Marriott has opened its second W hotel in Australia, with the unveiling of the 294-room W Melbourne.
Situated on the city’s Flinders Lane, known for its boutique designer shops, cafes and bars, the hotel is housed within the mixed use Collins Arch, a two-tower development featuring a sky bridge between the two towers.
Facilities include a 14th floor fitness centre and “gold-roofed indoor pool”, as well as signature Japanese restaurant Warabi, café bar concept Culprit, all day dining eatery Lollo, and 830 sqm of meetings and events space including a 426 sqm ballroom.
Rooms all have floor-to-ceiling windows, and feature “design details curated to reflect Melbourne’s fascinating history and culture”, including “a vibrant wall graphic of a fairy wren, a bird native to Australia, pulling back a layer of fabric to reveal a colourful Melbourne scene”.
Marriott also described the property’s entrance and public areas as follows:
“Upon arrival at W Melbourne, guests are introduced to the neighbourhood’s iconic laneways, famous for their graffiti street art and offbeat, eclectic characters. Victorian bluestone tiles connect the Living Room to the laneway, blurring the line between the exterior and interior, where the Welcome Desk stands ready to greet guests.
“A vast lenticular art installation by local painter and digital artist Rus Kitchin immerses viewers into a canopy of Australian flora and fauna growing above the famed Hosier Lane. The illuminated glass and wood of the Flinders Lane entrance is juxtaposed against the shadows of the hotel’s foyer.”
W Melbourne is the brand’s second Australian property, joining W Brisbane.
Sydney was in fact the first location for the brand outside the US, but the then W Sydney in the city’s Woolloomooloo suburb was rebranded as the Blue Hotel (managed by Taj Hotels and Resorts) in 2007, and has since again been rebranded under the Ovolo brand.
In 2018 plans were unveiled for a new 593-room W property close to Sydney’s Darling Harbour, although this hotel is not currently listed as a future opening on the group’s website.
Commenting on the opening Jennie Toh, vice president of brand marketing and brand management, Asia Pacific, Marriott International, said:
“Melbourne is the perfect locale for the playfully luxe spirit of the W brand and we could not be more excited to unveil this highly anticipated hotel to the world.
“From its unique, locally inspired design to its eclectic lineup of restaurants and bars, W Melbourne is destined to redefine the luxury hotel scene here and become a must-go destination for travellers and local scene-stealers alike.”
