Four Seasons, Mandarin Oriental, Aman Resorts are the most luxurious hotel chains in the world. Here's how they stack up.
- Four Seasons, Mandarin Oriental, and Aman Resorts are luxury hotel chains with locations all over the world.
- We compared the luxury hotel chains on price, locations, design, amenities, and perks to find out which is the best.
- Four Seasons and Aman Resorts were close, but one was the clear winner.
To be a luxury hotel, a resort has to be more than expensive — although you should definitely expect to pay high prices if you want to stay in splendor and indulgence.
As defined by Travel + Leisure, "a luxury hotel promises something all travelers dream of: a lavish break from daily life and a sumptuous journey into an opulent otherworld. Luxury hotels promise the best service in the best settings, from room to restaurant."
Four Seasons, Mandarin Oriental, and Aman Resorts are among the most popular luxury hotel chains in the world. All three have resorts in the United States and around the globe with stellar service and consistent elegance.
We took an in-depth look at the three luxury hotel chains and compared them on price, number of locations, design, standard amenities, and extra perks.
Customer service is another important aspect to look at for hotels, but we found that guest services at all three of these companies is so strong that they were impossible to rank. All of them have marvelous concierges and staff that will go out of their way to make sure each guest loves their stay.
Each chain had their greatest strengths, but at the end of the day, one stood out above the rest.
Keep reading to find out how they stacked up.
Value
We compared the nightly rates of each hotel chain in three cities where all of them operate: Marrakech, Morocco; Shanghai, China; and Tokyo, Japan. All prices are available on hotel websites and are for a one night stay for two adult guests.
In Marrakech, the lowest nightly rates at the Mandarin range from $1,059 to $1,303. On a typical night at the Mandarin Oriental Marrakech, the most expensive room would be $2,545.
At the Aman in Marrakech, the cheapest room goes for $807 most nights but the most exquisite option will set you back $3,352.
At the Four Seasons, the cheapest stay is usually less than $620 and often less than $497 in Marrakech. In addition to the lowest rate, the Four Seasons provides the most options for rooms and thus the greatest price flexibility. The panoramic two-bedroom presidential suite costs $3,476 most nights.
Similar results were found in Shanghai and Tokyo.
Four Seasons wins here because it offers the cheapest hotel rooms, but also has the widest range of room types, including suites as expensive as anything Mandarin or Aman offers.
Best value: Four Seasons
Locations
Mandarin Oriental and Aman have similar global presences. Each has 32 destinations in 20 countries. Aman has only three locations in the US, while Mandarin Oriental has twice as many.
The majority of Aman's resorts are in Asia, where the company was founded and is headquartered. Mandarin Oriental is dispersed equally between Asia-Pacific, the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, and Africa.
Four Seasons is the largest luxury hotel chain by far, with 109 resorts in 46 countries. Four Seasons has four resorts in Central and South America, Mandarin has one, and Aman has none. And even with Aman's centrality in Asia, Four Seasons still has more resorts on the world's most populated continent.
Most locations: Four Seasons
Design
Each of the three hotel chains has a distinct design that often mimics the local architecture in a given destination.
Four Seasons describes its interior guest rooms as "refined, relaxed, and stylish" while "the design of each room reflects the architecture of its building."
Aman shares the same approach as Four Seasons. "The key element, I think, is that the design must be relevant to the location of the resort," Adrian Zecha, founder of Aman said.
Case in point: Aman's new Shanghai resort, Amanyangyun, is made up of villas preserved from Ming and Qing dynasty homes. The antique structures were restored and set amid serene courtyards for guests to enjoy.
Meanwhile, Mandarin Oriental uses design that traces back to its Asian roots with a combination of traditionally Asian decor and a hyper-modern twist. Less so than the other hotels, Mandarin sticks to a single template and designs all of its hotels without regard for the locality.
Mandarin describes its own hotels as having "elegant classical design" combined with "contemporary detailing." The consistency between hotels ensures a Mandarin hotel has the same style whether in Jakarta or New York.
For the lengths Aman goes to make sure each hotel fits naturally into the climate, it gets the upper edge here.
Best design: Aman
Standard amenities
Four Seasons and Mandarin Oriental are very similar when it comes to amenities.
For these two chains, every location has restaurants and bars, most with outdoor dining and some with Michelin stars. Both offer in-room massages in most locations and many destinations have a full spa as well.
Four Seasons and Mandarin resorts also have pools, whirlpools, studio classes, fitness centers, athletic facilities for leisure, golf courses, and meeting rooms, as well as activities for children.
Amenities at Aman resorts are less standardized, which actually adds to the luxurious experience.
In keeping with the idea of a design matching a specific location, Aman resorts offers wellness, dining, and special events that are perfectly suited to the environment.
While Aman's amenities may not be the same across the board, each destination has a special treat that makes that resort unique and worth visiting. From the best of local cuisines, to the most aesthetic and relaxing spas, no detail is too small.
Best standard amenities: Aman
Extra perks
While the Four Seasons has an exclusive, invitation-only recognition program, none of the chains offer official loyalty programs. Instead, they offer extra perks to keep guests coming back.
Mandarin partners with numerous airlines and guests can earn air miles by staying at their resorts with the frequent flyer program. Mandarin works with brands like American Express, Christie's, and Diners Club International that offer benefits to guests.
Plus, guests who book a stay at a Mandarin resort through certain travel agents can receive a free breakfast, VIP treatment, and $100 spa credit, among other perks, according to Forbes.
Four Seasons also has preferred perks that include free breakfast, and free credits for the spa, golf course, or lunch. Several of the chain's hotels offer an additional night free, but the deal is fairly limited.
Aman has exclusive offers that vary based on destination, such as a ski pass privilege in France and a beach experience in Sri Lanka. Four Seasons also has exclusive offers that take advantage of local activities.
Overall, Mandarin Oriental has the broadest rewards system that's consistent across all of its locations.
Best perks: Mandarin Oriental
Aman Resorts is the clear winner.
The cheapest night at an Aman hotel will cost more than the Four Seasons, but is still cheaper than the nightly rate for Mandarin Oriental.
The small price differences are fairly inconsequential when it comes to the luxury experience that comes with it. Other things considered, Aman's price yields the best value.
Aman has fewer locations than Four Seasons, but its hotels are in more exotic locations, like Indonesia and Bhutan. Four Seasons and Mandarin may have more of an urban presence, but Aman takes travelers off the beaten path.
The exterior and interior design of Aman buildings and rooms truly sets the chain apart. The amenities also show how Aman is willing to adopt a local spirit into everything it offers instead of sticking to a more rigid approach to its chain.
Mandarin and Four Seasons may offer similar amenities as Aman does for its guests, but it is how Aman seamlessly integrates everything in the hotel that makes it stand out.
Extra perks are nice, but Aman already provides over-the-top service and fare to guests that Mandarin Oriental and Four Seasons can't match.
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