9 Weird And Wonderful Destination Laundromats Around The World

Airing their dirty laundry – you won’t believe these latest tourist attractions

Just when you thought you’d seen it all, there’s a new type of tourist attraction making a splash. We’re talking destination laundromats, where going for a spin has taken on a whole new meaning. It’s no longer just about the washing in these cool spaces that boast everything from bars to libraries and hairdressers.

1. Splash Laundry, Barcelona

Now you can swap the soap bar for a cocktail bar. Touting itself as a high-end, self-service laundromat, Splash was founded in 2012 by an Argentine entrepreneur. By day, you can wash up to 17 kilograms of clothing in one of its machines. By night, you can hire the space out for functions. Just when you thought domestic chores were dead boring, snatch one of your dresses out of the spin cycle and prepare to party. With two locations in Barcelona, one in Eixample Esquerra and another close to the Sagrada Familia, let’s just hope your washing is completed in far quicker time than it is taking the Spanish to finish the famous church.

Experience art and music in Splash laundromat

2. WASBAR, Belgium

A restaurant and laundry in one? Why didn’t anyone think of this sooner. This retro laundromat was developed by a Belgium-based design studio in response to Ghent’s burgeoning student population. Not only can you clean your clothes, but you can drink, sing and have your hair done in this one-stop shop. In short, this place is genius. For those who simply want to hang, there’s plenty of perky places to socialise and even a piano, should the urge to tickle the ivories occur. Sip coffee, order a burger, or drink something alcoholic. You’ll be bummed when your washing is done.

3. The Laundry Cafe, Philadelphia

Who wouldn’t love doing the laundry at a place like this? At Philadelphia’s Laundry Cafe, plonk your gear in a ‘big, clean machine’ (said to wash and dry faster) while you enjoy free wi-fi, flat-screen TVs with the latest shows, fountain drinks, vending machines, and… wait for it… massage chairs. Yes, no more perching on a cold, hard clothing-folding bench watching your load go endlessly round and round. There’s even kid-friendly entertainment and play zones featuring books, toys and arcade-style games. With four locations in this US city, washing day just became a whole lot more fun.

4. Harvey Washbangers, Texas

Those crazy Texans. Just when you thought doing the laundry was, well, about doing the laundry, along came Harvey Washbangers to mix things up. This state-of-the-art laundromat boasts a massive 80 machines and dryers, but you’re not really here for that. Right? You’ll find any Texan worth his salt at the bar, tasting from a range of craft beers including Dallas Blonde and Blood & Honey. There’s also an impressive food menu including burgers and ‘dawgs’ and it would be hard to go past the Banger Burger here.

5. I Love My Laundry, Cape Town

It’s South Africa’s first destination laundromat but we’re guessing it won’t be their last. Home to innovative art displays, a solid cement table that slices through the centre of the main room and rustic red walls, anyone passing I Love My Laundry could be mistaken for thinking it’s a coffee shop. While laundry is the main event here (they even tailor their services to suit your individual quirks such as how you like your socks folded), there are plenty of other things going on too. Sip Brazilian coffee, flavoured mineral waters and ice tea at the laundromat’s JOGA JOGA cafe and feast on cupcakes while you wait for your washing. Even better, pick up a bottle of plonk from the I Love My Wine branch of the business.

I Love My Laundry is South Africa’s first destination laundromat

6. Sunshine Laundromat & Pinball, New York City

The name of this New York laundromat suggests you’ll be plenty more than just washing your socks here. Based in Brooklyn, go the full retro and play pinball while your washing hurtles around the machine. There’s a comprehensive beer menu here too to keep you entertained and even t-shirts for sale, should you have no clean clothes to wear while you’re doing your washing. Even better, this is a laundromat with heart with its ‘Spreading Sunshine’ program donating proceeds from its pinballs to hospitals and cancer patients. Doing the laundry has never felt more virtuous.

7. Coffee and Laundry, Hong Kong

As late as 2014 there wasn’t even a self-service laundromat in Hong Kong, so you can imagine how radical the concept of this country’s first laundromat AND coffee shop was. Based in Sheung Wan, this funky space is capitalising on a city that no longer has space for in-home laundries. The fact it serves a decent brew too is also a boon. There’s only 10 self-service washing machines and dryers here, so best to grab a cuppa, snatch a pastry, and wait your turn.

Coffee and Laundry is revolutionary for Hong Kong

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8. Cafe Laundromat, Oslo

Well, you’ve got to have something interesting to do during those long, dark Norwegian winters, so why not the laundry? Oslo’s Cafe Laundromat pitches itself as a place where strangers can meet and share coffee, a meal, bright ideas and even washing powder. Feast on cooked breakfasts, sandwiches, pizzas and burgers or hunker down in what is one of Oslo’s largest private libraries with more than 4000 books. Washing? What washing?

9. The Missing Socks Laundry Cafe, Siem Reap

There is not a person on the planet with whom the name of this Cambodian laundromat will not resonate. Home to the 2016 Cambodian Barista Champion, you can expect great coffee and tasty tea here too. Head here for good food, hand-crafted coffee, waffles or a cold Angkor beer. You can even order an Espresso Martini. Open 24 hours a day, and with the offer your laundry can be washed and dried in less than one hour, there’s also some fabulous Khmer dishes that makes this a daring destination not to miss on your travels.

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

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.

9 weird and wonderful laundromats from around the world