Which is best, Ritz-Carlton vs. Mandarin Oriental? There are Ritz-Carlton and Mandarin Oriental hotels in most major cities, including Hing Kong, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Barcelona, Boston, Miami, Bangkok, Dubai, and New York. Which hotel is best in each of these cities?
While the choice between these two hotel brands varies between individual hotels, Ritz-Carlton hotels are generally larger, with a more American feel, more facilities, and the best club lounges. Mandarin Oriental hotels tend to be more boutique and less consistent within their brand, so some are highly stylized while others are in need of refurbishment.
Ritz-Carlton and Mandarin Oriental have exceptional five-star properties, so let’s break the comparison down into the different hotel parts to compare the two brands.
Book your next Ritz-Carlton or Mandarin Oriental stay with our luxury travel concierge, and you will get all our free VIP benefits, including free breakfast, prioritized room upgrade, hotel credit, and more.
1. Style
Neither Mandarin Oriental hotels nor Ritz-Carlton hotels embrace the local area in the way a brand like Four Seasons does. Mandarin Oriental hotels offer a touch of the Orient mixed with local features in its style and Ritz-Carlton hotels usually offer a touch of America in their rooms and communal areas combined with local style.
Ritz-Carlton usually offers a more consistent classic American style. The Ritz-Carlton Maui, Kapalua is an excellent example of an outstanding and recently refurbished Ritz-Carlton hotel with an incredible setting, pools and club lounge.
The resort’s interiors showcase premium materials, luxurious textures, and sophisticated furnishings. Neutral color schemes are punctuated with tropical hues, while authentic Hawaiian artwork and carvings add character and charm.
What’s especially appealing about the design of the Ritz-Carlton Maui is its seamless integration of indoor and outdoor spaces, enabling guests to fully immerse themselves in Maui’s delightful climate and stunning landscapes. Outdoor lounges, dining areas, and meticulously landscaped gardens offer serene, relaxing environments.
There’s no Mandarin Oriental on Maui, but there will soon be a Mandarin Oriental hotel in Honolulu that will compete with the Ritz-Carlton in Waikiki. As both hotels are high-end but not on the beach, it will be interesting to compare them once the Mandarin Oriental opens. For now, the Ritz-Carlton is your only choice unless you are happy to veer away from these brands, in which case the Halekulani is our top pick.
Another location that already hosts two Ritz-Carltons and a Mandarin Oriental is in New York. Here, both Ritz-Carltons are beautifully designed, and we have compared Ritz-Carlton Central Park Vs. Nomad separately. The Nomad Ritz-Carlton only recently opened and offers gorgeous modern decor, impressive double or triple-height bars, and restaurants with incredible dangly lights and incredible views. The Ritz-Carlton Central Park is equally impressive and right on Central Park’s edge. This hotel has a more traditional look and feel but is beautifully finished, with incredible views over Central Park.
The Mandarin Oriental New York is equally impressive, set in a modern glass block next to Central Park. Rooms here are large and offer incredible views of the Hudson River and Central Park. It wins over the Ritz-Carlton in terms of having a pool and being so high up that all the rooms have incredible views, but this modern hotel has a very limited number of communal areas with just one main restaurant, the MO lounge. The MO lounge has stunning views over Central Park and is a stylish venue, but we prefer both Ritz-Carlton hotels, which have much more communal space and feel more like a destination than a bed.
If you prefer modern, it has to be the Ritz-Carlton Nomad; if you like traditional decor and being by the park, it must be the Ritz-Carlton Central Park; if you want modern with views, a boutique feel and a pool, and care less about large shared communal areas, the Mandarin Oriental is a great choice. Because there is more choice within the Ritz-Carlton brand in New York and because we love the style of the Nomad and the location and indulgent space of the Central Park Ritz-Carlton, Ritz-Carlton win again in New York.
We had the issue of a Mandarin Oriental that lacked communal space at the beautiful Mandarin Oriental in Geneva. The room we booked was stunning; the two restaurants were great, but the hotel lacked lounges and terraces to sit with a book and relax. It felt like the hotel had efficiently used it’s floor space rather than indulgently wasting floor space on beautiful settings.
Finally, there’s a Ritz-Carlton, Mandarin Oriental, and a Four Seasons in Dubai. There is little to choose between the Ritz-Carlton and Mandarin Oriental for style. The Four Seasons wins here.
Top 10 Best Ritz-Carlton Hotels & Resorts In The World
The best luxury Ritz-Carlton hotels and resorts in the world can be found below. We have already outlined the cheapest Ritz-Carlton hotels in the world, and the best Ritz-Carlton in Europe, now we outline the very best Ritz-Carlton hotels around the world for families, couples, and business, in the city and for pool and beachside luxury. The Ritz-Carlton company is part of the Marriott group, which means you can collect Marriott Bonvoy points during your stay or redeem them for a free stay.
2. Location
Whether the Ritz-Carlton of Mandarin Oriental has the better location depends on the individual hotel and will usually dictate which brand to choose.
Miami hosts numerous Ritz-Carlton hotels and a Mandarin Oriental. The Mandarin Oriental is located in Bricknell Key and has one of the best happy hours in Bricknell in its fabulous bar. But it’s not on the beach.
Ritz-Carlton has four hotels in and around Miami, in Bal Harbour, Coconut Grove, South Beach, and also Key Biscayne. For a vacation, their South Beach property wins hands down for resort-style club lounges with beach views, and it is generally a great destination hotel. The Mandarin Oriental is convenient for the city, but if you want resort fun for your holiday, the best choice in Miami is the Ritz-Carlton South Beach.
In New York, the Ritz-Carlton Central Park is one of the best located hotels in the city, particularly if you like to wander through Central Park. The Mandarin Oriental is also located across the roundabout from Central Park, so it has a similarly interesting location.
3. Loyalty
The Ritz-Carlton is a Marriott subsidiary, so you can collect and spend Marriott Bonvoy points here. The Mandarin Oriental is part of Fan Club, which isn’t such an interesting or useful loyalty scheme.
It’s worth mentioning that these loyalty benefits are nowhere near as good as the benefits you get by booking your next Ritz-Carlton or Mandarin Oriental stay with our luxury travel concierge. If you book with our concierge, you will get free breakfast, prioritized room upgrades, hotel credit, and more, as well as all your usual Marriott Bonvoy or Fen Club benefits during your stay.
If you prefer to pick a Four Seasons hotel, there’s no Four Seasons loyalty program although you can get free benefits from your very first Four Seasons stay by booking with our luxury concierge.
4. Grounds
Ritz-Carlton resorts offer glorious grounds. Mandarin Oriental hotels are generally located in cities, so they usually have no grounds to speak of.
Top 10 Best Mandarin Oriental Hotels & Resorts In The World
The best Mandarin Oriental Hotels and Resorts in the world can be found below. We have already outlined the cheapest Mandarin Oriental hotels, now we outline the best for families, couples, and businesses in cities and for pool and beachside luxury. Mandarin Oriental is one of the world’s leading luxury hotel brands, with hotels across the Asia-Pacific region, The Americans, Europe, the Middle East, and Africa.
5. Beach
Again, beaches are more property-specific than brand-specific. In Maui, the Ritz-Carlton beach is incredibly picturesque. In Waikiki and Honolulu, neither property is on the beach.
6. Views
In Hong Kong, views are important. The Mandarin Oriental and the Ritz-Carlton in Hong Kong are next door to each other. The rooms at the Mandarin Oriental are undoubtedly five-star but not nearly as special as the rooms at other Mandarin Oriental hotels like the one in Bangkok.
The Mandarin Oriental hotel has a great pool and a restaurant but is located in a lower-rise building, so the views aren’t as good as at other hotels in Hong Kong. We would pick the Ritz-Carlton Hong Kong based on the impressive foyer, newer design, rooms, and views, as Jardine House and other buildings can cut off the views from the Mandarin Oriental.
Even if you do get a view from these hotels, the view is not of the famous harbor; the view is from Kowloon, across the harbor. To get a great view, you need to book the Peninsula or the Intercontinental. Peninsula is one of our top picks for a luxury hotel with views in Hong Kong.
7. Rooms
Both Ritz-Carlton and Mandarin Oriental hotels have generously sized rooms. Which has the better rooms depends on the specific property.
7. Food
Both brands offer excellent and not-so-excellent restaurants. You’ll need to review the specific property to determine whether a particular property has an award-winning restaurant. The Ritz-Carlton in Vienna, for example, has an excellent steak restaurant that spills out onto the pavement in the summer for alfresco dining and a rooftop terrace. These eateries attract guests to this hotel and are two of the most picturesque restaurants in Vienna.
8. Family Facilities
Both brands are family-friendly. The Ritz-Carlton usually wins over the Mandarin Oriental because it has more resort hotels and hotels like their South Beach hotel in Miami are right by the beach, which is ideal for kids.
In New York, you may prefer the Mandarin Oriental if you have children, as it has a lovely pool way up in the sky.
9. Club Lounge
Ritz-Carlton club lounges tend to be the best club lounges in the world. While Mandarin Oriental has very good club lounges, they do not provide anywhere near the luxury or food offerings that you will find at a Ritz-Carlton club lounge.
10. Conclusion
Both of these hotel brands offer magnificent hotels with large rooms and a luxury setting. The best hotel choice for you depends on the specific hotel choice.
For luxury settings, the best club lounges and generously large communal areas, usually Ritz-Carlton hotels, have the edge. The pinnacle and one of the best Ritz-Carlton hotels in the world is the Ritz-Carlton Maui.
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