Melbourne is an intoxicating city filled with a palatable energy that one can touch. It’s a bit naughtier and gritty than its more mature older sister city, Sydney, but that‘s just fine for Melbournians. They love the personality of their city which has so much to do and see for today’s urban explorer. When visiting this pulsating metropolis, the posh place to stay is the Grand Hyatt Melbourne.
In many ways, Melbourne is like a smaller version of New York infused with immigrant cultures, a street filled with beautiful graffiti street art, trams that clunker while crisscrossing the city and a bustling metropolis with Madison Avenue type execs dashing off to close their next big deal. The Yarra River winds through the city creating ways to enjoy the riverside with scenic walks or to just watch the boats come and go while lunching at a waterfront bistro.
Melbourne is culturally rich with grand museums, touring plays and concerts for every genre of music. The mélange of immigrants has also created an exciting food scene where you can find three-starred Michelin star level gourmet or a standing room only hole in the wall Vietnamese shops with the best pho this side of Saigon. Those looking for the latest fashion trends will also love Melbourne as it has walking streets and new-fangled malls with the latest fashion.
In the middle of it all, the 5-star Grand Hyatt Melbourne shines and shimmers 33 floors into the heights among Melbourne’s beautiful skyline of fancy skyscrapers. The hotel is located on what’s been deemed the Paris end of Collins Street filled with the city’s haute brands such as Louis Vuitton, Gucci, Cartier, Tiffany & Co. and Ralph Lauren and a number of local high-end designer boutiques. There is also a copious offering of the city’s fine dining options and bars nearby as well.
Like those haute brands, Grand Hyatt Melbourne was created to impress. The lobby is chic and opulent with cool cream marble floors and columns with dark chocolate marble structures adding contrast. Lighting adds to the mood with modern fixtures and amber accent lights casting a sheen across the space. Beyond is the atrium is the hotel’s dining and bar area buzzing with guests and Melbourne’s switched on locals. To add to its allure, the hotel also has one of the top Club Lounges in Melbourne as well as a top-notch fitness center with a tennis court and rooftop pool. These attributes, in part, are why the Grand Hyatt Melbourne was recently recognized as the Best Luxury Hotel for Australia at the 2018 International Luxury Hotel Awards amongst a cadre of other hospitality awards.
When it comes to the accommodations, this is truly a grand hotel. There are 550 guest rooms that range from spacious to CEO size. The commanding city views are of the Yarra River or the twinkling lights of the Melbourne skyline. The color palate of the design is calming and contemporary with the rich chocolate rug and camel color leather chairs.
The bedrooms are well-appointed with uber comfy beds and Egyptian cotton bedding. The mod cons are of the highest level with state-of-the-art electronics and sound system. The bathrooms are made of luxurious black Italian marble with full-size baths and separate rain showers.
The Grand Suite King suites are really made for those who enjoy the good life with generous space to spread out in the separate living room and bedroom. There are 180-degree views over the Melbourne skyline as well as a Bose surround sound system and a 72-inch television.
Guests staying in the suites as well as World of Hyatt Globalist members have access to one of the hotel’s most coveted perks, the Grand Club™. The executive lounge is a respite for the tuckered-out business road warriors and a great way to end the day. Just the intoxicating panoramic views of the city from the hotel’s 31st floor are enough to take one’s mind off the day’s business stress or that boutique shop that didn’t have your size pair of shoes. Invited guests enjoy their breakfast there as well as refreshments through the day with drinks and gourmet canapes in the evening. The lounge is quite large in size with work stations as well plenty of places to sit and relax while overlooking the Melbourne skyline.
Beyond the creature comforts of the Grand Club, guests with access also have an exclusive check-in and out as well as a switched-on staff providing concierge services to take care of the club member's needs; no matter how big or small.
As Melbourne is one of the foodie capitals of the world, expectations run high at one of the city’s top hotels. Grand Hyatt Melbourne does not disappoint with their savory offerings from their restaurant, Collins Kitchen. The setting is sultry with a wall of windows lined with booths filled with couples and friends overlooking the sights of the city. There is a huge open kitchen in the distance where pots steam and woks blaze preparing the steady flow of fare.
Collins Kitchen has built a reputation as one of the top places to dine in the city so there’s always a good mix of locals and hotel guests during lunch or dinner. The gourmet restaurant prides itself on carefully choosing where each food product is sourced so the ingredients mainly come from local and organic farmers. As a result the menu varies by the season and what is available and from this base of products, their talented chefs create a menu of nuevo Australian cuisine. The menu is augmented with an extensive wine list which also promotes the excellent wines from the nearby Mornington Peninsula and Yarra Valley as well as international and other Australian wines.
“Brekkie” rivals the dinner experience and especially on weekends when the Collins Kitchen bustles during brunch. The open kitchen serves-up sizzling hot food from the kitchen pot to the serving area. There are a number of live stations, a yummy smoothie bar and a laundry list of breakfast dishes from the egg, omelet, and pancake station to a range of Chinese dishes.
To work off some of those calories, the hotel as a 24-hour gym spread over the entire ninth floor of the building. The City Club Health & Fitness has the latest fitness equipment as well as an indoor pool, whirlpool, sauna and steam room. Guests can also access the basketball half court and a tennis court as well.
Melbourne is one of the top international cities to visit with so much to see and do. Grand Hyatt Melbourne is the ideal respite from which to explore all that this magical city has to offer and to come back and be well cared for in one of the city’s finest hotels.
