WALKING ON AIR
This funky rooftop accommodation has the ‘wow’ factor, finds
Anight on top of a car park. In a sort of camper van. A secret doorway. A clue but no key. The phone is the weapon of choice to unravel the secrets of this hotel in Melbourne. Oh sorry, it’s not a hotel. It’s Notel.
I reach Fry’s Fast Park in the heart of Melbourne’s CBD, manage to find the doorway and warily climb up the drab stairwell. At the top, the sight that greets me is something out of a movie set.
Bright red turf on the deck, potted green cactus, and splashes of vivid colour on the walls of the taller buildings that enclose the rooftop on three sides.
Set off against this are six gleaming Airstream trailers, straight from the ‘70s — complete with a US number plate for the room number. And white furniture outside each of the giant chrome capsules. Welcome to Melbourne’s newest, funky, rooftop accommodation.
“This is nothing like an ordinary caravan. We want people to get in and go ‘ wow’,” James Fry, who owns the three-level car park below, and who conceptualised the Notel, tells us.
He had the Airstreams shipped from America, lifted on to the roof with a crane and had the interiors designed by Melbourne architects Edwards Moore.
The only way to enter the trailer is by using a smart-key delivered on your phone. So, while it’s fine to forget anything else in the room, never forget the phone: you risk being locked out.
Inside, the room seems surprisingly spacious. Must be either the pink-and-white colour on the walls or the minimalist interiors.
White curtains adorn the tiny windows of the Airstream while pink cushions are lined on the bench along the sides of the room. A comfortable high bed is slotted at the mouth of the trailer while a sliding door at the tail-end leads to the spacious en suite bathroom. For us, the firm and luxurious bed was really the highlight of the stay.
But this is not all. The air-conditioned trailer is also equipped with amenities you would see at high-end hotels — a mini bar, Wi-Fi and an oversized iPad, which functions as your entertainment unit. The tablet can be mounted on the wall if you want to watch Netflix in bed. It also comes loaded with names of popular cafes and restaurants. Power points and USB ports are aplenty.
On the flipside, you will miss some essentials — no full-length mirror, iron, kettle or microwave, and no bars or restaurants at the venue.
Fry says that’s the point. “We want people to experience Melbourne. There are so many nice cafes, and restaurants around the city. We want people to go out and discover them.”
He adds that a new cafe is planned for the street level to enable guests to grab a coffee while on the go.
The Notel opened to the public in August and has already gained immense popularity. One of the Airstreams, which features a luxurious spa, is booked out every weekend until May. “I always knew that Melburnians would embrace this concept,” says Fry. “It’s unique. We always say this is not a hotel and if you want that experience we’ll book you at the Hilton.”