Mandarin Oriental, Washington, D.C.

Mandarin Oriental Washington, D.C.
General information
Location United States
Address Washington, D.C.
Coordinates 38°53′01″N 77°01′49″W / 38.883621°N 77.030367°W / 38.883621; -77.030367Coordinates: 38°53′01″N 77°01′49″W / 38.883621°N 77.030367°W / 38.883621; -77.030367
Opening May 16, 2004
Cost $155 million
Management Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group
Height 130 feet (40 m)
Technical details
Floor count 11
Design and construction
Architect Mark Boekenheide of Brennan Beer Gorman Monk Architects
Developer Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group, Lano International Inc., and Armada Hoffler Construction Co.
Other information
Number of rooms 400 rooms (inclusive of suites)
Number of suites 53
Number of restaurants 2
Website
www.mandarinoriental.com/washington

Mandarin Oriental Washington, D.C. is a luxury Postmodernist-style hotel located at 1330 Maryland Ave SW, Washington, D.C., in the United States. Completed in 2004, the hotel is near the National Mall and Smithsonian Institution museums, and overlooks the Tidal Basin. The hotel contains two restaurants, one of which (CityZen) closed permanently on December 6, 2014. Since its opening, the Mandarin Oriental Washington, D.C., has been AAA-rated four diamonds and Forbes Travel Guide rated four stars.

Construction of the hotel

In the 1970s, most of the Southwest quadrant of Washington, D.C., was completely razed in a massive urban renewal effort. One of the last large parcels to be redeveloped was the area bounded by 12th Street SW, D Street SW, Maine Avenue SW, and 14th Street SW. More than a decade passed, as the city sought a developer with sufficient financial resources to develop the tract. In 1985, a team led by Republic Properties[1] finally was chosen by the city to develop what became known as The Portals, four massive office buildings constructed around an extension of Maryland Avenue SW and a new traffic circle.[2] But the developers ran into problems obtaining financing for the entire project, and sold the southeastern portion of the site.[3] The new development team consisted of Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group, Lano International Inc., and Armada Hoffler Construction Co.[4]

In early 2000, Mandarian Oriental Hotels proposed building a $142 million, 400-room hotel on the site. The hotel included 33,000 square feet (3,100 m2) of meeting space, 6,500 square feet (600 m2) of retail space, several restaurants, and a fitness center.[1] Mandarian Oriental Hotels sought major tax breaks and financing from the District of Columbia to develop the hotel. Initially, they sought $22 million in tax increment financing (TIF). Under this scheme, the city would sell 20-year bonds worth $22 million, and would turn 75 percent of the money over to the developers.[lower-alpha 1] The hotel would pay the usual property and sales taxes, estimated to be $220 million over the life of the bonds.[5] But due to $20 million in increased costs, Mandarin Oriental Hotels was unable to secure all the private financing it needed. The hotel chain returned to the city and asked for $46 million in TIF bonds as well as a $6 million property tax break.[1] The city approved the TIF bonds, but not the property tax reduction.[4]

A year passed, and the city was unable to sell the bonds for the TIF package. The early 2000s recession left bond buyers unsure that the hotel would be able to generate enough tax revenue to cover the bond repayments. The significant economic downturn that occurred after the September 11 attacks in 2001 worsened the city's ability to sell bonds. To correct the problem, the D.C. City Council adopted new legislation to geographically widen the area the TIF bonds drew revenue from. The new TIF district included the neighborhoods of Downtown, Dupont Circle, Foggy Bottom, Logan Circle, and Shaw in addition to Southwest.[6]

But with the post-9/11 economic downturn continuing, the City Council hesitated in approving the package. Mandarin Oriental officials had added a 8,300-square-foot (770 m2) ballroom, a swimming pool, and a spa to the hotel's amenities. Although Mandarin Oriental obtained $85 million in financing from a banking syndicate and Mandarin International, Lano International, and Armada Hoffler Construction put in $19 million of their own money, the $46 million in TIF money was not enough to allow construction on the hotel to move forward. Mandarin Oriental officials came back to the city and asked for a $4 million property tax deferral, but the City Council did not have the votes to pass the legislation.[4]

Although the cost of the hotel rose to $155 million, in April 2002 Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group said it would proceed with the hotel's construction. By this time, the project was reported by The Washington Post to include just two restaurants and an art gallery in addition to the previously announced meeting space, fitness center, ballroom, pool, and spa. The city never approved the $4 million in property tax deferral, which required the three investors to add another $4 million of their own money to get the project moving.[5]

The Mandarin Oriental Washington, D.C., opened on May 16, 2004. The Washington Post called its location "unconventional". The $155 million, 400-room hotel is conveniently located near downtown Washington, although to reach Capitol Hill guests would need a taxicab or automobile. Guests in rooms on the upper levels have spectacular views of the city and its monuments, but the surrounding neighborhood consisted primarily of railroad tracks, freeways, and office buildings.[7]

The Mandarin Oriental features a curving Mansard roof punctuated a points by windows which are either round or arched, and often protected by a pediment. The facade is light tan brick, with double-hung windows in a repetitive pattern piercing the facade.[3] Brennan Beer Gorman Monk also oversaw the interior design.[8] The hotel's vast lobby is lined with marble, and public hallways feature rocking chairs and sofas.[9] The hotel was built atop the CSX Transportation's RF&P Subdivision railroad tracks, which restored a segment of Maryland Avenue SW. An abandoned railroad bridge to the west of the hotel was converted into a pedestrian bridge and pathway, which connects the Mandarin Oriental and The Portals to the Tidal Basin waterfront.[3]

Critical assessment

Benjamin Forgey, the architectural critic at The Washington Post, was unimpressed by the Mandarin Oriental's architecture. He called it lacking in freshness, "dry, [a] by-the-numbers take on an old tradition. It's a sort of habit." Architect Mark Boekenheide said his goal was to make the Mandarin Oriental look significantly different from the office buildings of The Portals (designed by local architect Arthur Cotton Moore), and yet compatible with them. He succeeded, Forgey agreed, but at a price: The hotel was too reminiscent of the 1986 additions to the Willard InterContinental Washington, which left the Mandarin Oriental looking dated. "A much bolder gesture was called for to connect the new building to the waterfront," Forgey concluded. "And that's the story in a nutshell. The architecture of this prominent building needed more boldness and sophistication. It didn't have to be a Willard-come-lately."[3]

Hotel history

The Mandarin Oriental Washington, D.C. includes a music venue, the Empress Lounge. Live jazz music is usually offered on weekends.[10]

The Mandarin Oriental Washington, D.C., featured two restaurants when it opened: the informal Cafe Mozu and the formal CityZen.

Cafe Mozu was located on the hotel's first floor. The restaurant featured high ceilings, a view of the Tidal Basin and monuments, and walls adorned with a chrome-and-walnut grid.[9] The restaurant patio overlooked the hotel's garden courtyard.[11] Tom Sietsma, the food critic for The Washington Post, called it "significant", with "understated elegance". He gave slightly qualified praise to the food of executive chef Hidemasa Yamamoto, which was largely Far Eastern cuisine infused with European touches.[9]

CityZen opened in September 2004, and its name was a play on the word "citizen". CityZen is located in a very high-ceilinged room decorated with soothing colors and soft, warm lighting. The kitchen is visible from many of the tables. Executive chef Eric Ziebold left The French Laundry in California to lead CityZen. Sietsma had unqualified, extraordinary praise for CityZen: "If you really care about food, you owe yourself an evening at CityZen. ...CityZen is still a young restaurant. But already it's an important one." He called the food "often-extraordinary", and CityZen "tantalizingly close to the gold standard."[12] CityZen was named best new restaurant of the year by the Restaurant Association of Metropolitan Washington in June 2005.[13] (Patrons should note: The restaurant usually closes for two or three weeks at the end of August.)[14]

Cafe Mozu closed in 2009, and was replaced by Sou'Wester on September 8, 2009.[lower-alpha 2][15] CityZen executive chef Ziebold added executive chef duties at Sou'Wester to his portfolio.[14] The restaurant's decor was nautical[15] and "retro chic", with warm wood paneling[16] and floor-to-ceiling white drapery resembling sails.[15] Less than $200,000 spent on remodeling the space and creating an informal dining experience.[15] Food critic Tom Sietsma called the decor "sterile", more like a Courtyard by Marriott hotel space than a Mandarin Oriental four-diamond hotel space.[15] The menu changed to reflect the cuisine of the Southern United States.[16] Sietsma was deeply critical of the cooking, which he found extremely salty, the sandwiches ordinary, and the table service mediocre. However, he praised the vegetable dishes and desserts, and had good things to say about sommelier Carlton McCoy.[15]

Sou'Wester closed in December 2013, and was replaced with a new informal restaurant, Muze. Ziebold remained executive chef, but installed a new chef de cuisine to oversee a menu change to more Asian-infused cuisine. The paneling was replaced with pale yellow walls, although the long white curtains remained. Food critic Tom Sietsma again had little good to say about the wait-staff. He found the food a solid improvement. Although several dishes were less than impressive, and some of the more experimental entrees took some getting used to, he found several of the main courses and desserts superb.[17]

The Mandarin Oriental announced that CityZen will close permanently on December 6, 2014. Chef Ziebold left the restaurant to open a new venue in downtown D.C. in spring 2015. Rather than find a new chef, the hotel decided to close CityZen and allow the new chef to create a new restaurant.[18]

Rating

The AAA gave the hotel four diamonds out of five in 2004. The hotel has maintained that rating every year, and received four diamonds again for 2016.[19] Forbes Travel Guide (formerly known as Mobil Guide) awarded the hotel four out of five stars as well in 2016.[20]

Forbes also gave the Mandarin Oriental's spa four out of five stars in 2016.[20]

References

Notes
  1. ↑ The remaining funds would cover the cost of the bond sales, and be used as a reserve in case the hotel went bankrupt and failed to pay the anticipated taxes.
  2. ↑ Ziebold wanted to call the restaurant South by Southwest, but the South by Southwest film festival protested and Ziebold was forced to choose Sou'Wester.
Citations
  1. 1 2 3 Spinner, Jackie (December 4, 2000). "From the Ground Up". The Washington Post. p. E6.
  2. ↑ Hilzenrath, David S. (July 30, 1988). "Despite 1985 Accord, D.C.'s Portals Project Remains Stalled". The Washington Post. p. E1.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Forgey, Benjamin (May 15, 2004). "Mandarin Hotel Steps Into the Past". The Washington Post. p. C1.
  4. 1 2 3 Hedgpeth, Dana (February 26, 2004). "Tax Break Sought for Portals Project". The Washington Post. p. E3.
  5. 1 2 Hedgpeth, Dana; Timberg, Craig (April 11, 2002). "Mandarin Oriental Plans Hotel on D.C. Waterfront". The Washington Post. p. E1.
  6. ↑ Spinner, Jackie (November 12, 2001). "District Can't Sell Bonds for Big Projects". The Washington Post. p. E1.
  7. ↑ Irwin, Neil (March 22, 2004). "Mandarin Hotel Hopes District Becomes a Fan". The Washington Post. p. E1.
  8. ↑ Bhattarai, Abha (March 17, 2014). "Business Is Brisk For Local Design Firm". The Washington Post. p. A15.
  9. 1 2 3 Sietsma, Tom (May 23, 2004). "Room With a Viewpoint". The Washington Post. p. WMAG65.
  10. ↑ "A Guide Touring the District's New Breweries". The Washington Post. April 24, 2013. p. C5.
  11. ↑ "Is It the Old Childhood Thrill of the Treehouse?". The Washington Post. July 15, 2005. p. WW28.
  12. ↑ Sietsma, Tom (December 12, 2004). "Must-Try Cuisine". The Washington Post. p. WMAG25.
  13. ↑ Havemann, Judith (June 8, 2005). "Maestro Wins Two Rammys". The Washington Post. p. F4.
  14. 1 2 Sietsma, Tom (August 26, 2009). "Dish". The Washington Post. p. E3.
  15. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Sietsma, Tom (November 15, 2009). "A Ziebold Venture Heads South". The Washington Post. p. WMAG30.
  16. 1 2 Farley, David (March 25, 2010). "Capital of Comfort Food". The New York Times. Retrieved October 7, 2014.
  17. ↑ Sietsma, Tom (January 8, 2014). "Only Some of This Muze Is Inspiring". The Washington Post. p. E3.
  18. ↑ Cooper, Rebecca (October 17, 2014). "CityZen in the Mandarin Oriental to Close Dec. 6". Washington Business Journal. Retrieved October 17, 2014.
  19. ↑ American Automobile Association (January 15, 2016). AAA/CAA Four Diamond Hotels (PDF) (Report). p. 1. Retrieved May 3, 2016.
  20. 1 2 "Forbes Travel Guide 2016 Star Award Winners". Forbes Travel Guide. February 2016. Retrieved May 3, 2016.
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