Singapore Airlines will offer COMO Shambhala’s award-winning wellness cuisine on select Singapore Airlines flights later this year, according to a media announcement made earlier this month.
The wellness initiative is part of a longer term partnership between the airline and COMO Shambhala.
The inclusion of the wellness dishes will be progressively made available in Singapore Airlines’ Book the Cook service.
What else?
In the announcement, Singapore Airlines mentioned a wider range of initiatives for “future collaborations”, which may include “on-board amenities, as well as in-flight entertainment content relating to wellness, among others”.
This sounds like there isn’t really a plan yet.
Wellness dishes
Currently, Singapore Airlines is already offering several ‘feel good’ dishes under its ‘Deliciously Wholesome’ range, which is all the rage among airlines in recent times.
In business class, customers can now select from some of the healthier options, including:
Marinated Free Range Chicken on a Spring Salad Bouquet with Cheese Shavings, Roasted Walnuts and White Balsamic Dressing
Spring Salad Bouquet of Haricot Verte Beans, Artichokes, Asparagus and Tomatoes with Hard Boiled Eggs and Roasted Walnuts
Citrus Steamed Sea Bass with Lettuce Puree, Legumes, Radishes and Sunflower Seeds in Citrus Vinaigrette
Indian Style Pistachio Crusted Lamb Chops with Fruit Yoghurt Salsa and Mint Chutney
There are at least half a dozen of options, so just hop on to Singapore Airlines’ website to take a look. Just don’t ask me why the names are all so long.
Wellness in the air all the hype
The announcement is yet another airline-related wellness announcement, following countless similar ones including Qantas’ work with Charles Perkin Centre to design in-flight service and food on ultra-long haul services; Cathay Pacific’s most recent introduction of yoga studio in its lounge; as well as Singapore Airlines’ own announcement last year on its work with Canyon Ranch to introduce wellness cuisines and improve passenger well-being on flights.
This is certainly a good move by airlines, but often these ended up being offered in premium cabins with lesser attention being paid to cattle class. It would be a lot more heartening to see more concrete initiatives targeted at economy class, including specific meal options (and samples), as well other well-being options that will make economy class a lot more bearable for long flights.
The Metropolitan by COMO in Bangkok is one of my favourite hotels in the entire city. Despite it being a boutique chain of hotels with no affiliation to any of the major hotel chains (read: no loyalty perks), this remains one of my most memorable hotels for its simplicity in design, comfort and excellent service, making me feel right at home.
About COMO
COMO Metropolitan Bangkok front desk
COMO Hotels and Resorts is a chain of luxury properties across the world, and they believe in providing “luxury travel experiences with personalised service in elegant properties, each individually curated to reflect its location.”
There are 14 COMO properties around the world, with over half of them in Asia. You will notice a trend in the locations they choose for their resorts: most are idyllic or exotic destinations, such as the two resorts in Bhutan and several beach resorts including Phuket and Bali.
And I bet you didn’t know – the COMO Hotels and Resorts is part of the COMO Group, which is owned by Singaporean Christina Ong. Some other well known brands under the COMO Group includes Club 21 as well as F&B brands Culina and Candlenut.
COMO Metropolitan Bangkok
Metropolitan by COMO
COMO Metropolitan Bangkok is located along South Sathorn Road, close to the heart of Bangkok’s financial district and a 10-minute walk to Silom. The property has 169 guest rooms across 7 room types, with most of them the signature Metropolitan Room. There is a small number of suites, making it really exclusive.
Upon arrival at the hotel, the personalised service begins right away. The porters at the driveway will not only help you with your bags, but they go straight to your room. While you are ushered to a sofa in the reception area, the check-in agent comes and collect your passport and credit card from you while you sit back, enjoy their signature welcome drink and a cold towel. Once ready, the agent will come back with your key, a form for you to sign and you are ready to check out your room.
Metropolitan signature welcome drink
I arrived at noon and check-in time was supposed to be 2pm. However, they were able to get the room ready for me within 15 minutes, and once my check-in is complete, another staff escorted me to the room. In the lift, he offered a tour of the hotel, but I declined given that it wasn’t my first stay at the property.
My room was cool when I stepped in, and my bags were already in place. My escort kindly took his leave and I was left to enjoy the welcome fruit basket.
Metropolitan Room L-shaped sofa
I booked myself into the metropolitan room this time round. The metropolitan room is a mid-range room, slightly larger in size than the Urban and City rooms. The room is very spacious, with a L-shaped sofa on one side, and the beds on the other end.
What I really love about the room is how plainly and cosy the room felt. The muted colours, with the apt use of brown tones and earthly colours conveys a feeling of calmness and serenity.
The window stretched across the entire length of the room, while the bathroom takes up the length on the other side.
Metropolitan Room bathroom
The space within the bathroom is overly generous too. A large bath adorns a part of the bath, as well as a huge rainshower area. The bathroom is rightly lit with warm lighting, and I simply love the large granite walls as well.
COMO Shambala bath amenities
While not extravagant, the hotel is well equipped. The COMO brand is well known for its spas and wellness programmes, and this property was no exception. The signature Shambala spa was located on the second floor, where you could enjoy its signature spa for THB 3,000. At the time of my visit they were giving a THB 750 voucher if you spend at least THB 3,000 on spa services.
Jacuzzi in the men’s changing room
Given that Thailand is a land of great and affordable spa services, I have never tried the hotel’s service, but instead indulge in the jacuzzi and steam baths in the changing room. A point about the jacuzzi – it sits by two large glass panels that is well shielded (it is after all in the changing room) but allows natural light to come in, making the place just a little short of an onsen experience.
Gym
Along with the spa, there was also a adequately equipped gym and a swimming pool. The swimming pool had both twin and single bathing decks, and the great service extends there as well. When you head to the pool, the attendant will lay out a bath towel on the deck chairs before you use them, and constantly top up your ice water without you having to ask.
glow restaurant – breakfast time
The hotel contains two great restaurants: glow, the restaurant that serves up healthy options, and nahm, the widely acclaimed Thai fine dining restaurant on the ground floor (they have a firm dislike for uppercase letters.) There is also Met Bar on the side of the hotel as well as in-room dining services for those who are lazy to venture out of their sofas.
The hotel breakfast is served at glow and I will say it’s one of the best hotel breakfasts I ever had. Boasting a continental buffet spread and an a la carte menu just like Pan Pacific’s Pacific Club, glow goes a step further with not a few but an entire menu of healthier options, including egg white omelette, granola and others. The menu reads as follow:
A la carte selection
Golden waffles with fresh mango and passionfruit curd
Vanilla scented french toast with fresh berries, banana and maple syrup
Coconut pancakes with poached pineapple and blueberries
Eggs cooked to your liking with sweet corn cake, roast tomatoes, bacon and pork or chicken sausage
Two egg omelette with sauteed mushrooms, leek thyme and swiss cheese
Eggs benedict; poached eggs, prosciutto and hollandaise on English muffins
Thai style “bacon and eggs” with sticky rice, sweet corn and roast tomatoes
Wok fried thai style rice with chicken vegetables and fried egg
Wok fried egg noodles with prawns, chilli, holy basil and fried egg
Boiled jasmine rice with pork dumplings, soft boiled egg and condiments
glow healthy breakfast selection
Kiwifuit, papaya, longan and blueberry salad with lemongrass syrup
Raw nut and seed ‘granola’ with banana, berries and vanilla yoghurt
Quinoa, apple and dried cranberry porridge with cashew nut milk
Pumpkin and buckwheet pancakes with papaya nectar, orange and cashew nut cream
Raw nut and seed ‘toast’ with avocado, tomato, cucumber and lemon dressing
Steamed seasonal green vegetables with poached egg and green goddess sauce
Fluffy egg white omelette with kale, mushrooms and roast tomatoes
Smoked salmon and avocado on toasted seven grain bread with ricotta
Whoever heard of cashew nut milk and papaya nectar?!
The first day, my friend and I was decidedly hungry and went for four main courses and it was probably the wisest food decision of the trip.
Thai style “bacon and eggs” with sticky rice, sweet corn and roast tomatoes
The Thai style “bacon and eggs” was an over generous slab of pork belly, a deep fried whole boiled egg, adorned by a dollop of sticky rice and some vegetables for colour. The result was a visually and fragrant mix of colours and flavours. Not to mention, the meat was succulent, with a good proportion of fats and meat with a good bite.
Vanilla scented french toast with fresh berries, banana and maple syrup
The french toast was excellent as well. While I’m not a big fan of french toast as most places make it too oily, the french toast here was well prepared – crispy on the outside, moist on the inside, and leaves no slabs of oil all over your lips when you are done.
Wok fried egg noodles with prawns, chilli, holy basil and fried eggCoconut pancakes with poached pineapple and blueberries
The second day we tried some other items as well, including the wok fried egg noodles and the coconut pancakes, which were equally amazing.
Like I said, this property is one of the best I have ever stayed in Bangkok, and after a first stay there several years back, I’ve always make it a point to come back for a stay or two every couple of years. While it may not boast of some of the luxuries such as an executive lounge as with most hotel chains, nor provide any kind of loyalty bonus, the hotel’s well thought designs, luxurious feel, and excellent service beats some of the other top end hotels in town any day. It’s my perfect escape in a buzzing city.
