Centrally-located haven
For a relaxing stay in Melbourne, Novotel Melbourne Central hotel offers warm hospitality and dazzling views of the city centre, writes Nurjehan Mohamed
COMING in from a restless night on a red-eye from Kuala Lumpur with a 4-year-old on the verge of fever in tow, I am not sure what to expect heading over to the Novotel Melbourne Central on Little Lonsdale Street in Melbourne.
It isn’t the best of arrivals: the taxi driver we got from Southern Cross railway station couldn’t find the hotel on his phone’s navigational system, resulting in him having to double back on the same road — and he still could not find it.
I ask him to drop us off at Melbourne Central Shopping Centre, which is in the next block along the same street. I only realise exactly where the hotel is after getting out of the car as the signage is at the top of the tower block.
The entrance of the hotel itself is quite discreet, and easily missed if you’re not looking out for it. It is fronted on the ground floor by Goldie Asian Canteen + Brews, a cafe that serves alcoholic bubble tea, bao, dumplings and creative crepes, which is the first thing about the building you’ll notice.
IN AND UP
Once inside the hotel, though, we are greeted with Novotel’s warm hospitality. We are met by a helpful worker who takes us up to the main reception area on the third floor, where the check-in process is quick and painless.
This Novotel — together with ibis Melbourne Central — is AccorHotels’ first dual-branded hotel in a single vertical block. While ibis occupies the lower tier of the 35-floor building and Novotel occupies the 20th floor upwards, both share common guest facilities such as the fitness centre, business centre and restaurants, including Pretty Boy Italian Steakhouse, where breakfast is served.
Our room, a deluxe on the 30th floor, offers an expansive view of the city centre and is what you would expect of a Novotel room — clean, well-appointed and comfortable.
Though compact, it houses everything needed for a relaxing two-night stay. It has two double beds, which takes up most of the space in the room, a settee and a table for doing some light work on the computer.
It is also decked out with some great modern conveniences, such as USB wall sockets for charging phone and a smart TV that you can link to your phone via Chromecast.
OUT AND ABOUT
On our first night, we meet with some relatives who take us to the Pepper Lunch just down the street from the hotel (for Muslim travellers, Melbourne has a load of Muslim-friendly dining options, though it may not be so obvious — best would be to go online to search halal options beforehand or ask local Muslims).
For dessert, we head over to Brunetti on Lygon Street, also known as Little Italy, home to a host of Italian restaurants. Brunetti itself is an institution — with an array of mouth-watering desserts, great coffee and hot chocolate.
On our first full day in Melbourne, our plans to visit the Melbourne Zoo goes out the window as my daughter, Adila, is running a high fever.
After a quick breakfast — where Adila throws up into her bowl of cereal — we return to the room for some rest. Thankfully she is feeling a little better in the afternoon so we head out for lunch and some sightseeing.
We decide to stay close to the hotel, venturing to Blok M Express on Little Bourke, two streets over, for some Indonesian fare, before walking around in the area.
On the way back to the hotel, we stop by a cafe along Hardware Street, next to the hotel, for some tea-cum-dinner. One thing I wish I had brought from home at this time is a stroller — exploring a new city with a young child is tiring, especially when you have to carry her half the time.
The following morning, we are able to properly enjoy breakfast at Pretty Boy Italian Steakhouse. There are something for everyone — from a selection of cereals, yogurts and breads to fruits, pastries, cheeses and hot, freshly-cooked food items like eggs. The restaurant itself is modern and bright and quite comfortable for a relaxed breakfast.
With comfortable rooms and beds, good breakfast and being conveniently located within walking distance to some great dining and shopping options, this is definitely worth considering if you’re taking a trip to Melbourne.