Hilton’s Waldorf Astoria heading to Las Vegas as Mandarin Oriental gets rebranded

If you were looking for a luxurious but quiet hotel option in Las Vegas, the options have historically been few. 

Even the Four Seasons Las Vegas, which I reviewed here, is effectively just an extension of the Mandalay Bay hotel which occupies the lower floors of the building.  Whilst Four Seasons has its own reception, restaurants and (modest) pool you are always aware that you are still part of a massive casino.

The Mandarin Oriental Las Vegas, which opened in 2009, was different.  It is part of a 47-floor tower block (reception is on the 23rd floor) but it is purely a mix of luxury hotel and apartments, not luxury hotel / mid-range hotel / casino as you get with Four Seasons.  It is exceptionally well regarded and one of only six hotels in the US to hold a ‘triple’ Forbes Five Star rating for its rooms and restaurants and spa.

The CityCenter complex which includes the Mandarin Oriental has had a tangled history, being caught up in the financial crisis of 2007/8 which occurred during construction.  The project was eventually bailed out and, earlier this year, the owners – which included MGM – sold to an unknown group.

The new owners have decided to terminate Mandarin Oriental as operator of the hotel.  The good news, for anyone looking for a good way to use hotel points in Las Vegas, is that it will be replaced by Hilton’s Waldorf Astoria brand.

Waldorf Astoria opened a property in Beverly Hills in 2017 which has been a major critical success (never a given with any chain-owned luxury brand) so I have high hopes for this.

The hotel is not yet bookable on hilton.com.  The Mandarin Oriental lease ends on 30th August but – with a $50m renovation plan being reported – it isn’t clear if it will switch brands overnight or if it will close for a period to undergo a facelift.

How to earn Hilton Honors points and status from UK credit cards (December 2021)

There are various ways of earning Hilton Honors points from UK credit cards.  Many cards also have generous sign-up bonuses.

Do you know that holders of The Platinum Card from American Express receive FREE Hilton Honors Gold status for as long as they hold the card?  It also comes with Marriott Bonvoy Gold, Radisson Rewards Gold and MeliaRewards Gold status.  We reviewed American Express Platinum in detail here and you can apply here.

The Platinum Card from American Express

30,000 points and an unbeatable set of travel benefits – for a fee Read our full review

Did you know that the Virgin Atlantic credit cards are a great way of earning Hilton Honors points? Two Virgin Points can be converted into three Hilton Honors points. The Virgin Atlantic cards are the only Visa or Mastercard products in the UK which can indirectly earn Hilton Honors points. You can apply here.

You can also earn Hilton Honors points indirectly with American Express Gold (20,000 bonus points), the American Express Rewards Credit Card (5,000 bonus points) and – for small business owners – American Express Business Gold (20,000 bonus points) and Business Platinum (40,000 bonus points).

Click here to read our detailed summary of all UK credit cards which can be used to earn Hilton Honors points. 

(Want to earn more hotel points?  Click here to see our complete list of promotions from the major hotel chains or use the ‘Hotel Offers’ link in the menu bar at the top of the page.)