It’s been a cinema, a nightclub, a live theatre and even a Pentecostal church, but nowadays, this historic institution on 20 Bourke Street glistens as the glamorous Le Méridien hotel. Originally built as a hotel in the 1850s, the venue has long been a keystone of Melbourne’s arts and culture scene as the former site of the Palace Theatre and Metro Nightclub, where live music once reverberated wall-to-wall.
Like the iterations that came before, Le Méridien Melbourne invites visitors to experience the richness of the city’s sprawling art, cuisine and culture. Riffing on its art deco facade, the 235-room hotel is where contemporary chic meets mid century elegance. Walking into the lobby of the hotel, you’ll clock a cinematic-style lobby café, where you can enjoy an Axil-brewed coffee, a cocktail or a cone of the signature Le Scoop gelato (the Espresso Martini flavour will leave you hankering for oodles more).
All of the rooms are doused in the brand's signature scent, and come complete with Malin and Goetz toiletries, signature Le Méridien beds, Marshall speakers, 55-inch LCD TVs, a coffee machine with pods, a chic marble bathroom and a dedicated working desk. The 14 larger suites feature black stone kitchenettes, Smeg appliances, beautifully crafted oak board games and Yamaha MusicCast 500 turntables with a selection of vinyl from artists like Prince and James Brown, who once sang at this very site.
Local art is at the heart of Le Méridien Melbourne, and when you first enter you'll discover a striking mural by local artist Stephen Baker and a lobby dotted with mid century-inspired furniture and polished natural stone. There is also a large-scale sculptural installation by Marta Figueiredo and projected video art by Wendy Yu that entices visitors into Le Meridien’s global Unlock Art program which offers complimentary access to celebrated galleries and institutions for the culturally curious. Discover more here.
But the pièce de résistance is Le Splash, the showpiece 18-metre rooftop pool and terrace. Here, you can let time slip away and kick back with a signature Le Spritz cocktail from the open-air bar and poolside snacks including more of that irresistible ice cream. If you want to work up an appetite first, adjacent to the pool deck is a 24-hour TechnoGym with virtual personal trainers and an electric sauna.
Another cornerstone of Le Méridien Melbourne lies in the subterranean level of the hotel which houses the low-lit restaurant, Dolly. At the helm is executive chef Hervé Borghini, who is serving up elevated European dishes made with local seasonal ingredients. The signature grand finale dessert of a bombe Alaska with salted caramel ice cream and rum-touched meringue is sinfully delicious (and you’ll count your lucky stars there is a lift to transport you to your bedroom where you can deflate).
With its prime CBD location overlooking Parliament House, Spring Street and the city's eastern suburbs, Le Méridien Melbourne is the ideal base for creatively minded travellers wanting to get lost in Melbourne’s arts scene and ramble the graffiti-splattered laneways.
Time Out tip: Head to the rooftop at nightfall (before it closes at 10pm) and swim in the pool flanked by the skyscrapers and under a blanket of stars.
Saffron Swire stayed as a guest of Le Méridien Melbourne in March 2023.
