Iconic Melbourne venue transformed

It was one of Melbourne’s most popular nightspots for decades and now looks nothing like its former self.

The top end of Melbourne is colloquially known as the ‘Paris End’. It has been that way since the 1950s thanks largely to boutique, high-end shopping, untouched heritage buildings and cafe culture.

It is arguably the most picturesque pocket of the CBD grid and it just got a little bit nicer.

At the eastern end of Bourke Street, where Victoria’s Parliament stands proudly, there’s a new offering that fits in seamlessly.

A five-star hotel opened in 2023 at the iconic former site that for decades hosted the Metro nightclub and before that the Palace Theatre.

The 108-year-old building shut its doors in 2014 and was demolished in 2020 to make way for a French-inspired hotel, Le Meridien Melbourne.

The transformation is stark.

The Metro Nightclub.

Le Meridien in Melbourne's Paris End.

Le Meridien’s level five includes Le Splash, a heated pool area set to 28C year-round.

Those who spent any time at the Metro nightclub will remember its marble staircase connecting multiple levels.

Some of the biggest names in music played there, including Silverchair, The Prodigy and Arctic Monkeys.

The art deco facade thankfully remains though it has undergone a minor facelift and now includes Hollywood lights.

Beyond it, visitors will find 235 rooms over 12 floors that pay homage to nostalgic 1930s-era Melbourne.

A new spiral staircase takes guests from the mid-century-inspired lobby to the venue’s dimly-lit subterranean bar and restaurant, Dolly, where executive chef Hervé Borghini delivers a world-class dining experience.

The upper levels are just as visually impressive. A heated 18-metre rooftop pool on level five os kept at 28C year-round offers breathtaking views of the city, including Parliament House, St Paul’s Cathedral and Carlton Gardens.

The former Melbourne Metro nightclub has been demolished.

Le Meridien in Melbourne opened in March last year.

Le Meridien’s subterranean restaurant, Dolly.

Le Meridien Melbourne is the brand’s first offering in the city since the hotel chain opened another hotel on nearby Collins Street.

Step into any of its hotels and resorts around the world and the experience is distinctly European — whether you visit the Maldives or Monaco or Sichuan, China.

It’s a perfect fit for Melbourne.

Outside the front of the building, trams hum by. Some of the city’s finest and most iconic dining experiences are located right out side the entrance.

The iconic Princess Theatre is less than 100m away — a feature that lends itself to partnership opportunities.

The hotel earlier this year partnered with the Tony award-winning musical, Sunset Boulevard to offer theatregoers a unique experience that included a luxurious hotel package, themed cocktails and tickets to the Andrew Lloyd Webber creation.

Le Meridien was originally founded by Air France in 1972. It is now part of Marriot International which is based in the US.

The old Metro nightclub location has been transformed.

This author was a guest of Le Meridien Melbourne