Pan Pacific Melbourne – Hotel Review

Walking into Pan Pacific Melbourne, with its high ceilings and timber panelling, it’s easy to imagine you’re stepping into a place of worship. Situated on the city’s South Wharf, the 19-floor hotel might look high and mighty but the vibe is down-to-earth. Read on for the full review.

Bought by Pan Pacific Hotels Group two years ago, it’s been given a modern facelift with families in mind. The family package, priced at $579, includes a two-bedroom suite, buffet breakfast for two adults and two children, a roast dinner served in your room, a complimentary movie and more.

Where is Pan Pacific Melbourne?

On the banks of the Yarra River, just up from the Southbank Promenade. It’s about 25 minutes from Melbourne airport by car and less than 10 minutes by foot to the edge of the CBD. 

What’s near Pan Pacific Melbourne?

The hotel is connected to the Convention Centre, on the banks of the Yarra River at Convention Place, a cluster of shops and kid-friendly restaurants within walking distance. The Melbourne Cricket Ground and Rod Laver Arena are less than five minutes away. 

Room types

Each room carries the DNA of the original Pan Pacific in Singapore. So expect clean lines, spacious rooms, huge bathrooms and an emphasis on relaxation. The king-sized beds are supremely comfortable. There are 15 Yarra suites, offering uninterrupted views of the river, Port Phillip Bay and the city. There are also 15 Panoramic suites, with 180-degree views of the city from floor-to-ceiling windows, which flood the room with natural light.

Restaurants and bars

The hotel has three options apart from room service – Café Orr, which is open for breakfast from 6.30am. For evenings, there is Dock 37 Bar & Kitchen, a swanky restaurant with a floating wine gantry, home to more than 500 bottles and seemingly suspended in mid-air. The menu is Italian influenced, with plenty of risotto, seafood and pasta dishes. There’s also a selection of unpretentious bar food, like hamburgers and chips – perfect for fussy little eaters. If you have Pacific Club Exclusive Privileges, you’ll get access to the lounge on the fourth floor serving complimentary breakfast, all day refreshments, evening drinks and canapés.

Travel for work

As well as a boardroom complete with audio-visual equipment and a screening room that can seat up 220, there are six other meeting spaces designed for work conferences. Depending on your package, there is access to the fourth-floor lounge, which has business facilities, including soundproof booths.

Gym and spa

The gym, which has the latest, state-of-the-art equipment, is open 24 hours a day. There are also regular packages available for in-room massage. There is no spa but the baths in the suites are gigantic and designed to mimic spa baths.

What you need to know

Every four months, the Pan Pacific plays host to a new art exhibition; and the paintings are on display in the foyer’s wings. There is also an Indigenous art gallery on the fourth level with an impressive collection of Aboriginal paintings and sculptures. There’s enough space in the room to hold a cocktail party, or, an intimate wedding, as the hotel has a package for that, too and can convert any of their meeting spaces into a reception venue. 

SEE ALSO: The Best Hotels in Melbourne’s CBD