Mandarin Oriental is Bringing Pantone’s 2026 Color of the Year to Life Across the Globe

This winter, at some Mandarin Oriental properties around the globe, Pantone’s recently unveiled 2026 Color of the Year is cause for celebration. As the official hospitality partner of the company, the luxury hotel group will showcase Cloud Dancer—an ethereal shade of white, dubbed by Pantone as, “a symbol of calming influence in a frenetic society”—in a few ways. Read on for how (and where) Mandarin Oriental is adopting Cloud Dancer during the holiday season.

What to Expect

“Cloud Dancer resonates deeply with Mandarin Oriental’s belief in the power of calm inspiration,” Alex Schellenberger, chief brand and marketing officer for Mandarin, said in a statement. “We are creating moments that invite our guests to pause, breathe, and rediscover the beauty around them.”

The program, “A Place to Touch the Clouds,” began on Dec. 5 at 10 of the brand’s most iconic properties, and will continue through February. This, according to a press release, will consist of “a series of light-touch, multi-sensory moments” found during the guest’s journey that invite genuine relaxation.

The Mandarin Oriental properties saluting the shade include Hyde Park, New York, Boston, Geneva, Hong Kong, Shenzhen, Shanghai, Tokyo, Marrakech, and the newly opened location in downtown Dubai. All these locations have embraced Cloud Dancer in one way or another via afternoon teas, oxygenating spa rituals, and festive decor. Below, find a few standouts.

Mandarin Oriental, Boston

In its prime location on Boylston Street, the Boston property is always a delight during the winter season. Now, guests can get warm with the surrounding dramatic white floral arrangements, dreamy on-theme tablescapes, and snowy cocktails to suit the moment.

Mandarin Oriental, Geneva

This location showcases Cloud Dancer decor in partnership with Montblanc, transforming the lobby into a winter tableau. Even the food is inspired: Luscious goûters are reimagined in soft white, along with cloud-shaped pastries. And should a guest wish to send a postcard home,  there’s a delicate white Mont Blanc on hand for the task.

Mandarin Oriental, Marrakech

At this family-friendly property in Marrakesh, there’s an almost literal adaptation of Cloud Dancer. In the lobby, there’s a floating white cloud, a cloud-shaped Christmas log, and in the dining areas, culinary touches inspired by the shade.

Mandarin Oriental, Shenzhen

Guests will find themselves suspended in the clouds at this towering high-rise that occupies the top few floors of a 79-story skyscraper. In honor of the launch, the hotel has introduced a Cloud Dancer suite in partnership with 1436 ERDOS, a premium cashmere brand from Mongolia. Another exclusive to the property? A signature cloud cake, featured at a snow-white afternoon tea at the Lian Lounge on the 78th floor.

In a press release, Laurie Pressman, vice president of the Pantone Institute, said the Mandarin Oriental band “beautifully captures the essence of Pantone Color of the Year 2026, creating spaces that quiet the mind and invite genuine relaxation.”