Words by Gwen Luscombe.
Ink Hotel Melbourne Southbank is a 15-storey, 162-room hotel and is the first Ink Hotel for international hospitality company Next Story Group. Located in Melbourne’s popular Southbank precinct, the hotel is expected to be popular during the city’s year-round festival and event calendar.
It’s also close to Melbourne’s CBD and is within walking distance to Melbourne Convention Centre and Southbank’s restaurants, art galleries, entertainment and sporting venues.
Set to win the heart’s of the ‘Gen Z’ demographic, the hotel’s colourful interior isn’t aimed just for the youth market, but for those travellers keen to enjoy the social, colourful and relaxed atmosphere of the brand.
“Ink Hotels is a compelling brand that resonates with travellers with a Gen Z mindset. It is a great addition that strengthens Next Story Group’s brand portfolio which will boost our expansion plans,” said Darren Edmonstone, CEO of Next Hotels & Resorts.
“Our differentiated brand portfolio enables us to have the right brands in the right locations and to capture key segments in our key markets, including Australia and South East Asia, where we are continuing to drive strong strategic growth.”
The youthful brand focusses on colourful interiors with plenty of Instagram-friendly photo spots and quirky artworks. Guests will also notice plenty of playful touches including cheeky additions like a doorknob necktie instead of a more traditional ‘do not disturb’ sign.
Guests are also greeted in the lobby by hosts rather than approaching a reception desk, where they can sit down with a complimentary beverage in the lobby and enjoy a casual check in with a local host, ready to offer plenty of local tips and insights.
The colourful brand is also environmentally and socially conscious, which is evident in the variety of programs set up within the hotel. Staff uniforms are casual tees made by Melbourne streetwear label HoMie, a social enterprise benefitting those experiencing homelessness or hardship.
Australian-made Metis bathroom amenities include refillable pump bottles that eliminate the need for single-use toiletries. Sparkling and still water dispensers in public spaces enable guests to fill up reusable bottles on their way out, hence reducing plastic bottle usage.
Complimentary tea and coffee are served in the lobby to encourage a bit of guest socialisation as well as eliminating the single use plastic coffee pods from hotel room coffee machines.
Also downstairs, the lobby bar serves up some of the finest Victorian wines, beers and spirits and their 24 hour ‘Grab and Go’ retail food concept means that guests can enjoy a tasty bite without compromising any of their sightseeing or city exploring time.
Located at 167 City Road in the heart of Melbourne the hotel is expected to bring a youthful flair to the Southbank pocket of the city. The second Ink branded hotel is on track for a 2021 opening in Singapore.
