Ovolo South Yarra: Why this Melbourne hotel is the ultimate stay
Tucked away in the heart of Melbourne, this boutique hotel has you guessing before you even set foot in the door.
Nothing at Ovolo South Yarra is quite as it seems.
Tucked away right in the heart of Melbourne, this boutique hotel has you guessing before you even set foot in the door. Asking yourself questions, many that begin with the word “how”.
First and foremost: how can a 123-room hotel even squeeze in here, on a corner off Chapel Street and Toorak Road? Yet squeeze in, it does.
Those who’ve stayed with the Hong Kong-based Ovolo group before – which has iterations in Sydney, Canberra and Brisbane as well as two locations in the Victorian capital – will know that each hotel has its own vibe.
The South Yarra chapter takes its cues from the days of disco, rock gods and retro glamour - the fun starting as soon as you enter its charmingly-flamboyant lobby.
Walls flanked by eye-catching artwork invite attention to every corner of the hotel’s long, thin design, shaking off the Melbourne’s cold and grey reputation once and for all (there is a literal fire pit, sans actual flames, to eschew any lingering doubts).
Such a vibrant entry might prompt you to wonder: how can I possibly fall asleep in a place with so much going on, visually?
Fret not: while the eclectic flair carries on as you travel up the hotel, it’s at a much more subdued – and intimate – level inside Ovolo’s rooms, offering a welcome reprieve from any feelings of overstimulation.
Whether you’re in town for business or, as was my case, a weekend away, there’s something for everyone: from micro-bolthole “Go Go” rooms (15 sqm) to Rockstar suites (44 sqm) named after the likes of Cher and Yoko Ono. The “Groovy City” room, meanwhile, is in the middle of the range, at 30 sqm.
No matter which you opt for to lay your head, all are cleverly-designed, bright and stylish, and the signature generosity the hotel group is known for is on full display.
All minibar contents are complimentary (yes, even the booze), as is a daily continental breakfast, drinks downstairs during social hour, and a goodie bag replete with potato chips, chocolate, trail mix and muesli bars*. A buffet-style lolly stand in the foyer is also at the ready for pillaging by anyone prone to a late-night sweet tooth.
Small as they may seem, it’s touches like these that leave you feeling right at home – and make it easy to see why the hotel is often flooded with five-star guest reviews.
But it’s for on-site restaurant Lona Misa that Ovolo South Yarra saves its biggest surprises.
Located front and centre on street-level, the playful, Latin American-leaning eatery is helmed by Smith & Daughters’ Shannon Martinez and her culinary partner, Ian Curley of Kirk’s Wine Bar and French Saloon.
Lona Misa’s menu is populated with daring and flavour-packed dishes, many among them brazenly claiming to contain meat or seafood – steak tartare, moqueca (seafood stew), parrillada (peri peri chicken cooked over the Josper grill).
In truth, the entire offering is plant-based – a fact that, if not so plainly stated on the menu, could have even the most stubborn of carnivores fooled.
Don’t let the vegan element throw you – Martinez’s trailblazing menu is not to be missed.
And, for a pre-or post-dinner drink spot, look no further than the neon martini glass downstairs, behind which hides Ovolo’s Backroom.
Inspired by an American Prohibition-era speak-easy, and with a bespoke cocktail list and games room inside, it’s the kind of place where “just one drink”, too easily becomes many, many more.
This journalist stayed as a guest of Ovolo South Yarra
*Ovolo South Yarra has made changes to its operations since this journalist’s stay and now offer the ‘Ovolo Standard’ (instead of free minibar inclusions), a new book direct promise that guarantees guests who book direct access to a range of extras including flexible cancellations, flexible check-in/check-out times, a round of free drinks at Apero Hour, access to self-service laundry and gym, and up to 15 per cent discount on bookings on top of a price-match guarantee.
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