Sofitel Melbourne on Collins, Melbourne, Australia

Melbourne vs Sydney was apparently a big debate for Australians. I liked to think of the cities as two separate yet equally alluring “in their own way” destinations that carry the pride of urban Australia on their backs. Apparently Australians are more biased and polarizing in their opinions than I.

Nevertheless, I arrived in Melbourne in a similar fashion as many of my excursions: with an open mind and empty stomach, looking forward to experiencing the best of the city that lay before me. After extensive reviews, I chose the Sofitel thanks to its proximity to the center and the comfort it seemed to exude… at least on their website. And having a Platinum Accor membership didn’t hurt, knowing the hotel boasted a fantastic concierge floor.

Work, like on all my trips, was the main part of my agenda. I had meetings and presentations throughout the daytime, and emails and calls back in my hotel room each morning and night. I loved making the most of each day, a task made easier by not having kids to watch over, even with all of the jetlag.

On my penultimate evening in Melbourne, I couldn’t escape my emails. I had planned on taking advantage of the incredible south-east Asian cuisine found abundantly in the city, but there was no way I was leaving my hotel room. Luck was on my side, however, and Sofitel proudly presented a self-titled Club Sandwich on their in-room dining menu. I placed my order all through their iPad, along with a cosmopolitan (long story as to why), and awaited my order without speaking to a single human.

30 minutes later and it was dinnertime. Sofitel’s club sandwich wasn’t a major departure from what I experienced in Sydney just a few days prior at the QT Hotel. Everything was just… not as good, and less filling. Egg fried with no runniness, bacon partially crispy, chicken thin and somewhat dry. It was hard to enjoy the flavors of this club sandwich knowing and recalling all of the incredible food I had eaten thus far on the trip. If anything, as decent as this club sandwich was, it was a poor representation of Australian cuisine, and that has me disappointed… especially when I considered how fantastic the concierge floor’s food was, just a few floor down from mine.

Still, I took in the view, sipped on my cosmo, and wolfed as much as I could down, as I flew through emails and got caught up on all things work.