It is a sweet tooth’s dream: free unlimited desserts for one hour every day. And it is a reality at a hotel in Melbourne.
When the clock strikes 2pm at Mövenpick Hotel, guests seeking an afternoon sweet treat gather in the bar for “Chocolate Hour”.
While I was told it was an occasion not to be missed, I expected little chocolates at a first come, first served basis. Like a communal version of the chocolates fancy hotels sometimes offer with a turndown service.
What I wasn’t expecting was a spread of various treats from chocolate tarts to cakes, and for the desserts to be restocked throughout the hour with new options.
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The signature event at Mövenpick properties across the globe is a nod to the brand’s Swiss heritage – a country famous for its chocolate.
The Mövenpick brand started as restaurants before moving into the famous ice cream line and eventually hotels.
The directory sign in the hotel elevator even includes ice cream as a key amenity along with the pool, gym, reception, bar and restaurant.
Children under 12 get free unlimited ice cream from the Mövenpick Café.
There are only two Mövenpick Hotels in Australia – one in Melbourne and one in Hobart, which both opened in 2021.
Despite not being an Australian brand, as I walked around the 172-room Spencer Street hotel, I kept finding myself saying, “This is so Melbourne”.
The building is located opposite Southern Cross Station and has large windows in the lobby, bar and restaurant with views of the hustle and bustle of Burke Street.
The pool on level two has shutters that let in the sound of the city below, and artsy pictures of Melbourne taken by local photographers line the hallways as you venture to your room.
I was expecting the Chocolate Hour to be the highlight of the stay, but it was actually discovering the underrated Asian fusion restaurant on the ground floor, Miss Mi.
As I got further and further into my heavenly four course dining experience, I thought this restaurant must be a viral sensation and I’ve just been living under a rock.
But with less than 4000 Instagram followers, I was shocked to discover Miss Mi has been flying under the radar online, despite receiving a 2026 Chef Hat award from the Australian Good Food Guide.
Filipino head chef Migo Razon is clearly passionate about the dishes he creates, watching on from the open kitchen as diners enjoy his vibrant food.
One of the dishes he is most proud of is a small share plate of cucumbers prepared in four different ways, but for me it was the snapper kilawin (a Filipino-style marinated fish) with pickled root vegetables, avocado, coconut dressing and desert lime.
With one dish, Mr Razon turns the popular Filipino pork tocino vegan by slowly cooking beancurd skin in pineapple juice marinade.
From the barramundi fritter to a grilled corn salad, each dish was abundantly flavourful and consistently surprising.
Miss Mi has earned itself a high place on my personal list of Melbourne restaurants to recommend to visitors for a special occasion.
This writer was a guest of Mövenpick Hotel & Resorts.
Read related topics:Melbourne