In a prime location, abutting a private man-made beach, this international star remains, along with the Four Seasons, Miami's top contender for demanding leisure and business travelers. Both hotels purvey world-class service, sumptuous modern decor and fine dining.
Though just six years old at inspection in early 2008, this hotel has already completed a renovation project in its premium accommodations. This is a hotel that takes its position seriously, and the number of repeat clients grows every year.
Ribbed with balconies, the stunning white crescent tower rises up against the water, offering cruise-ship views of Biscayne Bay. The luxurious palm-lined drive ends at the feet of doormen and valets who handle their responsibilities with speed and smiles.
Inside, the staff is equally proficient and professional. The grand, contemporary architecture makes good use of the Florida sunlight, which streams warmly into the public areas. Designed to calm travelers, the common rooms are decorated with Zenlike decor spiced with Latin colors and curvy retro shapes. Rocks are embedded into the soaring lobby's orange marble floors, and bonsai and rare black bamboo add to the allure. A harp player plays gentle music here.
The lobby lounge anchors the north end, and the M-Bar occupies the south end, where light streams in through double-height windows. (If guests need more attitude adjustment, they can order one of 250 versions of the martini here.)
The two restaurants connect via a dramatic central stairway. Azul, the signature restaurant, has a celebrated chef and reputation. Guests can dine inside or on a balcony. The copper-clad Cafe Sambal provides an equally exciting dining experience with chef Tom Parlo at the helm. His Pan-Asian fare has made reservations a must, and the sushi bar, open from 11 am to 11 pm, draws a celebrity crowd. Philipe Starcke chairs and chic chrome tables line the terrace, where alfresco dining takes in Miami's skyline.
The pool is an optical illusion with its infinity edge, and a fitness center and tri-level spa with 17 treatment rooms are next to it. The beach is a clever addition, realized with 26 tons of Lake Welles sand hauled down from Orlando. Set at the end of the island, with its Thai-inspired futonlike mats, throw pillows and cabanas shaded by towering palms, this silky strand of white sand could just as well be on the shores of Phuket.
Upscale meetings take place in 15 function rooms, including a state-of-the-art ballroom 
that can handle up to 600 conferees. Parking is by valet and is frighteningly costly. (Like quality, prices are a leitmotif running throughout the hotel.)
The upstairs passageways continue the Asian theme with bamboo-patterned carpets and cool gold walls. Accommodations maintain a sleek minimalist profile: white armless chairs and ottomans, a surprisingly insubstantial-looking settee, and new large-screen TVs. King beds are buried in pillows and Frette linens.
Baths are clad in veined Spanish marble and boast glass stall showers, soaking tubs and marble sinks.
In deluxe rooms, partitions open into bedrooms; in suites, the tub separates the bedroom and bath for convivial soaking. The 10-ft ceilings and window-walls make for airy space.
Thanks to the aerodynamic design of the hotel, the balconies range in size from elliptical stand-up varieties to vast platforms the size of handball courts, all with Biscayne Bay views; the best are pointed toward the Miami skyline. Bose stereos reverberate in high fidelity. Standard equipment runs to three dual-line phones (including a cordless one), high-speed Internet access, minibars, 
safes, robes, slippers and spa quality toiletries. Hollywood moguls will appreciate the Oriental Suite, which has a wraparound balcony and a multimedia screening room.
On weekdays, about 80% of the Mandarin's clientele are business travelers, but on the weekends, it fills with romantics and spa-goers ready to pour their hard-earned money into elaborate and expensive health and beauty treatments. As a result, the hotel has introduced 16 "Spa Lifestyle Rooms" for healthy-conscious guests. They come with an air purification system, in-room fitness program, personal lifestyle consultant and spa cuisine offerings. Celebrity sightings are common, and many demanding leisure travelers spend the night here before a cruise.
Just about everything operates 24 hours a day at this hotel, and the career-minded staff goes beyond the call of duty. Small pets are allowed.
At these rates, guests still find value, and lots of it. The Mandarin is blessed with substance and a unique style: It puts spice into Miami's bustling luxury market.
