This was a combination business and romantic getaway. I've always heard about the Mandarin Oriental experience and this was my first opportunity to try it first hand. To be honest I was skeptical at first about how suitable the hotel would be for a romantic getaway but I could not have picked a better hotel. For the business trip: the hotel is centrally located and not a nightlife scene so I could walk to my meetings during the day and could come back to a quiet but nice hotel. For the romantic getaway: when I booked my stay I mentioned that we were booking for a romantic getaway and had the hotel order roses for me. The staff was gracious enough to give us complimentary champagne and chocolate dipped strawberries as a way to welcome us!! The service was impeccable and really the only suggestion I have for them is that there should be more than one person to check guests in and out of the top floor. I booked one of the deluxe rooms with an amazing view of the various landmarks and on the floor there was only one associate for checking in and out. We ended up waiting nearly 20 minutes to check in as the attendant was helping a guest with something else.

TIP 1: when you book, get the room with the view of the Jefferson Memorial as that will let you see up to Congress and down to the Lincoln Memorial and almost everything in between.

TIP 2: if you want to visit the spa, don't wait till the last minute or you won't be able to get in.

The Mandarin Oriental in DC lives up to the chain's reputation. From warm cider at check-in to hotel security confirming that I woke up by knocking on my door, when I didn't answer the wake-up call, this hotel will not disappoint. For business travelers: room service is efficient, delicious, and most of the menu is available 24 hours. I've not found a more relaxing ending to a long business trip. The DC location is out of the way a bit and not Metro accessible, but cabs are always out front.

The team working here is terrific, and they go out of their way to make your stay special. Tai Pan in particular is a great hotel lounge.The suite we had was oddly shaped; there were no comfortable sofas or seating locations in general. The bathroom had the shower enclosed in the tub area.The food is very good, especially CityZen.

This property was an awesome place to spend my sister's landmark birthday! We enjoyed great jazz in the lobby bar area. The property is close to lots of good food, fun and gorgeous waterfront views! We really loved the entire experience;)