Review / The Entertainment Suite at Hong Kong’s Landmark Mandarin Oriental let us live like movie stars for the day – and we loved it
With every luxury hotel in the city trying to come up with different programmes to entice bored residents suffering from travel withdrawal, the Landmark Mandarin Oriental Blockbuster Staycation – which starts from HK$50,000 (US$6,450) a night – is trying to do things a little differently.
The price includes a stay at the hotel’s 1,800 sq ft (167-square metre) Entertainment Suite with a complimentary adjoining room, filled with a host of entertainment options such as a large screen projector, PS4 games, virtual reality equipment, a selection of DVDs and access to streaming services, as well as a stellar supply of refreshments and snacks. Children will happily set up camp and you can even bring your furry friends along.
When I arrive ahead of schedule on a Tuesday morning, I am warmly greeted by John the doorman, who whisks my bag away to the suite and fetches a new umbrella to tackle the fickle weather for a quick errand I have to do before I check in later with a friend.
My first look inside the suite reveals a spacious dining area and a more modest kitchen filled with shiny Smeg appliances, a convection stove and an oven, as well as a fully-stocked refrigerator. It was impressive, but not quite as impressive as our “playroom” for the night.
The “living” area was obviously made for play. The large-screen television and huge U-shaped sofa were notable enough, but it was the row of cabinets by the wall that drew exclamations of delight, especially the popcorn machine and rows of every snack you can think of.
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There’s a proper espresso machine with fresh beans, none of those wussy capsules, thank you very much, as well as a cocktail bar with a good selection of liquor and utensils. The last cabinet boasts a selection of four in-house wines on tap, all of them included in the room price. More wines are available at a cost. There’s even a whole drawer of different cigars to keep any aficionado happy.
Having just over 24 hours to enjoy our escape from reality, we made sure our schedules were packed, leaving barely enough time to enjoy our comfortable beds. First off, a 60-minute massage at the spa, which has always been one of my favourites in Hong Kong. After the closure of spas and massage places due to the pandemic, it was heaven to finally be able to surrender to the professional ministrations of a therapist; I was asleep in no time and woke up relaxed and refreshed.
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The price of the staycation comes with a HK$5,000 dining credit at any of the hotel’s food and beverage outlets, and a HK$2,000 voucher for the spa. We were scheduled for breakfast at Somm Bar, but of course didn’t want to miss the chance to partake of culinary director Richard Ekkebus’ unique menu at the revitalised Amber either – nor cocktails at the secret PDT bar.
It was good to be back in Amber again and we opted for the full, nine-course experience with wine pairing (why do things half-measure?). Chef Ekkebus’ aka uni was as scrumptious as ever, as were the abalone and duckling “fragrant spices” that were a revelation – and a first for me.
Back in the room, we finally had time to check out the entertainment in the suite. We lost no time in turning on the projector and lowering the huge screen for an impromptu movie night. Armed with bowls of warm, crunchy popcorn, cheese balls and crisps, we settled in to stream a new action movie: the visuals were crystal clear with the lights off and the B&O sound system provided its typically crisp, clean audio.
A game of PS4 Rayman on the screen was mind-blowing. I am completely in love with the projector and the huge screen, and can only imagine terraforming my Animal Crossing island on it. It’s now on my Christmas wish list – when I get a home big enough to install it in!
We made sure breakfast the next day was an early affair so that we weren’t too uncomfortable for our yoga class. The trainer really put us through our paces, even impressing my friend, a regular Ironman competitor. Much easier was the cookie baking class led by the hotel’s junior sous chef Chiaki Ogihara, with executive sous chef Matthias Knilling checking in on us every so often.
Chef Chiaki had made it a little easier for us by already pre-preparing the cookie dough for the raspberry cookies and the lemon and almond cookies, leaving us to tackle the chocolate and caramel batch. We were quite pleased with the results and it tasted great, if I may so myself, although much of the credit goes to chef Chiaki.
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After an activity-filled morning, we decided to relax with in-room dining for a simple lunch of Hainan chicken rice, nasi goreng and spaghetti bolognese, all of which were excellent. Being in a food coma didn’t stop me from calling for the hotel’s bath service, however, and by the time the hotel staff had drawn the water and set up the candles, I was ready for one last splash before we had to leave.
It was certainly with regret that we packed up. If only there was more time for a few more movies or games, but as the old cliché goes, all good things must come to an end. And, as we set off home in our different limousines, we both thought the same thing: we must come back!
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From an abundance of PS4 games, snacks and a giant movie projector, to spa treatments and vouchers for the superb refurbished Amber restaurant, The Landmark’s Blockbuster Staycation in this 1,800 sq ft suite is the stuff dreams are made of – starting at a cool HK$50,000