Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group Unveils New Global Strategy

Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group has revealed a new brand-led, guest-centric vision and strategy for its next ten years of accelerated growth. The plan will build on the strength of its dual Asian heritage to create exceptional luxury hospitality experiences of the future.

Under the leadership of Group Chief Executive Laurent Kleitman, now a year in-role, the Group is focused on accelerating the development of its core proposition and investing in exceptional luxury experiences for its guests, with a focus on growing its resorts and capital city portfolio as well as expanding in key regions including the Middle East, Japan and North America while continuing to expand in key capital cities across Europe. The Group’s ambition is to double its portfolio over the next ten years, while maintaining its unrivalled commitment to quality and service.

Group Chief Executive Laurent Kleitman said: “I am delighted to be able to deliver this new vision for Mandarin Oriental: ‘Fans of the Exceptional, Every Day, Everywhere’. It is one that will power the evolution of our guest offering for the next ten years. Mandarin Oriental embodies the core tenets of enduring luxury in the fast-changing world of global hospitality: legendary service, a relentless commitment to excellence, and a unique heritage combined with a constant innovation of the guest experience. We are also excited to bring the world of Mandarin Oriental to more of the most beautiful, inspiring, and vibrant destinations across the world.”

“Luxury has always been about creating desirability and memorable experiences. We treasure the preciousness of every moment spent with us and will continue to surprise and delight people at every opportunity – from our guests to our incredible colleagues, to our partners, to the communities where we operate.”

“We have begun this new chapter by sharing the new strategy with our 15,000 colleagues and our partners who are central to the delivery of the vision, and I am delighted that they have responded so strongly.”

Defining our next chapter, rooted in our dual Asian heritage

Mandarin Oriental’s heritage is what continues to propel the brand forward, as it reimagines and innovates the highest standards in luxury hospitality. The Group is recognised around the world as a pioneer of exceptional hospitality, and will continue to draw on its unique dual heritage to differentiate its proposition to guests: rooted in the graceful style, mastery of craft, and an unrivalled service tradition that originated at The Oriental, Bangkok almost 150 years ago, combined with the elegant design, modernity, and pioneering spirit of The Mandarin, Hong Kong, which opened in 1963. This is a philosophy Kleitman has made clear will extend to every Mandarin Oriental property around the world, including this year’s openings in Muscat, Mayfair in London and Qianmen in Beijing which has brought the Group’s portfolio to 41 hotels worldwide.

Enhance the guest experience

Mandarin Oriental will continue to innovate its world-class proposition, putting the guest experience in the centre of everything. A new app, due to be rolled out next year, is being designed to remove friction for guests on their journey to their hotel and throughout their stay, while enhancing guests’ privacy by allowing them discrete ways of staying in touch with the hotel teams.

The Group regularly receives awards for excellence, particularly for their culinary and wellness focus. Mandarin Oriental has more Michelin stars than any other portfolio of its size, as well as more Forbes five-star awards for its holistic wellness offerings.

Building on this success, Mandarin Oriental will be rolling out its legendary cake shops to more of its hotels around the world, providing a sophisticated and elegant patisserie offering that is a unique expression of the brand and an accessible touchpoint with it.

There will also be a new Wellness 2.0 concept that builds on 25 years of expertise and innovation in this space. The offer will provide an enhanced holistic service combining physical, spiritual and medical elements of health and well-being for guests.

Accelerated Growth

Over the past 12 months and under the leadership of Laurent Kleitman, the Group has announced a series of exceptional development projects to its portfolio in some of the most sought-after destinations in the world, which will introduce new and exciting experiences to its guests:

• A trio of distinctive boutique properties in Japan, strategically located around the picturesque Seto Inland Sea in Setouchi which will honour the region’s remarkable traditions and history.
• The restoration and rebranding of the former Gellert Hotel – a grande dame in Budapest with its own thermal baths.
• The creation of a unique villa experience in Rome, housed in ten 19th-century villas, surrounded by tranquil, lush, landscaped gardens, just steps away from the city’s major attractions and archaeological sites.
• A luxurious hideaway resort with private residences located on Bali’s southern coast on the picturesque Bukit peninsula
• A luxury beachfront resort with branded residences on Mexico’s Riviera Maya, on the Yucatan Peninsula, meticulously designed to respect the diversity of the environment and reflect local culture.

These additions are part of the Group’s aim to accelerate the expansion of its portfolio around the world. Mandarin Oriental is relentlessly focused on understanding and pre-empting the evolving needs of its guests and UHNW travellers – bringing the Mandarin Oriental experience to where they are, at the destinations they love, with service that delights. It is doubling down on key capitals where the Group sees opportunities for more than one hotel – including London, Beijing, Hong Kong and Dubai and it is also focused on creating destination hubs for guests to explore regions with the Group such as Zurich, Geneva and Luzern; Milan and Como and Abu Dhabi and Dubai.

In total, Mandarin Oriental currently has 28 hotels and resorts in addition to 18 residences in development around the world, many in key city centre destinations including Athens, Rome, Budapest, Miami, Kuwait City, Cairo and Vienna. The Group is also enhancing its resorts portfolio in some of the world’s most beautiful and sought-after leisure destinations, with announced offerings in Bali, Sardinia, Setouchi, Vietnam, Maldives, Mexico, Mallorca, Grand Cayman and Cortina.

The recent opening of Mandarin Oriental Qianmen, Beijing in September 2024 marked the Group’s tenth property in Greater China, complementing the exceptional Mandarin Oriental Wangfujing in Beijing. It is the first in a longer pipeline of developments including Chengdu, Hangzhou and Nanjing.

All of the new projects, with more to be announced soon, are proof of Mandarin Oriental’s continued commitment to investing in its core proposition in countries where it has already won lifelong Fans and where it plans to make new ones.

Purposeful operations rooted in communities

With every new Mandarin Oriental that opens, the Group is committed to making positive contributions to local communities. As a global luxury brand, Mandarin Oriental takes seriously its responsibility to preserve, to care and be mindful of its local impact, from revitalising local economies to supporting local art, culture and craftsmanship.

The forthcoming resort in Mexico on the Riviera Maya will feature another first as Bosco Sodi takes on the role as Art Curator and design consultant for the property. His approach, which embraces the Japanese Wabi Sabi philosophy that finds beauty in imperfections and the signs of age, merges with age-old Mayan traditions and contemporary aesthetics. Sodi’s appointment is part of the Group’s commitment to highlighting and championing local cultures wherever the hotels operate.

As it continues on its journey of accelerated growth, Mandarin Oriental will keep evolving the ways it operates to ensure a more harmonious experience for our guests, colleagues, partners, communities, and our planet. For colleagues this includes a paid day off, to be devoted to volunteering and which has resulted in over 52,000 hours spent on given back to local communities in 2023 alone, a 150% increase over the prior year.

Group Chief Executive Laurent Kleitman said, “Our strategy for growth will enable us to forge new and stronger partnerships, plan for the long-term, and make meaningful contributions to communities where we can have the greatest impact – all essential tenets of luxury hospitality.

“Sustainable and enduring luxury is about creating the time and space for the most precious experiences and relationships – with the world and with each other. Indeed, we believe diverse perspectives – combined with an inclusive culture and equitable opportunities – stimulate innovation, increase organisational agility and strengthen resilience to disruption. We are proud that our workforce represents more than a hundred different nationalities. We deliberately foster a workplace where all colleagues can freely express themselves and their backgrounds. Taken together, this team and this strategy put Mandarin Oriental in an exciting position to take a leading role in the luxury hotel industry in the years ahead.”