkok – The Woodshed Bar.

The Bamboo Bar Review Card

• 9.1/10
  ATMOSPHERE – 9.1/10
• 9.8/10
  SERVICE – 9.8/10
• 9.5/10
  DRINK SELECTION – 9.5/10
• 9/10
  PRESENTATION – 9/10
• 9.6/10
  OUR DRINKS – 9.6/10
• 9.6/10
  VALUE – 9.6/10

Price and Location

Drink prices at The Bamboo Bar are pretty much low. For a mocktail, you will pay about 7,5 USD and for a cocktail 13 USD. For a 5-star luxury hotel, this is a great value. However, if you don’t know where is the legendary Mandarin Oriental Hotel Bangkok, here is a link to the location.

The post The Bamboo Bar Bangkok – Review of the Jazz Bar appeared first on Wild 'n' Free Diary.

Ambiance

When we entered the bright Authors’ Lounge, it took our breath away. You could say that it took our hearing away as well, because the receptionist had to ask us twice if we had a reservation. We were busy looking at the airy place with colonial feel where every detail has its purpose.

For example, the striking staircase serves as a stage for the guitarist, who performed beautifully in this acoustic lounge. The bamboo pattern matches more than just the teapot and the teacups, as there was a large bamboo plant growing in the corners. Actually, all the tableware matched, except for the centerpiece, which was the Authors’ Lounge afternoon tea set. Everything looks so fresh here, and there is a reason. In 2015, they restored the wing where the Authors’ Lounge.

Tea Selection

At the Authors’ Lounge afternoon tea Bangkok, they serve prestigious TWG teas. Ian’s choice was the TWG Royal Darjeeling, a black tea that is also known as the king of India teas. The fragrance of the dried fruit worked as an invitation to keep on sipping, to taste the overtones of ripe apricots with a just a hint of bitterness.

My Tea Choice

My choice for this luscious Authors’ Lounge afternoon tea was the TWG 1837 Black tea. The pleasant cherry aroma evolved in the complex flavors of berries and vanilla. There was even a taste of cinnamon and rum with the lingering caramel and berry aftertaste.

At the Mandarin Oriental Bangkok Hotel, the service is impeccable and the awareness of the guest’s individual preferences is always on the staff’s mind. We say this because for the first time in South East Asia, we were asked if we preferred milk or lemon slice with our tea.

Afternoon Tea Sets

Here at the Authors’ Lounge, you can choose among three versions of afternoon tea sets. The afternoon tea menu ranges from Western, vegetarian and Oriental; we opted for the last one. This afternoon tea set came in the three identical bowls with a golden pattern and shiny handles. It is certainly one of the most beautiful sets we’ve seen so far. A nice place, sophisticated tableware and a promising menu – everything complemented one another.

Tea Sorbet

In the tropics, hot and cold always work well together and there’s no way we would ever say no to the ‘La Grande Dame’ tea sorbet with mandarin and bergamot. The Mariage brothers made a special blend of green tea, citrus and oriental rose named ‘La Grande Dame’ for the 140th anniversary of the Mandarin Oriental Bangkok Hotel. Each ingredient added its share to the sorbet.

Clementine and mandarin contributed sweetness, while yuzu added some citrusy bitterness and bergamot the floral tones. We loved the complex taste of the sorbet and the creamy texture that could always make us mistake this for ice cream.

Scones

After the exquisite sorbet, we focused our attention on the traditional scones and Thai mango mooncake. We liked the texture of the scones, which didn’t fall apart and made it easy for us to apply homemade jam on top – the very tasty jam with proper clotted cream, to be exact.

The luscious clotted cream is a far cry from whipped cream. Sadly, the easily accessible whipped cream is much more commonly used for the afternoon tea, but clotted cream is well worth the struggle. The scones were delicious and so were the house-made jams. Amazingly aromatic rose petal jam and warming mango jam with ginger. Naturally, we ate everything before the mooncake came into play, which tasted similar to custard with a compact texture.

Savories @ Authors’ Lounge Afternoon Tea

The savories were presented in nine different bites and neatly put on top of a banana leaf. We started with the tasty flower shaped steamed Thai dumpling, which had the crunchy peanut inside. This delicate dumpling was tasty, nicely steamed with a great texture. However, we loved the crisp fresh Vietnamese spring roll even more.

It was seasoned with mint and coriander and paired with a sweet dip. The spring roll was the complete opposite from the mild Thai curry puff. The sweet and juicy filling of the puff soaked the dough a little, but it was still an enjoyable bite.

Thai Trio

A crunchy balance was established in the next snack: the fried vermicelli in a pastry cup with sweet-sour-spicy seasoning. This classic Thai trio went extremely well with this vermicelli crispy bite. The renowned Thai seasoning was also present in the wing bean salad. The main components of this salad were the chicken and prawns. All the protein was perfectly seasoned and placed on top of the betel leaves. A nice refreshing salad for the tropical climate!

What an exciting start of this delicious Authors’ Lounge afternoon tea, right? Our next meaty bite was roasted chicken wrapped in a pandan leaf, which kept the chicken moist and served as a seasoning. The minced chicken with black olive got a refreshing note thanks to the kaffir lime. It went well with a slice of fresh bread, which to our surprise was not too spicy, despite the red chili.

Amazingly Well Prepared

The last chicken bite was settled in the crispy pastry shell with corn on top. It looked simple, but it was very well performed. For an easier transition to the sweets, we had the crabmeat sandwich with lemongrass and chili. Definitely, the lavish filling made us happy with refreshing flavors that shined through the tender wrap. In addition, the lemongrass was there to support the crabmeat and allowed it to be the king of this sandwich.

Sweets @ Authors’ Lounge Afternoon Tea

After the appealing savories, we dug straight into the sweets, starting with the steamed pumpkin custard. We are more used to the French style desserts and the steamed pumpkin custard felt more like paté than the dessert. Surely, we can’t say the same for the mango tartlet with vanilla cream.

It was a very gratifying bite with crunchy dough underneath the vanilla cream and scoops of juicy mango on top. The same goes for the sweet coconut pudding wrapped in banana leaf, despite being a little salty. The pudding with coconut stripes really let the coconut shine in its delicate glory.

Traditional Thai Desserts

Another traditional Thai dessert, the Foi Foi Thong, was elegantly wrapped in leaf basket. The egg yolk was very sweet and strongly infused with jasmine aroma. Usually, I am not fond of eggy desserts, but this really didn’t taste like an egg. The assorted Thai marzipan – or Luk Chup – looked so lovely. However, it’s not surprising to guess the meaning of this word. It means exactly what it is: lovely.

It has a coat of vibrantly colored jelly that looks like a polished inedible decoration. The look was deceiving and underneath the coating, we got the sweet mung bean paste with coconut milk. It had a mushy texture with a hint of jasmine and a slightly smoky aroma. Definitely, a perfect fit for a king, so no wonder that it used to be the exclusive treat after a royal meal. Once, it was enjoyed only inside the walls of the Siam Palace and to this day, the Luk Chup is a delicacy eaten mostly on special occasions.

We finished one of the best afternoon tea in Bangkok with Royal Thai orchid tea praline. The brilliant mousse melted away easily and left the mouth full of floral chocolate. Normally, the splendid chocolate was the queen, but in this bite, there was a sophisticated addition, the orchid.

Conclusion

The Authors’ Lounge high tea is on the top of our favorite high tea list. However, this is one of the famous high tea in Bangkok and we can see why. The photogenic place truly is the most beautiful ambient in Bangkok and it’s no wonder this lounge is one of the most photographed sites in Bangkok.

The service is impeccable, which is reflected throughout the entire Mandarin Oriental Bangkok Hotel. Authors’ Lounge afternoon tea, in general, was a nice experience and it will be forever in our hearts. To be honest, not only lounge but also this Luxury hotel with its Bamboo Bar and outstanding Le Normandie , where we had an unforgettable dining experience!

Room for Improvements

There is always a room for improvement and even Authors’ Lounge afternoon tea can make some. The savory food was extremely nice, but the sweets could be a bit better. We know very well that Thai pastries are not the same – and shouldn’t be – as French ones (which are our personal favorites). But for exactly that reason, we think they should introduce more exotic local ingredients, like Thai chocolate, other fruits and nuts. These ingredients are more known to us Farangs.

Authors’ Lounge Afternoon Tea Review Card

• 9.8/10
  ATMOSPHERE – 9.8/10
• 10/10
  SERVICE – 10/10
• 9.4/10
  TEA SELECTION – 9.4/10
• 9.8/10
  PRESENTATION – 9.8/10
• 9.2/10
  BITES – 9.2/10
• 9.1/10
  VALUE – 9.1/10

Price and location of Authors’ Lounge Afternoon Tea

The Authors’ Lounge afternoon tea will cost you about 45 USD per person. Here is a link of location, to this legendary luxury heritage Hotel in case you don’t know where the Mandarin Oriental Bangkok Hotel is.

The post Authors’ Lounge Afternoon Tea – Bangkok’s Famous appeared first on Wild 'n' Free Diary.

The Ambiance at Mandarin Oriental Mosaic

The dining room at Mosaic is spacious, full of light and nicely decorated. Besides the mosaic walls, the elegant interior reflects hints of Peranakan culture. Without any doubt, this place fits to satisfy the multicultural environment, which is important part of the Peranakan culture and KLCC area. Food stations are well arranged and easy to navigate the hunt for next bite.

Mosaic Buffet Menu

The second parallel with Peranakan culture certainly is the vast selection of different dishes. At the lunch buffet, each guest can find familiar flavors and also extend their palate.

All the food was attentively put on display and simultaneously replenished on individual stations. You’ll find a salad bar, seafood on ice, Malay, Indian and Chinese food, soups, BBQ, a roast station, a live pasta station, a selection of western food, a noodle soup station and more. Did we mention a separate room full of sweets, with a chocolate fountain?

At Lounge on the park, they have a big selection of pastries, desserts in glasses, cakes, ice cream and a chocolate fountain with condiments. Mandarin Oriental Mosaic brunch is spread in a huge area. You need to take your time and prepare your belly. We couldn’t try out everything though. However, some of the dishes will be more described in the next chapter.

Starters

The closest to our table was the Japanese station, which was also part of a cold seafood offering. As we already know, Japan is full of surprises and so was our encounter with the umeboshi. Umeboshi is sour plum, and we’re slowly becoming familiar with it, even though we seem to come across it only by accident.

Immediately after tasting it, I remembered the not so tasty drink from Wild Coriander a while back. At this station, we loved the kimchi and pickled cucumber. The funky fermented foods made us feel good when the thought of overeating crossed our minds.

Fresh Seafood

Where else could we eat lobster, flower crab, yabbies, prawns, scallops and oysters one after the other in order to appreciate their delicate differences? It is easy to go and refresh your memory of the different flavors when everything is there, just waiting to be eaten. All the seafood at Mandarin Oriental Mosaic tasted great and there is no better cold starter than a plate of oysters.

Cheese

Ok, there is one: good imported cheeses with condiments, although this wasn’t their best dish. The offering of high-quality cheeses was humble, with soft goat cheese, cheddar, a not so good Gouda and President’s Brie and Camembert. Opposite to the bread and pastry station, fresh-made spreads and dips were displayed, such as pumpkin moutabel.

Oriental at its Finest

Mandarin Oriental Mosaic doesn’t have oriental only in the name but also in its kitchen. Moutabel is typically made with eggplants and originates from the Middle East. There is nothing wrong when chefs get creative as long the outcome is enjoyable and this one definitely was. The muhammara dip, originally from Syria, was new to us.

The taste of it confirmed the suspicion when we saw the deep red color, as we thought it would be made with peppers: dried and fresh peppers with walnuts and olive oil were the main stars, but surely not the only ones. The Baba Ganoush was a delicious appetizer in which the eggplants were brought to the center with mild seasonings. It is great to see a variety of these delicious cold dips from the Middle East.

You Might Also Like

High on Sugar

Majestic Hotels Buffet

Mandarin Oriental KL High Tea

Healthy Options

The Mandarin Oriental Mosaic brunch also has great healthy options, such as overnight oats with mango and plenty of vegetable dishes. Some were more simple and all-time classics, whereas others were more complex. We liked the roasted yellow and green peppers with olive oil, the grilled eggplant with garlic, the roasted beetroot with raspberry vinegar and the confit pumpkin.

The Kabuli chana chaat –  chickpea salad – was another dish that would make anyone happy. Especially because of the fruity, sour and tangy amchoor seasoning, which is actually a powder made of dried unripe mango. I think here at Mandarin Oriental Mosaic they really know how to make these oriental treats.

Those who wanted to cool down and enjoy the cold meal had also a few meaty salads to choose from: the tandoori chicken salad with mustard dressing, the BBQ duck salad ready in bite-size servings, the baby octopus with jellyfish, the grilled beef salad with pickled fruits, just to name a few. Of course, there were also cold soups. We liked the creamy of broccoli and pumpkin soup with scallops, both served in a shot glass with an edible garnish. Both soups had a rich flavor and a pretty clean taste.

Warm Main Dishes

For those that came for a hot lunch and would like a taste of more western dishes, then a stop at the international open kitchen is a must. The Sicilian eggplant caponata, mashed potatoes with Cheddar cheese and braised beef cottage pie are a few that could be considered western comfort food. The baked potato, mashed potatoes, and roasted tender beef prime rib would have made Gordon Ramsay proud, and the baked salmon with pineapple made Ian happy. However, the pineapple flavor wasn’t present with the fish, but it was baked perfectly.

My option for the warm main dish seemed more Mediterranean: seafood in a tomato and garlic broth. Unfortunately, this dish didn’t taste good. They added some bad wine and too much water later on to reduce the acidity. When you are making broth ‘a la brodet’ style, it is crucial to use good wine, season it just right and add garlic more at the end. Despite this faux-pas, in general, the main dish station performed ok.

The same goes for the Chinese station, where we tried the Szechuan style brinjals and dim-sums. The soups with a large selection of condiments looked inviting and the chef filled it to guest’s specific taste. The Indian station was extensive with all the famous dishes. We especially liked chicken curry and the naan bread with many different dips.

We also stopped at the Malaysian station for a taste of nasi biryani, which was delicious, but nothing special. Mandarin Oriental Mosaic buffet will not impress you with Malay cuisine, and that’s not a big deal.

Desserts

Mandarin Oriental Mosaic buffet is the largest buffet we have ever seen. Especially, when it comes to desserts. It is smart to have them tucked away in a separate room so that guests don’t start the meal off with sugar. Once we saw the chocolate fountain and all the cakes, we couldn’t believe our eyes. There was more than anyone with a sweet tooth could ever dream of: everything from light desserts to rich chocolate cake!

Don’t feel like having cake? No problem! There were cookies, macaroons, ice cream, and bite-size sweet delicacies, anything, you name it! If we would have started with the sweets, we would probably have missed out on all the rest, that is how delicious they were, but that really would have been a crime.

The first thing to remember is macaroons, which were perfect. They had a crunchy crust and a soft and tasty filling. We then went for the beautiful cheesecake with a fresh raspberry on top. It was served individually on a small glass plate, and the raspberry added some freshness. We had fun cracking the caramel top of the creme brulée and we loved its creamy texture.

The cake section was just insane, there were so many, from chocolate to the fruity ones. Sure thing, there were also nutty ones and we had a taste of pecan pie. We also went for the chocolate mousse cake in the shape of a flower and caramel dressing, which was a delightful combination of textures all the way to the toothsome pastry.

Conclusion

The whole event at Mandarin Oriental Mosaic was beyond our expectations. The high quality was everywhere, from the taste to the presentation, the components and in the service throughout our dining experience. Every dish we tasted was an assurance that the reputation of the best buffet in Kuala Lumpur will remain here.

Our table was neat looking at all times as the empty plates didn’t stay around for long at all. That contributed to the clean look of the whole restaurant as it was organized at all times. The atmosphere was peaceful and we had a great time, so good that it was difficult to leave! Hey, did we mention we saw a king of Malaysia here at Mandarin Oriental? Well, he probably didn’t eat at Mandarin Oriental Mosaic, but anyway.

After full bellies, you need a good room to rest and process this good food. I am not gonna lie to you, rooms here at MO KL are nothing like Mandarin Oriental Bangkok’s. This is one of the cheapest rooms when it comes to Mandarin Oriental and there is a reason. However, if you are looking for a nicer room you might check The Majestic Hotel Kuala Lumpur or here near, totally new Four Seasons KL, Well, to be honest, after this Mandarin Oriental Mosaic buffet, you might need an ambulance instead 🙂

Critique

Our reviews are honest and improvements can be implemented. They disappointed us with the cheese offering and the western warm main dishes. The food offering, in general, is too big. We would rather see them make it smaller and improve the quality of some dishes. More attention should go to Indian cuisine, especially when you can have amazing food on the streets of the Kuala Lumpur. The food tags had some mistakes, but even so, they still were understandable.

Mandarin Oriental Mosaic Buffet Review Card

• 9.5/10
  ATMOSPHERE – 9.5/10
• 9.7/10
  FOOD OFFER – 9.7/10
• 9.2/10
  PRESENTATION – 9.2/10
• 9.4/10
  SERVICE – 9.4/10
• 9.2/10
  FOOD TASTE – 9.2/10
• 9.6/10
  VALUE – 9.6/10

Price and Location

A brunch here will cost you about 50 USD per person. Mandarin Oriental buffet price is fair for what you get, we were quite happy with the value we got for our money! Here is a link to the location in case you would like to try out this amazing brunch.

The post Mandarin Oriental Mosaic Buffet Review appeared first on Wild 'n' Free Diary.

Ambiance

After the elevator, we stepped into the luxurious neoclassical restaurant, and we took a few minutes to admire the bright space with floor to ceiling windows. Design is contemporary French, inspired by famous French Villa diners. The elegance is presented not only by the interior itself but also in the floral arrangements and table settings. It is not a secret that we were very excited to experience the creations of chef Arnaud Dunand – Sauthier: his contemporary approach to French cuisine with his personal touch sounded intriguing.

Amuse-bouche

Right from the beginning, the chef revealed a strong connection to his roots. As in a typical French lunch, a set of canapés, bonbons, and paté was brought to the table by a very knowledgeable waiter. The waiter presented every dish as well as how it’s meant to be eaten. Our first single-bite was a lemon carrot bonbon with cumin and parsley. The liquid inside burst to the surface with the gentle touch of a tooth and quickly filled the mouth with complex flavors, like an explosion of vegetable soup.

The second amuse-bouche was a canapé, topped with Buffalo cheese sorbet and trout caviar. This savory piece had a good crunch in its citrusy crust, which put this canapé on our list of top canapés ever. It also prepared us for the light foie gras mousse, with the classic addition of raspberry jam.

We liked that the serving metal container had a bump that enabled us to dose the combination of mousse and jam topping. Here I would compliment a nice pearl shell spoon, which makes this experience unforgettable. The creamy texture quickly melted away and caressed our taste buds.

Chef truly knows how to pamper his patrons. They served us another amuse-bouche, a mushroom tea with bacon foam. The shape of the bacon foam was surprisingly deceiving and the mushroom consume matched the flavor intensity. All our compliments to the chef for this amazingly clean and tasty soup with extra bacon cubes.

Butter and Bread

Contemporary cuisine leans towards the healthy, low-fat cooking and here in Asia, butter is more a delicacy than an average item in the fridge, but French cuisine without butter would be complete nonsense. At Le Normandie, they spoiled us with premium butter. A scone shaped seaweed butter, which transported us right to the seaside.

The addition of red algae added the saltiness and taste of the sea. Our seaside journey took a turn back to the mainland when we had a taste of unsalted butter. This modest looking cylinder had a beautiful ornament on top and it was rich in flavor. Its deep color says one thing: grass feed cattle. With this in mind, we choose the homemade baguette and sour bread made of a 9-year old starter, next to it. To point out, the in-house baker chefs know how to handle the dough and the crunchy crust on the bread was just insane.

Starters

First on the tasting menu was a slightly sour marinated mackerel from Brittany, accompanied by fennel, dill and licorice. It was amazing how the combination of those intense flavors made the mackerel shine, and each component in this dish helped develop the others. The sweetness of the licorice complemented the roasted fish and the fennel to perfection. This dish might look simple, but its flavors are complex and great connected.

Fera Fish

The Fera du Lac Léman was another dish that celebrated the ingredients in a way that only contemporary cuisine could. There is no point in stating that the chef uses ingredients of the highest possible quality when you can taste it in every bite. In order to assure freshness, the team here goes beyond borders and urges for quick transport from every continent. Fera fish is one of the tastiest French freshwater fish. Here at Le Normandie, it was imported from Lac Léman (Lake Geneva), which is considered to be the best source for it.

Foodies will know that this is not a real Fera fish, as Fera fish from Lake Geneva was extinct in 1920, due to overfishing and non-sustainability. Later on, they inhabit another variety of whitefish imported from Lakes of Neuchâtel, which has a similar taste and also doesn’t tolerate overcooking, of which they are very well aware here at Le Normandie.

To pay their respects to the ingredients, the fish was roasted to perfection. The deep red color of cassis provided a vibrant contrast that we could taste with the currant. This combination went amazingly well with the warmth of Piedmont hazelnuts and the roasted leek, which were left still a little bit crunchy. On the side, the chef served a celiac purée, which linked everything together nicely. Every ingredient on its own had a strong flavor and when mixed together, they were all still there. The fish was always very present, no matter the combination and we liked it all mixed in, in every bite.

Caviar Osciètre et Oursin

I think Le Normandie review got to its climax right here. This is Arnaud Dunand –  Sauthier’s signature dish. Another dish that we liked mixed with all the ingredients was the Caviar Osciètre et Oursin: sea urchin from Hokkaido with potato foam and champagne sauce. This is the chef’s signature dish and now we know why.

We could taste the sweetness of the sea urchin, with the creamy potato foam base. The champagne sauce served as a delicate seasoning, which enriched the dish and made it creamy. What about the caviar? Champagne, caviar, and sweetness: need I say more?

Wine

How can you have such an excellent ‘French’ dine without a French wine? Ian had a craving for a glass of great white wine, and a quick chat with the house sommelier offered him a great choice: a full-bodied white wine from the Rhone Valley, the Viognier Le Plan GT-V, vintage 2015. It is a macerated white wine with an aromatic tropical palate, blossoms, honey and spicy notes of citronella. The aftertaste was long enough to and the buttery texture elevated the dish to a higher level.

Main Dishes

My main dish was a roasted milk-fed lamb with zucchini and basil, seasoned with a touch of cardamom. The perfectly cooked lamb was spot on with the warming touch of cardamom and crunchy zucchini. On the other side, Ian’s dish was the distinguished pigeon from the Pornic region, which deserves all the praise.

It was tender pigeon meat accompanied by an aromatic and sweet Japanese melon, which made for a tasteful and healthy combination. The Chef’s creativeness was evident by his use of seasoning with the rare Timut pepper, its vibrant aroma of grapefruit complimented the watermelon and pigeon greatly. Tender, juicy and tingling sensations in every bite was a grand finale before our desserts.

Desserts

In Michelin restaurants are well aware of the importance of dessert. Our Le Normandie review is not short here, for sure. Our first dessert was a nice combination of crunchy layered biscuits with carrot confit and famous Bronte pistachios quenelle. These pistachios from Etna have a distinguished flavor due to the volcanic soil and altitude where they grow.

A rich and balanced taste with a long aftertaste is a component for great ice cream. This ice cream was creamy, denser and more buttery than your average kind, but it was still light. In the first place, the flavor of pistachio paired well with a delicate carrot taste and a bit of a stronger Bronte pistachios sauce. A job well done. My only complaint is that I couldn’t buy a pint of the ice cream to take home with me!

You Might Also Like

Saawaan Bangkok Review

Cuisine De Garden Review

Bo.lan Bangkok Review

Saneh Jaan Review

Thankfully, there was a second dessert to help me put out my sorrows. Inside a coconut husk, we found a neatly presented chocolate-inspired dessert. A milk chocolate jelly offered a clean look and smooth base for the sour cherry puree. To point out, the chocolate sponge cake was perfect for soaking up the melted coconut ice cream under the jelly covering. The sponge also allowed us to play with the spoon and admire the perfect coconut husk. The cocoa originated from Chang Rai which is an excellent tribute to Thailand.

At the end of this fabulous meal, they treated us to mignardises! The caramelized Kouign Amann, a dessert from the chef’s childhood, brought us once again a display of the French’s love of butter.  As a child, the chef loved this puff pastry and now he has perfected it. There were also coconut candies and rich Bonbon au Chocolat.

Le Normandie Review Conclusion

Le Normandie review is the first of its kind. Anyway, it is not in our habit to visit French restaurants here in Asia. We believed that such an establishment must be attended in its country of origin, not where it is possibly only imitated. However, our experience at Le Normandie showed us how wrong we were.

The food was more than amazing and Chef Arnaud Dunand Sauthier brought France to our table. As a matter of fact, the maître d’hôtel is from France and his speech, with his lovely French accent, was the cherry on top for the evening. For a moment, we thought we were looking at the Seine River instead of the Chao Phraya River. Amazing!

Anyway, there is only one suggestion. Some plates could be a little bit more colorful. For example, the pigeon dish would be more catchy with the addition of deep violet Lilac (Syringa vulgaris). Not only that, it’s citron taste would be a great match for Japanese melon.

Le Normandie Review Card

• 9.5/10
  ATMOSPHERE – 9.5/10
• 9.6/10
  SERVICE – 9.6/10
• 9.1/10
  PRESENTATION – 9.1/10
• 10/10
  FOOD – 10/10
• 10/10
  DRINKS – 10/10
• 8.5/10
  VALUE – 8.5/10

Price and Location

Six-course degustation menu without wine pairing will cost you about 215 USD per person, and a glass of wine we had is 20 USD. If you would like to pamper yourself with amazing French cuisine in Bangkok, here is a location to Le Normandie.

The post Le Normandie Bangkok : Review of 6-course heaven appeared first on Wild 'n' Free Diary.