Hotel Indigo Melbourne on Flinders
Hotel Indigo Melbourne on Flinders
What is your IHG One Rewards status?
Platinum Ambassador
Which room did you book and which upgrade did you receive?
1 King Standard City View, received 1 King Premium (two-category upgrade, confirmed in an email and visible in the app the night before my stay)
How are the rooms?
Excellent with a huge almost floor-to-ceiling window overlooking Flinders Lane and Spencer Street. Everything in the room is very modern with a large TV, plush King bed, plenty of storage space, really good air-con, lots of power points, electronically controlled blinds, a decently sized table and lots of different seating options. TV only had free-to-air channels but did come with Chromecast. The bathroom was surprising as not only did it have a double vanity, it also had a double shower! Certainly in the playful style one would expect from an Indigo 
How is the exec. lounge?
N/A
What was good and what was bad?
The Good- Pleasant check-in experience with a late departure proactively offered and confirmed for 2pm straight away.
- In addition to the standard welcome amenity choice (chose drinks and was provided with one voucher), a welcome card as well as bottles of still and sparkling water had been left in the room prior to arrival.
- A free photo booth in the lobby which guests can use to print or email yourself some mementos of your stay. Would expect no less from a hotel that is inspired by one of Melbourne's most renowned photographers, Helmut Newton!
- Breakfast and all-day dining at the hotel restaurant and bar, Bistrot Bisou which is run in partnership with Australian chef Luke Mangan and serves a French-inspired menu. Used my drink voucher here, choices offered were house beer or house wine and served with potato chips/crisps.
- Extremely convenient location, it's a five minute walk to either Southern Cross Station or the Yarra River / Crown and there are multiple tram stops within the same radius, all within the city free tram zone.
- Great dining options nearby, two I would call out as serving great breakfast/brunch are The Hardware Société and Grain Store, both of which are just steps away.
- Great staff, everyone was very friendly and welcoming.
- Design - this hotel was previously the Holiday Inn on Flinders for many years and underwent a complete refurbishment prior to the reopening as an Indigo. Both public and private spaces look beautiful and there is a lot of art to discover throughout the hotel.
The Bad (all pretty minor)- Limited coffee/tea facilities for an Australian hotel - no coffee machine and no hot chocolate, the minibar was also empty. Not personally an issue for me but I expected better from a hotel in IHG's luxury/lifestyle tier.
- Towels on the smaller side.
- Heated mirror in the bathroom was exceptionally hot, to the point where you didn't want to stand too close to it!
- Minor cleanliness issues such as a small stain on one of the chairs.
- The gym is fairly small, not a lot of equipment and what they do have is not standard stuff, it looks to have been chosen more for the aesthetic than function. That said you're not far from the Yarra River, go for a walk or run there instead!
Value for $ or IHG One Rewards Points? Would you return?
AUD $220/night for three nights which I think was great value. Somewhat surprisingly this was my first time ever staying at an Indigo and I enjoyed it! I have now tried four IHG properties in downtown Melbourne and would say the Indigo would be my favourite of the three in this part of the city (others being the IC and CP). The voco is another popular option however I wasn't a huge fan on my stay there two years ago. Would certainly return to the Indigo on my next visit to Melbourne.
Detailed review with lots of pictures posted over in the Indigo Melbourne on Flinders master thread!