Six Senses Maxwell

Following on from the opening of Six Senses Duxton in the same neighbourhood, Six Senses Maxwell has arrived with a design led conversion of 14 colonial buildings into a unique and enchanting luxury hotel. As a pair they are inseparable in many ways but so different in others. Guests can benefit from the F&B outlets at each property during their stay and use the pool, gym and spa at Six Senses Maxwell no matter which of this innovative duo of luxury hotels they call home.

Six Senses Maxwell was designed by Jacques Garcia who includes some of the world’s greatest hotels on his resume. From a clever use of the rooftop space which includes a 25m lap pool, the soon to open ‘Max’s Rooftop’ bar with a ‘Farm to Table’ menu and a Six Senses Earth Lab, to the Cook & Tras Social Library which is home to a diverse and exciting collection of 3500 books; the word ‘unique’ is an easy to use adjective when describing Six Senses Maxwell.

The selection of rooms and suites at Six Senses Maxwell present an eclectic and original style with two distinct colour tones utilised throughout. A striking palette of either ruby red or emerald green is complimented with custom furnishings and original artwork to create a collection of unique spaces.

We stayed in ‘The Terrace’ which came complete with an ethically sourced hardwood floor, handmade vintage rug and a super luxurious and super comfortable Naturalmat organic mattress. The bathroom included a walk in shower, and clawfoot bath for the ultimate in realxation after a long day exploring nearby Chinatown. In line with Six Senses sustainability policy and to reduce food waste, guests will not find a large selection of fruit in their rooms but a single piece with more available upon request. We’ve never encountered this solution before but thought it was a simple and innovative way to lessen impact.

Books and beautifully mixed drinks, is how we would describe Cook & Tras Social Library. Imagine an exquisite library, packed with books (including many interesting titles on travel, health and wellness, veganism, history and cookery) with a great bar and lively beats and you basically have Cook & Tras; the destination bar at Six Senses Maxwell. It’s the perfect place to try one of their signature cocktails and hang out with friends before dining at Six Senses Brasserie.

The Vegan Food

The menus for breakfast and dinner menu (both of which are served at Six Senses Brasserie) include a number of clearly marked vegan options. The breakfast menu featured a ‘Health and Wellness’ section which included ‘Avocado Tartine’, this was the star of our breakfast and we loved it so much we selected it on both days of our stay! A raw and crunchy flaxseed ‘bagel’ was topped with vine tomatoes, cashew hummus and a generous portion of avocado. Flavoursome coconut ‘bacon’ was the final element of our plant based breakfast and this added an extra something to an already nutritious and healthy start to the day. Freshly squeezed juices, coffee and homemade granola were both served with almond milk and to complete our vegan breakfast extravanganza we enjoyed a delicious ‘Acai Berry Bowl’ packed with goodness.

At Six Senses Brasserie we enjoyed a specially prepared 3 course vegan meal. It combined items that were available on the a la carte menu but also dishes that the chef created. If you wish to sample the vegan menu please request this when you make your reservation. We started with a ‘Vine Tomato and Watermelon Salad’ which had a fresh icy granita, a lemon balm vinaigrette and compressed melon and ‘Heirloom Beetroot Salad’ which came with ‘Walnut snow, walnut brown and orange’. Both dishes were light and palette cleansing as well as beautifully presented.

This was followed by a ‘Wild Mushroom Risotto’ which had been cooked with coconut milk and Nanyang soya for added richness. It’s true that you won’t find either of these ingredients in a traditional risotto so purists should probably turn away now but the chef at Six Senses Brasserie managed to execute this unusual fusion perfectly. The coconut wasn’t overpowering, and the soya sauce (made using traditional methods from a local producer) worked alongside it to give umami and saltiness. Topped with crispy roasted forest mushrooms for added texture, this was a wonderfully crafted main course. For dessert we were treated to ‘Blueberry Crumble’ which was a decadently sweet traditional crumble made with oats, topped with the Six Senses coconut based vanilla ice cream (also available from their cute retro ice-cream street cart during the day). This was not a half-hearted dessert, this was a full-hearted, properly indulge yourself sweet, creamy and hearty end to a fabulous meal.

The Vegan Essentials

The bathroom amenities at Six Senses Maxwell are from UK brand The Organic Pharmacy. They are free of all animal products and have not been tested on animals. Planet saving initiatives are to be expected from Six Senses with their firm commitment to the environment. At Six Senses Maxwell (as with all Six Senses properties) you won’t find plastic bottles or plastic straws. They also have bathroom amenities in reusable ceramic dispensers and the shaving kits and toothbrushes are presented in cardboard boxes and not plastic bags. In fact, not only are the toothbrushes in cardboard boxes but they are made from corn starch which is 100% biodegrable.

Any of you who have stayed at a Six Senses resort will know to expect homemade ice cream (and vegan friendly sorbets) to be available on a complimentary basis during your stay. This is the same at Six Senses Maxwell where a ice cream cart that is solar powered serves up sweet flights every day from 1pm to 5pm. And we all know that vegan sorbet is a vegan essential for life!

The Vegan Food Quest Verdict

Six Senses Singapore AKA Six Senses Duxton and Six Senses Maxwell were the first Six Senses hotels located in city centres and we loved them both. The vegan options on the menus at Six Senses Brasserie, the vegan sorbet from the Ice Cream Cart and creative cocktails at Cook & Tras Social Library all combined to provide a delighful stay. Include the personable and professional service and the multitude of planet saving initiatives throughout the hotel and you’ve got a sure fire winner in our book.

We were guests of Six Senses Maxwell but please rest assured that their generosity in hosting us didn’t influence our views.

Six Senses Maxwell
2 Cook Street
Singapore 078857

Telephone: +65 6914 1400
Email: reservations-maxwell@sixsenses.com
Cost From: £145 / $195 (April 2019)