RTW Man

I'm planning a trip of a lifetime with my coming wife to Australia. My budget is not so big that I could book a Presidential Suite but I would like to stay in the best hotel in Melbourne. What hotel so you think is most romantic and exclusive and why ? I could afford around 500AUD per night ?

Doc Fraud

A budget of $500 AUD a night will get you quite a lot in Australia and in Melbourne, should get you a room in any hotel that appeals to you. By European standards, Melbourne is a relative bargain.

There are two Starwood Properties that are worth checking out. The Sheraton Southbank is located in the middle of the River Centre on Southbank and will put you in the heart of the action. You will be in between the Symphony Hall and the Crown Casino, and if you get a room facing the Yarra river, you will have a magnificent view of the city skyline. At night it is very pretty.

My personal favorite is the Westin over on Collins Street. It is about a 10 minute walk from the Sheraton, on the other side of the Yarra. The views are not as good as at the Sheraton, but the rooms are larger and very bright and airy. All of the bathrooms have separate stall showers that are in a word, magnificent!! It is also closer to the shopping district.

If you are an SPG Gold or Platinum, you will do fine in terms of upgrades. Both properties have excellent staff who will go out of their way to accomodate a preferred guest.



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....airline economics: The only industry where the value of a perishable goes up as the best before date approaches....

Feebster

Perhaps you should check out the Windsor Hotel. I have heard good things about it, unfortunately I can't afford to stay there myself

www.thewindsor.com.au

number_6

The Windsor is an excellent hotel but not to everyone's tastes. It is a grand victorian hotel, but the renovation was done on the cheap (I think the hotel was converted to residences for a couple of decades, when it stopped being viable as a hotel). It is next to the state government which no doubt accounts for a lot of its business. I stayed in their 2nd best suite a few years ago and was disappointed (it was a nice apartment rather than a luxurious hotel room). The cheapest rooms at the Windsor are excellent value but their high-end was a bit shoddy.

TravelinWilly

I'll be at the Park Hyatt in MEL for 3 nights starting 12/27; I'll let you know how it is.

Will

[edited for typo; if there were an award to be had for most edits due to typos, I would win]

[This message has been edited by TravelinWilly (edited Dec 21, 2003).]

TravelinWilly

Dupe. BAD, bad typing day...

[This message has been edited by TravelinWilly (edited Dec 21, 2003).]

jrk1998

Adelphi - In the Hip Hotels book. Pretty overrated, in my book, despite the amazing pool on the roof. IME: rooms were dated, service was poor, and sounds from the hallway travelled right into the room.

Westin & Sheraton Southgate - Despite plat. status, repeated problems with service, and with management in both. YMMV on the experience. Of the 2, the Westin is more contemporary, and their bathrooms are a plus.

Grand Hyatt - pretty run down these days.

Park Hyatt - Have always had top quality service here. Its just a bit out of CBD (which may or may not matter).

Como Melbourne - In trendy South Yarra. Great stays, about 15 minutes by cab from CBD. For work the distance was a slight problem. For play, it was handy to Toorak where friends live. Great restaurants and shopping nearby.

Crown Towers - located at the Casino. I've heard great things about the hotel, but have never stayed there. If interested, try booking somewhere else (refundable), and then checking www.wotif.com as you come up to your dates. Their rate for a Deluxe Spa Suite this week is $440. As Wotif is a last minute site, you won't be able to make reservations except in a 14 day advance window. If you get the rooms, you can then cancel your other refundable stay.

If you are willing to go outside of Melbourne, I would recommend Lake House, in Daylesford. That's about an hour from the airport, but it is very romantic. Time of year will dictate price, but I think rooms start around $325/night.
http://www.lakehouse.com.au

Hope you have a great trip no matter where you choose...

[edited for sp.]

[This message has been edited by jrk1998 (edited Dec 23, 2003).]

mad_atta

The Westin is lovely in a slick, low-key way, but won't necessarily have that real 'special occasion' feel that it sounds like you're looking for. Nevertheless, it comes highly recommended and has a superb location right in the middle of everything.

The Park Hyatt is also lovely and even the standard rooms are extremely luxurious - definitely the most overtly luxurious chain hotel I have stayed in (including Ritz Carltons etc). It is very slightly out of the way, and feels slightly more impersonal - the Westin has younger staff and clientele, whereas the PH has many older, wealthier guests. Depends what you feel more comfortable with.

The Hilton and Grand Hyatt are both dated and in need of refitting - don't bother. Crown Towers might well be nice but is slap in the middle of the largest, tackiest casino complex I've seen outside of Vegas, and is swarming with people with more money than taste. It's the sort of place that gives you the impression they made some rooms more expensive just so high rollers can say 'my room cost $1000'. Personally I'd avoid it like the plague.

If you want a smaller, boutique, non-chain hotel there are a couple of excellent options in addition to the very well-known Adelphi mentioned above. One is the Prince in St Kilda, an uber-stylish Philippe Starck style hotel in a funky seaside suburb with great nightlife and restaurants. Don't be put off the by plain exterior, the interior is stunning. Circa restaurant and Minc bar are both very cool. Their cheapest rooms are a bit small but the others are lovely. Very youth-orientated and buzzy. My other recommendation is the Hotel Lindrum, a small and funky hotel in the city centre. This is much more restrained than the Prince but absolutely reeked quality and style - gorgeous, spacious, well-appointed rooms with CD players etc and very friendly staff - it's not so self-consciously hip. Only downside is that it has no pool or fitness centre as far as I am aware. Lovely hotel, though, and pretty good value.

fly co to see the yanks

i very much enjoyed the westin and i preferred it to the sheraton. great bathroom in my corner room on the second floor. very nice property.

rufus102

The Prince - is that the old Prince of Wales on Fitzroy St.

I can't imagine that being a swish hotel.

flamboyant 1

Sheraton Towers Southgate !

Only one stay there, a good one!

Itsalongwaydown

Almost right next door to Sheraton Towers is Quay West Suites. Certainly my preference of the two. A lot more room with great service. I haven't stayed at the Westin in Melb so can't comment. Park Hyatt is great also.

mad_atta

Yes it is! The old public bar is still there, and continues its role as unreconstructed neighbourhood boozer. In true St Kilda style, you could cheerfully go for a few beers there without realising that the rest of the building is now Melbourne's funkiest hotel!

fly co to see the yanks

bump. any new thoughts....specifically the westin, park hyatt, hyatt regency and other boutique-type hotels that are noteworthy.

thanks.

6andy6

The Sofitel at the top end of Collins street on the top 20 floors of a tower has recently renovated a large number of its rooms and created a new club lounge (out of the old Le Restaurant) on the 35th floor and club level rooms.

The Sheraton is no more..now called the Langham (and i think still tired but thats my oppinion). The Westin is still nice but I find somewhat a 'cold' lobby. I cant vouch for the other rooms but the Club Level of the Grand Hyatt (there is no Hyatt Regency) is great and the rooms large and relatively undated (even if the lobby is a riot of brass and pink marble).