Luxe Hyatt at heart of Melbourne
The best assets of the world’s most friendly city are laid out beneath you at this MelbourneCentric hotel offering luxury and views, writes
The secret to making the most of a trip to Melbourne is finding a great hotel within the city’s free tram network coverage. Better still, make sure it has impressive views – even from the bathrooms – and some tasty cocktails on offer.
Hyatt Centric is a luxury lifestyle hotel in Melbourne that provides the perfect base to explore the best the city has to offer. All you have to do is hop on the tram.
The place
The entrance to this hotel is true to Melbourne – down a street, down a brick-lined corridor before you reach a big, open lobby decorated with indoor plants, art and books.
The hotel is close to the Flinders/Spencer streets tram station, which gives you access to the free tram network that can take you throughout the inner city. Trams will also take you further afield for a small fee, so check which stops are within the free tram zone first.
The space
Hyatt Centric is cosy and artistic. The lobby feels like a cross between a boutique library cafe and a mini gallery, inviting you to linger and browse some of the beautiful books on display, with coffee and drinks available from the bar.
There are 277 rooms across 25 floors, including a dedicated events floor. And for fur parents, there are eight pet-friendly rooms for you and your fluffy companion.
The room
With an urban-chic feel, Hyatt Centric is the type of hotel where you want to sleep with the curtains open. Whether it is a night-time cityscape or you wish to wake to the early glow of a new day, I couldn’t bear to shut the curtains on the views.
Rooms are in warm, neutral tones with artistic touches dotted around the space to remind you of the city you are in – such as art with a QR code to learn more, and an I Love Melbourne coffee table book to peruse over your morning cuppa.
There is a small table and chair in my king room but no work desk. This is a luxury lifestyle, after all. One of the key features that defines this space is the daybed by the window – inviting you to put your feet up to enjoy city views from somewhere other than your hotel bed.
Bathrooms have waste-free amenities by Mr Smith, and the branded hooded bathrobes and slippers are sustainably made, all helping to create a single-use, plastic-free environment.
Glass bottles of still water are complimentary (sparkling will be charged to your room), and the complimentary Nespresso pods are recyclable.
The amenities
The hotel has a wellness centre with a large gym and a beautiful swimming pool. The gym has a good range of cardio equipment, including a Peloton bike, as well as free weights, machines and mats, while the pool area has daybeds and chairs to relax post- or pre-swim.
And while this sounds like an odd piece of advice, visit the hotel restaurant toilets on the 25th floor to gasp at the views opposite the sinks.
The food
A buffet breakfast is served each day at Langlands Restaurant on the 25th floor. It is one of the nicest buffet breakfasts I have had – there are your usual scrambled eggs, sausages and muesli offerings, plus salads as well as other hot meals available, and the chefs are on hand to cook made-to-order breakfasts such as omelettes.
Even though Melbourne is synonymous with food, it is worth staying in for dinner at Langlands, which offers casual dining and a great cocktail menu. I recommend the tasting menu, from which you can sample a few dishes while enjoying the vibrant city sunset.
Be sure to check out the ocean views from the kitchen, too – the staff have one of the best kitchen views in the country.
Worth stepping out for
Melbourne’s great sights and attractions are just a few tram stops away. Head to the Flinders St station to get to the National Gallery of Victoria, take a tour of the city’s laneways and marvel at the street art, or head up the Melbourne Skydeck for 360-degree views of the city.
There, if you are up for it, take a cinematic virtual reality experience that flies you over the city while you sit in a pod that moves around with you. It is dizzying but incredible.
Worth staying in for
Sunset cocktails and dinner at Langlands, and lounging at the pool.
The highlight
Dinner views.
The lowlight
There is only a sliding door to separate the kitchen and bathroom area in my room, and while that is fine for a solo traveller, others may wish a for bit more privacy between making a cup of tea and another person brushing their teeth.
Essentials
King rooms at Hyatt Centric Melbourne on Downie St are from A$300 (NZ$327) a night, or A$570 (NZ$622) for a king suite. Twin rooms and premium suites are also available. Visit hyatt.com.