Inside Melbourne’s towering new hotel
The freshly unveiled Ritz-Carlton has been described by its architect as a love letter to the city. Are we smitten?
Build it and they will come. That seems to be the philosophy behind the newly unveiled Ritz-Carlton Melbourne. This glamorous establishment could be viewed as something of a fish out of water, shooting skywards from the corner of Spencer and Lonsdale streets in a gritty corner of the Victorian capital. It’s a fair hike from the so-called Paris end of town. But as one of four towers in the Cottee Parker-designed West Side Place development, which will eventually house up to 4000 residents, the hotel looks likely to draw a curious crowd, not to mention the many rusted-on devotees to the Ritz-Carlton brand. With the sunlight just right, reflecting and refracting on its 80 storeys of zigzagging glass panels, it certainly shines like a magnetic beacon.
When guests enter on the ground floor, they’ll find First Nations art front and centre. The bronze door handles were cast from a welcome necklace by Maree Clarke; a vibrant fluoro work by Kamilaroi man Reko Rennie dominates one wall; Bidjara artist Christian Thompson stares from a flower-filled collage on another; near the lifts is a cluster of intricately patterned Arnhem Land larrakitj, hollow tree trunks traditionally used to send the spirits of the dead up and away.
And up you must go because the hotel reception is 280m above, on the 80th floor. Ears pop on the way, then eyes – first at Jon Cattapan’s striking panorama of fluid pink, purple, orange and blue, revealed as lift doors open, and then at the real-life panorama of Melbourne beyond. Interiors instantly play second fiddle to the view, and I head straight to the double-height steel-framed windows, where everything from the Mornington Peninsula, across Port Philip Bay, to Williamstown and beyond is in sight. If you ever need to get your city bearings this is the place.
But let’s turn back to the great, if not grand, indoors, which have been artfully designed by BAR Studio (also responsible for the new Capella Sydney). With its double-vaulted ceilings and mix of dark timber, marble and velvet, the Sky Lobby is an elegant venue for all-day dining, coffee and, soon, high tea. Adjacent is the understated Cameo cocktail lounge where vintage spirits and rare wines are served. On the opposite side of the lobby is signature restaurant Atria, named after the constellation Triangulum Australe (the Southern Triangle), said to be visible from here on a clear night. Tessellated tiles in federation colours mark the entrance and then it’s hard to know where to look. At the 19m long omakase-style dining bench made from a sustainably harvested Victorian ash, the wine bar and pillars coated in shiny mosaic gems of mother-of-pearl, the elongated chandelier by Flaming Beacon that resembles oversized bubbles in a glass of champagne.
The restaurant is busy with opening night canapes during my stay but executive chef Michael Greenlaw (Vue de Monde) and culinary adviser Mark Best (Marque) are focusing on local and seasonal produce with an emphasis on seafood. Greenlaw is a keen spearfisher and free diver, and on days off from the tools he might be found gathering abalone and whiting in spots visible from his new culinary eyrie. Meanwhile, smoky flavours from the wood-fired grill and Josper oven will infuse ingredients such as duck, Wagyu beef and eel. A la carte breakfast is served in Atria too, and I can recommend the portobello mushroom tart with flaky pastry. My companion raves about the champagne-poached eggs Florentine with crayfish. And while the service is a little overly attentive, time will surely smooth out the bumps.
The entire project has been imbued with the very essence of Melbourne, from the land’s Aboriginal roots to the gold rush era and federation to the exuberance of the laneways and street art. Entire walls are covered in golden tiles, referencing that heady time in the 1850s and ’60s. Bluestone, a popular building material during the city’s heyday, is a recurring motif, dominating the solid base of the towers and appearing in bedside and dining tables. Herringbone carpets recall the skilful tailors of Collins St while panelled glass partitions hark back to elegant arcades.
On level 64, a feature adjoining the spa and spectacular 18m pool (which is the very definition of infinity, given that view) re-creates a quintessentially Melbourne moment. A water wall dotted with bronze leaves takes guests to the now demolished City Square, where members of the public would stick maple and plane tree leaves to form messages – of love and sometimes less sweet sentiments. The lift lobbies on each floor are adorned with large-format prints of Robert Scholten ink drawings of streetscapes. Meanwhile, on level one, the ballroom pays tribute to the stained-glass ceiling of the NGV’s Great Hall with a wall of geometric glass panels.
And so, to the accommodation. A total of 257 guestrooms and suites are spread across the floors between level 65 and 79, the latter being home to the 250sq m Ritz-Carlton Suite. I’m in room 7612, a Panorama King with views from a chaise longue out over the train station, stadium and the Yarra River. At night I hear the odd toot from below, but it’s more comforting than intrusive. Soft furnishings of cream, mustard and blue meld with timber and bluestone, with crisp bedding by Frette. On the walls are black and white shots of Melbourne vignettes by photographer Fabrice Bigot and prints by Corinna Berndt.
The spacious bathroom, with Diptyque amenities, features almost flawless calacatta oro and dark chocolate amadora marble, burnished gold taps and a deep tub that can open up via a sliding window to the sleeping quarters. A separate powder room and walk-in robe ensures couples won’t tread on each other’s toes. Tivoli Bluetooth speaker, smart TV with the usual streaming functions, Nespresso machine, climate control and intuitive switches for lights and drapes round out the gadgets, but the visually challenged would be best to keep their spectacles handy.
The minibar continues the local showcase with a menu that includes Yarra Valley chardonnay, marinated goats cheese from Meredith Dairy, west of the city, and Loro premixed cocktails, Koko Black chocolates and nuts from Phillippa’s bakery, all Melbourne based.
Ritz-Carlton Melbourne may be Marriott Bonvoy’s 1000th property in the Asia-Pacific but there’s no sense of sameness about it. It wears its sense of place proudly although not too loudly, and there are hints everywhere as to the inspiration behind its thoughtful design. As architect Daniel Potts says: “The whole building is like a love letter to Melbourne.”
In the know
The Ritz-Carlton Melbourne is at 650 Lonsdale St. Deluxe double rooms from $650 a night. Guests who book a Club Level Room have access to the Ritz-Carlton Club on Level 79, which serves daily breakfast, snacks, hot drinks, and evening cocktails and hors d’oeuvres. The spa, which offers treatments using Salus and Espa products, has six therapy rooms plus sauna, steam room and vitality pools.
Penny Hunter was a guest of Ritz-Carlton Melbourne and Marriott Bonvoy.
