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Melting and solidification of a phase change material is investigated, experimentally and computationally, using a novel heat pipe-metal foil approach. By embedding a PCM within a metal foil matrix, and delivering (or extracting) thermal energy to (or from) the matrix with a vertically-oriented heat pipe, overall thermal resistances between a working fluid and the PCM solid-liquid interface can be reduced. This leads to increased phase change rates relative to configurations involving only the heat pipe, or only a solid rod of the same physical dimensions as the heat pipe. For a small (approximately 1 percent) volume fraction of foil in the PCM-foil matrix, measured and predicted melting (solidification) rates associated with heat pipe-foil configurations are increased by approximately 300 percent (900 percent) relative to configurations involving the rod with no foil. Melting and solidification rates relative to configurations involving the heat pipe with no foil, are increased by approximately 200 percent and 600 percent. The influence of the heat pipe evaporator-to-condenser length ratio, as well as the overall temperature difference between the working fluid and the PCM fusion temperature, is also reported.