New Opening: Le Méridien Melbourne, the Marriott Brand’s Debut in Australia
by Daniel McCarthy /Le Méridien Melbourne guest room. Photo: Marriott
Le Méridien Melbourne, the newest hotel from the Marriott brand and the first-ever Le Méridien hotel in Australia, is now open.
The hotel is located on Bourke Street, overlooking the city’s Parliament House, Spring Street, and the east of Melbourne. The building was originally built as a hotel in the 1850s and has since been through many iterations including time spent as a cinema, nightclub, and live performance venue.
Le Méridien Melbourne offers 235 guest rooms, including 14 suites. All rooms include the signature Le Méridien beds, along with a personal coffee machine, working desk, LCD TV, and more. The suites include black stone kitchenettes, luxury barware, art books, and turntables with a selection of vinyls from artists including Prince and James Brown.
The centerpiece of the property is Le Splash, a rooftop pool, and terrace that features a large-scale mural by Stephen Barker. Here, guests can enjoy cocktails, gelato, sorbet, and snacks at an open-air bar. The venue will also be the host of a pop-up cinema, ran in collaboration with the Melbourne International Film Festival and French Film Festival.
Elsewhere for food and drink, the hotel also offers Intermission, a lobby café serving coffee during the day and wine at night, and Dolly, a low-lit restaurant serving European dishes by Executive Chef Christian Graebner.
The hotel also offers 420 square meters of total conference space, with the largest presenting 182 square meters that can be divided into two rooms.
"We are excited to introduce Le Méridien to Australia and bring the brand's European essence of savoring the good life to global tastemakers and locals," said Jennifer Connell, Global Brand Leader, Le Méridien Hotels & Resorts and Vice President, Distinctive Premium Brands, Marriott International.
"Melbourne is a destination known for its rich history and thriving art, culture, and culinary scene, which makes it the perfect fit for Le Méridien. We look forward to welcoming travelers as they explore Melbourne in style."
The hotel is one of a number of new Le Méridien hotels that have opened over the past 12 months—others include Le Méridien New York, Fifth Avenue, and Le Méridien Salt Lake City Downtown.
