The question Melbourne Place’s receptionists must get asked the most often is: “What is that amazing scent?” A signature woody black tea fragrance designed exclusively for the hotel is the first to cosset your senses when you walk through the door, and it’s a seductive prelude to one of the most talked-about openings in the city right now.
It’s been a while since a new hotel created such a stir, but when you consider Melbourne Place’s long list of lures, it’s no surprise. Leading design firm Kennedy Nolan has spearheaded both the architecture and tastefully luxe fitout. Interior collaborators are a who’s who of internationally renowned creatives and makers. There’s also effortlessly glamorous Mid-Air on the rooftop – a Mediterranean-leaning restaurant and bar curated by hatted chef Nick Deligiannis. Acclaimed restaurateurs Ross and Sunny Lusted have swooped in on the ground floor to set up their suave Portuguese restaurant Marmelo, while subterranean cocktail bar Mr Mills slings cool drinks and hot snacks below until late.
And that’s not to mention the maze of 192 spacious rooms and suites, each adhering to its own earthy colour palette, the highlight of which is an epic, sun-drenched penthouse with a dozen-seat private dining space and baby grand piano – the apex of modern-day luxury (and the chosen accommodation for a recently visiting celebrity, I’m told). But it’s the culinary offerings that pricked this food writer’s ears, and so off I went for an investigative dinner and stay. And breakfast, of course.
You’ll find Melbourne Place near the corner of Russell and Bourke Streets, a short stroll away from some of the city’s most prized designer boutiques, restaurants, bars and entertainment hubs. It’s already difficult to imagine this strip without Melbourne Place’s handsome 16-storey brick silhouette, but the treasures you’ll uncover behind its walls are even more fabulous.
I’m staying in one of the hotel’s coveted ‘Urban’ rooms, a plush sanctuary with jarrah wood walls and warm tonal colours artfully interwoven throughout each nook. Though the first thing you normally want to do when you walk into a hotel room is fall back onto the bed, Melbourne Place’s ultra-soft ‘bear’ sofas from furniture designer Jardan are hard to resist. They’re nestled by the floor-to-ceiling window – a dreamy lounge space for catching up on emails with a cup of coffee, catching a flick on the HD television or simply taking a pause to marvel at the city views.
From the well-stocked complimentary mini bar of artisanal snacks and drinks to the comfortable king-size bed draped with lush Frette linen, the room couldn’t be more comfortable. Standing under the rain shower and luxuriating in the smooth glide of a herbal-scented Aesop lather, I’m wishing I could stay for at least a week.
Circles are a theme at Melbourne Place, shaping mirrors and the signature rooftop windows at Mid-Air (nicknamed “the Eyes”). In contrast to the sharp angularities that seem to dominate the concrete jungle, the roundness of this design motif lends a softness to the hotel – a sort of divine geometry that marks it as different to the rest.
At Mid-Air, dinner is a highlight. Basking in the golden rays of happy hour on the open-air rooftop, I graze on a zucchini flower dolmadakia, mini Wagyu tartare crumpets with oyster, kale and za’atar, and a skewer of sugarloaf cabbage with macadamia tarator and Baharat spices. The waitstaff are charming and friendly, offering cocktail and wine suggestions throughout my solo dining journey. Breakfast the next day is even better, an insanely tasty melange of spanner crab and brown butter hollandaise piled on top of a pair of grilled crumpets. A visit to Marmelo a few weeks later confirms that the hotel’s culinary offerings are on point (the Pudim Abade de Priscos, a silky smooth 19th-century steamed pork and egg pudding, is a must-order).
Not that it’s the job of any venue to cater to a guest’s harebrained ways, I’ve misplaced my iPhone charger and reception is unable to assist with a temporary replacement. It’s thoughtful touches like these that can bump great up to outstanding, so I’d recommend a service like this (Ballarat’s Hotel Vera and Novotel on Collins both offer charging ports) for forgetful folks.
But all in all, there’s much to love about Melbourne Place – its artfully warm design, local-made contemporary art works, world-class dining and a confident team of staff who’ll please every type of luxury-loving lodger. It’s those circular windows and mirrors I’m personally most fond of. They’re like sunlit portals to the surrounding city life, though sitting atop Mid-Air with a Spritz in hand, it’s actually only here where I want to be right now.