Ten years in the making (the first MO burnt down in 2009), the Mandarin Oriental was worth the wait. Palatial rooms (at least 55 sq metres) have luxurious, fine-tuned details, from the ubertrendy 'bowl' bathtubs to the Dyson-branded hair dryers. 'Mandarin Rooms' frame a sensational panorama of the Forbidden City through floor-to-ceiling windows.
Nonguests can drink in the very same view from the terrace at MO Bar and at Mandarin Grill, an upmarket steakhouse. The MO is built into the west side of the new WF Central shopping mall in the heart of Wangfujing, a short walk from the Forbidden City and Tian'anmen Sq.