Next Hotel Melbourne – Hotel Review

Camouflaged in the giddily glamorous 80 Collins development, Next Hotel Melbourne plays it cool. But step inside the sleek 25-storey tower and you’ll find a self-contained world of quiet luxury. The designer gods have smiled on the Australian flagship for Singapore-based Next Story Group, with a luxe Mid-Century aesthetic channelling a sense of place with the help of locally crafted textiles and original works by modern Australian artists. And while it’s on the doorstep of Melbourne’s most upmarket entertainment precinct, the hotel’s next-level food and drink program will keep you occupied from morning to nightcap.

Where is Next Hotel?

Perched at the city’s reborn “Paris end”, Next Hotel Melbourne is about 40 minutes’ drive from Tullamarine airport. With upmarket boutiques and big-night-out restaurants right on the doorstep, it lives up to its top end of town location.

Room types

There are 230 rooms and 25 suites, all decked out in a classic Mid-Century style with snappy updates including neon artworks. Added extras include Melbourne’s Hunter Lab amenities, Dyson hairdryers and Bose sound systems, plus cocktail-making sets and minibars with pre-batched barrel-aged cocktails that are made in-house. Kids in tow? Expect a box of treats including snacks and a menagerie of animal finger puppets to take home.

Restaurants and bars

With Cartel coffee, housemade pastries and kombucha on tap, the tiny street-level café Ingresso kicks off the day with a bang (and they also serve a great afternoon spritz). The Manhattan-style bar builds its cocktail program around the wood-aged spirits in the adjacent Barrel Room; aged Negronis, Manhattans and Old Fashioneds rule the roost (but it’s okay if you just want a Margarita). The acclaimed La Madonna restaurant finds a compelling synergy between the Sicilian and Hong Kong cultures of co-head chefs Daniel Natoli and Adrian Li: think charry wild boar tsukune (skewered meatballs) with jalapeño and a congee-like risotto with pine mushrooms and the toasty hit of koji. The exclusive domain of guests in Club rooms and suites, mood-lit lounge The Club has refreshments available all day; aperitivo hour (5pm-7pm) sees a good selection of charcuterie, oysters and Victorian bubbles and wine served by a smiling host.

Travel for work

Proper in-room workstations, including comfy leather swivel chairs and broad desks, make WFH (working from hotel) an easy proposition. The Club offers meeting spaces.

Spa and gym

The hotel’s fitness centre, open 24 hours, has Technogym cardio equipment along with all kinds of weights and city views to enjoy while you sweat. Personal trainers are on call.

Sustainability

Next Hotel Melbourne has achieved a 5 Star Green Star rating for construction, design and operation.

What you need to know

Investigate the art of cocktail making at the Barrel Room with a masterclass by Next’s spirits master, Phil Smithers.

SEE ALSO: The Best Hotels in Melbourne’s CBD