I have a new MacBook and I also have a Retina iMac that has the latest MS Office for Mac installed. I haven't yet installed Office on the MacBook but I know that it will install and work just as well there as it does on any other current Mac desktop or laptop computer.
Someone describing the MacBook as a "cross between an iPad and a MacBook Air" is really giving the wrong impression. The processor of the MacBook is a different model Intel processor than the other laptops, and it's a slightly slower speed processor in order to operate without a fan and in the limited space of the MacBook. That's one of the reasons I purchased the MacBook - it has no moving parts whatsoever since the storage and memory is all solid state.
Where it IS similar to an iPad is in size - it is hardly much larger than an iPad Air. If you have an Apple store convenient to where you're located, I really recommend that you take a look at it. The size difference is really something to see.