Next Hotel Melbourne
Next Hotel aims to cater for the “next generation” of guests with comfortable design and an award-winning restaurant.
With a name like Next Hotel, the quips flow free and fast. Next in line? Next best thing? The latter does no justice to this agreeable hotel of 230 guestrooms and 25 suites on Melbourne’s Little Collins Street, which opened as a new-build last year as part of the 80 Collins retail, dining and business precinct. My Melbourne-born husband tells me this is the “top end” of town, so perhaps I should be hunting for a Chanel handbag (he’s relieved I’m not). Later I’m told the area was once the preserve of horse sale yards and stables, and the hotel’s decor touches of leather and subtle equine motifs begin to make sense.
The new-build was opened last year by the Singapore-headquartered Next Story Group, an operator aiming to cater for the “next generation” of guests, including business travellers. The entry is a blink-and-miss affair, a tiny pit stop with concierge and doorman next to the hotel’s Ingresso café, handy for grab-and-go coffee or a perch for house-made pastries and kombucha on tap; the aperitivo hour kicks in at “spritz o’clock”, apparently. Take the lift up to level two to a sleek reception foyer that flows into a residential-style lounge of commissioned artworks, decorative pieces, oriental patterned rugs, coffee tables and domed pendant lights. It reminds me of skyscraper city properties with bird’s-eye living rooms in, say, Tokyo, Hong Kong and Bangkok. Across the way, a spiral set of stairs circling a showstopper gold chain chandelier leads to La Madonna restaurant on level three. Key card in hand, head back to the lifts and zoom skywards to guest floors situated from levels five to an eagle-eyrie rooftop 24.
On the upper floors, depending on the direction of the view, there’s a real sense of the celebration of surrounding architecture. Through defiles between buildings of various eras there are glimpses of city parks, gardens and landmarks to be spied. In the window-side lifts, a glassed wall allows you to peep down veritable canyons to the utilitarian formwork of lower buildings, particularly battalions of air conditioning units, plus a few surprises such as roof gardens and seating areas that must be in permanent shadow. It doesn’t make for fabulous vistas but provides a sense of context and a jigsaw effect of where Hotel Next fits into the scale of the Melbourne CBD.
Our room for two nights, number 2003, has separate living and sleeping areas and with inoffensive décor of the kind that is perfectly serviceable and in on-trend deep greens and greys. It’s not memorable but the devil dwells in the details, which are generous and thoughtful. Hail the table that doubles as a desk with a pair of swivel chairs, Dyson Supersonic hairdryer, full-sized Hunter Lab toiletries, comprehensive pillow menu (the ones supplied are way too hard), French linens on a king-sized bed, Bose sound system and minibar of above-average scope. There are little canisters of Tea Drop leaves instead of those listless dunking bags, a Nespresso machine with adequate supply of capsules, and cups and saucers that look ready for a proper tea party. The beer, prosecco and canned sodas are all local and jaunty bottles of pre-mixed barrel-aged negroni are from La Madonna. The sofa and chairs are angled for TV lounging and the blackout blinds live up to their description. There’s good bedside lighting and finely veined marbled surfaces add additional touches of luxury.
Design firm Woods Bagot has created the overall aesthetic, which tilts to a mid-century look, but I’m not convinced by the “neon” glow art above the bed. Overall it’s hip without being too hipster-cool and, above all, there’s deep comfort. Negatives? Weird intermittent gurgling noises through the air conditioning vents (guests upstairs using their bathroom, presumably). The electronic sign pressed to make up our room stays on (and on), unnoticed. The shower leaks from the cubicle on to the main bathroom floor. And … no complimentary bottled water? Really?
Next level? Well, it’s true when it comes to the food. La Madonna is the absolute drawcard, thronged with locals as well as guests, and winner of a Deluxe Restaurant of the Year gong in the recent 2022 Victorian Accommodation Awards for Excellence. It’s a dramatic venue, big and bold with an NYC-worthy bar, lounge area and dining seating for 130. La Madonna is co-helmed by long-time collaborators, chefs Daniel Natoli, of Sicilian origin, and Adrian Li from Hong Kong, described as a “street food supremo”. It seems an unlikely combination of cultures but one that works exceedingly well, with flavours such as Szechuan pepper, yuzu, XO sauce and togarashi popping up in the mix beside the likes of basil, tomatoes, olive oil, olives and blood oranges. The tall-ceilinged main room is dressed in a palette of amber and rusty orange and cleverly defined by banquettes (with cushions and bolsters), divider screens, clusters of seating and the Barrel Room, a showcase for ageing spirits (some in charred oak barrels), seasonal “creations”, herbal mixes, even balsamic vinegar to dress the chefs’ dishes.
A glass-fronted dry-ageing space is filled with braces of “dead ducks”. That’s my description and not the official term used by lovely Anita, our server, who suggests pre-ordering the birds roasted, either halved or whole. But we are too busy scoffing the best salt and vinegar zucchini fritto to be found (surely) this side of Rome.
The following evening, back in our quarters by 8pm, after a “very Melbourne” day of NGV pottering and AFL barracking, it’s a treat to discover in-room dining devised by La Madonna’s duo of chefs can be ordered via an easy QR code app. Our footy team lost but a big comfort bowl of pasta is a winner. Next time? For sure.
In the know
Guests in club or suite categories have access to Next Club for a generous breakfast spread; all-day tea, soft drinks and coffee; plus cocktails, wine and plates (oysters, charcuterie, cheese, spring rolls) from 5pm-7pm. This area also features work and meeting spaces. There’s a 24/7 gym and free, fast wi-fi access. It’s worth paying extra for a room with a view; on lower levels, windows could be facing right on to another building. Two-bedroom suites and family rooms offered. Valid to December 30, a Drive-in to Stay & Play package offers free self-parking and choice of 10am early check-in or 1pm late check-out. Join the complimentary members’ club for benefits and discounts on direct bookings. Rooms are also available on third-party aggregation sites such as booking.com for an average of $295. Check for special packages in September/October in conjunction with Hairspray: The Musical at The Regent Theatre.
Susan Kurosawa was a guest of Next Hotel Melbourne.