Melbourne Place Hotel: a stylish retreat with award winning design and dining
The very cool independent hotel comes with beautiful interiors, a rooftop restaurant and a surprisingly reasonable room rate.
The very cool independent hotel comes with beautiful interiors, a rooftop restaurant and a surprisingly reasonable room rate.
Location
Named after the U-shaped laneway that surrounds it, this newly opened hotel is on Russell Street, within a few metres of the city’s best cafes, bars and restaurants on Collins and Little Collins streets and Flinders Lane.
First impressions
The exterior of the property is made from glazed bricks, and its striking mid-century modern appearance ensures it fits in perfectly with neighbouring 1950s buildings. The entrance to the hotel is surprisingly understated, and easily missed upon first approach, as it’s just a sliding door that leads to a compact lobby. The first thing to notice on entering reception is a three-storey screen behind the front desk featuring compelling videos by South Sudanese Australian Atong Atem; images of the artist and her family dancing are filled with joy.
The installation is on a 125-minute loop, so we never see the same footage twice; it also shows works by Brodie Kokkinos, Tristan Jalleh and Kent Morris. Melbourne Place has a partnership with Windsor’s MARS Gallery and Atem’s self-portraits are also displayed in hotel hallways.
Design
Award-winning residential architect firm Kennedy Nolan – better known for houses than hotels – was commissioned to design an independent hotel for Melbourne in 2018. After the pandemic, a few hitches and a company collapse, the new owners hired executive general manager Tracy Atherton, who ran groundbreaking luxury properties Jackalope on the Mornington Peninsula and Hotel Hotel in Canberra (now Ovolo Nishi). Kennedy Nolan has used turquoise carpets, red and brown bricks, and lots of Jarrah wood throughout to make the hotel feel like we have wandered into a cool iteration of a 70s or 80s home. The distinctive colours create an inviting, warm environment, and different textures add another layer. Plush wool carpet underfoot, smooth Jarrah wood, the coarse surface of bricks, and muslin curtains combine to cocoon guests from the city outside.
The rooms
There are 191 rooms and suites, with entry-levels options called Everyday, followed by an Urban category and then the suites. A penthouse occupies the 14th floor, complete with a 12-seat private dining space, butler’s pantry and grand piano. The guestrooms have one of three colour schemes designed around aspect: gold/brown for those facing west to intensify the glow of the setting sun, deep green for guestrooms facing east and velvet blue for those north-facing.
My husband and I are in an Urban Corner guestroom and it has huge windows on two sides and a balcony overlooking Russell Street. It is north-facing, so furniture, rugs and curtains are various shades of blue. There is a king bed, a curved navy lounge by Australian manufacturer Jardan (bespoke lounge chairs are called Joy Bears). A blue and mustard-coloured rug is a nice contrast to cool terrazzo tiles. Walls, cupboards and doors are all in Jarrah.
The beautiful bathtub has been custom-made by Melbourne’s Mains Water Co and the bronze taps are by Australian brand Sussex. I spend 30 minutes soaking in the tub surrounded by divinely fragrant bubbles produced by Aesop bath products. Every part of Melbourne Place has been designed, crafted and made by Australian creators (the only exception being Aesop, which is headquartered in Melbourne but was bought by L’Oreal in 2023). This also extends to the minibar, which includes a range of complimentary and decent-sized snacks: salted kettle chips from Chappy’s, Popkin’s buttery artisan popcorn, and delicious milk chocolate from Chocolatier Australia.
Dining
Food is a serious business in this city and so are the three options at Melbourne Place. The signature eatery and rooftop bar is Mid Air on Level 12, which serves breakfast, lunch and dinner, and is already becoming a destination for locals. Marmelo eatery on the ground floor and basement bar Mr Mills are both by Sydney restaurateurs Ross and Sunny Lusted, who operate Woodcut at Crown in Barangaroo. Marmelo is a Portuguese-inspired restaurant where the food is cooked over fire (like Woodcut); Mr Mills has dishes inspired by the Iberian Peninsula and signature cocktails, including a tomato-and-anchovy oil martini.
Both are open Tuesday to Saturday from 5pm, and Marmelo is also open for lunch. Unfortunately due to the timing of our visit, which falls on a public holiday, Marmelo and Mr Mills are closed, so we dine at Mid Air, which delivers great city views from the bar area, especially when viewed through two circular “eyes” in the walls. Helmed by young-gun chef Nick Deligiannis, the food delivers a mix of Mediterranean flavours and is delicious. Dinner starts with a crusty olive sourdough with aptly named Lard Ass butter.
Cured ocean trout with mandarin and horseradish is melt-in-your-mouth with a citrus tang, Skull Island king prawns with taramasalata are packed with flavour, and the triple-cooked wedges with sour cream and sweet chilli caramel are a tasty 90s throwback. Breakfast highlights include a crumpet with spanner crab, poached egg and brown butter hollandaise and granola, Greek yoghurt, summer berries and mint (with exceptional coffee from St Remio).
Likes
Thoughtful design and craftsmanship are reflected in every aspect of this property, and it ensures a distinct sense of place. Melbourne has always been a leader in urban architecture, culture and lifestyle – from its tiny laneway bars to its perfectionist coffee – and these traits are encapsulated in this hotel. The fact rooms are so competitively priced makes this hotel an ideal Melbourne stay.
Dislikes
The entrance to the hotel lobby is not easy to find. There is also no dedicated temporary parking out the front to unload bags; overnight parking is at a third-party site a few blocks away. Otherwise, Melbourne Place is hard to fault.
Tariff
Everyday Queen from $300 a night, twin-share, and Urban Corner from $429. Guests receive 15 per cent off stays until March 31 as part of an opening special.
Milanda Rout was a guest of Melbourne Place.
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