So I went out for dinner last night with some friends and then on the walk home a couple of us decided to swing by the Mandarin Oriental Bar to check it out. We walked into the lobby and headed to the bar and were stopped short by one of the employees. "There's a wait right now to get into the bar, we're currently at maximum capacity. Feel free to take a seat in the lobby and wait."Let me set the scene for you. It's 8:15pm on a Thursday night and we're getting bounced. I was dumbfounded. But we did want to check it out, so we sat in the lobby to hang out and see what would happen. We were not alone. There were at least ten other folks looming outside in the lobby trying to get in. A couple of them were pretty irate because I think they were guests at the Hotel and wanted to get a drink but couldn't get in.
We waited 25 minutes and then decided it wasn't worth it and that we'd check out the Liberty Hotel instead. As we were walking to the T, I stopped to chat with the doorman outside who was bouncing people from that outside entrance and basically asked what exactly the capacity is. He said around 115'ish people including the ones sitting down at tables. I peered in the window and it didn't really look too crowded in there, but I guess that's what they were going for.
So off to the Liberty Hotel. We started off downstairs at Alibi for a drink. It was ok down there, a little crowded, definitely an older demographic. But then we went upstairs to the lobby bar and that bar was awesome. It's set right in the middle of the lobby, very spacious, nice couches, and I loved the high ceilings.
I will return to the Mandarin Oriental some other time just to check it out. But I think Liberty is my new favorite hotel bar. The Intercontinental has been dethroned.
PS. Shout out to the gorgeous Asian girl dining at the window table at the Mandarin with whom I assume were your parents. Both my friend and I did a doubletake when we saw you as we walked by.
We waited 25 minutes and then decided it wasn't worth it and that we'd check out the Liberty Hotel instead. As we were walking to the T, I stopped to chat with the doorman outside who was bouncing people from that outside entrance and basically asked what exactly the capacity is. He said around 115'ish people including the ones sitting down at tables. I peered in the window and it didn't really look too crowded in there, but I guess that's what they were going for.
So off to the Liberty Hotel. We started off downstairs at Alibi for a drink. It was ok down there, a little crowded, definitely an older demographic. But then we went upstairs to the lobby bar and that bar was awesome. It's set right in the middle of the lobby, very spacious, nice couches, and I loved the high ceilings.
I will return to the Mandarin Oriental some other time just to check it out. But I think Liberty is my new favorite hotel bar. The Intercontinental has been dethroned.
PS. Shout out to the gorgeous Asian girl dining at the window table at the Mandarin with whom I assume were your parents. Both my friend and I did a doubletake when we saw you as we walked by.
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Anonymous Said,
Interesting to hear that about the Mandarin. . .a friend of mine had a similar experience there. I wonder how long it will take them to realize that they'll have a hard time attracting customers once they're no longer the "hot" destination in town. . .
Posted on 11/3/08, 10:29 AM
Anonymous Said,
i love your PS. and i'm getting excited to move up there. help me keep an eye out for good housing options ;) -jlo
Posted on 11/16/08, 7:15 PM