LINDRUM MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA
A former tea warehouse that has been converted into a billiards hall on Flinders Street, may not conjure up images of a boutique hotel. Yet it’s at the quiet end of this major Melbourne street where you will find the Lindrum.
This in-house billiards club is an important part of the hotel’s provenance. It is run by the Lindrum family, a billiards dynasty of four generations of world champions.
The full-size restored table that graces the downstairs lobby, is a fitting tribute.
The red brick Romanesque exterior looks rustic, but inside it is luxurious from the soft, velvety sofas around a real fireplace in the lounge to the spiral staircase and artworks on the walls.
The service is efficient with staff members fulfilling a medley of different roles from reception to housekeeping.
The 59 large and airy bedrooms are festooned with wooden furnishings and polished floors. They are dominated by sink-into king size beds that come with their own pillow menus and the en-suites have Molton Brown toiletries.
The soft lighting and dark decor lends a sense of intimacy that is a perfect setting to return to after a hard day touring the city.
The hotel aims to offer indulgence from the welcome glass of Turkish apple and cinnamon tea at check in, the complimentary wi-fi, the delightful breakfast buffet where hot food is freshly prepared to order.
It’s a hotel in my opinion that will give you a luxury stay without taking itself too seriously. A bit like Melbourne itself, I suppose. You might have to wait a tad for a taxi, as the hotel is a few minutes’ walk away from the action end of Flinders, but then again, it’ll give you time for a frame of snooker while you wait.
RATES: From £190 per night www.hotellindrum.com.au