Now that we’re at the mid-year mark, there’s nothing more enticing than getting a little break from work. PARKROYAL COLLECTION’s Eco Wellness Programme’s recent launch came to my attention a couple of weeks ago, allowing us to have a much-needed breather. The programme aims to inspire conscious living and personal wellness in the everyday, and my husband and I were lucky enough to be invited for its second edition, now held at PARKROYAL COLLECTION Pickering.
We were immediately soothed from the hot afternoon sun when we entered the hotel, and were greeted with the cool blast of air-conditioning coupled with lush greenery, chirping bird songs and an aromatic botanical scent – an excellent start to our first visit to a PARKROYAL COLLECTION hotel.
This naturalistic setting continued into the rooms, with a neutral wood finish and lush foliage for privacy outside the floor-to-ceiling window, which we later learnt was inspired by biophilic design. Resting on our bed was our upcoming 2-day schedule – a range of wellness activities from the Urban Farm Tour to the Conscious Dining dinner focused on relaxing the body and soul.
Day 1: Urban Gardening & Foodie Delights
We headed for our first experience of the day: picking herbs from their Urban Garden. Rows of fresh herbs and edible plants lined the garden, from the commonly known pandan and butterfly pea to unique herbs like the Egyptian star and the Mexican tarragon, all used to supply the hotel’s farm-to-table, farm-to-bar and farm-to-spa experiences.
The chef sent us on a treasure hunt to harvest herbs for our dinner later, and we got a chance to pick and try many of the herbs fresh from the garden. One of the surprising discoveries we made was from tasting a freshly picked Stevia leaf, a well-known healthy substitute for sugar. We did not expect the untreated plant to produce such a sweet syrupy taste from just a tiny nibble.
Afterwards, we were brought back inside for a cocktail-making session. With the freshly picked stevia and butterfly pea flowers, the bartenders expertly crafted a botanical delight with the combination of some added passionfruit. The drink was tangy but sweet, owing to the fresh stevia, which we learnt was 200 times sweeter than cane sugar but low in carbohydrates.
Nutritionist and Sustainability Advocate, Charlotte Mei, strongly recommended the healthy alternative, and also taught us how to incorporate the other fresh herbs into a delicious pulled mushroom taco, as part of their Conscious Dining concept.
What is their Conscious Dining concept? Well, it is the concept of enjoying a meal with the environment in mind. Charlotte Mei taught us about the benefits of plant foods to our health and the environment, and the sustainable options we could consider like mussels, seaweed and mushrooms, before we enjoyed our eco-friendly dinner with familiar herbs from the garden.
As for what we had, first up on the menu was a Compressed Watermelon Salad, with Brazilian spinach and lemon balm flower from the urban farm.
The dish was refreshing and tangy from the lemon, balanced by the sweet crunch of the caramelised walnuts. I loved the walnuts and was continually picking them out from the dish, which surprised me as I usually disliked nuts.
Next, we had Symphony of Asparagus, which was asparagus 3-ways with truffle portobello mushrooms. This was one of the rare times I have eaten asparagus cooked to the perfect softness, while still having the crunch to taste. The savoury truffle flavour hit the back of my throat without being too overpowering, and paired nicely with the fresh taste of the asparagus.
For mains, a delicious Sous Vide Chicken Ballotine with Mexican tarragon flowers from the urban farm was served, which my husband declared was “amazing”.
The sous vide cooking method used here created the perfect tenderness for the chicken, paired with drops of tarragon oil that I can only describe as having a very rich herb taste with a delicate spiciness. Simply a must-try!
Finally, for dessert, we had the delicate and beautiful Honey and Passionfruit Delight, topped with fresh mango and wild passionfruit compote, white chocolate mousse and honey.
We very much had fun interacting with the dessert, breaking apart the meringue to let the honey flow out and dipping the biscuit into the passion fruit and honey mix. Although the passion fruit was sour, the honey provided a flowery sweetness. Together with the creamy texture of the meringue and the crunch of the biscuit, it was a dessert worth the wait.
If you’re already salivating, don’t fret, because this menu is also available for all at PARKROYAL COLLECTION hotels’ restaurants and bars.
After dinner, we headed downstairs for a soothing Singing Bowl Meditation experience, where we were surrounded by variations of deep and melodious tones created by tapping the singing bowls. My husband and I thoroughly enjoyed the experience and felt our minds drift off calmly from the sound bath. He ended up fast asleep and snoring, much to my amusement.
A Sleep Ritual Turndown Service was waiting in our room after the meditation. It consisted of a tea set with a bundle of lemon balm, peppermint, rosemary and basil from the garden and a scented pouch infused with natural oils from Flo.
This service will be available for guests staying in the COLLECTION Club Rooms and higher categories, and Titanium and Platinum members of Pan Pacific DISCOVERY. My husband and I steeped the herbs in a fresh pot of tea and had a relaxing bath with the bath salts provided, before falling into a deep slumber.
Day 2: Creative Art Sessions & Further Relaxation
The next day, we attended the Art of Well-being session, where we were given a set of paints, brushes and paper and were encouraged to experiment and let our creativity flow. As he was passionate about painting, my husband enjoyed this activity the most, and we were both so relaxed and content that we completely lost track of time.
Being the slower, more meticulous person that I was, I only managed to complete my piece after the end of the session, but I thoroughly enjoyed the process and am glad that we got to bring the paint sets home to continue.
We ended our stay with an Eco-wellness hotel tour around the hotel and learnt how biophilic design, merging nature and the built environment, was incorporated throughout the spaces. On championing environmental sustainability, PARKROYAL COLLECTION hotels have switched to installing water fountains in all the rooms to reduce plastic waste, and the hotel at Pickering uses collected rainwater for plants in the building.
It was a peaceful two days at PARKROYAL COLLECTION Pickering, and my husband and I left refreshed and recharged for the week ahead. If you’re looking to take a break from the daily grind of work, you can head down to their hotels to enjoy a holistic eco-wellness experience.
The Eco-Wellness Programme is available until the 9th of July. Be sure to book your slots as soon as possible to avoid disappointment, with more information here!
PARKROYAL COLLECTION is also offering the Eco-wellness Escape till 9 July, a wellness-centric stay package stay which includes the following:
• Welcome amenity
• Breakfast for two persons at Lime Restaurant
• Restful Sleep Ritual (including a freshly brewed tea, sleep scent pouch and a fresh herb bundle)
• 25% savings at St. Gregory
• Savings when you dine at Lime Restaurant (excluding alcohol)
• Complimentary Wi-Fi access
If you are interested, you can book a stay for yourself over at their Official Website.
Photos by Hoo Yi of the DANAMIC Team. Additional visuals courtesy of PAKROYAL COLLECTION.
