Laneways by Ovolo – Hotel Review

This 43-room boutique hotel in the heart of Melbourne CBD is small in size but big in personality. Forget the muted greys and soft creams – Laneways by Ovolo, tucked away on Little Bourke Street, is bright, colourful and fun, encapsulated best by the complimentary candy cart you’ll pass on the way to your room. Even the weather report, which is scrawled on the mirror in the lift, has the right attitude. “Cloudy with 110% chance of being fabulous!” it reads. It’s clear from the outset that the DNA here is different. Read on for the full review.

Where is Laneways by Ovolo?

On Little Bourke Street in Melbourne. It’s a 35-minute drive from the airport. The hotel doesn’t have onsite parking but offers discounted parking at two nearby car parks for $25 a day (with multiple entries, so you can pop in and out).

What’s near Laneways by Ovolo?

The best of Melbourne is right outside the front door. Chinatown is a short walk down Little Bourke Street. Parliament Gardens are adjacent to the hotel and the CBD is a 15-minute walk. If you’re in town for the footy, it’s 10 minutes away on the tram. Want to catch a show? The Princess Theatre and Her Majesty’s Theatre are on the hotel’s doorstep, while the Regent Theatre is a 15-minute walk.

Room types

There are 43 rooms and seven styles of rooms, from a downtown studio to a Memphis movement-informed penthouse. The Memphis suites offer large terraces with city views, a kitchen and a “candy buffet”. Suite 303 has been designed by The Block’s Neale Whitaker and includes a Nunzio Miano painting, a Sarah Nedovic Gaunt lamp and even a Spotify playlist curated by the design maven himself.

Restaurants and bars

How many options do you want? The ground-floor gastropub, Amphlett House, has a menu overseen by British-born favourite Ian Curley and offers everything from a classic beef tartare to gnocchi with nettle pesto. There are a host of other great options near the hotel, including Daughter in Law for modern Indian, Hochi Mama and Longrain for lively Asian and Siglo for drinks on the rooftop terrace. Get in the mood at the hotel’s social hour (from 6pm), where the first drink is free.

Sustainability

Ovolo hotels have a Do Good, Feel Good mantra. The initiative supports Eden Reforestation Projects, which plants sustainable trees in communities around the world, and the Bali Children’s Foundation to empower disadvantaged communities through education opportunities.

Accessibility

There’s wheelchair access to the property and the hotel’s one-bedroom suites are fully accessible. It also caters for guide dogs.

Travel for work

There’s free wifi and good-sized desks in all room types. The suites offer a separate lounge area if you need to spread out.

Gym

There’s no fitness centre but reception can point you to some nearby gyms that offer day passes. Fitzroy Gardens is a short walk.

What you need to know

Not ready to leave Fido at home? Sign up for the V.I.Pooch package, which will give you and up to two dogs accommodation for the night, a doggy bed, a food bowl to “feast in style” and a doggy bag with toys and treats. Not too ruff.

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