The first Mandarin Oriental in the Bei-Shang-Guang triangle (the Shanghai property opened last year while the unfinished Beijing hotel, which would have been the first, was destroyed in a freak fire) is an opulent retreat from the Guangzhou grind without even a hint of mainland bling. Dim lighting, dark wood and a modest lobby all say low-key class and, if the users of TripAdvisor are to be trusted, this is the best of Guangzhou's 2,388 hotels.
Once host to kings and world leaders, Guangzhou's Garden Hotel, in Taojin, is looking tired. The same goes for the historic Guangdong Victory and White Swan hotels, in the former British and French concession. While the oldies catch their breath, the Mandarin Oriental is gunning to be Guangzhou's go-to retreat for the rich and famous. It juxtaposes the Oriental decor Wong Kar-wai romanticised in his recent epic The Grandmaster with sleek, modern touches, such as floor-to-ceiling windows showcasing panoramic cityscapes from guest rooms. A British politician stayed last year in the 52,888-yuan-a-night Mandarin suite (we hope that was paid for from his own pocket) and Canto-pop idol Aaron Kwok Fu-shing and French film star Sophie Marceau have creased the sheets here, too - although not together, we hasten to add. But to get A-list treatment, you don't have to pay A-list prices. The cousin to the three properties the group has in Hong Kong has inherited the same standards of service at a much lower price point.
A trip to Guangzhou, the birthplace of Cantonese cuisine, has to include a feast or two. Jiang by Chef Fei has enlisted the eponymous local rising star, who presents traditional dishes with flair. Poached Wenchang chicken is sourced from Hainan Island, where the birds are fed solely on coconut milk, while the tofu is made in-house. For breakfast, the Oriental Club lounge has a home kitchen feel (if home is a 24th-floor apartment in Manhattan) but the bountiful spread of hams, cheese and dim sum at Ebony (above) is not to be missed.
Certainly, do you like whisky? The Loft, on the hotel's mezzanine floor, has a speakeasy vibe, with low lighting, jazz music and fedoras hanging on the wall, while an opulent selection of Edradour whisky lines the all-black bar. This is easily Guangzhou's chicest watering hole.