Mandarin Oriental launched in 1963 with the opening of its flagship property in Hong Kong; today it operates 31 hotels and seven residences in 21 countries and territories. This year, the company announced that it would be taking over Lake Como’s historical CastaDiva Resort & Spa in Italy, with plans to rebrand the property as the Mandarin Oriental Lake Como in the spring following a refurbishment. Mandarin Oriental also recently inked a management contract for a new hotel and branded residences in Moscow, set to open in 2021.