Mandarin Oriental, Washington D.C., ranked for the second consecutive year by Travel & Leisure Magazine as one of the “Top 20 Business Hotels”, is setting new standards of luxury service,   accommodating the full range of group needs: conference, incentive, corporate retreat or reunion.  The hotel’s convenient location on Washington D.C.’s southwest waterfront makes Mandarin Oriental, Washington D.C. the capital’s only waterside hotel offering views of the Jefferson Memorial and Washington Monument, Potomac Tidal Basin and Washington Marina.  With easy access to Ronald Reagan National Airport, Capitol Hill, Smithsonian Institution museums and the historic monuments, Mandarin Oriental, Washington D.C. is becoming the city’s most convenient “power meeting” hotel.

Mandarin Oriental, Washington DC, recipient of the 2008 Gold Key Award from Meetings & Conventions has 38,000 square feet of function and pre-function space, including an 8,300-square-foot Grand Ballroom that accommodates up to 800 people for a sit-down dinner, and can be divided into three equal sections. The junior “Oriental Ballroom” measures 5,350 square feet and seats 450 people banquet-style, and is also divisible into thirds. There are nine breakout rooms ranging in size from 443 to 1,278 square feet, each of which are equipped with a built-in projection screen, a dry-erase board, a storage closet and built-in cabinets. There are wireless internet and mobile phone capabilities throughout the meeting and public areas of the hotel.

Also achieving the “Award of Excellence” from Corporate and Incentive Travel, the hotel’s sales, catering and event management staff can design and facilitate meeting and incentive programs customized to suit individual, corporate and meeting planner needs. The hotel’s waterfront location, elegant meeting space, luxurious guest rooms and suites and exceptional food and beverage presentations provide an all-encompassing experience for the meetings minded.

Customized Theme Parties and Events
Any event can be individually customized and designed to meet corporate and incentive needs.  For example, reflecting Mandarin Oriental, Washington DC’s Asian roots, organizations can treat guests to a “Journey to the Orient” - an evening where associates are transported over 10,000 miles for a night. Oriental fans, paper lanterns, a Taiko drum show and Chinese Lion Dancers energize the room while guests dine on exotic foods such as dim sum, sushi, five-spice short ribs, stir-fried shrimp, Peking duck and ‘tom kha talay’ – Bangkok fisherman’s stew, to name just a few items.

A highlight of the “Journey to the Orient” is the authentic Chinese Lion Dance, an important  tradition in China for festivities like openings and weddings. The mythological Chinese Lion represents strength, wisdom, and good luck and has the ability to drive away evil spirits. The lion is accompanied by three musicians, playing a drum, cymbals and a gong. The lively music and synchronized dancers scare away the mythical beast (evil) and clear the way for good luck. It’s a fun way to kick off any group gathering.

Customized Spa and Wellness Breaks
To enhance meeting attendees’ well-being, the award-winning Spa at Mandarin Oriental offers therapies that can be incorporated into the day’s events.

The “Relaxation and Clarity” 30-minute session is held in a room set with soothing aromatherapy candles, incense and seating pillows. Tibetan chimes are used, and a wellness therapist guides attendees through a mediation and visualization exercise that supports teamwork and common goals. The session concludes with “Pranayama” breathing, vital to yoga practice, to relieve stress and quiet the mind.

Spa therapists are also available to provide “Balanced Body” sessions, where a chair-massage will be provided to attendees. At the conclusion of the relaxing five-minute stress relief guests will be offered a selection of teas and a proverb of the day fortune cookie.

Spa therapists are also available to provide “Balanced Body” sessions, where a chair-massage will be provided to attendees. At the conclusion of the relaxing five-minute stress relief guests will be offered a selection of teas and a proverb of the day fortune cookie.

Tour Options and Attractions
Ideally located within minutes of Washington D.C.’s monuments and museums, embassies and gardens, sightseeing options for groups include: “Memorials to Great Politicians Past” - a two-hour guided tour of the Lincoln and Jefferson Memorials, Washington Monument that concludes with the riverside FDR Memorial; a driving tour of Embassy Row,  home to nearly 150 embassies and consulates located in Washington; shopping at one of Washington’s designer malls; a boat tour on the Potomac River; a show at Arena Stage, Warner Theatre or Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts; or a Washington Redskins, Washington Wizards, Washington Nationals or Washington Capitals sporting event, among the countless options.

The banquet team presents creative cuisine and superb service to provide outstanding, memorable and innovative experiences. For off-site outings, Mandarin Oriental, Washington DC works closely with local venues to arrange creative gatherings. Options include dinner at the International Spy Museum, where diners can discover a “mole” among them while they explore the museum and dine on spies favorite foods, or at the Freer and Sackler Galleries of the Smithsonian, the foremost Asian art museums in the United States.

Mandarin Oriental, Washington DC Spa and Dining
Complementing the hotel’s extensive meeting facilities are Washington, DC’s most luxurious guestrooms and suites; The Spa at Mandarin Oriental, Washington DC that offers eight treatment rooms and two beauty suites, a state-of-the-art fitness center with Technogym® equipment featuring individual television screens and headphones, heated indoor 50-foot lap pool and a sundeck overlooking Washington marina and the Potomac River.

The hotel has successfully brought chic and dynamic dining opportunities to the districts waterfront with two restaurants – one for all-day dining and one signature restaurant – both originally designed by Tony Chi and Associates of New York.  CityZen, our AAA 5 Diamond signature restaurant, brings the modern American cuisine of Chef Eric Ziebold to the evolving dining scene in Washington.

CityZen is open for dinner Tuesday – Saturday.  Sou’Wester, the hotel’s all-day dining restaurant, offers regional American fare with a southern lilt, with spectacular views of the Washington Channel and Potomac Tidal Basin.  The Empress Lounge, a focal point of the hotel’s main lobby serves light fare and cocktails as well as “Afternoon Savories and Sweets” a buffet of the most decadent desserts paired with an international assortment of tea and coffee blends. There is also live afternoon and nightly musical entertainment. 

About Mandarin Oriental, Washington DC
Ranked for the second consecutive year by Travel & Leisure Magazine as one of the “Top 20 Business Hotels”, the 400-room urban resort has set a new benchmark for experiencing the nation’s capital.  The hotel’s unique location on the southwest waterfront makes Mandarin Oriental, Washington D.C. the only hotel offering views of the Jefferson Memorial and Washington Monument, Tidal Basin and Washington Marina.  In addition to exceptional accommodations and gracious service, the hotel features 38,000 square-feet of meeting space, the Forbes Four-Star Spa at Mandarin Oriental, the Southern-style restaurant Sou’Wester and the AAA Five Diamond CityZen.