Luxury Le Meridien Melbourne hotel opens at prime Bourke St site
Once the site of an early Melbourne pub, a prime Bourke St site has become home to a luxury 12-storey hotel.
Victoria
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A $100m luxury hotel has opened on the site of a former music venue on the CBD’s eastern fringe.
The 235-room Le Meridien Melbourne features a rooftop pool, a lobby cafe and basement restaurant called Dolly.
Located at 20 Bourke St on the site of the old Palace Theatre and Metro nightclub, the 12-storey hotel has a retained Art Deco facade with the new building designed by architects Peddle Thorp.
A private driveway features a mural by Melbourne artist Stephen Baker while a “dazzling” lobby has mid-20th century inspired furniture, polished natural stone and terrazzo.
A sculptural installation by Marta Figueiredo and projected video art by Wendy Yu introduces lobby visitors to Le Méridien’s global Unlock Art program.
Le Méridien Hotels and Resorts global brand leader Jennifer Connell said the hotel, situated near the city’s theatre district, would cater for stylish and culture-seeking travellers.
“Through exciting local partnerships, sensorial dining experiences, and a showpiece rooftop pool terrace, we’re inviting guests to come and savour the good life in the country’s cultural capital,” she said.
The rooftop terrace also has an open-air bar and a large mural by artist Stephen Baker, while the space can be used as a pop-up cinema.
The hotel has 420 sqm of function space to host conferences, workshops, seminars, lectures, boardroom meetings, social functions and weddings.
Le Méridien Melbourne general manager Peter Minatsis said: “We are excited to finally draw back the curtain on Melbourne’s most glamourous new visitor offering and invite guests to savour the good life right here in Australia.”
The site was once occoupied by the Excelsior Hotel built in the 1850s.
Le Meridien was due to be officially opened on Thursday by Lord Mayor Sally Capp.
The hotel is part of the Marriott Bonvoy group.
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