Marriott International has today pulled back the curtain to reveal W Melbourne, bringing its luxury lifestyle hotel brand to 408 Flinders Lane.
After some delays, the highly anticipated opening marks the second W Hotel in Australia, offering 294 guest rooms and 29 suites, extensive event spaces and a range of dining and bar options.
W Melbourne takes inspiration from its surrounds, including the city’s iconic laneway culture and emerging music scene.
“It was a natural choice for us to launch our second W hotel in Australia in one of the world’s most culturally diverse cities,” said Sean Hunt, area vice president at Marriott International.
“With its bold style, energising nightlife and great appetite for what’s new and next, Melbourne is a brilliant new addition to our luxury portfolio, and solidifies our confidence in the travel recovery here in Australia.”
The rooms
Australian design firm Hachem are behind W Melbourne’s eclectic design, beginning in the Living Room, which brings Melbourne’s street scene indoors with a large art installation by local painter and digital artist Rus Kitchin.
Up in the hotel’s accommodation floors, guests can choose from Wonderful, Fabulous and Mega room types, each with floor-to-ceiling windows to reveal skyline views.
The Marvelous rooms feature a vibrant wall graphic of native Australia bird the fairy wren, pulling back a layer of fabric to reveal a colorful Melbourne scene. Meanwhile, the 175-square-metre Extreme Wow Suite, is located on the hotel’s highest floor at Level 15, and boasts a large balcony and an interactive music station.
The event spaces
For event planners, there’s 830 square metres of modern conference and event space on offer.
The Great Room is the largest space available and offers a 426 square metre pillarless ballroom with natural light and a four-by-five-metre LED wall. Melbourne-born visual artist Ash Keating has created a lighting installation of soft pinks and violets on the Great Room’s ceiling.
WET on Level 14 is a gold-roofed, indoor pool and bar, perfect for extravagant cocktail events.
The food and beverage
On the food and beverage front, celebrated chef Adam D’Sylva heads up the all-day dining restaurant, Lollo, while signature Japanese restaurant Warabi focuses on seasonal produce with seating for only 30 diners and a private dining room for 10.
Guests can step inside a cocoon-inspired space and find cocktail bar Curious, or enjoy Melbourne’s famed café culture at Culprit.
“W Hotels is a perfect fit for Melbourne with its 24/7 energy and design, music and fashion in the brand’s DNA,” says ,
W Melbourne general manager Damon Page said the brand is a perfect fit for the Victorian capital.
“I am so excited to be part of the fab team responsible for bringing this iconic brand to one of the world’s great cities,” he said.
