Set at the eastern end of the CBD at 130 Russell Street, the hotel site was formerly occupied by the Melbourne Theosophical Society.
The hotel, which appears to be independent of the major hotel brands, is understood to be owned by the rich-listed Liberman family, who made their money in commercial property development including the Beach Hotel Byron Bay and Sydney’s Four Points by Sheraton. The family is also involved in a $1.75 billion project that includes a hotel and wellness hub in Melbourne’s Docklands with developer Tim Gurner.
Melbourne Place has 192 rooms, with room types described as Everyday, Urban, Suite or Penthouse. The hotel offers two levels of meeting and event spaces, the largest of which is Emerald at 269m2 and can host 166 seated or 250 cocktail. Three other spaces can accommodate between 14 and 50.
Following the current trend for rooftop spaces, the property features a “Mid Air Rooftop” restaurant on level 12 which will offer Mediterranean flavours of Greece, Turkey and Spain. The hotel describes this space as “the sweet spot between fancy and fun”.
Under the culinary direction of executive chef, Nick Deligiannis, the 2023 Good Food Young Chef of the Year, there will also be a “destinational” ground floor restaurant and a basement bar.
For the meetings market, Melbourne Place is well positioned a short walk to trams on Collins Street or Bourke Street Mall, with Melbourne’s free tram zone extending almost to Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre.
