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Swissôtel: A Swiss touch in the tropics

International Traveller
The lush, tropical sophistication of Singapore may feel a lifetime away from chic Swiss luxury and warm hospitality, but when they all come together, the result is simply perfection.

 

Around the world, Swissôtel brings a fond touch of Switzerland to each of its hotel properties, creating a best-of-both-worlds scenario as guests enjoy its triple cornerstones of vitality, sustainability and craftsmanship. Even in Singapore, the city state that never sleeps, Swissôtel’s two hotels create a cocoon of European healthy living, responsible world citizenry and that famed trademark Swiss precision and love of design.

Swissôtel Merchant Court

Ideally situated within the historical waterfront precinct of Clarke Quay, the Swissôtel Merchant Court is the perfect choice for families stopping over in Singapore, or business travellers passing through. From here, Singapore’s place in history as a thriving, bustling trade centre is mapped out to explore amongst sights such as the Boat Quay and the Asian Civilisations Museum. You’re also steps away from more nightlife and foodie culture, right on the river, than you could possibly ask for.

Swissôtel Merchant Court
The Crossroads Bar at Swissôtel Merchant Court has a sophisticated vibe.

Inside, each of the hotel’s 476 guest rooms and suites features elegant Swiss design with a floral Singaporean motif. Clean lines of alpine Switzerland combined with lush carpets and wall décor echo Singapore’s verdant plant life. Up-to-the-minute technology ensures each room is equipped with instant wi-fi, ergonomic seating and impressive entertainment systems. If you love to catch the air in the morning, choose a Premier Double Room or a Swiss Select Studio, each with a balcony; for unbelievable views of the Quay and marina, a Swiss Select Clarke Quay room is definitely worth it.

Swissôtel Merchant Court
Ellenborough Market Café celebrates the best of Straits Chinese, or Peranakan, flavours while also presenting a tantalising medley of Asian and International delights.

Take a ride up to the Executive Lounge up on the 11th floor to find the hotel’s own ‘vitality corner’, where you can sample wholesome food options from breakfast through to Happy Hour canapes. The breakfast buffet down in the Ellenborough Market Café is similarly well appointed, with healthy dining the defining feature. The Pürovel Spa & Sport wellness centre spans two floors and offers fitness options 24 hours a day; sun yourself by the swimming pool, complete with waterslides and jacuzzi, or head inside to work your way through an extensive menu of treatments.

Swissôtel pool
Sun yourself by the swimming pool at the
Swissôtel Merchant Court.

Swissôtel The Stamford

Here at Southeast Asia’s loftiest hotel complex, it’s little wonder that so many of The Stamford’s incredible 1252 rooms and suites offer killer views of not only Singapore, but even other countries! You can enjoy views of the islands of both Malaysia and Indonesia from your own private balcony while, downstairs, you are well and truly in the centre of Singapore, with the City Hall MRT train station just steps away.

Swissôtel The Stamford Level 65
Dining on Level 65 offers 360-degree views of the city.

Especially luxurious after recent and extensive refurbishments, stylish and earthy-toned surfaces and furnishings combine with ergonomic seats and specially designed, sleep-aiding beds in each room, so you can’t help but relax. And, for another perspective of the skyscraper’s unparalleled views, head to the exclusive Executive Lounge, Level 65. Aptly named after its locale within the 73-storey icon, Level 65 spans the entire floor, offering 360-degree views of the city.

Swissôtel The Stamford
Stylish and earthy-toned surfaces and furnishings combine in the Presidential Suite.

But, with no less than 15 restaurants and bars, Swissôtel The Stamford is almost a city in itself. From the Michelin-starred JAAN by Kirk Westaway, to the altitudinous modern grill at SKAI, you can expect a wide array of cuisine and produce. Head poolside at Alligator Pear, where you can snack on healthy treats if you’re a member or guest of the hotel’s Willow Stream Spa. And, for more healthy treats, opt for a Vitality Room, which includes an in-room yoga station, a wellness wall featuring exercise equipment and digital workout routines, an experience shower and bath, and circadian rhythm-based lighting. There’s a nutritional minibar, too.

Swissôtel Vitality Room
Opt for the Vitality Room for an experience shower and bath, and circadian rhythm-based lighting.

Wellbeing isn’t reserved just for the guests at The Stamford either; the hotel has been working on improving its social, economic and environmental impact through recent renovations, too, such as introducing dispensers for bathroom products and recycling food waste into organic fertiliser for the hotel’s fresh herb garden. Guests can also activate Green Mode in their room at the touch of a button – to reduce their own energy consumption.

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For more information or to book your stay at the Swissôtel Merchant Court or Swissôtel The Stamford, visit Swissotel.com.

 

 

 

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5 things every hotel needs for a more restorative stay

    Kate Bettes Kate Bettes
    Wellbeing means different things to different travellers. Here’s how to pick a hotel that gets it right for you.

    The best wellness holidays aren’t necessarily spent wrapped in a spa robe. Sometimes they’re found around a dinner table in Cambodia, on a hiking trail in New Zealand or after finally beating jet lag on the other side of the world. The hotel you choose is what makes them happen.

    1. Easy access to good food

    meals from Novotel Bangkok Sukhumvit 20
    Taste delicious meals at Novotel Bangkok Sukhumvit 20.

    One of the quickest ways to derail healthy habits on holiday is to spend half of it working out where to eat instead of digging into the culture around you. Thankfully, Novotel has done much of the hard work already, with chefs building menus that lean into the flavours, ingredients and traditions of each destination.

    In Sihanoukville, Cambodia, Korkor soup – often dubbed ‘Cambodian ratatouille’ – sits alongside raw blue crab dressed with lime and chilli, best enjoyed with views across the Gulf of Thailand.

    In the lovingly chaotic city of Bangkok, the presence of food cranks up the sociability. At Novotel Bangkok Sukhumvit 20, you can settle in with mango sticky rice and stranger-turned-friends beside the pool at Sky on 20 rooftop bar, or bring them along to tackle river prawns and stir-fried crab with holy basil at the buzzing Crab Paradise Dinner Buffet.

    Then Novotel Dubai Al Barsha welcomes you with a laidback twist on the level of indulgence the Middle Eastern city is best known for up on Deck Se7en. Looking towards Burj Al Arab, the rooftop lounge has everything from Mediterranean-style dishes like seabass ceviche to Italian prosecco sundowners.

    At the other end of the scale, in the hills that surround the Novotel Bali Ubud Resort, calm comes from nature. At Siralada restaurant, Balinese traditions shape the menu while thunder rumbles over the surrounding jungle – proving the setting is as nourishing as the food itself.

    While at Novotel Nha Trang, chef Kieu Thi My Hanh and her team showcase Vietnam’s knack for balancing freshness, texture and fragrant herbs. Pho remains a favourite, while seafood salad with pomelo and mango brings those flavours together in one bright dish.

    It’s all an approach backed by partnerships with expert food creators such as Alfie Steiner, whose plant-forward recipes prove healthy food should never taste plain.

    2. Better sleep options

    Novotel Bali Ubud Resort room
    Sleep deeply with Novotel.

    There are few travel experiences more disappointing than arriving in a new country, determined to seize the day, only to fall asleep fully clothed by 3pm.

    For Australian travellers, jet lag is often an unavoidable part of the journey. That’s one reason Novotel runs sleep-focused initiatives that help guests adjust quickly without compromising on health. We’re talking partnerships with Sydney-based sleep specialist Olivia Arezzolo, known for her advice on everything from better sleep habits to beating jet lag, alongside features like pillow menus, in-room yoga content and tailored sleep guidance.

    The sooner you’re operating on local time, the sooner you can get back to more pressing matters – like deciding which spa treatment to book.

    3. More ways to move

    woman hiking around queenstown new zealand
    Stay at Novotel Queenstown Lakeside and explore local hiking trails. (Credit: GettyI mages/ naruedom)

    Every place in the world has its own way of getting you moving: whether that’s hiking up ice-bitten mountains before a sauna or gentle stretching by the pool before a facial. From fitness centres to spas, Novotel recognises that wellbeing rarely looks the same.

    At Novotel Queenstown Lakeside, activity is inescapable. Here, hiking trails, ski fields, bungee jumps, and white-water rafting have made the region famous. The hotel’s location on the shores of Lake Wakatipu means less time spent organising yourself and more time out there experiencing them. To top it all off, you can book a private hot tub for the evening before heading back into the wilderness tomorrow.

    Bali, of course, takes a softer approach. At Novotel Bali Ubud Resort or Novotel Bali Nusa Dua, movement is less about conquering a mountain and more about a dance class between the tropical gardens and lagoon pools. Afterwards, the spa takes over, with traditional treatments like a Lulur body scrub: a combination of rice, turmeric, sandalwood, ginger and jasmine that’ll soothe muscles already relaxed by the Balinese heat.

    4. Better connections

    Novotel Sharm El Sheikh
    Kids will love a stay at Novotel Sharm El Sheikh.

    One of the best things about travel is that it gives your family stories you’ll be telling for years. Novotel helps create them with activities that bring everyone together, whether that’s trying something new, learning a local skill, or simply spending more time together.

    Go for a distinctly Thai twist at Novotel Phuket Vintage Park, where many of the family activities draw on local culture. Kids can try everything from beginner Thai boxing and language lessons to umbrella painting and – a pastime beloved by children the world over – pool foam parties. Everyone is welcome to join in, whether that’s getting splashed, covered in paint, or simply watching their children discover a new side of Thailand during the dedicated Family & Kids Day.

    A different adventure awaits at Novotel Sharm El Sheikh. Kids could be perfectly content with discos, drawing classes and new holiday friends, but the Red Sea has other ideas. Sitting on the edge of Naama Bay, days here might involve snorkelling colourful reefs, taking a boat trip to Ras Mohammed National Park or heading into the desert by quad bike or camel for a Bedouin-style dinner beneath the stars.

    5. Location is everything

    Surin Beach, Choeng Thale, Thalang District, Phuket, Thaiföld
    Explore Phuket’s gorgeous beaches. (Credit: Bence Biczo)

    Everyone’s idea of wellness looks a little different. With more than 600 hotels across 65 countries, Novotel gives guests the freedom to choose the destination that suits them best. Whether that’s a beachside escape in Phuket, an alpine expedition in Queenstown or a city break in Bangkok, there’s a good chance a Novotel isn’t far away.

    All that’s left? Choosing your version of wellbeing.

    Discover stays to inspire your everyday at novotel.accor.com.