Mandarin Oriental Properties in Doha

The Mandarin Oriental in Doha stands out from other MOs because it is surrounded by some very good dining and shopping experiences. On site there are a number of good dining options including Liang, Ambar, the cake shop, and Mosaic. We booked a stay here to celebrate our anniversary and enjoyed our visit. The rooms are nicely appointed with sheer and blackout curtains for both the bedroom and bathroom. There was a small but very comfy couch and ottoman at the foot of the bed, and a small dining table/work area. We appreciated the quiet air conditioning that maintained a comfortable temperature during our stay. There was a lot of closet space and a large coffee/tea station including a Nespresso machine and large bottles of still water. The room was mostly clean but the table, night stands and shower needed some extra attention because there was debris left behind. The bathroom area is large and wonderful - there is a large bathtub and shower area, two sinks and some very good bath products. We booked a half board package which included daily breakfast and lunch or dinner. The breakfast has a small buffet and quite a few made to order options you can get to your table. The menu our first morning was quite extensive but it was unexpectedly cut in half our second morning and the staff explained it was because they were offering a full buffet but they only had about three more items in the buffet area compared to the day before. We found out at check in that we could only dine at Liang for dinner and the menu was limited for this promotion so we only had a few dishes we could choose from. As a surprise they did offer us a small cheesecake from the Mandarin Cake Shop and my wife really enjoyed it. We did go to the rooftop pool but it is very exposed and got too hot for us to stay too long. We appreciated that they gave us a small cooler with cold bottled water and came by to offer us some nice iced juices our first day there. There is a pool menu but it is a long wait for staff to come and they never came our second day. There is an indoor pool in the basement but you have to book a spa package or pay 150 QAR to access it even if you are a hotel guest. While the staff we encountered were genuinely kind and helpful we found the service inconsistent at times. When we drove to the valet to check in there were only two cars in front of us and many valet staff but we were oddly ignored, unloaded our car ourselves, and had to approach the valet desk. We checked in just after 3 pm and they only had one staff member at the front desk. It took about 30 minutes for our bag to reach our room so we would recommend taking essentials with you to your room to not delay your experience. We had a turn down service our first night while we were out for dinner but nothing the second night and we had to call for service including asking multiple times for more shower gel. The front desk was nearly impossible to reach after 7 pm but they did tell us during our stay there is a nightly turn down around 6:30 pm which they missed but they came at 8:30 to refresh the room. We also found out when we went to use the Nespresso machine that it was not working properly. The hotel is in an excellent location and is a short walk from Msheireb metro station to help access more of the city. Key attractions in Doha like Souq Waqif are within walking distance and it is not too far away from the Corniche, Museum of Islamic Arts or National Museum of Qatar. The valet service is free for guests of the hotel but has an initial fee and hourly rates so it can get pricey if you're not a guest at the hotel. Overall, we enjoyed our stay and would consider staying here again. Great location and good food nearby makes this a very convenient hotel if you're looking to relax and spend more time enjoying your room.