4 Reasons to Book The InterContinental Melbourne The Rialto
Classical architecture meets Melbourne cool at this five-star hotel on Collins Street. Here are four reasons you should check in.
The space
Fusing two 19th-Century buildings – formerly wool markets and office spaces – with a soaring glass atrium, this hotel makes an elaborate first impression. Completed in 2008, after a $60-million revamp, many original features have remained intact, including its gothic windows and original bluestone cobbled laneway (servicing carts and wagons back in the day) on the ground floor.
Today, its new incarnation embraces Melbourne’s vibrant culture. Hidden Laneway Rooms are available for events, and see bare brick walls become a canvas for The Blender Studios graffiti artists. True to Melbourne’s locavore spirit, the hotel also houses a rooftop kitchen garden and eight beehives, providing produce for the hotel’s bars and restaurants.
The rooms
The hotel’s 253 stylish guest rooms and suites have all the comforts of home, including Bose radio and alarm clocks, flat-screen TVs and iPod docking stations. For business travellers, there are ergonomic workstations with high-speed Internet (at an additional price) in each room, as well as a business centre and boardrooms tucked within the hotel. Luxurious king size beds are fitted with crispy linen and your choice of pillow (just ask for the menu at check in), and fluffy bathrobes and slippers.
Health and wellness
Fitness junkies will enjoy the hotel’s light-filled gym kitted with weights, treadmills and exercise bikes, as well as a great indoor pool to either swim laps or just loll about. Treat yourself at the Botanica Day Spa. The signature treatment begins with a relaxing foot soak, followed by a hot stone massage to the back of the body and culminates in an Elemis anti-ageing customised facial. Yes.
The location
The InterContinental Melbourne The Rialto is conveniently located just a short stroll from must-see sites including the National Gallery of Victoria, ACMI and Federation Square. Meander through Melbourne’s colourful laneways and arcades to discover top restaurants, cafes and boutique shops. You’ll also find Shannon Bennett’s Vue de Monde and Guy Grossi’s Merchant at the hotel’s doorstep. If you’re travelling further afield, you can easily hop on a train from Southern Cross or Flinders Street stations.
